Sony PCWA-A500 Operating Instructions - Page 29

Additional information Glossary Channel number The frequency used for wireless communications. Wireless communications are available only among client computers and Access Points that use the same channel. LAN (Local Area Network) A network which is accessible only to its members, unlike the Internet which is open to an unlimited number of people. A LAN may be built for different purposes. For example, you can build an office LAN that is accessible only to members of the same department or a home LAN that is accessible only to family members. Client A computer connected to a LAN (Local Area Network). Also may be called a client computer. DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) DHCP lets network administrators centrally manage and automate assignment of client computer IP addresses. DNS (Domain Name System) A system that translates host names into IP addresses. Networks that use the TCP/IP protocol, such as the Internet, use a set of numbers like 192.168.0.1 (IP address) to identify a computer. However, since the IP address is hard to memorize, DNS was developed to allow a name like "www.sony.com" to identify a computer for convenience. DNS servers manage these translations from host names into IP addresses. PPPoE (PPP over Ethernet) PPPoE is a software protocol that uses a DSL modem to access the Internet. With PPPoE, the client does not set a static IP address. Instead, an IP address is assigned dynamically whenever the client accesses the Internet. Protocol The formal specifications that define the procedures for computers to follow when transmitting and receiving data. TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) TCP/IP is the network communications protocol that is used to communicate over the Internet. TCP is a connection-oriented protocol for establishing reliable, sequenced data transfer. TCP ensures that data reaches its destination. IP assembles and addresses data packets for transmission to their network destinations. 29