Appendix A: The Internet and the World Wide Web Flashcards
Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA)
The agency charged with the task of connecting Department of Defense computers to each other and to weapons installations distributed all over the world. Also called Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). WEB A7
ARPANET
The experimental wide area network (WAN) created by DARPA in 1969 that grew to become the Internet. See also Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA). WEB A9, WEB A11
bandwidth
The amount of data that can travel through a communications circuit in one second. WEB A20, WEB A23
Because It’s Time Network (BITNET)
A network of university computers that eventually became part of the Internet. WEB A10
bits per second (bps)
The basic increment in which bandwidth is measured. WEB A20
byte
The basic increment in which file sizes are measured; it contains 8 bits. WEB A5
Category 1 cable
A type of twisted pair cable that telephone companies have used for years to carry voice signals; Category 1 cable is inexpensive and easy to install but transmits information much more slowly than other types of cable. WEB A3
Category 5 (Cat-5) cable
A type of twisted pair cable developed specifically for carrying data signals rather than voice signals; Category 5 cable is easy to install and carries signals between 10 and 100 times faster than coaxial cable. WEB A3
Category 5e (Cat-5e) cable
An enhanced Category 5 cable that is constructed of higher quality materials so it can carry signals faster than regular Category 5 cable. WEB A3
Category 6 (Cat-6) cable
A type of twisted pair cable that is constructed of higher quality materials than Category 5e cable so it can carry signals faster. WEB A3
Category 7 (Cat-7) cable
A type of twisted pair cable that is constructed of higher quality materials than Category 6 cable so it can carry signals faster. WEB A3
circuit switching
A centrally controlled, single-connection method for sending information over a network. WEB A8
client
A computer connected to a server and sharing its resources. WEB A2
client/server network
A way of connecting multiple client computers to a server so the clients can share the server’s resources, such as printers, files, and programs. WEB A2
coaxial cable
An insulated copper wire encased in a metal shield and then enclosed in plastic insulation; coaxial cable carries signals about 20 times faster than Category 1 twisted pair cable, but is considerably more expensive. WEB A3, WEB A4
commerce service provider (CSP)
A large ISP that sells Internet access and other services to businesses to help them conduct business activities on the Internet. WEB A20
Computer Science Network (CSNET)
An internet funded by the NSF for educational and research institutions that did not have access to the ARPANET. WEB A10
dial-up
The standard telephone service provided by telephone companies to business and individual customers for voice communications that allows users to transmit data by using a modem at a bandwidth of between 28.8 Kbps and 56 Kbps. Also called plain old telephone service (POTS). WEB A21
Digital Subscriber Line
A type of broadband connection provided by a telephone company that provides transmission speeds of 16 to 640 Kbps from the user to the telephone company and transmission speeds of 1.5 to 9 Mbps from the telephone company to the user. Also called Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL). WEB A22
DNS (Domain Name System) software
A program on an Internet host computer that coordinates the IP addresses and domain names for all computers attached to it. WEB A7
domain name
A unique name associated with a specific IP address. WEB A6
domain name server
The Internet host computer that runs DNS software to coordinate the IP addresses and domain names for every computer attached to it. WEB A7
dotted decimal notation
A method of writing the parts of a 32-bit IP address as four decimal numbers separated by periods. WEB A7
extranet
An intranet that permits access by selected outside parties. WEB A12
fiber-optic cable
A type of cable that transmits information by pulsing beams of light through very thin strands of glass; fiber-optic cable transmits signals much faster than coaxial cable does, is immune to electrical interference, and is more durable than coaxial cable, but it is harder to work with and is more expensive. Also called fiber. WEB A4
file transfer protocol (FTP)
That part of the TCP/IP protocol set that includes rules for formatting, ordering, and error-checking files sent across a network. WEB 7, WEB 39, WEB 444, WEB A10
fixed-point wireless
A technology for wireless connections to a network that uses technology that is similar to wireless LANs. WEB A23
general TLD (gTLD)
A top-level domain (TLD) that is maintained by ICANN. WEB A7
gigabits per second (Gbps)
A measure of bandwidth; 1,073,741,824 bits per second (bps). WEB A20
graphical user interface (GUI)
A way of presenting program output that uses pictures, icons, and other graphical elements instead of just displaying text. WEB A16
heading tag
An HTML tag that instructs a Web browser to display the text enclosed in the tag as a heading. WEB 398, WEB 402, WEB 403, WEB 416, WEB A16
HTML document
A text file that includes HTML tags that indicate how a Web browser should format the text. WEB 4, WEB 36, WEB A16
hypertext
A system in which text on one page links to text on other pages. WEB A15