• Engineering Mathematics
  • Discrete Mathematics
  • Operating System
  • Computer Networks
  • Digital Logic and Design
  • C Programming
  • Data Structures
  • Theory of Computation
  • Compiler Design
  • Computer Org and Architecture
  • Computer Network Tutorial

Basics of Computer Network

  • Basics of Computer Networking

Introduction to basic Networking Terminology

  • Goals of Networks
  • Basic characteristics of Computer Networks
  • Challenges of Computer Network
  • Physical Components of Computer Network

Network Hardware and Software

  • Types of Computer Networks
  • LAN Full Form
  • How to Set Up a LAN Network?
  • MAN Full Form in Computer Networking
  • MAN Full Form
  • WAN Full Form
  • Introduction of Internetworking
  • Difference between Internet, Intranet and Extranet
  • Protocol Hierarchies in Computer Network
  • Network Devices (Hub, Repeater, Bridge, Switch, Router, Gateways and Brouter)
  • Introduction of a Router
  • Introduction of Gateways
  • What is a network switch, and how does it work?

Network Topology

  • Types of Network Topology
  • Difference between Physical and Logical Topology
  • What is OSI Model? - Layers of OSI Model
  • Physical Layer in OSI Model
  • Data Link Layer
  • Session Layer in OSI model
  • Presentation Layer in OSI model
  • Application Layer in OSI Model
  • Protocol and Standard in Computer Networks
  • Examples of Data Link Layer Protocols
  • TCP/IP Model
  • TCP/IP Ports and Its Applications
  • What is Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)?
  • TCP 3-Way Handshake Process
  • Services and Segment structure in TCP
  • TCP Connection Establishment
  • TCP Connection Termination
  • Fast Recovery Technique For Loss Recovery in TCP
  • Difference Between OSI Model and TCP/IP Model

Medium Access Control

  • MAC Full Form
  • Channel Allocation Problem in Computer Network
  • Multiple Access Protocols in Computer Network
  • Carrier Sense Multiple Access (CSMA)
  • Collision Detection in CSMA/CD
  • Controlled Access Protocols in Computer Network

SLIDING WINDOW PROTOCOLS

  • Stop and Wait ARQ
  • Sliding Window Protocol | Set 3 (Selective Repeat)
  • Piggybacking in Computer Networks

IP Addressing

  • What is IPv4?
  • What is IPv6?
  • Introduction of Classful IP Addressing
  • Classless Addressing in IP Addressing
  • Classful Vs Classless Addressing
  • Classless Inter Domain Routing (CIDR)
  • Supernetting in Network Layer
  • Introduction To Subnetting
  • Difference between Subnetting and Supernetting
  • Types of Routing
  • Difference between Static and Dynamic Routing
  • Unicast Routing - Link State Routing
  • Distance Vector Routing (DVR) Protocol
  • Fixed and Flooding Routing algorithms
  • Introduction of Firewall in Computer Network

Congestion Control Algorithms

  • Congestion Control in Computer Networks
  • Congestion Control techniques in Computer Networks
  • Computer Network | Leaky bucket algorithm
  • TCP Congestion Control

Network Switching

  • Circuit Switching in Computer Network
  • Message switching techniques
  • Packet Switching and Delays in Computer Network
  • Differences Between Virtual Circuits and Datagram Networks

Application Layer:DNS

  • Domain Name System (DNS) in Application Layer
  • Details on DNS
  • Introduction to Electronic Mail
  • E-Mail Format
  • World Wide Web (WWW)
  • HTTP Full Form
  • Streaming Stored Video
  • What is a Content Distribution Network and how does it work?

CN Interview Quetions

  • Top 50 Networking Interview Questions (2024)
  • Top 50 TCP/IP interview questions and answers
  • Top 50 IP addressing interview questions and answers
  • Last Minute Notes - Computer Networks
  • Computer Network - Cheat Sheet
  • Network Layer
  • Transport Layer
  • Application Layer

For a specific purpose if things are connected together, are referred to as a NETWORK . A network can be of many types, like a telephone network, television network, computer network, or even a people network. 

Similarly, a COMPUTER NETWORK is also a kind of setup, where it connects two or more devices to share a range of services and information in the form of e-mails and messages , databases , documents , websites , audios and videos , telephone calls , and video conferences , etc. among them. 

A PROTOCOL is nothing but a set of defined rules , which has to be followed by every connected device across a network to communicate and share information among them. To facilitates End to End communication, a number of protocols worked together to form Protocol Suites or Stacks . 

Networking terminology can be confusing, especially for those who are new to computer networking. Here are some basic terms and their definitions to help you understand the fundamentals of networking:

Network : A collection of interconnected devices, such as computers, printers, and servers, that can communicate with each other.

Node: Any device connected to a network, such as a computer, printer, or router.

Protocol: A set of rules and standards that define how devices on a network communicate with each other.

IP Address: A unique numerical identifier assigned to each device on a network, used to identify and communicate with other devices.

Router: A networking device that connects multiple networks together and forwards data packets between them.

Switch: A networking device that connects devices on a network and forwards data packets between them.

Firewall: A security device or software that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic, based on a set of predefined security rules.

DNS (Domain Name System): A system that translates domain names (such as www.example.com) into IP addresses, allowing devices to locate and connect to websites and other network resources.

LAN (Local Area Network): A network that connects devices within a limited geographical area, such as a home, office, or building.

WAN (Wide Area Network): A network that connects devices over a large geographical area, such as multiple offices in different cities or countries.

DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol): A protocol that automatically assigns IP addresses and network configuration settings to devices on a network.

TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol): A set of protocols used to communicate over the internet and other networks.

These are just a few basic networking terms, but understanding them is essential to building a strong foundation in computer networking.

Some basic Protocols are: 

  • IP : Internet Protocol
  • FTP : File Transfer Protocol
  • SMTP : Simple Mail Transfer Protocol
  • HTTP : Hyper Text Transfer Protocol

The Network reference models were developed to allow products from different manufacturers to interoperate on a network. A network reference model serves as a blueprint, detailing standards for how protocol communication should occur. 

The most widely recognized reference models are the Open Systems Interconnect ( OSI ) Model and Department of Defense ( DoD, also known as TCP/IP ) model.   

  • LANs (Local Area Networks)
  • MANs (Metropolitan Area Networks)
  • WANs (Wide Area Networks)

An Internetwork is a general term describing multiple networks connected together. The Internet is the largest and most well-known internetwork.   

  • SAN (Storage Area Network) : A SAN provides systems with high-speed, lossless access to high-capacity storage devices.
  • VPN (Virtual Private Network) : A VPN allows for information to be securely sent across a public or unsecured network, such as the Internet. Common uses of a VPN are to connect branch offices or remote users to the main office.  
  • A host can act as a Client when he is requesting information.
  • A host can act as a Server when he provides information.
  • A host can also request and provide information, which is called Peer .

Refer to Set 1: Basics of Computer Networking . 

Please Login to comment...

Similar reads.

  • 10 Best Slack Integrations to Enhance Your Team's Productivity
  • 10 Best Zendesk Alternatives and Competitors
  • 10 Best Trello Power-Ups for Maximizing Project Management
  • Google Rolls Out Gemini In Android Studio For Coding Assistance
  • 30 OOPs Interview Questions and Answers (2024)

Improve your Coding Skills with Practice

 alt=

What kind of Experience do you want to share?

The Complete Guide To Giving A Networking Presentation

The Complete Guide To Giving A Networking Presentation

Ah yes. The classic business networking presentation.  If you are in the business sphere at all, at some time or another you will have the floor to give a presentation. If you incorporate business networking in your marketing, then, you’ll likely have an opportunity to do a business networking presentation.

But what exactly IS that?

A networking presentation isn’t a sale pitch, or a TEDtalk (although those rock). It is a special blend of who you are, why you do what you do, and what people need to know in order to send you quality business.

While it’s pretty standard to have this kind of opportunity if you are part of a networking group, it can be a challenge to make the most of this time. Even if you are veteran networking beast and have done these types of presentations before – you will find that the networking game have changed immensely in the last few years. So how to do give a networking presentation that benefits both you and your fellow networkers?

After years of networking, building my own businesses , and leading  networking groups  I have seen it all – the good, the bad, the ugly.

I’ve laughed, I’ve cried, I’ve cringed.

I’ve been bored, felt insulted, been inspired. I’ve done presentations and witnessed countless more. 5 minutes long, 10 minutes, 15, 20… big business, small businesses, it doesn’t really matter – there are some ket things that set about a decent networking presentation from one that smashes it out of the park. And that’s really what we are all going for – to take our businesses to the next level. We’re all on the same team, we all have the same goals.

So are you ready to dive in? Grab a cup of coffee and a notepad (or tablet, or voice memo, or however you record your muse) and let’s unpack how to give the ultimate networking presentation!

ramah is preparing a presentation on networking terminology

First things first, we have to lay some ground rules when it comes to networking presentations. The most important thing you need to get straight is your perspective- where you are coming from, how you are approaching your presentation.

Traditionally, a business prevention is coming from a sales perspective  – selling an item, service, or even an idea.

A networking presentation, however, breaks out of that  mold and focuses on the opposite. The goal is not to sell a service or product or even an idea.

Your goal is to sell YOU.

If you go in with a traditional sales mindset, then you are already setting yourself up for failure. Why?

The people listening to your networking presentation are not your customers!

In a business networking group, your goal is to build trusting relationships that lead to referrals  and strategic partnerships. It’s not about selling… at least, not directly. Sales are the fruit  of time spent sowing and cultivating relationships . That perspective is what lead to productive networking , a solid 30/60/90 second  marketing message , and is the key to a successful networking presentation as well.

Now that we have our focus right, we can get into the nitty gritty of planning out a presentation!

Step 1: Determine your goals.

ramah is preparing a presentation on networking terminology

Your networking presentation should have two goals:

  • to tell who you are
  • to tell how we (the people in the room) can send you business.

Sound simple, right? Don’t scroll to the end of this blog so fast, because it’s actually harder than it seems to share these two things well.

If you only share who you are, then all you succeeded in doing was talking about yourself for ten minutes straight. If you only talk about how we can help you, then we don’t have anything to base our trust on.

Why should we trust you? Why should we go out of our way to do the things you are asking us to do? Why should we refer someone to you instead of someone else in the same industry?

People have to know who you are.

ramah is preparing a presentation on networking terminology

To get started with your planning, ask yourself:

Who am I? How can the people in this room best send me business?

Then actually answer those questions.

Got it written down? For real? Ok, fine, it can be digitally recored, if you are anti-paper. But are you clear on those two things? Now we are ready for the next step!

Step 2: The Beginning (of your presentation)

ramah is preparing a presentation on networking terminology

People remember the beginning and the end of your presentation, and that’s about it.

It’s not that they weren’t listening, didn’t find it interesting, or just don’t care… it’s just how people are. So don’t take it personally. What you should do is give some TLC to the beginning of your presentation.  Don’t discredit the first few minutes of your presentation. You only have a few minutes to make an impact, so plan it out!

Plan to start with a bang. Tell a story, ask a proactive question, share a compelling quote.

Pay close attention to how you phrase questions, too. Think “trivia question” format. Instead of “how many of you are ready to retirement?” or “how many of you know someone who is near retirement age?” ask “who do you think the average retirement age is?”

Another key component of a great opening is to tell us what you are going to tell us about.

