You may want to bookmark this page for quick reference! Although this glossary isn’t an exhaustive list, it is a great tool you can use to understand some of the basic terminology related to computers, networking, and internet technology.
Address: An identification assigned to a computer.
ATM: Asynchronous Transfer Mode. A high-speed cell-switching network technology for LANs and WANs that handles date and realtime voice and video.
Backbone: The part of the communications network which carries the heaviest traffic. It is also the part which joins LANs together.
Back Up: Additional resources or duplicate copies of date stored on different media for emergency purposes.
Bandwidth: The transmission capacity of a computer channel, communications line or bus expressed in cycles per second (Hertz). Bandwidth is the difference between the lowest and highest frequencies transmitted.
Baud/BPS: Unit of measure of data transmission speed, usually bits per second.
Browser: A type of software program that enables users to navigate to get around the World Wide Web.
CD-ROM: Compact Disc Read Only Memory. The familiar 4.7 inch compact disc can hold text, graphics, and hi-fi stereo sound made for computers.
CNE: Certified (local area) Network Engineer.
Coaxial Cable: A high-capacity cable used to carry high-speed data in communications and video, commonly called co-ax.
.com: One of five top-level domains. Stands for commercial.
CPU: Central Procession Unit. The part of the computer which performs the logic, computational and decision-making functions.
Dial-up Line: A telephone line which is part of the switched nationwide telephone system.
Domain: The name of the computer that is connected to the Internet.
Domain Naming System: A hierarchical system of host naming that groups hosts in to categories.
Download: Retrieve files from a computer.
.edu: One of five top-level domains. Stands for educational.
E-mail: Electronic Mail. The transmission of memos and messages over a network to a single recipient or broadcast to multiple users.
Encryption: Using cryptography to encode data for security purposes for transmission over a public network.
Ethernet: A local area network used for connecting computers, printers, workstations, terminals, servers, etc., within the same building or area.
Finger: A search tool designed to assist in finding an address when you know the location of an individual.
Frame Relay: A high-speed packet switching protocol used for wide area networks.
FTP: File Transfer Protocol. It is used to transfer files over the network.
Gopher: A search tool that displays information through a system of menus and menu choices.
.gov: One of five top-level domains. Stands for government.
GUI: Graphical User Interface. A graphics-based user interface that incorporates icons, pull-down menus and a mouse.
Home Page: A location on the World Wide Web that identifies an individual or an organization.
Host: The main computer in a distributed computing environment. It typically refers to a large timesharing computer or a central computer that controls a network.
HTML: HyperText Markup Language. The standard format for documents on the World Wide Web.
http: HyperText Transfer Protocol. The language of moving information between networks, especially in the World Wide Web.
HyperText: A system where documents scattered across many sites are directly linked.
Internet: An interconnected collection of networks.
Intranet: An internal information system based on Internet technology
IP Address: Internet Protocol address. A 32-bit address which includes a Network address identifier assigned by a central authority and a Host ID (an end station identifier assigned by the LAN administrator.
ISDN: Integrated Services Digital Network. An international telecommunications standard for transmitting voice, video, and data over digital lines running at 64 Kbit/sec.
ISO: International Standards Organization
ISP: Internet Service Provider. A company or person that provides connections to the Internet.
LAN: Local Area Network A communications network that serves users within a confined geographical area. It is made up of servers, workstations, a network operating system and a communications link.
MAC: Media Access Control
Mailing List: A collection of people with common interests.
.mil: One of five top-level domains. Stands for military.
Modem: A device that adapts a terminal or computer to a telephone line.
Multiplex: To transmit two or more signals over a single channel.
Network: In communications, the transmission channels interconnecting all clients and server stations as well as all supporting hardware and software.
Network Operating System: The program that controls the operation of a network, allowing users to communicate and share files and peripherals.
NIC: Network Interface Card. Electronic circuitry connecting a workstation to a network. It works with the network software and computer operating system to transmit and receive messages on the network.
Node: Any connection to a network, for example a workstation or printer.
.org: One of five top-level domains. Encompasses nonprofit organizations.
Packet: A block of data (a frame) used for transmission in LANs and packet switching systems.
Packet Switching: A networking technology that breaks up a message in to smaller packets for transmission. The most common form of date transmission technology used in LANs and WANs.
Peer-to-Peer Network: A communications network that allows all workstations and computers in the network to act as servers to all other users on the network.
Protocol: A set of mutually accepted and implemented rules at both ends of the communications channel for the orderly exchange of data.
Router: A computer system in a network that stores and forward data packets between LANs and WANs.
SCSI: Small Computer System Interface. Pronounced "scuzzy." SCSI is a hardware interface that allows for the connection of up to seven peripheral devices, such as a disk, tape, or CD-ROM, to a single SCSI expansion board.
Server: A computer in a network shared by multiple users.
Signature or .sig: A personalized address at the bottom of a message often containing contact information and short commercial description.
SLIP/PPP: Serial Line IP. Allows users to dial in to the Internet, yet have their own Internet location/domain name. Two connections.
TCP/IP: Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. The standardized set of computer guidelines that allows different machines to talk to each other on the Internet.
TELNET: A public-switched network operated by GTE. It also allows a user to log on to and run a program from a remote terminal or computer.
Token Ring: A ring type of LAC in which a supervisory frame, or token, must be received by an attached terminal or workstation before that terminal or workstation can start transmitting.
Traffic: The amount of activity during a given period of time over a circuit, line, or group of lines, or the number of messages handled by a communications switch.
UNIX: A multi-user, multi-tasking operating system originally developed by AT&T. It is an immensely powerful and complex operating system for computers for running data processing and for running telephone systems.
Upload: Send a file from your computer to another.
UPS: Uninterruptible Power Supply: A device providing a steady source of electric energy to a piece of equipment.
URL: Uniform Resource Locator. A type of address that points to a specific document or site on the World Wide Web.
Usenet: A collection of discussion areas (bulletin boards) known as newsgroups on the Internet.
WAIS: A database search tool that looks inside documents for words and content.
WAN: Wide Area Network. A data network typically extending a LAN outside the building, over telephone common carrier lines to link to other LANs in remote buildings in possibly remote cities.
Web Browser: A utility used to peruse document son the World Wide Web of the Internet.
WWW: World Wide Web. An easy but powerful global information system based on a combination of information retrieval and hypertext techniques.