Glossary for Computer Concepts: telecommunications

Learn Computer Concepts in FREE step-by-step lessons.

bluetooth: Bluetooth (Lesson: Telecommunications)
   enables a wide assortment of digital devices to communicate directly with each other wirelessly over short distances
bridge: Bridge (Network Control Device) (Lesson: Telecommunications)
   Connects two or more network segments, as a repeater does; a bridge also helps to regulate network traffic
broadband: Broadband / High-Speed Internet (Lesson: Telecommunications)
   a connection providing download speeds of 6 Mbps (megabits per second) up to over 100 Mbps
cable: Cable Modem (Lesson: Telecommunications)
   Provides Internet access to PCs and computer networks over a cable television network
cellular carrier: Cellular Carrier (Lesson: Telecommunications)
   a company that builds and maintains a cellular network and provides cell phone service to the public
cellular device: Cellular Device (Lesson: Telecommunications)
   Cellular network carriers provide several options for connecting computers to the Internet
cellular network: Cellular Network (Lesson: Telecommunications)
   a wide area network in which a geographic area is divided into cells, with a transceiver antenna (tower) and station at the center of each cell, to support wireless mobile communications
cellular plan: Cellular Plan (Lesson: Telecommunications)
   defines the terms of service provided by a cellular carrier to which a cellular user subscribes
coaxial: Coaxial (Cable) (Lesson: Telecommunications)
   An inner conductor wire surrounded by insulation, a conductive shield, and a cover used for cable TV and other applications
dial up: Dial-Up Modem (Lesson: Telecommunications)
   Provides narrowband Internet connections over phone lines
digital signal: Digital Signal (Lesson: Telecommunications)
   designed to carry computer data, which is digitally represented as bits
DSL: DSL: Digital Subscriber Line (Lesson: Telecommunications)
   Similar to a cable modem but provides high-speed Internet service over telephone lines
FCC: FCC: Federal Communications Commission (Lesson: Telecommunications)
   assigns different frequencies of the electromagnetic spectrum for different uses in the United States
fiber optic: Fiber-Optic (Cable) (Lesson: Telecommunications)
   Consists of thousands of strands of glass or plastic bound together in a sheathing; transmits signals with light beams
firewall: Firewall (Network Control Device) (Lesson: Telecommunications)
   filters the information coming onto a network
gateway: Gateway (Network Control Device) (Lesson: Telecommunications)
   A network point that acts as an entrance to another network
GPS: GPS: Global Positioning System (Lesson: Telecommunications)
   uses satellites to pinpoint the location of objects on earth
hub: Hub (Network Control Device) (Lesson: Telecommunications)
   A small electronic box used as a central point for connecting a series of computers
infrastructure: Infrastructure (Lesson: Telecommunications)
   In telecommunications, infrastructure refers to the hardware, software, and protocols that support telecommunications
LAN: LAN: Local Area Network (Lesson: Telecommunications)
   a privately-owned computer network that connects computers and devices within the same building or local geographic area
microwaves: Microwaves (Lesson: Telecommunications)
   Waves sent at the high end of the radio spectrum, between 1 and 300 GHz
mobile phone: Mobile Phone (Lesson: Telecommunications)
   the handset used by the subscriber to communicate on a cellular network
network adapter: Network Adapter (Lesson: Telecommunications)
   A computer circuit board, PC card, or USB device installed in a computer so that the computer can be connected to a network
NIC: NIC: Network Interface Card (Lesson: Telecommunications)
   A circuit board or PC card that provides a port for the device to connect to a wired network with traditional network cables
radio spectrum: Radio Spectrum (Lesson: Telecommunications)
   part of the electromagnetic spectrum, refers to all of the frequencies available for radio waves from about 10 kHz to 300 GHz and their assigned uses
repeater: Repeater (Network Control Device) (Lesson: Telecommunications)
   Connects multiple network segments
RFID: RFID: Radio Frequency Identification (Lesson: Telecommunications)
   uses tiny transponders in devices or tags that can be attached to merchandise or other objects and read wirelessly using an RFID reader
router: Router (Network Control Device) (Lesson: Telecommunications)
   Determines the best path for passing a data packet between networks to its destination
signal: Signal (Lesson: Telecommunications)
   Telecommunications signals are analog or digital electronic transmissions for the purpose of communication
signal frequency: Signal Frequency (Lesson: Telecommunications)
   the speed at which an electronic communications signal can change from high to low
switch: Switch (Network Control Device) (Lesson: Telecommunications)
   makes it possible for several users to send information over a network at the same time
telecommunication devices: Telecommunication Devices (Lesson: Telecommunications)
   include the wide variety of computer hardware designed to support telecommunications
telecommunication media: Telecommunication Media (Lesson: Telecommunications)
   anything that carries a signal and creates an interface between a sending device and a receiving device
telecommunication network: Telecommunication Network (Lesson: Telecommunications)
   include computing and/or communications devices connected together for communications, information, and resource sharing
telecommunication software: Telecommunication Software (Lesson: Telecommunications)
   software based on telecommunications protocols used to control, monitor, and troubleshoot data traveling over a telecommunications network
telecommunications: Telecommunications (Lesson: Telecommunications)
   the electronic transmission and reception of signals for voice and data communications
Telecommunications questions: Self Study Questions(Lesson: Telecommunications)
   What have you learned?
twisted pair: Twisted Pair (Cable) (Lesson: Telecommunications)
   Pairs of twisted wires covered with an insulating layer, used for telephone and computer networks
WAN: WAN: Wide Area Network (Lesson: Telecommunications)
   connects LANs between cities, across countries, and around the world using microwave and satellite transmission or telephone lines
Wi Fi: Wi-Fi: Wireless Fidelity (Lesson: Telecommunications)
   wireless networking technology that uses access points to wirelessly connect users to networks within a range of 250–1,000 feet
wireless access point: Wireless Access Point (Network Control Device) (Lesson: Telecommunications)
   a Wi-Fi device, connected to a wired or cellular network to send and receive data to wirelessly
wireless adapter: Wireless adapter (Lesson: Telecommunications)
   A circuit board, PC card, or an external device that connects through an antenna-equipped USB port that is able to send and receive network radio signals
wireless data communication: Wireless Data Communication (Lesson: Telecommunications)
   telecommunications that take place over the air to provide data and Internet accessy
Full Glossary