Get us ready. Get our brains focused. “Think about a time…” We live in an age of pings and tweets and stories to do lists… assume that your audience is distracted, and act accordingly to bring their attention back to you.

Step 3: The Middle (of your presentation)

ramah is preparing a presentation on networking terminology

Now is the time to dive in and start sharing the important information that helps us trust you and want to refer you business. Don’t waste time sharing things that don’t contribute to that goal. Good questions to ask are:

How long have you been in business? What is your experience? How long have you been in your city? Why do you do what you do, what is your passion?

While it’s ok to share person info – like pets, favorite sports teams, hobbies – but be careful not to take up too much time with those things. Pick one unique thing about you and stick to that.

Now for this next one, I need you to hang with me. Put down the coffee for just a sec, because I am about to tell you to

Ditch the slides.

I know I am getting crazy, but hear me out:

If your goal is not to sell a product, service, or idea, but to instead to sell yourself… what better way to do that than to just share you? The real, live, in the flesh, talking and breathing you?

Slides may be pretty, but that is the danger. People end up focusing on what is on the screen and not on YOU.

So what’s a person to do? Slides ARE professional, no doubt about that, and it’s great to have supporting information for what you are verbally speaking.

Instead of a full set of slides, I recommend opting for one or two slides, a simple handout, or other physical object.

ramah is preparing a presentation on networking terminology

Canva is the end all, be all to creating your own visual content, slides included. If you haven’t check out this free tool, you totally should… just be prepared to just sucked in to creating content for social media, your website, and more. They even have tutorials to help you get started.

But I digress. Canva rocks, and slides rock, but don’t let them take over you… because YOU are your own best salesperson.

Step 4: The Ending – what it all comes down to

Cue dramatic cinematic music. The crowd is hushed. You have commanded their attention for 80% of your presentation. The world is yours.

No pressure. Don’t blow it!

But really. Remember when said that people only really remember the beginning and the end of your presentation?  If you give an engaging presentation, but fail to end with a bang, all of your time and planning was in vain. And no one want’s that.  Pay special attention to the last 1-2 minutes of your presentation in a way that leads to cheers and applause.

Here are 2 things that I think are invaluable to ending your presentation strong:

Leave time for questions.

ramah is preparing a presentation on networking terminology

For most presentations you will have a set amount of time. Out of respect for the group and your fellow networkers, make sure you stick to your allotted time. Part of that means building in time for questions. If you have the floor for ten minutes, then you need to present for 8 and then have 2 minutes of questions.  Interactive back and forth conversations is more impactful than one way conversations, so leaving time for questions is worth it!

Remember that questions don’t have to be saved to the end; you can give time throughout your presentation for people to ask, if you would like. Just set the expectations clearly at the beginning. Either say “there will be time for questions at the end,” or “please feel free to ask questions as we go.” The more clarity you give us (the listeners!) the more impactful your presentation will be.

REALLY know what you need! Have a call to action.

ramah is preparing a presentation on networking terminology

And don’t say “I need referrals!” We ALL need more referrals.

Instead, tell people how they can help you specifically:

  • TODAY. Immediately.

This goes back to the beginning, when we really had to get clear on who you are and how other business owners can help you.

If you want to use a flier or handout, make one specifically for your business networking connections, not one that you already have pre-made for your customers. Canva is another great place to make a tool like this, or, just have a simple word document with your logo on it.

Some great things to include would be who you are, your business, your contact information, where they can find you online in social media, what you ideal client is, and who your strategic partnerships are.

Things that do NOT count as a productive call to action: passing around a pile of your business cards, collecting everyone else business cards, having an email sign up sheet. 

To wrap things up, networking presentations can have a huge impact on your business – it just takes some planning and practice. Invest the time to laying a solid foundation, then work through planning out each section of your presentation.

The result will be an impactful, engaging presentation that benefits not only your business, but your networking group as well.

Networking is meant to be awkward, confusing, and so much fun. What I have found is that by working together we can all ultimately grow; so give us a share if you liked this blog (and we sure hope you did) give it a share! Facebook , Twitter, Instagram, good old fashioned email… however you want to spread the love. Snooze-free presentations for everyone!

Download your Complete Guide – including a worksheet – HERE!

Elizabeth Victory

We're not around right now. But you can send us an email and we'll get back to you, asap.

ramah is preparing a presentation on networking terminology

Basic Networking Terms and Definitions

Managing networks requires you to understand basic networking terms and definitions. This tutorial introduces the basic networking terminology you need to understand networking concepts.

Networking exams such as CCNA, RHCE, and MCSE require candidates to configure and manage various network-related topics. To practice these topics, you need to understand the following network terminology.

A network is a group of devices connected to share information and data.

A node is a device on a network that can exchange data and information with other devices on the network.

An IP address is a numeric address. All addresses on a network require at least one unique IP address. There are two versions of IP addresses: IPv4 and IPv6.

It is the classical version of IP addressing. It uses 32 bits to form an address. Bits can be classified into two types: network bits and host bits. Network bits are used to group IP addresses into subnets. Host bits are used to provide a unique identity to the device.

IPv4 address notation/format

IPv4 organizes IP addresses into four sections. It uses a dot after each section. In each section, it keeps eight bits.

bits organization

It can be written into two notations: binary and decimal.

Subnet mask/netmask

A subnet mask or netmask is a 32-bit address. It is always used with an IPv4 address. It tells the number of network and host bits in the IP address. It uses the same notation and format the IP address uses.

example of ip address

CIDR is another way to write a subnet mask with the IP address. It writes only the number of network bits in the IP address. Since an IP address always contains 32 bits, the remaining bits are always host bits. For example, a CIDR value /24 has 24 network bits and 8 (32 -24 = 8) host bits.

Default gateway

A default gateway is a device that connects the local network with the remote network. Generally, a router interface works as a default gateway. IP configurations include the gateway IP address. If the destination device does not exist in the local network, the device sends the data packets to the gateway device. The gateway device forwards the data packets to the gateway device connected to the destination device.

DNS is a server that translates hostnames into IP addresses. It allows us to access network resources by name.

MAC address

A MAC address is a hardware address of the network interface. Each network interface uses a unique MAC address. Devices use MAC addresses with IP addresses to identify devices in the local network.

NIC (Network Interface card)

A NIC is a card that connects the device to the network. Each NIC uses a unique IP configuration. For example, if a PC has two NICs, both need a separate IP configuration. A NIC can be wired or wireless.

Wired network

A wired network uses network cables to connect devices. There are three types of network cables: coxals, twisted pairs, and fiber opticals. You can choose any based on network requirements and budgets.

Wireless network

A wireless network does not use cables. It uses radio spectrums to transmit data. It is cheaper than a wired network but provides less data transfer speed.

VPN (Virtual Private Network)

A VPN is a virtual network that allows the client and server to exchange information over a public network as if they were local, even if the client and the server are in different places.

VLAN (Virtual Local Area Network)

A VLAN is a group of devices that share broadcast messages on the local network.

IPv6 is the replacement protocol for IPv4. As mentioned earlier, each device on a network needs a unique IP address. The Internet is the largest network. It contains millions of millions of devices. With each passing day, these numbers are growing. Since IPv4 uses only 32 bits, it fails to provide unique IP addresses to all devices. IPv6 uses 128 bits. It includes sufficient IP addresses to provide a unique IP address to all devices.

ipv6 ip address format

Network relationship

When we connect devices in a network, devices build certain relationships to exchange information. A network relationship defines the role of devices and data flow in the network.

Peer-to-peer/ workgroup networking

In peer-to-peer or workgroup networking, all devices have equal rights. Any device can join or leave the network at any time. There is no centralized authentication. All devices manage authentication independently on the local system.

Server/client networking

In server/client networking, the server has all rights. A device can join or leave the network only after getting approval from the server. The server provides centralized authentication.

Protocols are rules that standardize and manage data transmission between devices. Two devices will exchange data only when they speak the same protocols.

DHCP provides and manages IP configuration on the network. It works in server/client mode. Administrators configure a pool of IP addresses on the server. The server provides an IP configuration from the pool to each client who requests the IP configuration.

By ComputerNetworkingNotes Updated on 2024-03-10 15:47:46 IST

ComputerNetworkingNotes Networking Tutorials Basic Networking Terms and Definitions

We do not accept any kind of Guest Post. Except Guest post submission, for any other query (such as adverting opportunity, product advertisement, feedback, suggestion, error reporting and technical issue) or simply just say to hello mail us [email protected]

ramah is preparing a presentation on networking terminology

The Cisco Learning Network

Networking terminology – understand what you say, 7 years ago by daniel larsson.

Networking Terminology – Understand what you say

Introduction

My intention with this blog post is to highlight a couple of scenarios that you are likely to face as a network engineer. Scenarios where it’s very important that you understand exactly what the words you choose to use actually mean to your co-worker . Whether it’s between a client or an internal discussion between network engineers and management – understanding the network terminology is extremely important!

I often end up discussing how to solve a specific technical problem. When I think about network terminology, I think about how easy it is to confuse someone if you assume that they know what you are talking about. In other words – I need to make sure that I use the correct network terminology so that we both understand each other.

My goal is that after you have read through this post, you will have a better understanding of the challenges that exist when discussing networks as part of your work. It's not as easy as it seems to discuss networking and use the terminology in a way that makes sense. Cisco engineers have a bad habit of assuming that the Cisco terminology is the general networking terminology used. And there is a lot of other networking terminology that is also confusing and easily misunderstood. It's very easy to discuss networking and overlook the fact that you might use the same words – but they mean different things to different engineers.

So this will be a less technical blog where I will mostly focus on some of the networking terminology that often leads to misunderstanding and confusion during discussions.

Why all the talk about Cisco engineers?

If you are working with networking of any kind, everybody has heard about Cisco. Even if you don’t use Cisco equipment in your networks, the engineers managing the networks have probably been Cisco-educated at some point in their career. Most engineers I’ve spoken with have started their networking career using Cisco equipment, regardless of whether they actually ended up using it for their employer or not.

There are many reasons for that, but I believe the main one is because Cisco has done a tremendous job of producing study materials available to the “public mass”. Just to name a few of the things Cisco has made available:

  • Cisco Learning Network
  • Cisco Networking Academy
  • Strong career path & certification paths
  • Cisco Press
  • Cisco documentation (Understanding x technology sections are great!)

Why has Cisco invested so much time (and $) into creating education content?

If you think about it, there are plenty of reasons why any company would want to create such a strong brand that, no matter where you go, everybody has heard about it. So, not to be naive – Cisco does this with some expected return on their investment. In most cases, the materials are made available to get you hooked on Cisco technology and equipment, or to pass a Cisco-specific exam (such as CCNA R&S).

If you are new to networking and begin studying it, you will hear about Cisco. They have created some of the best content available to teach new talents about how networks work.

Many network engineers start their career by reading about networking from content created by Cisco. Whether it’s to study for a Cisco certification exam or to learn about a networking technology, Cisco is there to support you in your studies. This comes with the side effect that once you start working as a network engineer, you [unintentionally] will favor Cisco when making decisions about which networking brand to use. Because one key factor in choosing a vendor is always going to be how well you understand their products.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with that, but let’s consider what’s also included in their exams and in their content.

A lot of networking terminology ! Terminology that you must understand to pass their exams! Terminology that is even only used on Cisco equipment, but not by the rest of the industry! Because of this, you will remember the Cisco networking terminology and assume that everyone else understands what you mean! That’s why I talk about Cisco engineers!

