Users Guide

sound card or modem card) and embedded cards, embedded USB adapters, USB dongle adapters, and USB desktop adapters.
Some newer computers have a network adapter already built into the system. PC cards or cards that fit into a slot in the desktop
are sometimes referred to as network interface cards, or NICs.
Network Address Translation (NAT)
NAT occurs when multiple IP addresses on a private LAN are converted to one public address. This public address is sent out to
the Internet. NAT adds a level of security because the IP address for a computer connected to the private LAN is never transmitted
to the Internet. NAT also allows xDSL/cable routers to be used with low-cost Internet accounts, where only one
TCP/IP address is
provided by the
Internet service provider. The user may have many private addresses masked by the single address provided by
the ISP. NAT prevents denial of service (DoS) from external networks on internal hosts.
Network Name (SSID)
Access Points are grouped together by an identifier called an ESSID. The ESSID is also referred to as a Net ID. This identifier is a
combination of any letters or numbers that are appropriate for the network environment. ESSID is specifically for Access Points.
When you talk about peer-to-peer networks, you cannot use the term ESSID.
Service Set Identifier (SSID) is more generic and is a 32-character name that uniquely identifies all the computers and equipments
that make up a wireless network. A type of SSID is ESSID. Another type of SSID is Basic Service Set Identifier (BSSID). The
BSSID is the
MAC address of a wireless adapter or Access Point.
Point to Point Protocol over Ethernet (PPPoE)
PPPoE is the methodology of authenticating or validating a user or equipment to an Internet service provider, usually via a
username and/or password. It is a selection or action that reconfigures a device to the default parameters, as it was originally
manufactured.
Port
A port is a connector on a networking device used to attach the network cable. Hubs and switches have numerous ports that
connect to computers on the network.
Protocol
Protocol refers to a set of rules for sending and receiving information on a network. The rules determine the format of the data that
is transmitted and other aspects of networking, such as how errors are detected and corrected. The protocol driver in each
computer is software that adheres to these rules when sending and receiving information. These drivers are also often called
protocols.
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)
TCP/IP refers to the protocol that computers use to communicate over the Internet. TCP determines how a computer breaks up
data into small units, called "packets," to be sent to another computer and how the receiving computer reassembles the packets
into a single file. IP determines how the packets are routed across the Internet.
See Internet Protocol.
Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN)