| A | B |
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| VPN | Short for virtual private network, a network that is constructed by using public wires to connect nodes. |
| DNS | Short for Domain Name System (or Service), an Internet service that translates domain names into IP addresses. |
| Hub | A common connection point for devices in a network. Hubs are commonly used to connect segments of a LAN. |
| Repeater | A network device used to regenerate or replicate a signal. Repeaters are used in transmission systems to regenerate analog or digital signals distorted by transmission loss. |
| Bridge | A device that connects two local-area networks (LANs), or two segments of the same LAN. |
| Brouter | Short for bridge router, and pronounced brau-ter, a device that functions as both a router and a bridge. |
| Gateway | In networking, a combination of hardware and software that links two different types of networks. |
| RJ-45 | Short for Registered Jack-45, an eight-wire connector used commonly to connect computers onto a local-area networks (LAN), especially Ethernets. |
| Cat 5 | The following categories are based on their transmission capacity. The majority of new wiring installations use Category 5 UTP wire in order to be able to run or upgrade to the faster network technologies that will require it. |
| BNC Connector | (Bayonet Neill-Concelman or British Naval Connector) A commonly used plug and socket for audio, video and networking applications. |
| Fiber optic cable | Refers to systems that use optical fibers. Fiber- optic communications networks have transformed the world. |
| network adapter | A printed circuit board that plugs into both the clients (personal computers or workstations) and servers and controls the exchange of data between them. |
| half duplex | The transmission of data in both directions, but only one direction at a time. Two-way radio was the first to use half-duplex, for example, while one party spoke, the other party listened |
| full duplex | Transmitting and receiving simultaneously. In pure digital networks, this is achieved with two pairs of wires. |
| TCP/IP | (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) A communications protocol developed under contract from the U.S. Department of Defense to internetwork dissimilar systems |
| IP address | (Internet Protocol address) The address of a computer attached to a TCP/IP network. Every client and server station must have a unique IP address. |
| IPX | (Internetwork Packet EXchange) A NetWare communications protocol used to route messages from one node to another. |
| SPX | (Sequenced Packet EXchange) The NetWare communications protocol used to control the transport of messages across a network. |
| NetBEUI | (NetBIOS Extended User Interface) Pronounced "net-booey." The transport layer for NetBIOS. NetBIOS and NetBEUI were originally part of a single protocol suite that was later separated. |
