Save My System
Computer Technical Terms

Access Control Layer: Baked into the Wi-Fi standards; specifies how a Wi-Fi device, such as a mobile computer, communicates with another Wi-Fi device, such as a wireless access point. (also called MAC layer).

Access Point: A broadcast station that Wi-Fi computers can communicate with. Also called “AP”, “hotspot”, and “base station”. Access points are used as the central point for a network of Wi-Fi computers.

Access Point/Router : This common hardware combination combines the functionality of a Wi-Fi access point with that of a network router.

Anti-Virus: Software that protects PCs from malicious computer codes.

Bluetooth : A short-range connectivity solution designed for data exchange between devices such as printers, cell phones, and PDAs that use the 2.4GHz spectrum. Bluetooth is incompatible (meaning, does not work) with any of the 802.11 wireless networking standards.

Bookmark: A way of flagging your favourites websites in your browser.

Broadband: A high-bandwidth internet connection, fast delivery of Internet services. The predominant means for the delivery of broadband are cable and DSL.

Browser: A program for navigating the internet.

Cable : Broadband Internet delivery over the same cable that is used to bring in television content, primarily to residential subscribers.

Centrino : Notebooks with chips made by Intel that feature integrated Wi-Fi.

Client : A device or program connected to a server of some sort. Typically, a client is a personal computer connected to a server computer that relies on the server to perform some operations.

Client-Server Network : In a client-server network, a centralized server computer controls and polices many of the basic functions of the network, and intermediates the communications between the computers on the network.

DMZ (Demilitarized zone): An isolated computer or sub network that sits between an internal network that needs to remain secure and an area that allows external access.

Dual-Layer: Holds twice as much data as an ordinary DVD by adding an extra layer.

DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol): a standard for assigning dynamic Internet Protocol (IP) addresses to devices on a network.

DNS (Domain Name System sometimes called Domain Name Service): translates more or less alphabetic domain names into IP addresses.

DSL (Digital Subscriber Line): a technology used to deliver broadband Internet services over telephone lines.

DVI: A purely digital video connection

DVD (Digital Video Disk): An optical storage medium with higher capacity and bandwidth that compact disc. It is also known as digital versatile disc.

Driver: A software component that permits a computer system to communicate with a device. In most cases

Encryption Key : The key used to encrypt the transmissions of a Wi-Fi network protected by WEP; the password needed to access the Wi-Fi network.

FAT (file allocation table): this is a file system based on the file allocation table maintained by some operating systems, including Windows NT, 2000 and XP PRO, to keep track of the status of various segments of disk space used for file storage.

FAT32: A derivative of the file allocation table files system. FAT32 support smaller cluster sizes than fat in the same given hard disk space, which result in a more efficient space allocation on FAT32 drives.

Firewall: A security system, usually a combination of hardware and software, intended to protect a network against external threats coming from another network, including the internet. Firewalls also audit network activity, recording the volume of traffic, recording the volume of traffic and information about unauthorised attempts to gain access.

Firmware: Software routines stored in a read-only memory (ROM). Unlike Random Access Memory (RAM), ROM stays intact even in the absence of electrical power. Start-up routines and low-level input/output (I/O) instructions are stored in a firmware.  

Freeware: software that is often downloadable from the internet, which is free to keep and use.

FTP (File transfer Protocol): A process that provide file transfer between local and remote computers. The FTP client is installed with the TCP/IP connectivity utilities.

Gateway: A device used to connect networks using different protocols so that information can be passed from one system to the other.

GB (Gigabyte): A measure for storage capacity: usually hard disks.

GHZ (Gigahertz): A measure of how fast the processor in your pc works. One gigahertz equals one thousand megahertz (MHz).

Hard disk: One or more inflexible platters coated with material that allows the magnetic recording of computer data. A typical hard disk rotates at up to 7200 revolutions per minute (RPM), and the read/write heads ride over the surface of the disk on a cushion of air 10 to 25 millionths of an inch deep. A hard disk is sealed to prevent the contaminants from interfering with the close head-to-disk tolerances.

Hardware: The physical components of a computer system, including any peripheral equipment such as printers, modems and mouse devices.

Hot Spot: An Area covered by a wireless network

Hub : A simple wired device used to connect computers on a network.

