Broadband glossary - an index of broadband, Internet and technology related terms, along with their meanings. See below for our broadband glossary.

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Broadband Glossary

For most, Internet and broadband technology presents a whole new confusing language. The glossary below was adapted from a similar one found at Citizens Broadband Forum (Well worth a visit).

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100Base-T	Standard cabling that connects computers on a network. Has a small square jack similar to that for a telephone. Also known as "Fast Ethernet", this type of networking enables high speed transfer of data between computers.
2Mbps connection	High speed broadband connection enabling download speeds of 2 Megabits per second - around 40 times faster than a standard 56k modem and equivalent to about 30 simultaneous phone calls.
10Mbps connection	High speed broadband connection enabling download speeds of 10 Megabits per second - normal Ethernet traffic speed.
100Mbps connection	High speed broadband connection enabling download speeds of 100 Megabits per second - "Fast Ethernet".
802.11 and 802.11b	IEEE Wireless Ethernet Standard for transferring information around a computer network using radio waves, allowing wireless access to a shared 11M/s bandwidth.
802.3	Industry defined specification that describes the characteristics of Ethernet (wired) connections.

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Access Point	A hub for the Wi-Fi service, connecting wireless devices to a wired Ethernet network.
Activation	Activation is the process by which your existing phone line becomes enabled to receive data and voice calls simultaneously. Activation takes place at your local phone exchange.
ADSL (Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line)	ADSL works by dividing your telephone line signal into two - one for voice and one for data. The most popular services in the UK at the moment are running at download speeds of 512kbps although speeds of up to 2Mbps can be obtained. Upload speeds (speed of sending data) are 256Kbps on ALL products and hence the term "asymmetric", because the download speed is different to the upload speed.
Anti-virus software	Protection against malicious computer code usually sent via email but sometimes infecting web site downloads. PCs are particularly vulnerable and you should have anti-virus software installed no matter how you connect to the internet.
ASP (Application Service Provider)	Company providing services that would otherwise be expensive to own and operate locally. Examples include accounting software packages. The customer will rent the software by usage rather than purchase it outright. Requires high speed network connection to an ISP.
Attachment	File which is linked to and sent by e-mail.

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Bandwidth	The amount of data (information) that can be transmitted and received by an Internet connection, e.g. rather like a water pipe, the larger the pipe the more water that can pass through it. The maximum bandwidth through a dial up phone line connection is 56 kilobits per second (56kbps), for a broadband connection the minimum is 512kbps.
Base station	Also know as a router.
Bps (Bits per Second)	The rate that data is transferred. Often expressed as units of a thousand such as Kbps (Kilobits per second) or millions as Mbps (Megabits per second).
Browser	Software used to view the World Wide Web. Some the popular browsers include Internet Explorer, Netscape, Opera and AOL.
Broadband	A high speed digital internet connection which features bandwidth in excess of 512kbs, is 'always on' and is delivered using a variety of technologies.
Broadband Conntection Point	The point at which your Internet connection plugs into your home or business much like your phone line.
Bug	Error or fault with computer software which causes the computer to malfunction.
Bursty	Bursts of data traffic generated by a computer while online. Web browsing and reading email are 'bursty' activities. Downloading software or a bulky document generates a longer constant demand on bandwidth and is therefore non-bursty. A high number of users can share the same bandwidth with little loss of speed if their data calls are bursty.

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Cable	The technology which uses fibre optic cable to deliver services such as telephone, television and a broadband connection to homes and businesses.
Cable Modem	Modem designed to operate over Cable TV lines that can be used to provide narrowband or broadband Internet access.
Cache	A device which stores copies of webpages (and graphics) on your hard disk. This speeds up the display of pages you frequently visit or have already seen, because your browser can open them from your hard disk instead of from the website.
Cookie	Text files that are used to identify users and possibly customise web pages for them.
Contention Ratio	The maximum number of users sharing the bandwidth on the connection between your local exchange and Internet Service Provider. Many providers make a broadband connection available to more than one customer at any given time. For example they will quote a contention ratio of 20:1 or 50:1 depending on the tariff, which means that up to 19 or 49 other people may be sharing the connection.

