Jargon Buster
Aardvark
The Aardvark (Orycteropus afer) ("Digging foot"), sometimes called "antbear" is a medium-sized mammal native to Africa. The name comes from the Afrikaans/Dutch for "earth pig" (aarde earth, varken pig), because early settlers from Europe thought it resembled a pig. However, the Aardvark is not closely related to pigs, being placed in its own order.
Antelope
Antelope are herbivorous mammals of the family Bovidae, often noted for their horns. These animals are spread relatively evenly throughout the various subfamilies of the Bovidae and many are more closely related to cows or goats than to each other. There are many species of antelope, ranging in size from the tiny Royal Antelope to the elands. They typically have a light and elegant frame, slender, graceful limbs, small cloven hoofs, and a short tail. Antelope have powerful hindquarters and, when startled, they run with a peculiar bounding stride that makes them look as though they are bouncing over the terrain like giant rabbits.
Bandwidth
The maximum transmission capacity of a communications channel at any point in time.
Bluetooth
An industrial specification for short range wireless personal area networks (PANs), also known as IEEE 802.15.1. Bluetooth provides a way to connect and exchange information between devices such as personal digital assistants (PDAs), mobile phones, laptops, PCs printers, digital cameras and video game consoles via a secure, globally unlicenced short-range radio frequency.
Broadband
A comparatively fast internet connection possessing sufficient bandwidth to accommodate multiple voice, data and video channels simultaneously. Cable, DSL and satellite are all considered to be broadband channels; they provide much greater speed than dial-up internet access over telephone wires.
Broadband modem
A device that connects a local computer or network to a high-speed internet service, such as DSL or cable internet.
Channel
One portion of the available radio spectrum that all devices on a wireless network use to communicate.
Device
In computer hardware, a peripheral device is any device attached to a computer in order to expand its functionality. Examples include: printers, scanners, disk drives, tape drives, microphones, speakers and cameras. A device can also refer to a non-physical item such as a RAM drive or a network adapter.
Dial-up
Dial-up access is a form of data access (mainly used for internet access) in which the client uses a modem to connect a computer to a telephone line and dials into an internet service provider’s (ISP) node to establish a modem-to-modem link, which is then routed to the internet.
Ethernet
A PC interface used to connect computers in a Local Area Network (LAN). Large amounts of data can be transmitted over Ethernet cables.
Firewall
A logical barrier designed to control the traffic between different zones of trust. Typical zones of trust include the internet (a zone with no trust) and an internal network (a zone with high trust).
Gateway
A computer or a network that allows or controls access to another computer or network.
GSM
Groupe Speciale Mobile, or Global system for Mobile communications – a 2G digital standard for celluar phone communications adopted by many countries around the world. Its frequency bands range from 900-1800Hz.
Hotspot
Locations with public wireless access points where you can connect your mobile computers (such as a laptop or a PDA) to the internet, using stand WLAN (Wi-Fi) technology. Most new laptops come with adaptors built in, and on some hotspots locations it is even possible to borrow a PCMCIA adaptor. Also known as an access point.
Hub
A multi-port device used to connect client devices to a LAN.
IP address
A unique number that devices use in order to identify and communicate with each other on a computer network utilising the internet Protocol standard (IP). An IP address can be thought of as the equivalent of a street address or a phone number for a computer or other network device on the internet. Just as each street address and phone number uniquely identifies a building or telephone, an IP address can uniquely identify a specific a computer or other network device on a network.
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LAN
A local area network (LAN) is a computer network covering a local area, like a home, office or a group of buildings.
Metro Wi-Fi
Metro Wi-Fi provides continuous Wi-Fi access throughout city areas.
Modem
A modem (a portmanteau word constructed from modulate and demodulate) is a device that modulates an analog carrier signal to encode digital information, and also demodulates such a carrier signal to decode the transmitted information.
NOMAD
The NOMAD project explores, evaluates and documents best practice in delivering real-time wireless access for local authorities. A centre of excellence for mobile and flexible working in local government – demonstrating and evaluating the potential benefits and savings that can be made by introducing mobile, flexible and wireless technology.
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PDA
Personal Digital Assistant – smaller than a laptop, but with many of the same functions. Many PDAs now come with Wi-Fi cards installed, enabling users to access the web while on the move.
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Roaming
The ability for a user to use their device on a network other than which they pay for. Those signed up to BT Openzone can access services provided by other Wi-Fi operators worldwide.
Router
A wireless router is the interface between the Wireless network (WLAN) and the device trying to access it. The router’s firewall protects the network’s integrity and acts as a gatekeeper to the service.
SMTP
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol – the term given to the process where e-mail messages are sent between servers.
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VPN
Virtual Private Network – an encryption layer which allows users to access their corporate networks using the internet remotely.
VoIP
Voice over internet Protocol – a process whereby phone calls are made over the internet via the broadband line.
VoWi-Fi
Voice over Wi-Fi – an evolution of the VoIP process whereby phone calls are made over the wireless network rather than fixed-line broadband.
WEP
Wired Equivalent Policy (WEP)is a security protocol for wireless networks that encrypts data.
Wireless Access Point (WAP)
A device that connects wireless communication devices together to form a wireless network. The WAP usually connects to a wired network, and can relay data between wireless devices and wired devices.
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi is the consumer terms given to the process of connecting to a WLAN by users wanting high speed wireless internet.
WiMAX
A standards-based technology enabling the delivery of last mile wireless broadband access as an alternative to cable and DSL. WiMax will provide fixed, nomadic, portable and mobile wireless broadband connectivity without the need for direct line-of-sight with a base station. Technologies such as 3G and Wi-Fi are complimentary and each technology has an important role to play depending on the environment for which it needs to provide.
Wireless Broadband Alliance
Formed in 2003, the WBA was created to drive the adoption of wireless broadband technologies and services around the world by developing a common commercial, technical and marketing framework for wireless network interoperability.
WLAN
A Wireless Local Area Network. The term used to describe the presence of a system in a particular area in which Wi-Fi connectivity can be established.
WPA
Wi-Fi Protected Access provides greater security than WEP and is currently impossible to crack.
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3G
Third generation technology – the new generation of mobile telephony which brings video and broadband internet access to mobile phones.
802.11
Refers to a family of specifications developed by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) for wireless LAN technology (Wi-Fi). It defines the specifications for a licence-free over the air interface to connect a wireless client and a base station or between two wireless clients.