I hope that I can at least encourage you to think about these things so you will become better equipped to avoid the confusions that can lead to really bad implementations in your networks!

What is Network Terminology?

I've been thinking about this, and the best way I can explain it is...

All the words we use to describe how interconnected electronic devices transmit and receive information.

That doesn’t sound too bad, does it?

Well….the problem is that there is no standard, so it’s up to each vendor to choose how to use their version of network terminology. This is a very important piece of information to remember when having a discussion with engineers from multiple vendors. Don't make the mistake and assume that every engineer is using the SAME networking terminology, even if it's the same words!

I want to provide you with a few examples where it's possible that if you assume that everybody is using the same networking terminology without verifying it, it can lead to wrong decisions. And to get there, we need to define some common networking terminology first!

I could walk you through a deep technical dive into the technologies I will discuss, but I choose to leave out a lot of technical data and technical explanations for a reason. I want to keep this as simple as possible and just go deep enough to discuss the issue I want to highlight – that networking terminology is easy to mix up and can be very confusing if used incorrectly! I strongly encourage you to do your own researc h to understand the technologies discussed!

To avoid confusion during this post, I have organized this by what I choose to call “General Networking Terminology” and “Cisco Terminology.

General Network Terminology

There are several technologies used in a network that almost everybody working with networks has heard about. There are too many to cover in this post, so this section will very briefly just cover these technologies:

  • Traffic Flows
  • Virtualization (very briefly)

700px-Ethernet_Type_II_Frame_format.png

Ethernet is the most used LAN technology today for interconnecting devices on a network. When sending data over Ethernet, a standard Type II Ethernet frame is 1518 bytes long and carries a MAC header (which includes addressing information about the sender and receiver), a payload (data), and a checksum (CRC).

Ethernet is used to connect different network segments together and is considered a shared medium. That means collisions can occur, so each segment needs to use CSMA/CD* (even with a switch). These segments are called a collision domain*. In a HUB all ports connect to the same network segment*, so each port in a HUB belongs to the same collision domain. Using a switch instead – all switch ports connect to a different network segment, so each switch port is a different collision domain.

When using a switch, it will make a frame forwarding decision based on the destination MAC address used in the MAC-header. Since a switchport is its own collision domain it means a frame will be forwarded between multiple network segments. The frame can be sent as a unicast frame, a multicast frame, or a broadcast frame. A unicast frame is sent to a single destination on the network segment, a multicast frame is sent to a selected group of addresses on the network segment , while a broadcast frame is sent to all hosts on the network segment.

The switch will make the forwarding decision using its CAM table. A unicast frame is forwarded out of a single switch port. A multicast frame is forwarded out of all switch ports that are members of the multicast group (selected group). The broadcast frame will be sent out of all switch ports. The scope of how far the broadcast frame will be forwarded is called the broadcast domain*. But a switch will never forward a frame back out on the same switch port that it was received on.

Ethernet supports multiple topologies and multiple network designs, and if you are not careful, you can end up with a very large multicast group or a very large broadcast domain. Both will impact your overall network performance, so it’s a good general rule to keep your broadcast domain as small as possible.

*Note: Learn more about CSMA/CD, segments, collision domain, and broadcast domain on your own!

A network topology refers to how the network nodes (hosts) are interconnected, including the physical cabling and the logical signaling. A very important skill for any network engineer is the ability to discuss different network topologies. That also includes being able to understand the difference between a physical topology and a logical topology.

In many cases, the physical topology is a star topology, while the logical topology is a bus topology. When I discuss network topologies, I often need to explain the differences between the physical topology and the logical topology to explain a problem. A common mistake is to believe that the physical topology and the logical topology are the same.

“In many cases, the physical topology is a star topology, while the logical topology is a bus topology.” What does this mean?

Physical Topology

The physical topology is easy to understand. Just draw how the devices are actually cabled and wired and you get the physical topology. Examples used today are:

topology1.png

#1. Star Topology #2. Ring Topology #3. Tree Topology

Logical Topology

It’s much more difficult to try to understand how the logical topology looks. The logical topology is equal to how the communication appears from the perspective of the connected users (hosts).

What impacts the logical topology?

In general, depending on how your network is cabled, it will impact how your logical topology will look.– But what’s often overlooked is that multiple other components also affect your logical topology. Depending on which protocols you are using and how they are configured, you will create different logical topologies.

The most common protocol used in Ethernet is STP* (Spanning Tree Protocol). It’s used to prevent bridge-loops* (often called switch loops). STP will make sure that all redundant connections that can cause a bridge loop will be blocked when you cable multiple switches together. Since STP will block links in that case, it affects the logical topology. The communication path that hosts can take in your network is changed because of the links that STP blocked to avoid bridge loops.

I only mention STP briefly to show that it affects the logical topology and there is much more to learn about how it works. Let's look at an example of how a logical topology looks before STP and after STP.

Topologies before STP

topology3.png

Physical Topology Multiple Logical Topologies

The logical topology between User 1 and User 2 have multiple paths available. User 1 could reach User 2 via multiple paths, for example:

ASW1->DSW2->ASW3

ASW1->DSW1->ASW3

ASW1->DSW1->CSW1->DSW2->ASW3

(There are more available paths, which I left out.)

A network cabled like that will not perform well without a protocol to prevent loops caused by the multiple paths available. STP is going to help us block some of the redundant links, and you can configure it and tune it to meet your network requirements. Depending on your STP configuration, you can end up with different logical topologies even if the physical topology remains the same. From the perspective of the connected hosts, STP allows you to build these logical topologies:

topology5.png

In this case, STP can create multiple logical topologies based on a physical topology. It can be tuned and configured according to best practices you want your core switch to be the root bridge* so that traffic will flow over CSW1. This section doesn't cover any of the advanced features of STP or how it works other than to demonstrate that it will affect the logical topology.

STP is not the only protocol that will build a logical topology; there are too many protocols to discuss in this post to cover them all. I’ll just name a few others for reference purposes:

  • EtherChannels (used to hide physical topology for the protocols that build logical topologies)
  • Routing protocols (provides a logical view of interconnected networks and how to reach them)
  • GRE (used to build a “virtual” or logical point-to-point link)

I strongly encourage you to research more protocols than STP to get a better understanding of how logical topologies can be created!

TRAFFIC FLOWS

I mentioned that “traffic will flow over CSW1” before. What does that really mean?

When discussing traffic flows, you need to understand the difference between ingress traffic and egress traffic. Traffic usually flows ingress on one interface and egress out another interface. It's also possible that the ingress and egress traffic is using the same interface in advanced topologies. This is what creates the “Tx” and “Rx” counters in your interfaces.

RFC 3697 defines traffic flow as:

" A sequence of packets sent from a particular source to a particular unicast, anycast, or multicast destination that the source desires to label as a flow. A flow could consist of all packets in a specific transport connection or a media stream. However, a flow is not necessarily 1:1 mapped to a transport connection. "

In other words, it is the direction in which the packets are being forwarded. The flow can be spread across multiple logical paths for redundancy or load-balancing* purposes. Just like STP, there are technologies that can hide the physical topology to create a different logical topology. Talking about interfaces and traffic flows, a port channel (EtherChannel) is one such thing.

To view your ingress- and egress-generated traffic, all you need to do is look at your Tx and Rx counters on your interfaces. On the interface where the traffic is received, you will see an increased Rx counter. Similarly, you will see an increased Tx counter on the interface where the traffic is forwarded out. These are your ingress and egress traffic flows.

There is no difference between a virtual interface* (port channel) and a physical interface as far as how the counters look, but there is a huge difference between the traffic flow over a port channel interface and a physical interface. That’s why you will see generally higher counters on a port channel interface. Here’s an example of a port channel with eight physical links (2.79Gbp/s):

traffic_flow1.png

If we look at the individual links in the bundle, we can also see exactly how much each link has been affected by the traffic flows as part of the port channel bundle. Showing only one link as an example (31.80Mbp/s):

traffic_flow2.png

This may look confusing at first, but what the port channel interface does is it bundles multiple physical links together in a “channel” and creates one virtual logical interface. In other words, it hides the physical topology to create a logical topology.

What happens with the traffic flows when it's sent over a virtual port channel interface?

LINK AGGREGATION

Link Aggregation, or simply “LAG,” is the terminology used by most vendors for bundling multiple physical links into a virtual logical one, which Cisco displays as a port channel interface. A port channel is used to provide redundancy for the physical topology by creating a single logical link for your network hosts to communicate through. There are two options to choose from: LAcP (vendor-neutral, most common) or PAgP (cisco proprietary, less common).

Some of you are probably wondering why I mentioned that LAG was used to provide physical topology redundancy and NOT to increase the available bandwidth as well.

It makes sense to think that since you connect multiple links and create a virtual interface that consists of them. The problem is that every single traffic flow generated from your hosts will still use only a single physical link from the bundle.

There are a couple of reasons for that, which mostly involve solving application problems. I will not explain those, but it's a problem for applications that need to be solved. To solve this problem, there is a hashing algorithm involved to figure out which physical link to use from the bundle. It doesn’t matter if you choose LAcP or PAgP – they will both need to use the host flows as the string value to be computed through a hashing algorithm.

And when I say “host flows,” I’m talking about the information contained within a flow, such as source/destination MAC address, source/destination IP address, and source/destination TCP/UDP ports.

Why do we use hashing and what is it?

Hashing is a widely used concept within the IT world. It’s a multi-purpose technique used to generate a value based on a string that is computed through a mathematical function. The mathematical function used is called the hashing algorithm, and the value computed is called the hash value. A hash value is used because as long as you provide the same input string to a hashing algorithm, it will always generate exactly the same output hash value.

We can then use the computed hash value instead of the original string for simplicity. In networks, we run a lot of data through a hashing algorithm to scramble data before we transmit it (encrypt it). But the same technique can also be used to choose a physical link to use when they’re bundled into a logical interface.

Now pay attention to what I said there - The same input string will always generate the same output hash value.

It’s a very big misunderstanding in the networking world that a port channel interface is mainly used to provide active/active forwarding. It’s used to provide redundancy for your physical topology. That means that just because you are creating a virtual port channel interface that consists of 2x10Gbp/s links, it doesn’t spread the load across the links so you get a total of 20Gbp/s available bandwidth for your data flows.

A hashing algorithm is used to decide which physical link to use, and it means that as long as all the same parameters are used in the input string, then the algorithm will ALWAYS choose the same physical link to send your data over. This is done using a XOR function, and I'll provide a brief example of how that works.

It takes a couple of parameters used as input string, then computes the string through a XOR-based hashing algorithm. The computed hash value will then decide which physical link is going to be used. There are many configuration options available to decide manually which parameters to include in the input string to be computed through the hashing algorithm. The default parameters are platform-dependent.

To compute the hash value, a XOR function is performed based on the following:

  • Input parameters from the flow to be hashed.
  • The number of physical links in the port channel bundle.

Consider a flow that’s using Source IP 192.168.0.1 and Destination IP 192.168.1.1. I’ll line them up in binary and then perform a XOR function on the binary values. The number of bits that are used depends on the number of links in the bundle.

