User guide

Protocols
User Guide 3
Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) Internet connectivity, unlike cable
modem-based service, gives the user dedicated bandwidth. However,
the maximum bandwidth available to DSL users is usually lower than
the maximum cable modem rate because of differences in their
respective network technologies. Also, the “dedicated bandwidth” is
dedicated only between your home or office and the DSL provider's
central office. The provider gives no guarantee of bandwidth across
the Internet.
Internet Service Providers (ISP) are companies that give access to the
Internet.
Protocols
In computer network discussions, you frequently hear the term pro-
tocol. A
protocol is a specification that makes computers able to
connect across a network. Protocols define the “grammar” that
computers use to speak to each other.
The standard protocol when you connect to the Internet is the
Internet Protocol (IP). This protocol is the usual language of com-
puters on the Internet.
A protocol also tells how data is sent through a network. The most
frequently used protocols are TCP (Transmission Control Protocol)
and UDP (User Datagram Protocol). Other IP protocols are less fre-
quently used.
TCP/IP is the basic protocol used by computers that connect to the
Internet. You must know some settings of TCP/IP when you set up
your Firebox® X Edge. For more information on TCP/IP, see “Finding
your TCP/IP properties” on page 15.