Glossary

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10BaseT
(see Ethernet)
A technical term for ethernet, referring to a 10 Mbps baseband technology using twisted-pair wiring.

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ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line)
A form of DSL that transports data asymmetrically, usually with a greater bandwidth downstream than upstream.

ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode)
A data transport technology used to achieve greater speeds and prioritize traffic.

Application
A function that technology seeks to improve. For example, two of ConnectTime DSL's major applications are Internet access and work-at-home.

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Bandwidth
Measures how fast data is transported through a circuit (bits per second).

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CPE (Customer Premise Equipment)
Equipment the customer uses to connect to the telephone network. For example, the CPE of ConnectTime DSL is the modem.

CSA (Carrier Serving Area)
A local exchange carrier service area designed and built to keep the local loop at less than 12,000 feet. ConnectTime DSL service originates from many of the CSAs in North Pittsburgh Telephone Company territory.

CO (Central Office)
Houses the switching equipment, transmission equipment, and copper pairs for a particular telephone exchange. ConnectTime DSL service originates from nearly all of the COs in North Pittsburgh Telephone Company territory.

Crossover Cable
Cable used to connect two ethernet NIC cards. A red crossover cable is supplied to connect the ConnectTime DSL modem to the PC NIC card.

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DHCP (Dynamic Host Control Protocol)
Used by ISPs to assign IP addresses to their customers on a per dial-up connection basis.

DSL (Digital Subscriber Line)
Generic term for technologies using digital signaling on the localloop. There are several DSL technologies (ADSL, HDSL, IDSL, etc.), each with its own set of applications.

DSLAM (DSL Access Multiplexer)
Located at the DSL provider's CO or CSA. This device aggregates several DSL lines onto a high-speed data backbone network.

Downstream
Data being received by the end-user. For example, when downloading a file from the Internet, data is flowing downstream.

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Ethernet
The most prevalent networking technology. It operates at 10 Megabits per second (10 Mbps) and is used mostly in LAN applications. Click Here for more information.

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Filter
A device that removes unwanted frequencies from a signal. In order to remove the high-frequency noise from the phone line and optimize the phone line for DSL, filters are provided with ConnectTime DSL.

Frame Relay
A high-speed data transport technology most often used in WAN applications. It can also be found in areas of the ConnectTime DSL backbone.

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Default Gateway (also known as the Next Hop Router)
The router on your Internet Service Provider's network that directly connects to your PC. This router serves to direct your traffic to the Internet.

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IP (Internet Protocol)
Standard protocol that allows computers or peripherals to communicate on a network such as the Internet.

IPX (Internetworking Packet Exchange)
Protocol developed by Novell, Inc. that allows computers to share resources in a client/server architecture. This protocol is most often implemented on corporate LANs.

ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network)
A switched telephone company service that provides the subscriber with 128 kbps of bandwidth via two 64 kbps channels.

ISP (Internet Service Provider)
A company that provides subscriber access to the Internet.

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LAN (Local Area Network)
A data network where all nodes reside within a small area, such as a building. LANs are implemented using a local networking technology like ethernet.

Local Loop
The copper pair running from the subscriber to the CO or CSA.

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Modem
Originally named for its functionality as an analog to digital Modulator/DEModulator in traditional dial-up data connectivity.

MVL (Multiple Virtual Line)
The technology behind ConnectTime DSL which reaches speeds of 768 kbps in each direction over a single copper loop beyond 18,000 feet. It was designed and implemented by Paradyne.

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NAP (Network Access Provider)
often used in the context of work-at-home networks to describe the corporate LAN.

NIC (Network Interface Card)
The ethernet card a PC must have installed in order to utilize ConnectTime DSL service.

Next Hop Router
See Default Gateway.

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POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service)
Basic voice dial-tone phone service.

PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network)
Conglomerate telephone network made up of all Local Exchange Carriers and Interexchange Carriers.

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RADSL (Rate Adaptive DSL)
Form of DSL with service bandwidth that adjusts according to the loop length (longer loop = less bandwidth).

Router
A device which connects networks by accessing and comparing IP addresses of packet data.

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SOHO (Small Office/Home Office)
The work-at-home (or small remote office) application of DSL.

Splitter
A device which combines voice and data on a DSL line. Many forms of DSL require a splitter at the home, while ConnectTime DSL is considered "splitterless".

Static Addressing
Assigns each node a permanent IP address (as opposed to DHCP).

Subnet Mask
A means of dividing larger IP networks into smaller IP "subnets".

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T1
One of the basic building blocks of the Public Telephone Network. Provides 1.544 Mbps of bandwidth.

Telecommuter
A person implementing the SOHO application (accessing the corporate LAN from home).

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Upstream
Refers to data being transmitted by the end-user. For example, when uploading a file to a server, data is flowing upstream.

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VPN (Virtual Private Network)
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) enables a business to use the Internet as its own dedicated network. It allows employees, satellite offices, and select customers to share information and perform routine administration tasks, confidentially and securely from any location.

VPN services use encryption, authentication and other security mechanisms to ensure that only authorized users can access the network - data cannot be intercepted.

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WAN (Wide Area Network)
The portion of a network that traverses the telephone company's network (i.e. connects LANs).

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XDSL
A generic term for a member of the DSL family of technologies (ADSL, RADSL, HDSL, IDSL, SDSL, etc.).

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