Here’s how it works using XOR

SRC: 11000000. 10101000.00000000. 00000001 DST: 11000000. 10101000.00000001. 00000001 XOR: 00000000.00000000.00000001.00000000

The number of links in the bundle determines how many bits will be used from the XOR function. A link means a bit value, so two links are just two binary values. Link 0 or link 1. Only the last bit is needed to decide which link to use if it consists of two links. It's more easily represented like this:

SRC: xxxxxxxx. xxxxxxxx.xxxxxxxx. xxxxxxx1 DST: xxxxxxxx. xxxxxxxx.xxxxxxxx. xxxxxxx1 XOR: xxxxxxxx.xxxxxxxx.xxxxxxxx.xxxxxxx 0

With four links in the bundle we also need to use four bits to decide which link to be used. Link 00, Link 01, Link 10, Link 11. The fourth bits will be used and look like this:

SRC: xxxxxxxx. xxxxxxxx.xxxxxxxx. xxxxxx01 DST: xxxxxxxx. xxxxxxxx.xxxxxxxx. xxxxxx01 XOR: xxxxxxxx.xxxxxxxx.xxxxxxxx.xxxxxx 00

As you can see, Link 0 will still be used, since “00” in binary is still 0. But with four links in the bundle we have more links available to be used by the algorithm. So remember it doesn’t help to increase the number of links in a port channel – the same input parameters will still decide to use the same link in the bundle!

In other words, it looks like you have increased bandwidth available with more links in your bundle, but remember how the hashing works!

The last piece I want to talk about is bandwidth. Everybody has heard about bandwidth – it’s increasing everywhere. Some of us are already deploying 100Gbp/s links in their networks. The need for increased bandwidth is driven by more and more data to be transported across a network. I want to highlight two things that can be confusing when talking about bandwidth:

Remember when I talked about the Rx and Tx counters before?

That’s going to be your throughput . Your throughput is all the bits that you can transfer through your network. This includes all the needed headers and everything that is transported across your network. So for example, a 10Gbp/s link is capable of 10Gbp/s throughput. You can transfer 10Gbp/s over that link.

But what about goodput ?

Goodput is often overlooked, and usually that’s something your end users will want. Goodput is when you take all your throughput data and strip all the headers and all the application layer overheads and just keep the data that you can use…that’s what goodput is! Taking the same example with a 10Gbp/s link, if you transfer a flow at 10Gbp/s and just look at how many of those bits are actually useful to your user sending them, you might end up with 7Gbp/s of goodput.

In that case, you would have about 30% overhead in that flow.

When discussing bandwidth, remember that it’s not all about the speed of the link. Having 8Gbp/s of goodput with 9Gbp/s throughput is better than 10Gbp/s throughput with only 7Gbp/s goodput. So you must consider the goodput and how you can increase the goodput! But that's outside the scope of this post.

I’m sure you’ve heard about VLAN before, so I’m not going to discuss what it is except to mention that it is a virtual version of a local-area network. That means we can configure our switches to only forward frames within our virtual network. We can spread this network to other switches using what Cisco calls trunk ports, or we can spread them using access ports. By default, all switch ports on a Cisco switch do not have any trunk ports, but they have all their switch ports as members of VLAN 1.

I briefly mentioned VLANs because the Cisco VLAN terminology is the number one reason why things can go really wrong if you assume that the Cisco terminology is used everywhere. In short, Cisco decided to use some words that are not easily understood by the rest of the industry. So if you are not careful with these words, you will end up in a lengthy discussion and most likely with a misconfiguration because of it!

Cisco Terminology

This last section is included to highlight why things can be really confusing if you assume that the Cisco terminology is used everywhere. I'll just mention some of the Cisco terminology that is available and use an example based on experience where these can be mixed-up.

DEFAULT VLAN

I mentioned that we can spread VLANs using something called access ports or trunk ports. This is something that you need to manually configure and define as part of your network implementation. By default Cisco provides us with a base configuration that defines all switch ports as members of VLAN 1. This is what Cisco calls the default VLAN. It’s a term used to describe which VLAN all switch ports belong to by default. With a base configuration out-of-the box, they are all configured as access ports in VLAN 1.

ACCESS PORT

Cisco defines a switch port that is member of a specific VLAN to be an access port in that VLAN. Technically speaking, that means that frames forwarded to this switch port will be sent “untagged” for that VLAN. In my opinion, this is a confusing definition, because the rest of the industry uses the terminology "untagged ports" and "tagged ports" to define what type of frames are sent to/from it.

Consider that when you have a discussion about VLAN implementations. The Cisco terminology “access ports” is not used by other vendors, and it's a high chance they will only understand what untagged/tagged ports mean.

When using Cisco equipment, it means that you can configure a swith port to carry multiple VLANs. When frames from multiple VLANs cross this link, the switch will add a 802.1Q tag to identify which VLAN it originally belonged to. This link will also look at the 802.1Q identifier to know where to forward a frame that is received on this link. This is a Cisco trunk port!

In my opinion this is the most confusing Cisco terminology, because the rest of the industry defines trunking as a way to aggregate multiple links as a trunk link. Cisco uses the trunk port to carry multiple VLANs, while other vendors will call this a tagged port.

Consider how extremely easy it is to mix up LAG with VLAN-tagged ports if you use the word trunking in a networking discussion.

NATIVE VLAN

Cisco uses the concept of a native VLAN to define which VLAN that should never contain any 802.1Q VLAN identifier in their frames. Technically, using a Cisco switch means the VLAN will never send any tagged frames across trunk ports, and it also means that if any untagged frames are received on a trunk port, they will be forwarded to the native VLAN.

If you talk with someone that hasn’t studied Cisco, they will usually look like a question mark when you say the term “native VLAN” and in my opinion this is confusing because a frame is always sent “untagged” or “tagged” in a network!

ETHERCHANNELS

EtherChannel is the Cisco term for bundling multiple physical links into a logical virtual interface called a port channel. It is the same that I mentioned before when I used the term link aggregation (LAG).

If you are having a discussion with other teams outside the networking-area, for example a storage, server or client team - they usually look very confused when hearing this term because they're used to link aggregation. Just remember that this is Cisco terminology if you talk to other vendors or teams!

3 Case examples why it’s important to understand Networking Terminology

If you’ve managed to read all the way down here without falling asleep…then here are my 3 examples of why it’s so very important to understand the network terminology properly before making implementations/decisions! There are of course more cases or scenarios where things can go wrong, but these three will be a good example for this post and the terminology I've discussed.

CASE #1 - VLAN terminology mix-up

You are planning to implement a VLAN change in your network and decide to have a discussion with another engineer. What happens if you are using Cisco VLAN terminology and the other engineer is not used to Cisco terminology?

If you agree to create a trunk port between your switches, then the chances are high that the following happens: -You end up configuring your end of the switch port as a Cisco trunk port supporting 802.1Q. -The other engineer end up configuring his end of the switch port as a LAG using LAcP.

Depending on both of your configurations, you might end up with a switch loop. In either case, both of you assumed what a trunk port meant. So the implementation from both ends was not the expected result!

CASE #2 - Misunderstanding how much bandwidth is available

You are told to increase the available bandwidth in your network because users have complained that their bandwidth needs are not enough. You decide that link aggregation/Etherchannel can be used to increase the bandwidth, so you bundle multiple links into a port channel.

What happens when you say that you have doubled the amount of available bandwidth and your users discovers that it’s not working?

Remember that creating a port channel interface does not increase the throughput by the amount of available bandwidth. You need to consider the hashing function and the difference between goodput and throughput to make sure that you provide a good user experience.

CASE #3 - Not considering the needed topologies before placing/moving hosts in your network

During a network overview, it was discovered that some of your links in your network are utilized more often than other links, and you want to spread the load out more evenly due to this. There are multiple options available to address this, but you decide to move hosts around to try and spread out the load.

What happens if you don’t consider the logical topology that the hosts need to use to be able to communicate? For example, what if your hosts require L2 adjacency due to high availability functions?

If you don’t consider the logical topology needs for your hosts, you might end up isolating hosts in two different logical topologies when they need to be in the same logical topology. The end result could be that the applications will fail to work as intended. One example of this would be a high availibility feature of a host for virtual machines. It's highly likely that you can end up isolating two hosts in different L2 topologies so that in case of a host failure, the failover feature doesn't work. This is difficult to troubleshoot because everything would be working until it fails and it's discovered that the failover feature didn't work. I've seen this happen, and it's not a good day at work.

Remember to distinguish between the physical topology and the logical topology. It’s often discussed when faced with problems associated with load-distribution or high availability features!

Final words

I hope that I did at least manage to encourage you to take a step back and think about the terminology you use when you discuss networks with other individuals. Networks are becoming more and more complex, and the time spent discussing incidents, designs, or implementations is increasing because of this. There is good reason to consider the networking terminology you are using to increase the quality of your discussions!

Last but not least, thank you for reading all the way down here, and I wish you all the best in your networking career!

User image

Excellent post.!

ramah is preparing a presentation on networking terminology

Daniel Larsson

Thank you Martin!

ramah is preparing a presentation on networking terminology

Anyone who works in a multi-vendor network is going to benefit from this blog.  When I first started out in my Networking career, we had HP switches and Cisco routers and I ran into the scenarios that Daniel ran into.  Once I discovered the terminology differences, things became much more clear.  I have been training a new employee who came from a Brocade environment.  When I asked him to configure a trunk port on a cisco switch, I quickly rephrased the request by saying, configure a tagged port with all vlans tagged.  He understood and performed the task.

The terminology battle is not just in the networking world.  It's in the server world too.  Take vmware for example.  in VMWare, we an create a snapshot of a VM config.  Well, in HyperV it's called a checkpoint.  The function of the two is pretty much the same.  The terminology is just different.

Well Done Daniel.

Thank you Jared,

I'm glad you liked it!

I agree with the terminology in a multi-vendor environment. It's very confusing and all vendors have their own terminology. But even in the cisco-engineering world I often discuss what "L2" and "L3" means because people in general mean it differently.

I recently was in a meeting where we discussed L3 routed-links in a Nexus deployment. And of course most of the consultants (including me) assumed that they were "no switchport"-ports. 30 minutes later it turned out that when the client said "L3-links" they didn't mean L3-links, because they had a L3-SVI that they were using as L2-breakout in a multi-access segment.

To the client this was a L3-link, but to all engineers this was a L2-segment (switchport mode access, switchport access vlan x) .

...it took a while before everybody agreed that this was a L2-segment and not a L3-link.

I spend a lot of time defining that so everybody speaks the same language. In either case - never assume that everybody else is using the same words as you are for the same meaning!

ramah is preparing a presentation on networking terminology

aekinaka.palace

Great post! The detailed explanation of why LAG (Port Channels) are used for redundancy and not so much for performance was very useful.

Thank you Aaron.

Always happy to help !

ramah is preparing a presentation on networking terminology

Excellent post. Shared already!

ramah is preparing a presentation on networking terminology

Excellent post. I've learned some new terminology today Never hear "goodput" before. Definitely writing it down!

However, one short paragraph I'd definitely correct a bit:

We can then use the computed hash value instead of the original string for simplicity. In networks, we run a lot of data through a hashing algorithm to scramble data before we transmit it (encrypt it)

Other than that - a masterpiece

I did quite some extensive research to figure out the most common word that people use for describing that - in most my books they used " Goodput ". At other places they just used "useful data". I've never had a problem in any discussion while using "goodput" hence why I used it here. Although I admit to always introducing it on average like this: "Goodput".....(silence)...."Meaning data transfered without overhead calculated".

Now regarding the cryptographic part. I was sort of waiting for someone to comment about that. So great eyes and thank you for highlighting it so i can elaborate here in stead !