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Dial-up connection	Connection to an Internet Service Provider (ISP) over a normal telephone line using a modem. Line is used for either voice or data but cannot be used at the same time.
Domain	Sub-division of the Internet which is usually identified by country and or entity i.e. co.uk or gov.uk
Download/Downloading	To receive data from the Internet, whether a web page, email or file.
DSL (Digital Subscriber Line)	Technology for bringing high bandwidth Internet access over ordinary copper telephone lines.
DSLAM (Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer)	The device which is installed in the telephone exchange to connect ADSL circuits to the main internet infrastructure.
Dynamic IP address	Originally all Internet Protocol addresses were static, but with the growth of the internet it soon became clear there wouldn't be enough to go around. A dynamic IP address changes every time you connect to the internet. Your ISP will have a range of dynamic IP addresses available and you will be allocated any one of these at any time.

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E-commerce	Commonly referred to as a way of buying and selling on-line.
E-mail	Electronic Mail that enables users to send and receive messages electronically and easily communicate with anyone in the world.
Encryption	A means of codifying information to prevent unauthorised access. Only those with authorisation and the key to unlock the code can decipher the encrypted data.
Ethernet	Ethernet is the most widely-installed local area network (LAN) technology. Most new computers have this capability pre-installed or can be upgraded to take advantage of this connection method.
Extranet	Private network that uses Internet and Web technologies to enable companies to communicate with their customers and suppliers through secure communication channels.

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File Extension	End part of a file name which identifies the file type such as .doc (word document) .jpg (graphics file) or .xls (Excel document)
Filtering	While browsing the internet it is a service which refuses access to certain unsuitable (according to a particular policy) websites. Filters are also used to stop your e-mail software downloading junk e-mail (or spam).
Firewall	A device which enforces a security policy. Typically used to prevent unauthorised access from the Internet into a private network.
Flat rate	A single, monthly payment for an internet connection.
Freeware	Software which is made available to users over the Internet at no charge.

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Gateway	Also know as a router.
Gateway address	The IP address you use when you make a connection outside your immediate network.

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Hacker	A person or group of people that access computers or networks without prior authorisation with malicious intent.
Hard disk/drive	Part of the computer that stores permanent data. Normally situated within the computer.
Hardware	A term which describes the physical parts of a computer such as the monitor, the keyboard, mouse, printer, scanner and any other communication devises such as webcam, modem and speakers.
High speed modem/cable modem	Technology that is used as a bridge or gateway with your computer to access a high speed broadband connection.
Homepage	The first page of a web site. This is usually their main page from which you can navigate round the site.
HTML	Hypertext Mark-up Language - Special scripting language used to create web sites and documents. Some files have .htm or .html as an extension

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IAP or ISP	Internet Access Provider or Internet Service Provider - Typically this refers to the company supplying your Internet connection.
ICT (Information Communication Technology)	The use of telecommunications, computing and broadcasting through digital information. Encompasses products that can store, retrieve, manipulate, transmit or receive information in a digital format.
Internet	A global network using common standards allowing the exchange of data. There is no control over the type of data that this network can hold.
Intranet	Private network or website usually for internal company or organisation use. Generally only authorised users are allowed access.
IP (Internet Protocol) address	The host computer assigned to you by your Internet Service Provider when you make a connection. A static IP address means your ISP permanently assigns your connection to a particular host computer. IP addresses are numeric, you may have noticed them occasionally in the address bar of your browser. For example, http://212.58.240.32 is better known as www.bbc.co.uk An internet service called DNS (Domain Name System/Service) translates the request for www.bbc.co.uk into the corresponding IP address.
ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network)	A digital dialup service which provides higher speeds than normal modem dial up, usually of 64kbit/s with a single channel or 128kbit/s with a dual channel.

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Kbps (Kilobits per second)

A measurement of the amount of data/information which is transferred over an Internet connection or on a network. 1 kilobit per second equals 1,000 bits per second.

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LAN (Local Area Network)	A group of computers that are connected to each other enabling data to pass between them over a limited geographical area, usually within the same floor or building.
Leased Line	Permanent telephone connection between two points set up by a telecommunications carrier used by businesses to connect geographically. Usually used by larger enterprises with 50+ users.
Local Loop	The physical infrastructure that connect homes and businesses to the service provider network, and the Internet.
Login or logon	The method by which you identify yourself to a host computer. This often means typing a user name and password.

