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Lantronix XPort User Manual

Page 85

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Networking Terms

Node

Any intelligent device connected to the network. This includes terminal servers, host computers,
and any other devices (such as printers and terminals) that are directly connected to the network.
A node can be thought of as any device that has a "hardware address."

Open System Interconnect (OSI)

See "ISO."

Packet

A series of bits containing data and control information, including source and destination node
addresses, formatted for transmission from one node to another.

Physical Address

An address identifying a single node.

Physical Layer

Layer 1, the bottom layer of the OSI model, is implemented by the physical channel. The Physical
layer insulates Layer 2, the Data Link layer, from medium-dependent physical characteristics
such as baseband, broadband, or fiber-optic transmission. Layer 1 defines the protocols that
govern transmission media and signals.

Port

The physical connector on a device enabling the connection to be made.

Protocol

Any standard method of communicating over a network.

Remote Access

Access to network resources not located on the same physical Ethernet. (Physical Ethernet here
refers to an entire site network topology.)

Router

Device capable of filtering/forwarding packets based upon data link layer information. Whereas a
bridge or switch may only read MAC layer addresses to filter, routers are able to read data such
as IP addresses and route accordingly.

RS-232 Signals


RXD Receive Data
TXD

Transmit Data

RTS

Ready to Send

CTS

Clear to Send

DTR Data Terminal Ready
CD

Carrier Detect

DSR Data Set Ready
RI

Ring Indicator

Server

A computer that provides resources to be shared on the network, such as files (file server) or
terminals (terminal server).

XPort™ User Guide B-5