There wasn't really enough space to go through those pieces in depth, so I went with a very general description of it. There is really no difference between Hashing and Encryption except that the difference would be that when using Hashing it's a one-way process that is not reversable. While using Encryption we can reverse the data as long as we have the correct decryption key to decrypt it. In other words one is ideal for storing information or comparing information, while the other is ideal to be used when data is needed to be transmited.

I wanted to include small pieces of this but at the end I had to cut it down....for anyone reading this, it's worth to mention that when using Encryption to scramble the data it can be reversed as well. That means that you scramble the data (sign it) using a key (secret password or similar) of some sort that is known to the receiver. There are many alternatives in this world but the most common one is to use a Public-key (public password) for signing data intended for a known receiver. Then the receiver uses his Private key (private secret password) to decrypt it.

That means that if you scramble the data (encrypt it) someone else can reverse the process using a key (secret password). This is not true when using a Hash-value. And that's the difference - in both cases, the data you send or store is still scrambled and therefor by definition encrypted - since it can't be understood by anyone eavesdropping on the data.

To not bore everyone to death about encryption, there are two different use-cases:

-Hashing is generally used to authenticate packets OR to index data/store data in a larger database. A good use-case is Passwords.

-Encryption is generally used to scramble the payload of a packet before transmitting it. The receiver will then decrypt it.

Since Hashing is a one-way process it doesn't make sense to scramble random data and send this as a Hash-value . The only way the receiver can actually understand this data is if they already know the input-string - hence this is an excellent use-case for storing information in a scrambled format to compare passwords. (just one example)

I'll clarify a bit for the readers and to just say that I apreciate your good eyes and most of the text below is not intended for you but for the audience that might also have spoted that !

Although a bit confusing if you know about encryption/security, I still believe that this sentence is correct:

"Hashing is a widely used concept within the IT world. It’s a multi-purpose technique used to generate a value based on a string that is computed through a mathematical function . The mathematical function used is called the hashing algorithm, and the value computed is called the hash value. A hash value is used because as long as you provide the same input string to a hashing algorithm, it will always generate exactly the same output hash value .

We can then use the computed hash value instead of the original string for simplicity. In networks, we run a lot of data through a hashing algorithm to scramble data before we transmit it (encrypt it) ."

I agree that this part can be confusing when it's taken out of it's context.So I decided to update it a bit . Thank you!

It's confusing if you know how the payload is actually encrypted when it needs to be reversed. The mathematical function used to encrypt the data is a Hashing-algorithm - but in this case we are using a cryptographic hashing-algorithm that can be reversed under some pre-known circumstances.

For the interested reader....hashing in general means a "many:1 mapping" of data, while encrypting data means a "1:1 mapping" of the data. That really means how the bits (data) is ordered when you run it through the algorithm. Therefor hashing means that data consisting of multiple inputs will generate a fixed-length output. While the process of encrypting the data will re-order the input-string to generate the same length output-string. Both will scramble the data and generate a value that is difficult to make sense of. We can send this value over the network and it would be scrambled (encrypted) in case anyone is eavesdropping!

In the original sentence it was not refering to the process of encrypting/decrypting data. It was refering to the process of scrambling data. And I didn't intentionally mean that we use a hash-value instead of the original data for simplicity when sending data. That would be correct, but that's not why we using it. So I updated the text so it's not confusingly refering "scrambling data" to "use the computed hash value instead of the original string" in the same section!

For the intended audience of this post however I just had enough space to make a very brief introduction to hashing and how it's used in the most common form in networks (LAcP/PAgP) where it's just the one-way version of it. Because of the nature of a computed hash-value being a one-way process it's the ideal way to store data, or to compare data if both the sender and the receiver knows the input-string. Since then all they need to do is compare the two hash-values to figure out if it was the same as the original string or not - why it's mostly used to compare stored information such as passwords.

But when using encryption to scramble the data before you send it, it's usually also a requirement that the sender want the receiver to be able to reverse the process using the hash-value (decrypt it).

Hence the word Hash-value can also be very confusing since when discussing security it's often a very difficult word to define. In general I will claim that both encryption and hash-value should be used interchangeable. The important thing to consider is to know the difference between a one-way Hashing-algorithm (MD5) and an Encryption Hashing-algorithm (AES) . The MD5 Hash-value is very difficult to reverse (one-way, no decryption possible) while the AES Hash-value is reversable (possible to decrypt) if you know the right key. Even more interesting is that when running data through an Encryption algorithm multiple keys (input strings) will likely generate the same output-data.

Note: Both MD5 and AES are cryptographic hashing-algorithms that uses input-data (string) to compute output-data (hash-value). But let's not thread on that minefield that will be exploding now that I say that! Let's leave that for a future blog or discussion !

ramah is preparing a presentation on networking terminology

Excellent!!

ramah is preparing a presentation on networking terminology

I agree with terminology being important I remember being caught out with ethernet

There are several types of Ethernet frames:

  • Ethernet II frame, or Ethernet Version 2, [f] or DIX frame is the most common type in use today, as it is often used directly by the Internet Protocol.
  • Novell raw IEEE 802.3 non-standard variation frame
  • IEEE 802.2 Logical Link Control (LLC) frame
  • IEEE 802.2 Subnetwork Access Protocol (SNAP) frame

and as such

The different frame types have different formats and MTU values, but can coexist on the same physical medium. Differentiation between frame types is possible based on the table on the right.

In addition, all four Ethernet frames types may optionally contain an IEEE 802.1Q tag to identify what VLAN it belongs to and its priority ( quality of service ). This encapsulation is defined in the IEEE 802.3ac specification and increases the maximum frame by 4 octets.

Ethernet frame - Wikipedia

Been there and done that, although I didn't go through it in the post above...i had to be sure that it said "A standard Type II Ethernet-frame" just because of that same scenario you are describing (had a feeling some of you guys had also experienced it!).

I find it too often that when discussing Networking, everybody assumes a specific type of Ethernet-frames. I remember that recently I was discussing a problem and it wasn't until 2 hours later that someone (not me) mentioned this exact sentence:

"Guys.....just wanted to say....we ARE discussing Jumbo-frames, right?"

Yep...it was a priceless silence followed by some comments like "Ohhh.....that's right, JUMBO-frames..."

Long story short...it's too easy to forget these small things in the middle of a troubleshooting session .

ramah is preparing a presentation on networking terminology

Networking terminology made simple and easy to understand.  What a great and improved approach to all this information.

I really enjoyed reading this blog and re-learning terminology from a different point of view.  It almost felt like you were sharing your knowledge and understanding of network topics with a good friend thru your blog.

Very well done...Great job Daniel!! 

Thank you for sharing.

You're welcome!  Yes, I understand its difficult to put together something like that.  That is why I value the effort you did to share this blog with us.  I really felt it was like having you here next to us, when I read the blog.  Also its not a boring topic, if you have an open mind and are willing to learn what is been said to you.  I really found it very interesting your approach when reading your blog. 

I really liked and enjoyed reading it.  I also appreciate your words of support toward me.  Thank You! 

Keep up your good work!

If you encounter a technical issue on the site, please open a support case .

Communities: Chinese | Japanese | Korean

Cisco.com © Copyright 2024 Cisco, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Statement Terms & Conditions Cookie Policy Trademarks

Glossary of 100 Networking Terms You Must Know

Whether you're new to computer networks or just need a refresher, this glossary of networking terms is bound to prove a useful resource.

To stay ahead of the curve in the world of networking, you need to keep abreast of the latest terminology. With the ever-changing technology landscape, new words and phrases are added to the lexicon all the time.

That's why we've put together this glossary to help you better understand the basics of computer networks. It's a perfect resource to refer to, whether you're new to the field or just need a refresher.

You'll find definitions for common terms and more specific jargon that you're likely to encounter as you delve deeper into the world of networking. From AES to WPA, this glossary will become your trusty go-to guide.

FREE DOWNLOAD: This cheat sheet is available as a downloadable PDF from our distribution partner, TradePub. You will have to complete a short form to access it for the first time only. Download the Glossary of Networking Terms Cheat Sheet .

The Definition of 100 Networking Terms

Become a computer network pro in no time.

With so many confusing terms, it's not surprising that people often feel discouraged when they first start learning about networking. However, don't let the challenge of remembering these definitions overwhelm you. The more you use and see them, the easier they'll become. Soon you'll be able to throw around networking terms like a pro!

Approve The Cookies

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. To find out more, read our privacy policy .

  • Have Questions? (866) 291-3008

Resources for IT Learners and Leaders

Explore our catalog of articles and thought leadership pieces for the latest developments in the IT industry.

Request A Quote

By requesting more info, I agree to receive phone calls/texts from QuickStart.

I would like to sign up to receive email updates from QuickStart. See our Privacy Policy .

Networking Fundamentals: The Most Common Terminologies Explained

  • IT Ops & Management

Networking is one of the basic terms related to information technology. Any IT enthusiast would have a firm understanding of what networking really is, its vast array of types, functions of each category, and the complexities associated with it. In simple terms, a computer network is made up of two or more computers connected to each other for the purpose of sharing information and resources. The built connection is called a network because it allows for data to be shared across two units. A simple computer network can be built using only two computers whereas a complex network is built using more than two computers. Typically, in a complex network, thousands of devices are connected to each other to form a network. A network can be used for simply printing a document, downloading an email attachment, or accessing the web. Networks are fundamentally recognized to be integrated everywhere computers are used. Computer networking has opened great opportunities for the progression of computers

Thumb

  • July 23, 2019

Networking is one of the basic terms related to information technology. Any IT enthusiast would have a firm understanding of what networking really is, its vast array of types, functions of each category, and the complexities associated with it. In simple terms, a computer network is made up of two or more computers connected to each other for the purpose of sharing information and resources. The built connection is called a network because it allows for data to be shared across two units. A simple computer network can be built using only two computers whereas a complex network is built using more than two computers. Typically, in a complex network, thousands of devices are connected to each other to form a network. A network can be used for simply printing a document, downloading an email attachment, or accessing the web. Networks are fundamentally recognized to be integrated everywhere computers are used. Computer networking has opened great opportunities for the progression of computers and their incorporation to the world. A network is categorized on the basis of its characteristics and geographical location.

It is integral to develop a concrete understanding of computer networks and their functions for every individual stepping into the world of information technology. As mentioned above, computer networks are the center point where all actions begin and end in information technology; its assimilation is seamless. This is why IT professionals need to have the fundamental concepts at the forefront of their minds when studying far greater things in the world of information technology. Lastly, a basic understanding of networking fundamentals would be vital for anyone looking forward to prepare for Cisco Certification . With that being said, here is everything you ought to know regarding the fundamental networking types:

PAN or Personal Area Network

PAN happens to be the most basic type of computer network. It comprises of a wireless modem, one, two or more computers, phones, tablets, printers, or other devices and revolves around one user in a single area. PAN is a kind of network that you would typically witness being set up in residential areas or small offices. They are managed by an organization or an individual from a single device.

LAN or Local Area Network

It is a term that you must have heard of innumerable times before and is the most common term associated with computer networking. LANs are not only the most common types but the simplest and original. LAN sets up groups of devices together across a distance that is short with respect to the area. LAN would be set up between a single building or more typically in close proximity to one another. As usual, a network is built for the exchange of resources. LAN is most commonly used in commercial purposes, where enterprises manage and maintain the network. For a seamless, fast, and secure transfer of data, LANs can be connected using routers to wide area networks, which brings us to the next type WAN.

