NETGEAR Wireless Router Setup Manual
2
Glossary
August 2004
Domain Name
A descriptive name for an address or group of addresses on the Internet. Domain names are of the form of a
registered entity name plus one of a number of predefined top level suffixes such as .com, .edu, .uk, etc. For
example, in the address mail.NETGEAR.com, mail is a server name and NETGEAR.com is the domain.
DSL
Short for digital subscriber line, but is commonly used in reference to the asymmetric version of this
technology (ADSL) that allows data to be sent over existing copper telephone lines at data rates of from 1.5
to 9 Mbps when receiving data (known as the downstream rate) and from 16 to 640 Kbps when sending data
(known as the upstream rate).
ADSL requires a special ADSL modem. ADSL is growing in popularity as more areas around the world
gain access.
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol
DHCP. An Ethernet protocol specifying how a centralized DHCP server can assign network configuration
information to multiple DHCP clients. The assigned information includes IP addresses, DNS addresses, and
gateway (router) addresses.
Gateway
A local device, usually a router, that connects hosts on a local network to other networks.
IP
Internet Protocol is the main internetworking protocol used in the Internet. Used in conjunction with the
Transfer Control Protocol (TCP) to form TCP/IP.
IP Address
A four-byte number uniquely defining each host on the Internet, usually written in dotted-decimal notation
with periods separating the bytes (for example, 134.177.244.57).
Ranges of addresses are assigned by Internic, an organization formed for this purpose.
ISP
Internet service provider.
Internet Protocol
The main internetworking protocol used in the Internet. Used in conjunction with the Transfer Control
Protocol (TCP) to form TCP/IP.
local area network
LAN. A communications network serving users within a limited area, such as one floor of a building.
A LAN typically connects multiple personal computers and shared network devices such as storage and
printers. Although many technologies exist to implement a LAN, Ethernet is the most common for
connecting personal computers.
