Linksys WRT54GS-FR User's Manual - Page 56

Instant Wireless® Series PCMCIA - The PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association) is an industry group organized in 1989 to promote standards for a credit card-size memory or I/O device that would fit into a personal computer, usually a notebook or laptop computer. Ping (Packet INternet Groper) - An Internet utility used to determine whether a particular IP address is online. It is used to test and debug a network by sending out a packet and waiting for a response. Plug-and-Play - The ability of a computer system to configure expansion boards and other devices automatically without requiring the user to turn off the system during installation. POP3 (Post Office Protocol 3) - A standard mail server commonly used on the Internet. It provides a message store that holds incoming e-mail until users log on and download it. POP3 is a simple system with little selectivity. All pending messages and attachments are downloaded at the same time. POP3 uses the SMTP messaging protocol. Port - A pathway into and out of the computer or a network device such as a switch or router. For example, the serial and parallel ports on a personal computer are external sockets for plugging in communications lines, modems, and printers. Port Mirroring - Port mirroring, also known as a roving analysis port, is a method of monitoring network traffic that forwards a copy of each incoming and outgoing packet from one port of a network switch to another port where the packet can be studied. A network administrator uses port mirroring as a diagnostic tool or debugging feature, especially when fending off an attack. It enables the administrator to keep close track of switch performance and alter it if necessary. Port mirroring can be managed locally or remotely. PPPoE (Point to Point Protocol over Ethernet) - PPPoE is a method for the encapsulation of PPP packets over Ethernet frames from the user to the ISP over the Internet. One reason PPPoE is preferred by ISPs is because it provides authentication (username and password) in addition to data transport. A PPPoE session can be initiated by either a client application residing on a PC, or by client firmware residing on a modem or router. PPTP (Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol) - A protocol which allows the Point to Point Protocol (PPP) to be tunneled through an IP network. PPTP does not specify any changes to the PPP protocol but rather describes a "tunneling 104 Wireless-G Broadband Router service" for carrying PPP (a tunneling service is any network service enabled by tunneling protocols such as PPTP, L2F, L2TP, and IPSEC tunnel mode). One example of a tunneling service is secure access from a remote small office network to a headquarters corporate intranet via a Virtual Private Network (VPN) that traverses the Internet. However, tunneling services are not restricted to corporate environments and may also be used for personal (i.e., non-business) applications. RIP (Routing Information Protocol) - A simple routing protocol that is part of the TCP/IP protocol suite. It determines a route based on the smallest hop count between source and destination. RIP is a distance vector protocol that routinely broadcasts routing information to its neighboring routers. RJ-11 (Registered Jack-11) - A telephone connector that holds up to six wires. The RJ-11 is the common connector used to plug a telephone into a wall. RJ-45 - A connector similar to a telephone connector that holds up to eight wires, used for connecting Ethernet devices. Roaming - In an infrastructure mode wireless network, this refers to the ability to move out of one access point's range and into another and transparently reassociate and reauthenticate to the new access point. This reassociation and reauthentication should occur without user intervention and ideally without interruption to network connectivity. A typical scenario would be a location with multiple access points, where users can physically relocate from one area to another and easily maintain connectivity. Router - Protocol-dependent device that connects subnetworks together. Routers are useful in breaking down a very large network into smaller subnetworks; they introduce longer delays and typically have much lower throughput rates than bridges. RTS (Request To Send) - An RS-232 signal sent from the transmitting station to the receiving station requesting permission to transmit. Server - Any computer whose function in a network is to provide user access to files, printing, communications, and other services. SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) - The standard e-mail protocol on the Internet. It is a TCP/IP protocol that defines the message format and the message transfer agent (MTA), which stores and forwards the mail. 105