6
1.3 Package Content
• One 4 Port Internet Broadband Router
• One Power adapter
• One
CD-ROM
• One set of Bracket
• Quick Install Guide
1.4 Glossary
•
LAN – Local Area Network
Local Area Networking
(LAN)
is the term used when connecting several computers together over a
small area such as a building or group of buildings. LAN's can be connected over large areas. A collection
of LAN's connected over a large area is called a Wide Area Network
(WAN).
A
LAN
consists of multiple computers connected to each other. There are many types of media
that can connect computers together. The most common media is
CAT5 cable (UTP or STP
twisted pair wire.)
On the other hand, wireless networks do not use wires; instead they
communicate over radio waves. Each computer must have a
Network Interface Card (NIC),
which communicates the data between computers. A
NIC
is usually a 10Mbps network card, or
10/100Mbps network card, or a wireless network card.
Most networks use hardware devices such as hubs or switches that each cable can be connected
to in order to continue the connection between computers. A hub simply takes any data arriving
through
each port and forwards the data
to all other ports. A switch is more sophisticated, in that a
switch can determine the destination port for
a specific piece of
data. A switch minimizes
network traffic overhead and speeds up the communication over a network.
•
What is Router?
A router is a device that forwards data packets from a source to a destination. Routers forward
data packets using
IP addresses
and not a
MAC
address. A router will forward data from the
Internet to a particular computer on your
LAN
. A router also determines the best route that data
packets should follow to ensure that the data packets are delivered properly.
•
Firewall
A firewall is
a device
that sits between your computer and the Internet that prevents unauthorized
access to or from your network. A firewall can be a computer using firewall software or a special
piece of hardware built specifically to act as a firewall. In most circumstances, a firewall is used
to prevent unauthorized Internet users from accessing private networks or corporate
LAN's and
Internet.