WLAN or Wireless Local Area Network

As explained above, WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) functions similar to LAN and is built using wireless network technology, the most common type being the Wi-Fi. This type of network does not need a connection formed using physical cables since they rather function on infrared signals. With the incorporation of WLAN, physical cables are rapidly becoming obsolete among users.

MAN or Metropolitan Area Network

MANs are larger than LANs but as compared to WANs, they can be much smaller. However, a Metropolitan Area Network utilizes aspects of both LAN and WAN. MAN covers a whole geographical region, such as a town or city. The management, ownership, and maintenance of MANs are taken up by large organizations.

CAN or Campus Area Network

This type is usually larger than LANs but smaller than MANs. The SME sector around the world typically relies on Campus Area Network, however, as the name suggests, they are also widely built on university or college campus sites in order to facilitate students and the institute’s administration. CANs are set up in close connection to each other and they can cover up several sites across a location.

WAN or Wide Area Network

Another category which is equally popular as Local Area Network, however, as opposed to LANs, WAN is rather increasingly complex. WANs allow computers to be connected on a long distance. They are highly used to connect devices and exchange resources sitting miles away. A remarkable example of Wide Area Network or WAN remains the Internet. The Internet uses WAN in order to connect devices present all across the globe. WAN has the widest reach among all computer networks, so it is managed and maintained by the federal government or the public.

SAN or Storage Area Network

SAN does not dependent on WAN or LAN. SANs have a high speed and connect spaces of storage devices to services. SANs transfer storage content away from the network and take them into their own network which is actually very high performing. These networks grant access in the same manner as a typical driver attached to a server. Their usual types are unified, virtual, and converged SANs.

SAN or System Area Network

It is a term which is often confused by Storage Area Network. This category has been recently brought into the limelight and it is a network which facilitates high-speed connection in storage networks, processor to processor applications as well as server to server.

POLAN or Passive Optical Local Area Network

It is treated as a substitute to the traditional LAN since POLAN are better structured in cable forms. It is set up from one point to multi-points LAN architecture. Usually requires optical splitters in order to split an optical signal from a single strand of single-mode optical fiber into signals that can be picked up by devices.

EPN or Enterprise Private Network

Cyber security concerns are looming everywhere and the vulnerability of networks has led to companies increasingly adopting the model of EPN. They are built and managed by organizations that wish to connect locations to share resources in a highly encrypted manner.

VPN or Virtual Private Network

This introduces a private network over the network and allows users to send and receive data with an assumption that a device is connected to the same private network, which in reality is not. Users can access a private network since it has a point to point a strong connection. Apart from the network types, there are a number of various networking terms that are crucial to one’s understanding. Network Layers, Protocols, Interfaces are a vital example. Each of these terms is comprehensively explained in the following text:

Network Layers

Networking is perceived in an understanding of topology and it is set to be constructed in a horizontal manner between hosts, while its implementation is rather layered vertically all through a network. It basically means that there are multiple protocols sitting on top of one another for the purpose of communication functioning more conveniently. Every top layer shows raw data more easily which makes it simpler for users. Further, a user can make use of lower layers in various other ways without the need of having to invest in developing new applications and protocols to oversee the traffic. Every layering model has its own language and it does not matter which model is used to discuss layers since the path of data remains the same.

Data is poured out of one device and it sticks on top of the layer and the channels downward. Data is transmitted to another machine at the lowest level of the layers. In the transferring process, the data travels on the top layers of the other computer. Every layer can add its own covering around the data that it gets from the other layer so that they can decide what should be done with the data when it is transferred to the other computer.

The OSI Model

A method of talking about different layers of network communication remains the famous OSI model which stands for Open Systems Interconnect. It has seven layers, separate to each other:

  • Application – Users and user-apps most frequently interact with this particular layer. Communication is discussed on the basis of partners with whom communication can be built, data synchronization, and availability of resources.
  • Session – This particular layer oversees the entire connection. It is responsible for creating, destroying, and maintaining connections between nodes in a consistent manner.
  • Presentation – It basically creates contest and map resources. It also translates networking data sitting on the lower level into data that applications would be seeing. Hence the term, presentation.
  • Network – It carries data between various nodes on the network. It makes use of addresses in order to detect which computer to transfer resources. Additionally, the network layer can disengage complex and large messages in smaller pieces which can be neatly assembled on the other end.
  • Transport – It is responsible for maintaining a reliable connection among layers that are present above it. By reliable connection, it means verifying if a particular piece of data was received in an intact condition at the other side of the connection. It also sends back information that has been corrupted.
  • Physical – It handles the physical devices which are being used to form a connection. It bears software that oversees hardware and physical connections.
  • Data Link – This layer is used to establish and maintain reliable links between various devices on a network using physical connections.

The TCP/IP model

It is also known as Internet protocol suite and is a much simpler layering model that is now being widely used. It comprises of four layers that are also separate and carry the same function as some of those in the OSI model. TCP model is more fluid than OSI and its implementation is easier. It has now become the foreground of how networking layers are managed.

  • Transport – This layer manages communication between processes. It uses ports in order to address various services and can structure both reliable and unreliable connections depending on the category of the protocol being used.
  • Application – It creates and transmits user data across applications. These applications can be sitting on remote systems.
  • Link – It consists of the local network topology which enables the internet layer to give an addressable interface. It forms a connection between nodes to transfer data.
  • Internet – It is responsible for carrying data from one node to another in a network. This layer knows about the seizing points of connections but cannot be affected by any disruption of the network when getting from place-to-place.

It refers to networking communication points for your device and every interface is linked with a device having a virtual or physical presence. A server usually has a network interface that can be configured and is for each wireless internet card a user may have. Additionally, it will be able to define the local host interface more comprehensively. It is an interface that is used to connect applications on a single device to other applications. In many examples, it is referenced using “lo”. Administrations set up a configuration of a single interface to facilitate traffic to the internet and another interface for private network or LAN.

Networking works by carrying various protocols on top of one another. This is way a data to transmit a single piece of data using many protocols stuck to each other.

Let us explore the most known protocols which you may have stumbled upon in part of your study.

Media Access Control

It is a communications protocol that performs the function of distinguishing between particular devices. Every specific device gets a unique media access control address when it is manufactured so that it can be distinguished from all the rest of the devices connected over the internet. Finding hardware using the media access control address enables a user to reference a specific device using its own credentials. It is especially useful when software may attempt to change the name of the specific device when it is working. This protocol remains the only one from the original link layer which you are most likely to interact with during your usage.

IP Protocol

It is a protocol that has an extremely important function because it allows the internet to work. IP addresses are the unique credentials on every network and they enable devices to address one another across a network. It is part of the TCP/IP layer model. Networks can easily be assimilated together but traffic must be channeled when transgressing network boundaries. IP protocol can assume any network and the paths leading to the same direction that it can conveniently shift from between. Many implementations of the IP protocol are used today. IPv4 is the one which is highly used. On the contrary, IPv6 is another which is being considered as a substitute to IPv4. The latter implementation is becoming scarce and not many improvements are being observed in its capabilities. Thus, IPv6 is thriving as the likely option to replace IPv4 completely.

Internet Control Measure Protocol or ICMP

ICMP is utilized in order to transfer messages between devices for the purpose of notifying conditions of errors or availability status. These are used in various network diagnostic tools including traceroute and ping. ICMPs are sent when a packet of another kind is experiencing any sort of a problem. So, it can be said that ICMPs are used to generate feedback for network communications.

Transmission Control Protocol or TCP

TCP is used to form reliable connections and this protocol is implemented in the Transport layer of the IP/TCP model. It is a protocol that carries data into forms of packet. Then, it transfers data to the very end of the connection utilizing the ways presented on the bottom layers. In addition to their primary function, TCP can scan for errors, reassemble data into a logical form to send to the application layer and request information to be resent. Using three-way handshake, TCP creates a connection before sending any data. This way, two points of the communication can accept the request and move forward with the method of making sure data remains reliable. Afterward, the connection is disrupted using a four way handshake, once the data has been transferred.

Many internet users in the world find transmission control protocol as the ideal choice, and the most common examples are Email, SSH, WWW, and FTP. If TCP did not exist, the internet we widely use on a minute-by-minute basis in the world would not remain, which is why its significance is well regarded.

User Datagram Protocol or UDP

UDP is a companion-like protocol to transmission control protocol or TCP and is implemented in the Transport layer as well. However, there is a vital difference between TCP and UDP. The latter does not maintain reliable data transfer. In addition, it does not notify with verification that data has been received on the opposite end of the connection. It may appear that UDP does not have a proper function or it is of no fundamental use. However, UDP yet remains crucial for its specific functions which are explained below:

UDP has a higher speed of data transmission than TCP. How? This is because it does not verify receiving data, and therefore, takes no time at all. It does not look to build a connection with the host, rather directly sends data to the host and has no concern whether it is accepted or not. Since the transmission is seamless without any sort of distraction, it is ideal for the framework of simple communications, in other words, “yes” or “no”. It is used to transfer data for real-time demands. UDP is perfect for video games and other specific applications which cannot make room for any kind of delay in their function model.

Hypertext Transfer Protocol or HTTP

HTTP is used to form the basis of all communication carried out over the internet. It carries many functions that inform the remote system what a user is adding as a request. For example, DELETE, POST, etc., all act with the requested data in a distinctive manner.

File Transfer Protocol or FTP

FTP is also present in the Application layer and facilitates the transfer of complete files from host to host. However, FTP is not highly used because it is inherently not secure.

Domain Name System or DNS

DNS is also part of the Application layer and is used to provide a humane naming structure for internet resources. It is actually what binds a domain name to an IP credential and so allows a user to seek access to websites by their name in an internet browser.

Secure Shell or SSH

Implemented in the Application layer, SSH is highly encrypted and its function lies in communication with a server in a more secure manner. Since SSH can offer end to end encryption and maximum security, many other technologies are built around the protocol. It is one of the most integral protocols ever. Many other examples entail in the category of protocols. However, the above mentioned protocols are adequate for one’s fundamental understanding of computer networks and the function of protocols in it. These are technologies which make networking possible and are very significant for your understanding.

If you wish to further seek comprehensive knowledge regarding computer networks and their complex functions, then it is always advisable to sign up with QuickStart’s Cisco Certification Training programs . The program is a one-stop solution for all professionals who want to explore and develop a firm understanding of advanced computer networking. This program is headed by top-notch professionals who are dedicated to revitalize your concepts and prioritize your prior understanding of computer networking knowledge.

You do not have to get into the hassle of attending classes or sparing some hours from your busy schedule since the training program is carried out virtually and you can simply learn sitting at home. The platform seeks to add value in every aspect where the understanding of contemporary information technology knowledge is important for your career ahead.

