Vocabulary Terms

The Internet is a network of autonomous systems.

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Terms

Bandwidth
Transmission capacity measure by bit rate
Bit rate
(sometimes written bitrate) the number of bits that are conveyed or processed per unit of time. e.g. 8 bits/sec.
Ethernet
The communication standard that connects most desktop computers to one another via cables.
IETF
Internet Engineering Task Force - develops and promotes voluntary Internet standards and protocols, in particular the standards that comprise the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP).
Internet
A group of computers and servers that are connected to each other.
LAN
Local Area Network - a connection between multiple computers which shields their traffic from outside networks
Latency
Time it takes for a bit to travel from its sender to its receiver.
Modem
Short for modulation and demodulation device; translates digital network traffic to and from other signal types such as radio waves
Redundancy
A system or function can fail and its work taken over in short time and at low cost by another part of a larger system
Server
Any network device that accepts requests from multiple clients and provides back meaningful responses.
WAN
Wide Area Network - a network-of-networks that connects large groups of network devices to one another
Wi-Fi
A facility allowing computers, smartphones, or other devices to connect to the Internet or communicate with one another wirelessly within a particular area