Glossary of Internet Terms - FAQs -Internet Reference

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Mbps - Megabits Per Second.  One million bits of data per second.

Megabyte – One million bytes of data on a hard drive or memory.  (Actually, 1024 kilobytes.

MIR – (Maximum Information Rate) – The maximum speed of a data circuit.  See also CIR.

MODEM – (short for: MOdulator, DEModulator) - A hardware device that connects your computer and to a phone line, allowing a computer to talk to other computers, usually servers, through the public telephone system.

NAT – (Network Address Translation) – NAT is primarily a security measure that translates a public IP address into private IP addresses that are used within an organization’s network.  Using a NAT device on the edge of a network protects the individual workstations and servers from malicious hacking. NAT also conserves on the number of global IP addresses that a company needs.

Network – Two or more computers connected together so that they can share resources, such as an Internet connection or printer.

Node - A single computer or workstation connected to a network.

OC3 & OC12 – (Optical Carrier Level circuits) – OC circuits provide multiple megabits of voice, data or video applications.  An OC3 contains 3 DS-3s, or roughly 129 megabits of traffic.  An OC12 carries 12 DS-3s of data (516 mb). 

Packet Switching - The method used to move data around on the Internet. In packet switching, all the data coming out of a machine is broken up into chunks, with each chunk having the address of where it came from and where it is going. These chunks of data can be sorted and directed along different routes by routers.  Internet routers try and send the traffic through the most direct route, but when a user requests a web page in their browser, the files that make up a single web page may be routed along diverse networks.  For instance, someone in Chicago, requesting a web page from a web server in Los Angeles, may have some of the files routed back to the user through connections in different cities (perhaps San Diego or San Francisco).  Packet switching also allows traffic to be routed around connection points that are experiencing technical difficulties.  So, in the example above, if the San Francisco route was overloaded or off line, the data might be diverted to Salt Lake City or Denver before resuming its path back to the Chicago web browser.

POP – (Point of Presence) - A node of an ISP containing termination equipment that connects a dial-up, DSL or leased line customers to the ISP’s network and ultimately, the Internet.

PORT - The port is the interface point where the local loop meets the ISP’s network. The port can be configured to provide a minimum speed (Committed Information Rate or CIR), and the maximum data rate (Maximum Information Rate or MIR).  The port fee a customer pays to access the Internet is based on both CIR and MIR.  Before you sign up for Internet access, you should always ask your rep what the CIR and MIR of the circuit is.

POTS – (Plain Old Telephone Service) - Basic voice service available throughout the United States.  Dial-up connections are usually made over POTS.

PRI - Primary Rate Interface - This is an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) interface typically used by larger customers. This interface consists of a single 64 Kbps Data (or "D") channel plus 23 or 30 Bearer (or "B") channels for voice and/or data.

Protocol - Internet "protocol" usually refers to a set of rules that define an exact format for communication between systems. For example, the HTTP protocol defines the format for communication between web browsers and web servers, the IMAP protocol defines the format for communication between IMAP email servers and clients, and the SSL protocol defines a format for encrypted communications over the Internet. Other Internet protocols include FTP, PPP, SLIP, SNMP & TCP/IP.

PSTN - Public Switched Telephone Network

QoS - Quality of Service

RBOC - Regional Bell Operating Company - One of the seven U.S. telephone companies that resulted from the break up of AT&T.  In Illinois, Illinois Bell (now Ameritech/SBC) is the RBOC.

ROUTER - An special-purpose computer that connects two networks. For example, this is what connects a local customer to an ISP for Internet access. Routers receive packets of data and forward them to a final destination using the best route.

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