  • App Development (51)
  • NetApp (38)
  • Cisco (100)
  • Information Security (204)
  • Data Science (102)
  • Business Productivity (182)
  • Google Cloud (2)
  • Creative & Design (21)
  • IT Ops & Management (258)
  • DevOps (60)
  • Microsoft (231)
  • Friday Buzz Report (15)
  • Artificial Intelligence (12)
  • Interview QAs (8)
  • Industry Experts (2)
  • Software Defined Networking (SDN) (6)
  • Programming Language (31)
  • Learning (64)
  • Project Management (30)
  • Study Guides (28)
  • CompTIA (30)
  • Technology Comparison (14)
  • Web Development (43)
  • Data analysis and visualization (19)
  • Ethical Hacking (7)
  • Cybersecurity (36)
  • Network Security (2)
  • Big Data (3)
  • Cheat Sheet (15)
  • Student Success Stories (3)
  • Digital Marketing (3)
  • uncategorized (3)
  • Military (7)
  • Software Engineering (12)

VPAT Heading Level

ramah is preparing a presentation on networking terminology

CyberTex Logo

45 WEEKS (CMA) Find out more

ramah is preparing a presentation on networking terminology

45 WEEKS (A+, SECURITY+, MCSA, MCTS, LINUX+, NETWORK+) Find out more

ramah is preparing a presentation on networking terminology

BECOME A LICENSED VOCATIONAL NURSE (LVN) Find out more

ramah is preparing a presentation on networking terminology

Morning & Evening classes for HVAC program. Find out more

  • Admissions & Enrollment
  • Financial Aid
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Veterans and Active Duty
  • VA Dependent Benefits
  • CAREER SERVICES

ramah is preparing a presentation on networking terminology

Introduction to Networking: 44 Networking Terms You Should Know

How many network engineer terms do you know? It is important to increase your network engineer vocabulary, so you are prepared for your new role as network engineer. The more terms you know the better you will be able to explain IT to both technical and non-technical users. Communication is key in the role of network engineer, and one of the many tools that you will use for better communication is common IT terminology.

Introduction to Networking: Terminology

As a network engineer, you will be troubleshooting, configuring, and managing networks and network devices. Here is an introduction to the networking terms that you will be using every day on the job.

Bandwidth – the measurement of data that can be transmitted over a network at any given time.

Cloud Computing – store, manage, and process data outside of a local computer system.

LAN – local area network that physically connects computers into a network.

Network Gateway – a device that routes traffic between networks.

Network Router – device that passes traffic to and from a user’s computer to the Internet

Network Server – a central system for computers to exchange data and programs shared by users within a network.

Network Switch – keeps track of address attached to a port to only transmit on the ports that are the intended recipients of data.

VoIP – voice over internet protocol, allowing users to make phone calls over the Internet.

VPN – virtual private network, a restricted use computer network.

WAN – wide area network, connects offices, data centers, cloud application and other infrastructure together.

Wi-Fi – wireless fidelity, wireless network technology that computers and devices to exchange information with one another.

WLAN – wireless local area network, a group of computers networked together with radio transmissions.

Introduction to Network Security Terminology

Network security is a large part of a network engineer’s job. Learning the most common network security terms will help you coordinate security efforts with the entire IT department.

Backdoor – a tool installed after a computer is compromised to give hacker access to the system.

Botnet – large number of compromised computers used to send spam or viruses causing a denial-of-service attack.

Cipher – a cryptographic algorithm for encryption and decryption.

Fingerprinting – sending random packets to see how an operating system responds.

Firewall – software that blocks traffic from entering a network or computer.

IP Spoofing – supplying a false IP address.

Malware – term for different types of malicious code.

Penetration Testing – used to test the external perimeter security of a network.

Phishing – use of email to trick a user into entering credentials to a fake website.

Ransomware – the encryption of sensitive information for monetary gain by a hacker. Those that are targeted must pay a ransom to get the decryption key for their information.

Rootkit – a tool that hackers use to mask an intrusion and obtain administrator-level access to a computer or network.

Spoof – attempt to gain access to a system as an unauthorized entity.

SQL Injection – input validation attack to insert application queries to manipulate a database.

Trojan Horse – hidden malicious function that evades security by exploiting legitimate authorizations to invoke the program.

Virus – hidden, self-replicating software that infects computers that run it.

Worm – malicious program that runs independently to consume computer resources.

Introduction to Internet Terminology

The modern Internet helps us communicate, build connections, and participate in the economy. For a network engineer, the Internet is the ultimate network.

Browser – a program that helps users access the Internet. Popular browsers include Safari and Google Chrome.

Cookie – information that is requested when connecting to a server with a web browser.

DNS – domain name system, the conversion of human-readable domain names to numerical IP addresses.

FTP – file transfer protocol, the standard method of downloading and uploading files over the Internet.

HTTP – hypertext transfer protocol, the standard protocol web browsers use.

IoT – internet of things, a collective of devices all communicating together over the Internet.

Internet – computer network that connects the computers of the world.

Intranet – a closed loop network of computers only for authorized users.

IP Address – internet protocol address, a numerical address that corresponds to a computer in a network.

ISP – internet service provider, the company that connects the Internet.

Protocol – a set of rules that manages the exchange of information between computers.

Search Engine – a tool that helps the user sift through the large number of websites and other documents on the Internet. Popular search engines include Google and Bing.

URL – uniform resource locator, an address system used to find local resources on the Internet.

World Wide Web – a hypertext system of servers on the Internet. A browser is used to access the content on the World Wide Web.

Zero Day – an attack, threat or virus that exploits a vulnerability unknown to software developers

Final Thoughts

Now that you have an introduction to network engineer terminology, it is time to learn more about CyberTex’s Network Engineer program. We prepare you for your career in information technology, in the best tech city for IT, Austin. Take your first step toward a fulfilling career in IT and we will be with you every step of the way.

Want to Learn More?

IT careers have become essential not just in Austin but globally, and there is no better time to pick up than now. In 2021 Austin was ranked #1 in Best Tech City for IT jobs by CompTIA, and the demand is only growing.

Ready to start a rewarding and challenging career in IT as a network engineer? Network Engineer Program at CyberTex prepares you for advanced computer networking & security jobs. You will learn the skills and abilities necessary to setup, install, configure, repair, and manage modern computer networks and their security. 

Contact us today to learn more about our Network Engineer program.

Copyright © 2013-2023 CyberTex Institute of Technology. All rights reserved. www.cybertex.edu

Select Campus Austin Killeen

Select Program of Interest Network Engineer Medical Assistant Licensed Vocational Nurse

Select Program of Interest Network Engineer Medical Assistant HVAC

By submitting, you consent to our Privacy Policy

Sign up for our daily newsletter

  • Privacy Policy
  • Advertise with Us

Glossary: Networking Terms and Their Meanings

Sayak Boral

Anyone using the Internet will frequently encounter networking concepts. Even though you would have used them so many times, it is useful to have the definitions and basic understanding of the concepts in one single page. Therefore, we bring you a glossary of the most important networking terms in very easy language for your ready reference.

Client/Server Architecture

  • DNS (Domain Name System)

Internet of Things

Ip forwarding, ipv4 and ipv6, lan (local area network), load balancing, nat (network address translation), port forwarding, tcp/ip (transmission control protocol/internet protocol), vpn (virtual private networks), wide area network (wan).

The advent of smartphones and high-speed networking has caused a spurt in mobile data networks. There have been quite a few major trends in download performances in the last two decades, each represented by a new generation (“G”) of mobile data speeds.

What Does 5g Phone Dog Networks

3G networks were the first to reach a maximum of 2 tp 3 mbps. 4G networks were launched around 2009 and were faster with typically 10 to 200 mbps speed, adapting to user demands for voice, video, and high-definition TV.

5G networks are the latest evolution in this race with theoretical speeds up to 10 gbps, more bandwidth size, and less latency. Its objective is to support future connected devices such as smart vehicles and the Internet of things.

Bandwidth is defined as maximum data transfer rate between any two points in a network and is measured in megabits per second (mbps) or gigabits per second (gbps). The concept of bandwidth is somewhat analogous to a busy highway, referring to the maximum number of vehicles which can fit the highway without causing a traffic jam.

internet speed bandwidth

Bitrate refers to he actual speed one receives between a client and a source. For example, your ISP might provide a bandwidth of 30 mbps but during a Zoom video call, you may have to contend with a bitrate of 10 to 15 mbps. Bitrate speeds are always lower than bandwidth because some of the speed is lost due to noise in the channel.

Broadband refers to the most commonly used Internet access protocol today which supports a “broad bandwidth” of data transmissions and many channels of communications (“passbands”). It is often understood as a cable connection but can also refer to optical fibers, DSL, satellite, or any other network that does not depend on a phone (unlike “dial-up” modems) to provide Internet.

Buffering is a networking concept which indicates that some cache memory is being allocated to hold data while it’s being transmitted over a lower-bandwidth network. The transit time of such a data stream encounters unexpected delays. The concept of buffering is typically encountered in online video streaming and in gaming environments.

internet speed buffering

Any networking system is segregated into two core applications: an end user client to make requests over internet protocol and a web or application server to fulfill the requests. When you access a website on a client (e.g. the browser), the request is handled by the website’s server and provide an output to be displayed on your screen.

Glossary Networking Clientserver Architecture

Evidently, a client/server architecture rests on multiple clients depending on a common server. In contrast, there is a “peer-to-peer (P2P) architecture,” which allows the two clients to communicate with each other without the need for a server.

When browsing the Web, text files called cookies containing information on a particular website are stored on a user’s computer by a browser. This information can be used to personalize a user’s browsing experience. All cookies can be erased completely from a browser whenever you want.

DNS ( Domain Name System)

Domain Name Systems (DNS) are like Internet phonebooks: they take your alphanumeric input such as the website name and converts it to a numeric IP addresses understood by the server you want your client computer to connect to. The process works in the background, and you won’t ever notice it. DNS is a fundamental cornerstone of Internet access.

Glossary Networking Domain Name System

The word email means “electronic mail,” one of the most popular services of the Internet which helps exchange messages from one computer to another. The message is transported using what is known as an email address which consists of a “username” and a “domain” separated by an at sign (@). Despite the advent of instant messaging, video-calling, and social media apps, email remains highly popular for exchanging messages.

Ethernet is a form of Internet connectivity through data link layers using coaxial cables such as a Category 5 Ethernet cables. The ethernet connectivity is commonly used in local area networks (LAN) but may also be used in wide area networks (WAN) such as a college campus or offices.

Powerline Ethernet

A gateway refers to a node in a computer network which serves as a “gate” to redirect traffic between two discrete networks – normally an upstream server and a downstream client. Routers, firewalls, and proxy servers are typical examples of gateways which control this server to client communication. Often you encounter this concept during a “502 Bad Gateway error,” which is an error code indicating an invalid response from the upstream server.

Internet is a term widely used to describe a global network of billions of computers and other electronic devices through which people can exchange information and communicate with other users. To connect to the Internet is called going “online.”

Glossary Networking Internet

Internet of things (IoT) is an extension of the Internet concept to everyday objects other than computing devices. From wearables to a smart appliance and a connected car, the Internet of things amplifies the applications of the Internet to a much larger scale of objects in our surroundings. The true realization of IoT requires growth in technologies such as machine-to-machine (M2M), 5G, artificial intelligence (AI), cognitive computing, and much more.

An IP address refers to a unique numerical string which identifies each device that is connected to the Internet. The unique number contains various blocks separated by periods, with each block varying from 0 to 255.

IP forwarding or IP routing is a process used to calculate the path a data packet can be sent from a source to a destination. It uses a routing protocol such as Open Shortest Path First (OSPF), User Datagram Protocol (UDP), or Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) to achieve a successful transfer of data.

IPv4 and IPv6 are the two popular IP address formats that are being used. An IPv4 address uses a 32-bit address which translates to 2 32 unique possible addresses (~4.3 billion addresses). At the moment, we are faced with the prospect of running out of these addresses very soon.

