Manual

An Ethernet address is a unique, pre-programmed address, sometimes referred to as a media access control (MAC) address. Each
computer on an Ethernet network has its own Ethernet address. This 12-digit hexadecimal address is encoded into the circuitry of
the computer’s network adapter when it is manufactured. Other devices on the network use this address to identify the computer.
This address is not the same as the
IP address that is assigned to computers on TCP/IP networks. On these networks, the IP
address is associated with the MAC address to enable network communication.
Host
A host is any device that is connected to the network; for example, a computer, network printer, or router. Each host has a unique
name (called "Host Name") or IP address (called "Host IP") for identification on the network.
Internet Protocol (IP)
IP is the protocol used to send data from one computer to another over the Internet. The IP protocol describes how Internet
computers keep track of the
IP address of each computer on the network and route packets of data from one IP address to
another.
IP Address
An IP address provides unique identification for each computer on the Internet or on a local network. IP addresses are usually
expressed as a group of four numbers separated by periods, for example, 169.254.10.2. None of the numbers can be greater than
255. Each Ethernet interface has an IP address. For the Dell Wireless 2350 Broadband Router, there is a
LAN Ethernet interface
and a
WAN Ethernet interface; hence, there is a LAN IP address and a WAN IP address.
Link Light
A link light is a light on a network device that indicates a good network connection. Hubs typically have a link light for each port;
although, they may not be labelled as such, and the lights may show other information. These lights often blink for network activity.
Some hubs display different colored lights for 10 Mbps and 100 Mbps. For more information, see the documentation accompanying
your product.
Local Area Network (LAN)
A LAN is a network in one location. The network lets users at that location share files, printers and other services. See WAN.
Network Adapter
A network adapter is a device expansion card that provides the physical connection between a computer and the network. There
are many types of adapters. They include PC cards for laptops (a card that fits into a slot on your computer, like you might install a
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 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.