The Layman’s Dictionary for Small Business Networking

Apache:

The most common application for sending web pages from a web server to your Browser. The package is free.

Browser:

A program most commonly used for viewing web pages. e.g. Internet Explorer.

Cable Modem:

A device that converts high-speed Internet service provided via CATV cable to regular networking cable.

Cisco:

A vendor of very high quality networking components.

Domain (Internet):

The name you want associate with your web site & email addresses e.g. yourcompany.com

Domain (Corporate Networks):

A group of functions provided by a Domain Controller to allow a group of networked individuals to work more efficiently and securely together.

Domain Controller:

A computer running either Microsoft Windows NT Server, 2000 Server or 2003 Server and set up to provide Domain services.

DHCP: (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol)

The service that provides users with unique IP Addresses on a network. This is most often performed by the Server or Firewall.

Dial-Up:

The ability to connect to another network (commonly the Internet) via conventional telephones lines using a Modem.

DNS: (Domain Name System)

A reference service that converts human readable names like cnn.com into IP addresses that computers can more easily deal with.

DSL: (Digital Subscriber Line)

A high speed internet service provided using a conventional telephone line. It does not disrupt regular telephone usage. A DSL Modem is required to use this service.

Ethernet:

A broad term describing the protocols and devices used in the most common form of networking in use today.

Exchange, Microsoft:

Microsoft’s premier email server application that provides additional features designed to enhance information exchange between users. E.g. Shared Calendars and Contacts

Firewall:

A device that can filter data passing through it based on definable rules, typically the primary defense mechanism of a network.

FTP: (File Transfer Protocol)

An older but common method of transferring files between computers.

Gigabit:

A newer network performance specification that allows devices to communicate 10 times faster than the current standard.

HTTP: (HyperText Transfer Protocol)

The standard for formatting & transferring web pages to your browser.

Hub:

A simple device for connecting computers equipped with network adapters together.

IP Address:

The computer network equivalent of a serial number.

A Dynamic IP Address can change periodically to make better use of a limited number of IP Addresses.

A Static IP Address is fixed in order to provide a service from a known location.

Internet:

A very large network joining devices all over the world in a fault tolerant manner.

ISP: (Internet Service Provider)

A company who provides access to the Internet via technologies like Cable Modem, DSL, Dial-Up or T1.

Mercury Mail:

A free efficient email server application for smaller businesses.

Modem:

Abbreviated form Modulate-Demodulate this device allows computers to connect to other computers or networks via conventional telephone lines.

NAT: (Network Address Translation)

A service provided by most firewalls to a) hide computers from potential hazards and b) to allow more than one computer to share an IP Address.

NIC: (Network Interface Card)

The device that allows your computer to connect to a network.

Open Relay:

A term to describe an incorrectly set up computer that is typically abused by Spammers to send unsolicited email.

Ping:

A program that allows one computer or device on a network to verify the presence of another.

POP3: (Post Office Protocol version 3)

The protocol that allows your Email client (e.g. Outlook) to retrieve email from your Email server.

Ports:

The numbered channel through which data travels to and from a networked device. Typically the specific port number is associated with the type of data being transferred.

e.g. Web pages: 80, FTP:21, Email 25 and 110, etc.

Proxy Server:

A computer that will function on behalf of another. Often used as a method to anonymously attack others on the Internet.

Remote Desktop/RDP:

a multi-channel protocol that allows a user to connect to a computer running Microsoft Terminal Services. Clients exist for most versions of Windows, and other operating systems such as Linux..

Register.com:

A large Internet Domain Name registrar that provides good service, competitive prices and some non-traditional registrar facilities like DNS.

Router:

A device that permits data to move from one network to another. Often integrated into Firewalls. If the internet is visualized as a spider’s web then there would be a router at every joint.

SMTP: (Simple Mail Transport Protocol)

The protocol that is used to push email to an email server from either another email server or from an email client like Outlook.

SPAM:

The general term for all unsolicited email.

Subnet:

A smaller subset of a network. Used to assist in administration.

Subnet Mask:

A number that splits an IP address into a network number and a computer number.

This is like splitting a street address into a street name and a house number

Switch:

Similar to a Hub but with the facility to optimize communications between networked devices.

TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol)

The primary network protocol for most modern networks including the Internet.

T1:

A system for transmitting data down a channel made up of 24 smaller channels. Very reliable, often used to carry telephone lines.

USB:

A standardized connector used to connect countless types of peripherals to your computer.

Verisign: (Network Solutions)

The largest Internet Domain name registrar.

Virus:

A program who’s purpose is spread undetected from computer to computer in order to achieve some task. Most times this task is malicious.

VNC: (Virtual Network Computing)

A program that allows the user of one computer connected to another computer through a network to take control of that computer.

VPN: (Virtual Private Networking)

A protocol that allows two computers separated by untrusted network (e.g. The Internet) to communicate securely by encrypting the data sent between them.

Wireless:

A newer development to allow computers to transmit data via radio waves instead of wires. A wireless bridge is the wireless equivalent to a switch and a wireless access point the equivalent of a firewall.

Worm:

Similar to a virus but relies on software weaknesses to propagate itself.

802.11x:

The IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) standard for wireless networking.