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Do you want to learn more about the terminology used in the ISP industry? or just looking for the meaning of a specific term?

ISP Glossary

| A | B | C| D| E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |

 A

Acceleration Services: Various services designed to improve performance of dialup Internet access. This can be done via settings on the computer or within the network.

Access Point: The way we're counting, an Access Point is that an ISP is offering service through a phone number - if an ISP offers 5 phone numbers in the same city that is 5 access points.

Access Method: Technique for moving data between main storage and input/output devices. In a Systems Network Architecture (SNA) environment, it is the software that controls the flow of information in a network.

Adapter: Hardware installed in a PC or other computer and used to connect the computer to other hardware.

Address: Identifier assigned to networks, stations and other devices so that each device can be separately designated to receive and reply to messages.

Address Resolution Protocol (ARP): Internet protocol that dynamically maps Internet addresses to physical (hardware) addresses on local area networks. ARP is limited to networks that support hardware broadcast.

ADSL: stands for Asymmetrical DSL. It is one of the variations of DSL - high speed for download, slower for uploads - generally suitable for the home user and priced cheaper than SDSL.

Algorithm: A prescribed set of well-defined rules or processes for arriving at a solution to a problem.

Alias: Additional email addresses that point to another email address. All messages sent to an alias are automatically and instantly redirected (forwarded) to the specified "real" email address. This is done so you don't have to configure (set up) your email software to retrieve mail sent to your alias (it all goes to one account).

Analog: An analog signal is generally communicating information by varying voltages up and down over a predefined range, exactly reproducing the original signal. The challenge with analog signals are that the longer the wire, the fainter the signal, and the more likely static and noise will interfere with the signal. Once the noise is in the wire, if the volume is turned up to repeat the signal, the noise is amplified as well.

Anonymous FTP site: A public FTP server that can be accessed by any user of the Internet.

Apache: Free Open Source Web Server for many platforms - primarily Unix and Linux, but Windows versions are beginning to become available. Highly reliable, scalable, easy to configure, secure and inexpensive to maintain.

ASP: Stands for Active Server Pages. It’ is Microsoft's own scripting language for dynamic web server pages. ASP requires using a Microsoft web hosting server, like IIS

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B

Bridge: A device that connects two network segments and forwards or filters packets based on their destination hardware address. The networks on both sides of a bridge use the same network address (IP and IPX).

Byte: Group of eight binary digits operated on as a unit; also known as a character or octet.

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Cache: High-speed memory section that holds blocks of data that the CPU is currently working on; designed to minimize the time CPU spends accessing memory.

Central Processing Unit (CPU): Main processing unit of a computer.

Centralized Link: A connection to the Internet located in the center of your network.

Challenge-Handshake Authentication Protocol (CHAP): This protocol is used in PPP connections to authenticate the identity of the requestor to the PPP server at the start of the communication session.

Channel: Path for transmitting electromagnetic signals; often used as a synonym for line or link.

Character: Group of eight binary digits operated on as a unit; also called a byte or octet.

Chat room: A service that allows two or more parties to engage in virtually real-time text communications over the Internet.

Class A IP Address: Seven bits assigned for network address, twenty-four bits assigned for the host ID.

Class B IP Address: Fourteen bits assigned for network address, sixteen bits assigned for the host ID.

Class C IP Address: Twenty-one bits assigned for network address, sixteen bits assigned for the host ID.

Coaxial: A type of cable that uses two conductors: a central, solid wire core, surrounded by insulation, which is then surrounded by a braided wire conductor sheath. This cable is particularly well suited for networking because it can accommodate high bandwidth and is relatively resistant to interference.

Collision: What happens when two devices transmit data at the same time, resulting in a loss of data.

Compression: Method of compacting data into a smaller number of bits for more efficient transmission or storage.

Configuration: The way in which a system or part of a system, such as a piece of software, is set up, based on the number of possible choices.

Connection-oriented: Model of interconnection in which communication proceeds through three well-defined phases: connection establishment, data transfer, and connection release.

Connectivity: The ability to connect to and communicate with multiple architectures on a single activity.

