Linksys RT042 User Guide - Page 10

Broadband Router Chapter 2: Networking Basics An Introduction to LANs A Router is a network device that connects two networks together. The Router connects your local area network (LAN), or the group of PCs in your home or office, to the Internet. The Router processes and regulates the data that travels between these two networks. The Router's Network Address Translation (NAT) technology protects your network of PCs so users on the Internet cannot "see" your PCs. This is how your LAN remains private. The Router protects your network by inspecting the first packet coming in through the Internet port before delivery to the final destination on one of the Ethernet ports. The Router inspects Internet port services like the web server, ftp server, or other Internet applications, and, if allowed, it will forward the packet to the appropriate PC on the LAN side. The Use of IP Addresses IP stands for Internet Protocol. Every device in an IP-based network, including PCs, print servers, and routers, requires an IP address to identify its location, or address, on the network. This applies to both the Internet and LAN connections. There are two ways of assigning IP addresses to your network devices. A static IP address is a fixed IP address that you assign manually to a PC or other device on the network. Since a static IP address remains valid until you disable it, static IP addressing ensures that the device assigned it will always have that same IP address until you change it. Static IP addresses are commonly used with network devices such as server PCs or print servers. If you use the Router to share your cable or DSL Internet connection, contact your ISP to find out if they have assigned a static IP address to your account. If so, you will need that static IP address when configuring the Router. You can get the information from your ISP. A dynamic IP address is automatically assigned to a device on the network. These IP addresses are called dynamic because they are only temporarily assigned to the PC or other device. After a certain time period, they expire and may change. If a PC logs onto the network (or the Internet) and its dynamic IP address has expired, the DHCP server will assign it a new dynamic IP address. LAN: the computers and networking products that make up your local network NAT (Network Address Translation): NAT technology translates IP addresses of a local area network to a different IP address for the Internet. FTP (File Transfer Protocol): a protocol used to transfer files over a TCP/IP network. Packet: a unit of data sent over a network. server: any computer whose function in a network is to provide user access to files, printing, communications, and other services. Static IP address: a fixed address assigned to a computer or device that is connected to a network. Dynamic IP address: a temporary IP address assigned by a DHCP server. DSL (Digital Subscriber Line): an always-on broadband connection over traditional phone lines. ISP (Internet Service Provider): a company that provides access to the Internet. Chapter 2: Networking Basics 4 An Introduction to LANs