POIT Study Guide (Unit 4 Networking)

Internet service provider (ISP)

A company that sells and manages consumer access to the Internet.

network interface card (NIC)

A card that enables one computer to send and receive data to and from another computer.

firewall

A piece of hardware or software on a network designed to limit access to certain machines to authorized users only.

hub

A central point on a network where computers can connect. The central point is often a switch rather than a ___.

peer-to-peer (P2P) network

A network architecture where all computers have equal responsibilities and all computers can share files with each other.

token ring topology

A network layout in which each individual node is connected to two others, with the first and last coming back to connect to each other, thus completing the ring shape.

bus topology

A network layout in which there is one main trunk, or backbone, that all the various computers and network devices are connected to.

Ethernet

The primary networking technology currently in use. Ethernet defines standards for addressing packets and data and a method for avoiding data conflicts on the network.

network protocols

The rules of initiating, interrupting, and continuing communication on a computer network.

twisted-pair cable

The most commonly used kind of networking cable today.

network operating system (NOS)

A set of programs used to manage and secure a network.

domain name

A name that identifies a computer network on the Internet.

star bus topology

A LAN topology wherein two star networks are linked using a bus.

server

A computer dedicated to providing one service (such as web hosting, disk storage, and so on) and that is shared by many users across a network.

client workstation

A computer intended to be used by one person at a time.

client

A computer that connects to a server computer.

server

A computer that provides information or services to other computers.

router

A device that links two computer networks or links a local area network to the Internet. A router reads packet addresses and routes packets.

instant messaging

A form of Internet chat that is conducted one-on-one through private online chat areas. A user creates a list of other users with whom he or she wants to communicate.

netiquette

A group of commonly understood rules of politeness and respect used when communicating online.

client/server network

A network architecture in which each computer is either a client or a server. Servers are powerful computers dedicated to managing the clients. Clients are PCs on which users run applications. Clients rely on servers for resources..

network administrator

A person who manages a computer network; he or she designed its topology and adjusts it as needed to suit the organization's needs.

intranet

A private network that looks and functions a lot like the Internet but is typically available only to the employees of an organization.

Post Office Protocol (POP)

A protocol used to retrieve email from a mail server. _____is a later iteration of the protocol, and can be used with or without SMTP.

Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP)

A protocol used to retrieve email messages. ________is similar to POP3, but with some advanced features. The main difference between the two is that _____generally leaves the email on the mail server.

newsgroup

A public forum that consists of articles and follow-up comments on one or more specified subjects.

Internet Relay Chat (IRC)

A service that allows many people in different places to "chat" by typing messages in real time, usually in a chat room.

star topology

A topology with one central node that has each computer or network device attached to the central node. All data first goes into the central node and then is sent out to its destination. (Think of it like a bicycle wheel with spokes.)

digital subscriber line (DSL)

A type of Internet connection that uses phone lines but transmits signals digitally across an always-open connection.

integrated services digital network (ISDN)

A type of Internet connection that uses standard circuit-switched phone lines to send digital data.

coaxial cable

A type of electrical cable often used to transmit cable TV.

switch

A type of hub that uses a table to keep track of destinations so that data can be sent directly to its destination, rather than to every computer on the network before the destination machine receives it.

local area network (LAN)

A type of network where computers are close together, typically in the same building or office.

wide area network (WAN)

A type of network where the computers are far apart—in different buildings, different cities, or even different countries.

Internet Protocol (IP) address

A unique set of numbers assigned to a specific computer that is connected to the Internet. This is similar to a house's street address.

broadband

An Internet connection that is made using a modem but is always on (dialing in to establish a connection is not needed).

Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP)

An Internet-standard protocol for sending email messages between servers on IP networks. Because _______is generally used to send messages from a mail client to a mail server, you should specify both the POP or IMAP server and the ______server when configuring an email application.

electronic mail (email)

An electronic message that can be sent with or without file attachments such as word processing documents, spreadsheets, and pictures.

node

Any receiving point in a computer network.

fiber-optic cable

Cable that uses light guided through thin glass tubes, instead of electrical signals, to transmit data. It is very fast but also expensive.

wireless communication

Data transmission that uses radio frequencies instead of cabling.

backbone

Large fiber-optic cables (or bundles of them) that move much of the data packets on the Internet from one place to another.

router

Networking hardware responsible for keeping data from going where it doesn't need to go while getting it where it should go.

bridge

Often called a network switch, this connects many parts of a network and directs traffic as needed

File Transfer Protocol (FTP)

One particular protocol that allows files to be transferred through a network.

email client

Software or hardware used to manage email. Popular software email clients such as Microsoft Outlook and Eudora are also known as mail user agents (MUAs).

backbone

The central core of a network, this connection can link many smaller networks to a larger network.

network architecture

The design of a computer network, which specifies how devices communicate with one another. The most common network architecture types are client/server and peer-to-peer.

Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP)

The networking protocol used by the World Wide Web. It defines how messages are formatted and transmitted, and the actions web servers must take in response to requests received from clients.

Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)

The set of networking rules that control how data is sent from one specific machine (as defined by its IP address) to another.

packet

The small unit into which information is broken down before being sent across a network.

topology

The study of how items are related to one another in space; a configuration.

flame

To send an abusive or personally insulting message.

network

Two or more devices connected together.

extranet

What an organization's intranet becomes when the organization allows outsiders to access its intranet.