3Com 3C16792 User Guide - Page 24

NETWORKING TERMINOLOGY A Network is a collection of workstations (for example, IBM-compatible personal computers) and other equipment (for example, printers), connected for the purpose of exchanging information. Networks vary in size, some are within a single room, others span continents. A Local Area Network (LAN) is a network, usually in an office, that spans no more than a single site. Ethernet is a type of LAN, referring to the technology used to pass information around the network. 10BASE-T is the name given to the Ethernet protocol that runs over Twisted Pair (TP) cable at 10Mbps. The OfficeConnect hub uses RJ-45 type connectors for connecting your TP network. 10BASE-2 is the name given to the Ethernet protocol that runs over 50 Ohm Coaxial cable. A Network Loop occurs when two pieces of network equipment are connected by more than one path. Your hub detects this and partitions (isolates) one of its ports to break the loop. A segment is the length of Ethernet cable connected to a port, whether this cable is 10BASE-T, 10BASE-2, or other type. When you join equipment together with 10BASE-2 cable, via single speed hubs, the entire cable forms a single segment. Packets are the units of information your workstations and other equipment send to each other over the network. Collisions are a part of normal Ethernet operation and occur if two or more devices (pieces of network equipment) attempt to transmit at the same time. A sudden sustained increase in the number of collisions can indicate a problem with a device, particularly if it is not accompanied by a general increase in traffic. On coaxial segments an increase in collisions can also indicate faulty cabling. An AUI (Attachment Unit Interface) port is a standard type of port used to connect 10Mbps Ethernet transceivers to network equipment (Hub 8C only). 24