Glossary page D - L

A plug and socket connector consisting of a circular pattern of pins in a metal sleeve. This type of
connector is commonly seen on keyboards.

Refers to devices that are designed to communicate exclusively with a host (main frame) computer. It receives all screen layouts from the host computer and sends all keyboard entry to the host. It cannot function without the host computer.

An electronic mail message sent from a host computer to a remote computer.

Refers to the human executing applications on the workstation.

A network protocol invented by Xerox Corporation and developed jointly by Xerox, Intel and Digital Equipment Corporation. Ethernet networks use CSMA/CD and run over a variety of cable types at 10 Mbps (megabits per second).

Area in a computer that accepts additional input/output boards to increase the
capability of the computer.

A new Ethernet standard that supports 100 Mbps using category 5 twisted pair or fiber
optic cable.

A network protocol that is used primarily to interconnect two
or more local area networks, often over large distances.

A cable, consisting of a center glass core surrounded by layers of plastic, that
transmits data using light rather than electricity. It has the ability to carry more information over much
longer distances.

A computer connected to the network that contains primary files/applications and shares them as requested with the other computers on the network. If the file server is dedicated for that purpose only, it is connected to a client/server network. An example of a client/server network is Novell Netware. All the computers connected to a peer-to-peer network are capable of being the file server. Two examples of peer-to-peer networks are LANtastic and Windows for Workgroups.

One billion bytes of information. One thousand megabytes.

A hardware device that contains multiple independent but connected modules of network and internetwork equipment. Hubs can be active (where they repeat signals sent through them) or passive (where they do not repeat but merely split signals sent through them).

Electromagnetic waves whose frequency range is above that of microwaves, but below that of
the visible spectrum.

A global network of networks used to exchange information using the TCP/IP protocol. It allows for electronic mail and the accessing ad retrieval of information from remote sources.

A network connecting computers in a relatively small area such as a
building.

A network topology in which each node attaches directly to a common cable.

Apple Corporation proprietary protocol that uses CSMA/CA media access scheme and supports transmissions at speeds of 230 Kbps (Kilobits per second).