Ad hoc
Ad hoc networks are from computer to computer with no other computers or networking devices such as hubs, switches, or routers are involved. When such devices are present the setup is said to be infrastructure.
Bandwidth
Bandwidth is the maximum amount of data that can move through a network at any one time.
Bridge
A bridge is a device that links two local networks to work with other networks as a single networks. Say if you have a wireless network and a wired network you can bridge them so the wired network can link with the other computers on the wireless network.
DHCP
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol, DHCP, automatically assigns your computer an IP address without your intervention. It greatly simplifies the setup of networks.
Ethernet
Ethernet is a wired networking standard with a possible speed of 10 Mbps.
Gateway
Gateways are either hardware devices or software that link different network protocols together. They are often used for connecting home networks to the Internet.
Hub
A Hub is a networking device that has multiple ports for linking together multiple computers. Hubs transmit data at speeds of either 10 Mbps or 100 Mbps or both (10/100). Hubs transmit the packets to every port which is not the most efficient way to transmit data.
IP Address
An IP Address is the unique identifier of your computer on a network. It often looks like 192.168.220.165
Latency
Latency is the time a computer waits before a data request begins.
Peer To Peer
Peer To Peer, P2P, is when two or more computers are treated as equal on a network.
TCP/IP
TCP/IP, Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol, is a common networking protocl used for transmission of data over networks.
Router
A router is a bridge that can link networks that use different protocols and link local and remote networks, like the Internet and a home network. Routers now offer several new features like firewalls and content filters.
Switch
A Switch is a hub that allows for efficient data transmission by transmitting data only to the requesting port instead of all of the ports on the network.
VPN
VPN, Virtual Private Network, is a Microsoft designed protocol for secure networking over the Internet.
WEP
Wired Equivalent Privacy, WEP, is an older standard for security on wireless networks supported by most wireless devices.
WPA
Wi-Fi Protected Access, WPA, is the current standard for security on a wireless network. It is not as widely supported by older devices as WEP is.