Glossary Networking Ipv4 Vs Ipv6

To solve this problem, IPv6 addresses are now becoming popular. They use a 128-bit hexadecimal address which translates to 2 128 unique possible addresses (in unidecillions), which should never run out.

In networking parlance, jitters refer to small sporadic delays during the transfer of data packets. If the jitter is too high, it means your network is suffering from poor performance, and the delays in packets can make some forms of communication unreliable. For example, if you experience jitters during a Skype call, you can hear your own voice played back to you.

A local area network (LAN) is defined as a limited computer network that is located within a certain area within a neighborhood. Ethernet and Wi-Fi are the most common means to connect computers in this specific area. A LAN is compared and contrasted with a wide area network (WAN), which spreads across geographical regions, and even nations.

Latency is a measure of round-trip delays in a computer network and is typically expressed in milliseconds. If your network suffers from a huge latency, then it means some of your applications won’t run smoothly. Latency is lowest for 5G networks at around 1 ms (almost the blink of an eye), can be 60 ms for 4G, and can be very high for satellite communication (up to 800 ms).

Busy websites have a huge demand on their servers from multiple end clients. To efficiently manage the incoming traffic, they use server farms or distributed computing using a technique called “load balancing.” This is done using an algorithm such as “round robin,” “IP hash,” etc. The TCP/IP networking protocol is used to automatically redistribute the traffic across all computers.

Glossary Networking Load Balancing

Network Address Translation (NAT) is a simple protocol which converts the IP address assigned to you by your Internet Service Provider (ISP) into multiple private addresses for all the devices that connect to your network. It can also happen in a shared environment such as a college dorm or an office.

A packet is the smallest unit of data sent over a network: either LAN or WAN. It contains a header and a payload which is a data of variable length. Any packet requires a source and a destination address to make the delivery.

A ping by a computer is a basic request packet sent to a host (server, etc.) to measure the round-time needed to receive a response.

A networking port is a communication point used to identify a specific network service (printing, World Wide Web, email, etc.) in a TCP or UDP format. These are different from hardware ports which connect cables to hubs, switches, and ethernet ports. The ports are identified using what is known as an unsigned number which can vary from 0 to 65535. Some of the most popular port numbers include HTTP in World Wide Web which uses port 80, HTTPS which uses port 443, and Domain Name Service using port 53.

Port forwarding or port mapping is a mechanism to set aside one port number on a gateway for the exclusive use of communicating with a service in the private network. Applications, including running your own web or gaming server, can redirect all the traffic to a port. The following screen shows a port forwarding example for Windows 10 when running a game server.

Set Up Port Forwarding Windows 10 Rule Properties

A router is a networking device whose job is to manage the traffic between various computer networks, similar to traffic police. Most people are familiar with home and office routers which are limited in terms of data transmitted. There are larger routers in enterprise and academic institutions with support for a rapid increase in traffic.

The TCP/IP protocol is the most common conceptual model used in Internet communication. It uses a four-layer architecture from the physical (ethernet, etc.) to Internet (IP address, etc.), Transport (UDP,: etc.) to applications such as HTTP, SMTP, etc. It is also known as the Internet protocol suite and has been a continuous standard that has been the backbone of the Internet from its very beginning.

Glossary Networking Tcp Ip

A virtual private network (VPN) helps you achieve private connection between your local device and an external server. It creates a private network out of a public Internet connection by hiding the IP address. With a VPN, all your browsing data is routed through a safe encrypted passage protecting you from potential surveillance of ISPs, government, and tracking agents.

Users Accessing Vpn Smartphone Laptop Tablet

A proxy server is similar to VPN in that it hides the IP address and protects your original IP. Unlike VPN, proxy server data is not encrypted.

A wide area network is a telecommunication network over a wide geographical area, which is in sharp contrast to a local area network (LAN) limited to a campus, office or residential building.

Our latest tutorials delivered straight to your inbox

Sayak Boral

Sayak Boral is a technology writer with over eleven years of experience working in different industries including semiconductors, IoT, enterprise IT, telecommunications OSS/BSS, and network security. He has been writing for MakeTechEasier on a wide range of technical topics including Windows, Android, Internet, Hardware Guides, Browsers, Software Tools, and Product Reviews.

IMAGES

  1. What is Networking Terminology ! What is Networks Definition & Servers

    ramah is preparing a presentation on networking terminology

  2. PPT

    ramah is preparing a presentation on networking terminology

  3. PPT

    ramah is preparing a presentation on networking terminology

  4. PPT

    ramah is preparing a presentation on networking terminology

  5. PPT

    ramah is preparing a presentation on networking terminology

  6. PPT

    ramah is preparing a presentation on networking terminology

VIDEO

  1. Preparing presentation

  2. CCNA

  3. Mo's Ramah Israel Service Mission Presentation

  4. Ramah Tooshika thesis presentation

  5. Preparing presentation on Tanzania 🇹🇿 in the Czech Republic 🇨🇿

  6. CCNA Service Provider (SPNGN1) lesson-2, Defining Functions of Networking

COMMENTS

  1. study 7 Flashcards

    study 7. Ramah is preparing a presentation on networking terminology. She wants to ensure everyone understands the difference between a node and a host. How should she define these terms? Select three. Every host is a node, but not every node is a host. A node is not used to run a variety of applications. A smart thermostat is an example of a node.

  2. Quiz Mod 07 Networking Fundamentals Flashcards

    What numeric identifier or address is used to keep the three connections separate at the application (browser) level?, Ramah is preparing a presentation on networking terminology. She wants to ensure everyone understands the difference between a node and a host. How should she define these terms? Select three. and more.

  3. Week 3 Flashcards

    Select three. Every host is a node, but not every node is a host. Correct. All hosts and nodes have an IP address and are accessible through the network. However, a host is a general-purpose computer and can be either a client or a server. Depending on the network, a node that is not a host typically provides a specialized function such as a ...

  4. Chapter 7 Quiz Flashcards

    Study with Quizlet and memorize flashcards containing terms like You recently bought a new router, modem, and switch to create a wired network at home containing six computers. Beginning with the computers, how would you connect the devices to ensure the computers have internet access?, Which of the following is a scenario in which an IT support technician would most likely be required to ...

  5. Introduction to basic Networking Terminology

    Here are some basic terms and their definitions to help you understand the fundamentals of networking: Network: A collection of interconnected devices, such as computers, printers, and servers, that can communicate with each other. Unmute. ×. Node: Any device connected to a network, such as a computer, printer, or router.

  6. The Complete Guide To Giving A Networking Presentation

    For most presentations you will have a set amount of time. Out of respect for the group and your fellow networkers, make sure you stick to your allotted time. Part of that means building in time for questions. If you have the floor for ten minutes, then you need to present for 8 and then have 2 minutes of questions.

  7. Basic Networking Terms and Definitions

    To practice these topics, you need to understand the following network terminology. Network. A network is a group of devices connected to share information and data. Node. A node is a device on a network that can exchange data and information with other devices on the network. IP address. An IP address is a numeric address. All addresses on a ...

  8. Solved QUESTION 5Ramah is preparing a presentation on

    QUESTION 5. Ramah is preparing a presentation on networking terminology. She wants to ensure everyone understands the difference between a node and a host. How should she define these terms? Select three. a. Every host is a node, but not every node is a host. b. A host has an IP address a node has a MAC address.

  9. Networking Terminology

    Now pay attention to what I said there - The same input string will always generate the same output hash value. It's a very big misunderstanding in the networking world that a port channel interface is mainly used to provide active/active forwarding. It's used to provide redundancy for your physical topology.

  10. Glossary of 100 Networking Terms You Must Know

    Compiler. Program that converts code into a form that a computer can execute. Crossover Cable. Type of Ethernet cable used to connect two devices of the same type, such as two computers. Data Center. Facility used to house networking equipment and other computer systems. Data Encryption Standard (DES)

  11. Understanding networking terms

    Keeping up with the acronym fest here are the networking terms LAN, WLAN and WAN. LAN stands for local area network, traditionally a wired network. WLAN or WLAN stands for wireless local area ...

  12. An Introduction to Networking Terminology, Interfaces, and Protocols

    Protocol: A protocol is a set of rules and standards that define a language that devices can use to communicate. There are a great number of protocols in use extensively in networking, and they are often implemented in different layers. Some low level protocols are TCP, UDP, IP, and ICMP. Some familiar examples of application layer protocols ...

  13. Networking Fundamentals: The Most Common Terminologies Explained

    Presentation - It basically creates contest and map resources. It also translates networking data sitting on the lower level into data that applications would be seeing. Hence the term, presentation. Network - It carries data between various nodes on the network. It makes use of addresses in order to detect which computer to transfer resources.

  14. Introduction to Networking: 44 Networking Terms You Should Know

    Introduction to Networking: Terminology. As a network engineer, you will be troubleshooting, configuring, and managing networks and network devices. Here is an introduction to the networking terms that you will be using every day on the job. Bandwidth - the measurement of data that can be transmitted over a network at any given time.

  15. How To Make A Killer PowerPoint Networking Presentation

    Bruno says most people make five common mistakes during their networking presentation: They don't use visual aids. They wing it. They do not articulate well what they do. They don't identify ...

  16. Glossary: Networking Terms and Their Meanings

    A local area network (LAN) is defined as a limited computer network that is located within a certain area within a neighborhood. Ethernet and Wi-Fi are the most common means to connect computers in this specific area. A LAN is compared and contrasted with a wide area network (WAN), which spreads across geographical regions, and even nations ...

  17. How To Deliver an Effective Presentation at Your Networking ...

    Check this out in advance, so you don't get caught out. Room Setup. It's a good idea to be aware of your room set up, so you can visualise yourself in the room giving the presentation. This ...

  18. How To Create A Networking Pitch In Three Easy Steps

    In general, you can create an effective networking pitch in three easy steps: Step 1 - Pick something about your professional background to establish credibility. You don't have time to include ...

  19. [Solved] Ramah is preparing a presentation on networking terminology

    Ramah is preparing a presentation on networking terminology. She wants to ensure everyone understands the difference between a node and a host. How should she define these terms? Select three. Every host is a node, but not every node is a host. A host can be either a client or a server, but not both. A host has an IP address a node has a MAC ...

  20. Networking Terms Flashcards

    WAN (Wide Area Network) A network that connects devices over a large area, like a city or country. Topology. Physical arrangement of devices in a network. Node. A computer or other electronic device connected to a network. Star Topology. A network topology where each node is connected to a central device or hub. Bus Topology.

  21. Ramah is preparing a presentation on networking terminology. She wants

    Ramah is preparing a presentation on networking terminology. She wants to ensure everyone understands the difference between a node and a host. How should she define these terms? a. Every host is a node, but not every node is a host. b. A host has an IP address a node has a MAC address. c. A node is not used to run a variety of applications. d.

  22. Ramah is preparing a presentation on networking terminology. She wants

    Ramah is preparing a presentation on networking terminology. She wants to ensure everyone understands the difference between a node and a host. How should she define these terms? Select three. a. Every host is a node, but not every node is a host. b. A host has an IP address a node has a MAC address. c. A node is not used to run a variety of ...

  23. ramah is preparing a presentation on networking terminology. she wants

    A node refers to any device or point within a network that can send, receive, or forward data. On the other hand, a host specifically refers to a node that initiates or consumes network services.. In networking, the term "node" is a broad concept that encompasses any device or point within a network.It can include computers, servers, routers, switches, and even printers.