GIGABYTE GN-A16B - Manual (Page 46)

GN-A16B Wireless Access Point User Guide
Gateway
A device, usually a router, that connects hosts on a local network to other networks.
IP Address
Every machine on the Internet has a unique identifying number, called an IP Address. A
typical IP address looks like this: 216.27.61.137
MAC Address
On a local area network (LAN) or other network, the MAC (Media Access Control) address
is your computer's unique hardware number. Usually written in the form 01:23:45:67:89:
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Ping (Packet Internet Groper)
A utility to determine whether a specific IP address is accessible. It works by sending a
packet to the specified address and waiting for a reply. PING is used primarily to trouble-
shoot Internet connections.
Router
A device that forwards data packets along networks. A router is connected to at least two
networks, commonly two LANs or WANs or a LAN and its ISP’s network. Routers are
located at gateways, the places where two or more networks connect.
DNS
The Domain Name System (DNS) is a distributed Internet directory service. DNS is used
mostly to translate between domain names and IP addresses, and to control Internet email
delivery. Most Internet services rely on DNS to work, and if DNS fails, web sites cannot be
located and email delivery stalls.
Dynamic IP Address
An IP address that is automatically assigned to a client station in a TCP/IP network,
typically by a DHCP server.
Firewall
A system designed to prevent unauthorized access to or from a private network. Firewalls
can be implemented in both hardware and software, or a combination of both. Firewalls
are frequently used to prevent unauthorized Internet users from accessing private
networks connected to the Internet, especially intranets. All messages entering or leaving
the intranet pass through the firewall, which examines each message and blocks those
that do not meet the specified security criteria.