Cisco PLUSB10 User Guide - Page 23

Instant PowerLineTM Series Appendix C: IP Addressing What's an IP Address? IP stands for Internet Protocol. Every device on an IP-based network, including PCs, print servers, and routers, requires an IP address to identify its "location," or address, on the network. Since the Internet is simply one huge global network, every PC that logs on to the Internet also needs an IP address. There are two ways of assigning an IP address to your network devices. Static IP Addresses A static IP address is a permanent IP address that you assign manually to a PC or other device on a TCP/IP network. Since a static IP address remains valid until you disable it, static IP addressing insures that the device assigned it will always have that same IP address. Static IP addresses are commonly used with network devices such as server PCs or print servers. Dynamic IP Addresses A dynamic IP address is automatically assigned to a device on a TCP/IP network, such as PCs and print servers. These IP addresses are called "dynamic" because they are only temporarily assigned to the PC or device. After a certain time period, they expire and may change. Dynamic IP addresses are typically assigned by a DHCP server, which can be a computer on the network or another piece of hardware, such as a router. If a PC logs on to the network (or the Internet) and its dynamic IP address has expired, the DHCP server will assign it a new dynamic IP address. DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) DHCP is software that automatically assigns IP addresses to client stations logging onto a TCP/IP network. DHCP frees you from having to manually assign permanent IP addresses to every device on your network. DHCP software typically runs on servers and is also found on network devices such as routers. 38 EtherFast® 10/100 Bridge and USB Adapter Appendix D: Specifications for the EtherFast 10/100 Bridge Standards: Ports: Powerline LAN Cabling Type: Powerline LAN Topology: Speed: Powerline LAN Encryption: LEDs: Powerline Ethernet IEEE 802.3, IEEE 802.3U, HomePlug 1.0 One Powerline Port One 10BaseT/100BaseTX RJ-45 Port Power Cord UTP Category 5 or Better Star (Ethernet), Bus (Powerline) Up to 14Mbps (Powerline) 10/100Mbps 56-bit Data Encryption with Key Management Power Link, Activity, Collision Link, 100, Activity 39