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Mbps (Megabits per second)	A measurement of the amount of information which is transferred over an Internet connection. One megabyte is roughly equivalent to eight megabits.
Media rich content	Content that can be accessed and downloaded on the Internet. Most media rich content can be large in size - in many cases too big for a 56kbps connection to handle. This is why broadband is ideal for media rich content such as movie trailers, streamed video, music, animations and games.
Mesh radio	A network that uses point-to-point radio links between nodes that can be mounted on buildings making it possible to provide telephony, video rich Internet, VOD and switched broadcast TV simultaneously.
Microfilters	Devices which need to be plugged into all existing telephone and extension sockets to ensure that the ADSL signal on the telephone line does not interfere with voice or fax calls.
Modem	Acronym derived from modulator/demodulator. A device that converts signals from analogue to digital and digital to analogue, allowing computers to communicate over analogue connections such as telephone lines. Used when connecting with a 56kbps modem connection.
Mp3 (MPEG-1 audio layer 3)	A digital compression method that enables audio file sizes to be drastically reduced in size without any discernible loss of quality and therefore easily downloaded via a broadband connection.

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Narrowband	Internet connection that is not broadband - i.e. less than 512kbps.
NAT (Network Address Translation)	A broadband configuration that offers extra security and enables more than one computer to use a single IP address (your location on the internet).
Network Card	A piece of hardware which allows certain types of modem to be connected to your computer. They are also used to connect a number of computers together to form a network.
Network adapter	Also known as a "network interface card" (NIC). An expansion card or other device used to provide network access to a computer, printer, or other device.
Non-NAT	If you need someone or something (such as a server) that is outside of your network to connect to a machine inside your network, then you need non-NAT. The non-NAT option offers extra IP addresses and routes data to specific addresses.

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OFCOM	Office of Communications - a UK Government Statutory Body which replaced five existing regulators, the Broadcasting Standards Commission, the Independent Television Commission, OFTEL, the Radio Authority and the Radiocommunications Agency.
One Way Satellite	Available almost anywhere in the country, including some offering services through Sky TV dishes. One-way satellite broadband uses a satellite dish for downloading information and the usual dial up modem for sending information. Although it is a good option for web surfers, it is limited for business and file transfers, e-mail attachments etc. It is relatively expensive to install.

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Packet	A unit of information transmitted as a whole from one device to another on a network.
PDF (Portable Document Format)	Type of file that takes large documents and represents them graphically. They are produced by using special software called Adobe Acrobat. The software can be purchased either from the Internet or at a High Street Computer shop. To view the pdf you need Acrobat Reader - it is available as a free download from Adobe. PDF's have become the standard for publishing documents on the web.
Peer-to-peer network	A network of two or more computers that communicate without using a central server. This lack of reliance on a server differentiates a peer-to-peer network from a client/server network.
PING	A method of bouncing a signal to a computer's IP address to check if it is online and to measure the response time. Rather like radar or echo location.
Plug-in	Software that you can install, or comes ready installed on your computer, enabling you to view rich media such as movie trailers, animations or online games.
PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network)	An ordinary telephone line.

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Rabbit (Remote Area Broadband Inclusion Trial)	RABBIT trials alternative methods of providing high speed Internet access to small businesses in rural and remote areas. Its aim is to evaluate the effectiveness of the available solutions. Methods looked at include satellite and wireless technology.
RADSL (Rate Adaptive Digital Subscriber Line)	Technology which extends the reach of copper telephone lines from 3.5 km to 5.5 km from a DSL-enabled exchange.
Remote working	It is the ability to access your own computer securely across the internet. Software such as PC Anywhere and LapLink, or service provider, GoToMyPC.com enable communication between machines. Requires your machine to be at a static IP address.
RJ-11 connector	Cable connection for joining a phone line to a modem.
RJ-45 connector	Small square shaped plug found at the ends of Ethernet cables.
Router (or Router-hub)	A device that sits between your computer and the internet and determines where to send your online data. Required if you want to connect more than one computer to broadband and often comes with a 'switch' that creates a local network between all the computers connected to it. If you want to connect a router directly to your broadband connection, you will need to make sure that the router has a suitable built in Cable or ADSL modem. Also known as a gateway or base station.

