Network acronyms

Networking Acronyms and
Terminology
may 17, 2012 @ 11:11 am by hackingmanual
This is a list of basic computer networking
acronyms and terminology. It is a first draft
and I will continue to update it and add more
information and terms.
LAN - Local Area Network usually a single
building or campus
WAN- Connects lans up to global in scale
(internet)
MAN - Metro area network City Wide Network
SAN Data storage network
PAN Devices around a persons work area, PDA
Keybord mouse.
NIC - Network interface card
NOS - Network operating system- windows
server, linux, unix netware
Terminator - resistive load at the end of the
network cable that blocks reflection and
reduces noise
Repeater - network amplifier repeats all
incoming packets as broadcast to all
connections
Bridge - connects two similar networks
Gateway - connects two dissimilar networks
Router- same as gateway but only for
routeable protocols can also direct network
traffic.
B router - router only able to support a single
protocol
Hub - network splitter, broadcasts all incoming
packets to all ports
Passive- no active componenets splits signal to
all ports, only one per segment, terminate
unused ports
Active - powered hub amplifies signal while
broadcasting to all ports.
Switch Splits network and provides and
provides direction to network packets
Node device that connects to network
NAS Network attached storage
Collision Detecion and Avoidance
- CSMA/CA
-Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision
Avoidance
-Node checks network for other broadcasts
before transmitting
-CSMA/CD
-Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision
Detection
-Node broadcasts and waits for reply or time
out
Token passing
-Only the node with an empty token can
broadcast
-Every node handles every token
-Time sharing ensures every node gets equal
time
MAU -Multistation Access Unit, Allows devices
to attach to token ring network
Network Administrator -Responsible for
maintaining network hardware, software, and
users.
IPX- Internet Packet eXchange
ISP -Internet Service Provider
UNC -Universal Naming Convention
POTS -Plain Old Telephone Service
TCP/IP -Transmission Control Protocol/Internet
Protocol
SLIP -Serial Line Internet Protocol
PPP-Point-to-Point Protocol
DUN - Dial Up Network
UTP -Unshielded Twisted Pair
STP- Shielded Twisted Pair or Spanning Tree
Protocol
Protocol -Set of rules telling devices on
network how to communicate
Topology - Physical and logical layout of
network
VLAN- virtual local area network
DHCP – Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol
VPN – virtual private network
SSL – secure sockets layer