IP address : A hexadecimal tuplet that denotes a node on the Internet or other network.

ISP (Internet Service Provider): A company that provides you with an internet connection.

LAN (Local area network): such as the network in your Computer Repair or small office.

MAC (Medium access control layer): See also access control layer

MAC Address : Unique identification number of each Network device.

MAC filtering : Creating a secure Wi-Fi network by using the MAC address of each Wi-Fi device on the network (and only allowing devices with a known MAC address).

Malware: A generic term for software designed to perform harmful or surreptitious acts.

MB (Megabyte): This is a measure of memory storage capacity.

Memory Card: Removable Storage Card.

Megapixel:   A measure of the level of details recorded by a digital camera.

Modem : Short for modulator-demodulator. A modem is a device that lets a computer transmit data over telephone or cable lines, and connects your cable or DSL Internet service to your computer or your network.

MP3: A standard for compressing digital audio.

NAT (Network Address Translation): Translates local network addresses to ones that work on the Internet.

OS (Operating System): Governs the way hardware and software components in a computer work together.

OSI (Open System Interconnection) reference model: A seven-layer architecture that standardizes levels of service and types of interaction for computers exchanging information through a network. It is used to describe the flow of data between the physical connection to the network and the end-user application, this model is the best known and most widely used model describing networking environments.

Patches: A software file or collection of files that fixes problems with an existing software application by making minor changes to a program.

PC Card : Card that fits in the PCMCIA slot that is present on most laptops. Also called PCMCIA cards.

PCI Card : Card that fits into the PCI expansion slot inside a Windows desktop computer.

PCMCIA : Personal Computer Memory Card International Association, which is the name of the organization that has devised the standard for cards than can be added to laptops.

PCMCIA slot : Also called an expansion slot, used to add PC cards to a laptop.

PDA (Personal Digital Assistant): a handheld computer.

Peer-To-Peer Network : In a peer-to-peer network, computers communicate directly with each other.

Phishing: Email fraud that attempts to trick users into revealing personal information such as login details.

Physical Topology : The way a network is connected.

PPPoE : Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet.

Processor: The chip that is the brain of the computer.

Protocol : An agreed-upon format for transmitting data between devices.

RAM (Random Access Memory): Used to temporarily store instructions and information for the microprocessor of a computer or other device.

Router : A router is a device that directs traffic between one network and another, for example, between the Internet and your Computer Repair network.

Server: A computer on a network that stores shared information.

SOHO : Small office or Computer Repair office.

Spam: Junk emails sent to large group of people.

Spyware: Software installed (usually surreptitiously) as part of another application installation, specifically to monitor and report back on a computer's use.

SSID (Service set identifier): used to identify the "station" broadcasting a Wi-Fi signal. (also called the network name, or wireless network name). Apple calls the SSID for their AirPort products the AirPort ID.

Standard : Used in engineering to mean the technical form of something such as a message or a communication. See also protocol

Static IP Address : An IP address that does not change.

Switch : An intelligent hub used to connect computers on a network.

TCP/IP (transmission control protocol/internet protocol): An industry standard suite of protocols providing communications in a heterogeneous environment. In addition, TCP/IP provides a routable, enterprise networking protocol and access to the internet and its resources. It is a transport layer protocol that actually consists of several other protocols in a stack that operates at the session layer. Most network support TCP/IP as protocol.

Thumbnail: A small image used to give a quick preview of a much larger image.  

Topology : A network topology is the arrangement of a network.

USB (Universal serial bus): used to connect peripheral devices such as a mouse to a computer.

Virus: A malicious computer program designed to cause damage.

VOIP (Voice over IP): A technology that allows telephone calls to be placed over the Internet.

VPN (Virtual private network): Software used to "tunnel" through the Internet to provide secure access to remote resources.

WAN : Wide area network, such as the Internet.

WAP (Wireless application protocol): used to provide Internet capabilities, such as Web browsing, to "thin" wireless devices, such as mobile phones.

WEP (Wired equivalent privacy): An encryption security standard built into the current versions of Wi-Fi.

Wi-Fi ( wireless fidelity): is the Wi-Fi Alliance's name for a wireless standard, or protocol, used for wireless networking using the 802.11 standards.