Uniden PCW300, Owner'S Manual

Wireless PC Card 

49

Router

  – 

Protocol-dependent device that connects sub networks together.  

Routers are useful in breaking down a very large network into smaller sub 

networks; they introduce longer delays and typically have much lower 

throughput rates than bridges. 

Server

  – 

Any computer whose function in a network is to provide user 

access to files, printing, communications, and other services.

Signal Strength

  – 

Determines the strength of the signal for each 

wireless channel.

Software

  – 

Instructions for the computer.  A series of instructions that 

performs a particular task is called a “program.”  The two major categories of 

software are “system software” and “application software.”  System software 

is made up of control programs such as the operating system and database 

management system (DBMS).  Application software is any program that 

processes data for the user.

A common misconception is that software is data.  It is not, software tells the 

hardware how to process the data. 

SOHO

(Small 

O

ffice/

H

ome 

O

ffice)  – Market segment of professionals who 

work at home or in small offices.

Static IP Address

 – 

A permanent IP address that is assigned to a node 

in a TCP/IP network.

Wireless PC Card 

50

Static Routing

 – 

Forwarding data in a network via a fixed path.   

Static routing cannot adjust to changing line conditions as can dynamic 

routing. 

Subnet Mask

 – 

The method used for splitting IP networks into a series of 

subgroups, or subnets.  The mask is a binary pattern that is matched up with 

the IP address to form part of the host ID address field into a field for subnets.

Switch

  – 

1. A data switch connects computing devices to host computers, 

allowing a large number of devices to share a limited number of ports.   

2. A device for making, breaking, or changing the connections in an electrical 

circuit.

TCP

(

T

ransmission 

C

ontrol 

P

rotocol) – A method (protocol) used along with 

the Internet Protocol (IP) to send data in the form of message units between 

computers over the Internet.  While IP takes care of handling the actual 

delivery of the data, TCP keeps track of the individual units of data (called 

packets) that a message is divided into for efficient routing through the

Internet.

TCP/IP

  – 

T

ransmission 

C

ontrol 

P

rotocol/

I

nternet 

P

rotocol (TCP/IP) is the 

basic communication language or protocol of the Internet.  It can also be 

used as a communication protocol in  a private network (either an intranet or 

an extranet).  When you are set up with access to the Internet, your computer 

is uses the TCP/IP protocol.