TCP/IP NETWORKING DESCRIPTIONS

Bandwidth
The ‘size’ of a network connection, which determines the maximum amount of data that can be transmitted or
received at any one point in time.
Binding
A connection between a protocol and an adapter, whether it be a network card or a modem. Bindings in
Windows are managed through the Network control panel.
BOOTP: Bootstrap Protocol.
An old way of configuring remotely certain IP address settings. Now superseded by DHCP in all but the most
specialised of circumstances.
Class A IP address
IP addresses with the first octet between 1 and 126.
Class B IP address
IP addresses with the first octet between 128 and 191.
Class C IP address
IP addresses with the first octet between 192 and 223.
Clustering
The act of having multiple servers configured so that they are treated as one for the purposes of administration
and management.
Cybercafé
A café that provides access to the internet in addition to providing food/drinks for sale and consumption on the
premises.
Daemon
The term for a background process on a Unix/Linux type system.
DHCP: Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol.
The most up to date way of having centralised control and administration of IP configuration information.
Default gateway
The default IP address to which traffic not on the current network is sent.
Default router
See Default gateway.
Dial-Up access
Access to the internet, typically for home or small business users provided by dialling up an ISP using a modem.
DNS
The Domain Name System. Used for translating names to IP addresses and vice versa and is an essential part of
any TCP/IP network