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D

Data: Is an entity that conveys meaning. Computer data is stored as a series of (electrical) charges arranged in patterns to represent information. In other words, data refers to the form of the information (the electrical patterns). It is not the information itself.

Database: A collection of data with a given structure for accepting, storing and providing data for single or multiple users.

Dedicated: A device that has only one function. For example, a dedicated server cannot be used as a workstation.

Dedicated Line: Leased or private communications line. See dial-up.

Dial-up: Type of connection to the Internet that uses an existing telephone line. The connection is used to reach your ISP who in turn provides you with access to the Internet. Unlike DSL, the disadvantage of using dial-up connection is that you may not use the telephone line to place or receive calls while it is connected to the Internet.

Digital: Representation of information using ones and zeros. It is discretely variable as opposed to continuously variable. Data characters are coded in discrete separate, electrical pulses or signals levels. Contrast with analog.

Digital Subscriber Line (DSL): A super fast, fairly reliable connection to the Internet that uses an existing phone line, without interruption to regular telephone service. The speed of your connection will vary depending on the plan you purchase; the minimum is much faster than a dial-up.

Domain: is the name for an organization on the internet. The domain is usually made up of two parts - the name and the type - red.net, microsoft.com, ins.org, ucf.edu, etc... In country hierarchies, the domain can have more parts - each country sets its own rules.

Domain Name System (DNS): Distributed name/address database used on the internet.

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E

E-mail (electronic mail): The transmission of memos and messages to a single recipient or to multiple users all around the world.

Encryption: Scrambling or coding of data for security.

End Link: An internet link located at one end of the your network.

Ethernet: A network cable and access protocol scheme originally developed by Dec, Intel and Xerox. It has a bandwidth of 10Mbps and supports coaxial, twisted pair (10Base-T) and fiber optic cable implementations.

 F

Fiber-Optic Cable: High-bandwidth transmission medium that allows data to be transmitted by modulating a light wave through a special glass or plastic fiber.

Firewall: A feature that protects a network connected to the Internet from being accessed by unauthorized users.

FTP: Short for File Transfer Protocol, this is a method of sending information across the Internet. Most commonly used for uploading pictures and text to a web server.

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 G

Gateway: A gateway converts signals between different computer networks.

Gigabyte (GB): A unit of measure for memory or disk storage capacity. Two to 30th power (approximately one billion) bytes.

Google: The most widely used search engine in the World. It claims to be the World's most comprehensive search engine having indexed over 2.4 billion Web pages.

Gopher: A popular protocol developed by the University of Minnesota that allows clients to access files and directories across the internet. A Gopher client can search and retrieve information from Gopher servers.

 H

Home Page: The first page of a Web site.

HotJava: a browser from Sun Microsystems that can run programs written in the Java programming language.

Host: Any computer system or device attached to the internet.

HTML: stands for Hypertext Markup Language. Is the ASCII text-based coding that describes the format of the web pages.

Hypertext Transfer Protocol (http): The network protocol used by the World Wide Web.

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 I

Instant Messaging: A more advanced form of chat that allows multiple users across multiple ISPs communicate via text communications. Most IM programs allow such features as 'buddy lists', which shows whether or not other members of the buddy list are online and available to chat.

Internet: Collection of networks and gateways that use the TCP/IP suite of  protocols. Lowercase, it is an abbreviation for internetwork.

Internet address: This is the name you type in the URL to get around the Internet. For example www.folksonline.com gets you to our home page. The .com means we are a business. Below are other endings which tell you what type of web site you are going to. Most schools are .edu , while most non-profit companies are .org etc.

Internet Call Waiting: Hardware, software, or network-based functionality that allows someone surfing on a dialup connection to put the connection on hold to answer another call coming in on the same phone line.

Internet Protocol (IP): Connectionless transport protocol used by the Internet and the protocol from which the Internet got it's name.

Internet Service Provider (ISP): A company or other organization that provides Internet access to a user community. Also known as an ISP.

internetwork: Two or more networks connected by an internal or external router.

Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN): A service that utilizes a digital phone line installed by your local phone company to carry voice and data traffic. ISDN usually has two channels of 64K which can be bonded to create an Internet connection of 128K.