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Satellite broadband	Broadband connectivity supplied from by a small satellite dish mounted on or near your building. Two standard coaxial cables connect the satellite dish antenna to the satellite modem, which is connected to your PC through an ethernet (network) port.
SDSL (Synchronous Digital Subscriber Line)	DSL service offering the same speed in both directions, e.g. 2Mbps.
Search Engine	Website designed to allow users to search the Internet using Keywords. The search engine then identifies the matching sites based on the keywords. There are more and more search engines being created everyday but the most common ones are Google, Ask Jeeves and AltaVista.
Server	Computer set up to centrally hold software and other services for common use by a company. Each area of the company will then be allocated a specific area of the server on which they can save their files.
SHDSL (Synchronous High speed Digital Subscriber Line)	Generally a different name for SDSL.
SLA (Service Level Agreement)	A document that sets out the terms and conditions of your service delivery with your ISP
Shareware	Free evaluation copies of software made available via the Internet. Types of programmes include graphics packages; web design programmes; video viewing software. They usually have a limited evaluation period after which point you lose the ability to use the software unless purchased.
Spreadsheet	Software programme that allows you to store, compare and analyse large amounts of data. Commonly used for budgets, forecasting and accounts and data analyse.
Static IP address	A static Internet Protocol address that doesn't change every time you log on to the Internet. A static IP address is required if you need to run your own email server (SMTP), Virtual Private Network or remote communications applications.
Streaming	In order to allow access to large stored Media (Video or Audio) files, these are often stored on a Streaming Server. This will send the file in a stream to the user's browser which displays it as it comes in. This has the advantage that the file is not stored (which would use up the user's disk space) and can be viewed as soon as it starts coming in. The alternative is to download the whole file to the user's PC and then view it.

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Telecommunications	Communication using the telephone line by landline, satellite or wireless.
Tele-working (or Tele-Commuting)	Working at a distance from your employer either at home, at a locally based centre or on the road. Increased data transference speeds by using broadband will make this a reality for more people, particularly those who need to transfer large files to clients or the office such as record producers; graphic designers; publishers.
Two-Way Satellite	As One Way Satellite but uses satellite both ways. However very high installation and monthly rental costs mean that it may not be practical for home users - although is becoming a cost-effective way of providing a reliable and scaleable internet backhaul for community wireless networks.

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Unified Messaging	Provides one centralised in-box for all voice, e-mail and fax messages. All message types can be managed using familiar packages such as Microsoft Outlook or Lotus Notes.
Unviable Exchange	The term used to descibe an exchange that cannot be upgraded to provide broadband services. For a list of unviable exchanges click here.
Upload/Uploading	The process of transferring files from your computer to another location on the internet.
URL	Universal Resource Locator - address of a website i.e. http://www.ukvillages.co.uk

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VDSL (Very high speed Digital Subscriber Line)	Capable of speeds up to 10Mbps over 1.5km.
Virus	Software which is usually found on the Internet and designed to corrupt data, wipe hard drives and generally create havoc. Firewall & virus checker will greatly reduce the risk of third party software being loaded onto your machine by accident.
Video conferencing	Real time video to allow multiple users to broadcast and receive sound and vision simultaneously.
Virtual Server	Web server that hosts a number of sites simultaneously, each with a unique domain name and IP address.
VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol)	Using broadband to send voice calls over the internet. The voice signals are broken down into packets and reassembled at the receiving end.
VPN (Virtual Private Network)	A secure Internet based environment which organisations or individuals use as a Wide Area Network. This can connect remote offices together and provide mobile workers with remote access to a corporate or central network.

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WAN (Wide Area Network)	A geographically widespread network that might include many linked local area networks.
WAP (Wireless Application Protocol)	Allows people to use their mobile phone to send and receive e-mail and offers limited access to the Internet.
Webcasting	Broadcast of sound and video over the internet in real time. The same as streaming.
Website	Location on the Internet which has been developed by either a business, individual or organisation for the purpose of providing information, selling or advertising. They can consist of text, graphics, and video. As the software for creating these sites become more advanced, websites becomes more interactive.
WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy)	Also known as "wireless security" - essentially wireless network encryption to protect data transmitted over wireless networks.
Wi-Fi (Wireless-Fidelty)	Allows the connection of two or more computers without the need for physical cabling between them. The most common forms of WiFi are 80211.b (capable of up to 11 Mb/Sec) and 802.11.g (capable of up to54 Mb/Sec). It is a popular solution for rural community networks.
Wireless	The use of radio signals to connect computers without cables whether it be a computer and a mouse or a network of computers that connect to the internet.
Wireless access point	A device that exchanges data between wireless computers or between wireless computers and wired computers on a network.
Wireless network name	Single identity for a group of computers that link together to form a wireless network
Wireless security	See WEP (above).
Wireless WAN	Companies with more than one building on a campus or in close proximity in a city centre can use Wi-Fi or other wireless technology to build 'bridges' between buildings.
WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network)	A network that exclusively relies on wireless technology for device connections.

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