Intranet: An internal corporate Web site. Intranets are either not connected to the internet or are shielded from external Internet users by a firewall.

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Java: Am object-oriented programming language invented by Sun Microsystems. Conceived as an operating system for hand-held devices it found it's home in distributed computing on the Internet.

 K

Kilobyte (KB): A unit of measure for memory or disk storage capacity; two to 10th power (1,024) bytes.

 L

Local Area Network (LAN): A system that links computers together to form a network, usually with a wiring-based cabling scheme. LANs connect personal computers and electronic office equipment, enabling users to communicate, share resources such as data storage and printers, and access remote hosts or other networks.

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 M

Megabyte (MB): A unit of measure for memory or disk storage capacity; two to the 20th power (1,048,576) bytes.

Memory Cache: An area of computer RAM reserved for keeping local copies of disk or network data.

Message: Logical grouping of information at the application layer.

Modem: Short for modulator-demodulator. It is a device or program that enables a computer to transmit data over, for example, telephone or cable lines. Computer information is stored digitally, whereas information transmitted over telephone lines is transmitted in the form of analog waves. A modem converts between these two forms.

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 N

NetWare: A Novell-developed Network Operating System (NOS). NetWare provides file and printer sharing among networks of Personal Computers (PC's). Each NetWare network must have at least one fileserver, and access to other resources is dependent on connecting to and logging into the fileserver. The fileserver(s) control user logins and access to other network clients, such as user PC's, print servers (such as the ETS), modem/fax servers, disk/file servers, and so on.

Network: A system that sends and receives data and messages, typically over a cable. A network enables a group of computers to communicate with each other, share peripherals (such as hard disks and printers), and access remote hosts or other networks.

Node: Device that is connected to a network and is capable of communicating with other network devices. In NetWare, a node is considered to be an end system, such as a workstation.

Noise: Unwanted changes in waveform that occur between two points in a transmission circuit.

Nondedicated: A device that performs multiple simultaneous functions. For example, a nondedicated network server runs the network functions and performs as a workstation.

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 O

Online Service: A business that provides its subscribers with a wide variety of data transmitted over telecommunications lines. Online services provide an infrastructure in which subscribers can communicate with one another, either by exchanging e-mail messages or by participating in online conferences (forums). In addition, the service can connect users with an almost unlimited number of third-party information providers. Subscribers can get up-to-date stock quotes, news stories hot off the wire, articles from many magazines and journals, in fact, almost any information that has been put in electronic form. Of course, accessing all this data carries a price.

Open Architecture: An architecture that is compatible with hardware and software from any of many vendors.

Operating System (OS): The software program that operates and is the underlying platform for the computer. Most operating systems are either Microsoft Windows-based (Windows 98, 200, XP, etc.) or Macintosh-based (OS 8, OS X, etc.).

Outlook/Outlook Express: Outlook and Outlook Express are two versions of the most common email program. Outlook Express comes standard with all Microsoft operating systems and includes email functionality and an address book. Outlook is purchased separately and is primarily a business program; it includes additional email functionality, an address book, a calendar feature, and a basic contact management feature.

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 P

Packet: The unit of information by which the network communicates. Each packet contains the identities of the sending and receiving stations, error-control information, a request for services, information on how to handle the request and any necessary data that must be transferred.

Password: Network security feature. Supervisors of NetWare networks have the option of requiring users to use a password when they log in in to the network. If password is required, all users must have unique passwords. Passwords in the NetWare network operating system (NOS) are encrypted; that is, they are stored on the server in a format only the server can decode.

Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP): The standard Internet protocol for transmitting IP traffic over a serial point-to-point connection like a modem.

POP Email: Simply put, this is email that can be downloaded to an email program such as Outlook/Express, Entourage, MacMail, etc. This type of email allows you to compose and read emails offline, and allows you to save email on your own computer.

POP-UP Ads: A form of advertising that is seen when a new browser window opens without any direct action from the user. These ads are generated by the application the user is running, from the ISP of the user, or by the web site that is being visited. POP-Under ads are becoming more common; these open up under all open windows and are viewed as the user is closing all open browser windows.

Proxy: Some device performing some service on behalf of some other device. Proxy servers use their IP address to hide stations on a private network from the Internet.

 Q

Query: Process of extracting data from a database and presenting it for use.

Queue: A line or list formed by items waiting for service, such as tasks waiting to be performed, stations waiting for connection, or messages waiting for transmission.

 R

Red Book: Refers to the color of the cover of a standard book. When software conforms to a standard, often the description will qualify the version of the standard by stating "red book" or "blue book".

Router: A software and hardware connection device between two or more networks, usually of similar design, that permits traffic to be routed from one network to another on the basis of the intended destinations of that traffic. A NetWare router, formerly known as an internal or external bridge, can connect networks that use different network adapters or transmission media as long as both sides of the connection use the same network protocols.

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 S

Serial Line Internet Protocol (SLIP):  A communications protocol that that can turn a dial-up telephone connection into an Internet connection. SLIP can be used to run Web browsers over a phone line, but is less stable than a PPP connection.

Spam Filtering: Software programs that attempt to block unwanted 'spam' email.

Spam: Unsolicited email of a commercial nature.

Stand-alone: A computer that is not connected to a network.

Surfing: Using your browser to ride the wave of information on the World Wide Web. Just like a surfer riders one wave for a while and then jumps onto another, so the Web surfer rides one line of information for a while and then jumps onto another.

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Telnet: Protocol in the TCP/IP suite that governs character-oriented terminal traffic.

Terabyte: A unit of measure for memory or disk storage capacity; two to the 40th power (approximately one trillion) bytes.

Terminal: A device, usually equipped with a keyboard and display, capable of sending and receiving data over a communications link.

 U

Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS): A backup power unit that provides continuous power even when the normal power supply is interrupted.

Uniform Resource Locator (URL): what you type into your browser in order to display a web page - the URL of this page is http://www.cheap-internet.info/

Unix: An interactive operating system developed at Bell Labs. This is the first operating system that was developed as a portable system. This allows Unix to be used as an operating system on almost any kind of computer. For example, we have Unix operating systems for PCs, Macintoshes, Suns, and even IBM mainframes. TCP/IP was built into Unix even in its early days; the Internet was originally intended to connect different Unix systems into a network. This link points to an introduction and discussion of Unix.

Usenet: A distributed, Internet-wide bulletin board system that is the basis of network news.

User: Any person who attaches to a server or host.

User Account: NetWare security feature. Each user on a NetWare network has a user account. This account determines what name the user uses to log in to the network, the groups the user belongs to and what trustee assignments the user has. User account are maintained by the network supervisor.

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 V

Virtual: Conceptual or appearing to be, rather than actually being.

Volume: A volume is the highest level in the NetWare directory structure, residing at the same level as a DOS root directory. A volume represents a physical amount of hard disk storage space.

 W

Web: Short for World Wide Web.

Web-based Email: Simply put, this is email that you can access via a web site. As opposed to POP email, web-based email cannot be downloaded into an email program such as Outlook/Express, nor can emails be viewed or created while offline. Most web-based email has limits on the size of the folder that holds the email and limits as to how long emails are saved on the web server.

Web Server: A software program that sends, or servers, HTML documents in response to HTTP requests.

Wireless DSL: Also known as Wireless Broadband - a very high speed way to connect to the internet completely bypassing your phone company. Wireless Broadband relies on the ISP putting up a tower, and then any building within the line of sight (perhaps up to 10 miles) can get high speed connections. Higher front-end costs then DSL, but ideal for many customers.

World Wide Web: This allows a user to jump from document to related document no matter where it is stored on the Internet. World Wide Web browsers, such as Mosaic, Explorer, and NetScape, allow users to browse "the Web." The Web has become a centerpiece of Internet activity, because its documents can contain both text and graphics, and it is quickly turning the Internet into an online shopping mall. In 1994, Web traffic increased more than 18 times that of the previous year.

Workgroup: Two or more individuals on a LAN who share files, databases and other resources.

Workstation: Any individual personal computer that is connected to a network.

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 Y

Yahoo!: A popular internet search database owned and maintained by Yahoo Corporation accessible on the World Wide Web. It is similar to a search engine, but with a database generated by hand, this one of the world's most used directory on the web.

 Z

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