| Internet: | A matrix of networks that connects computers around the world. |
| Network: | A group of computers interconnected to provide access to a larger group of users. |
| Host: | A computer connected to a network. i.e. your computer |
| ISP: | Internet Service Provider—A provider of Internet access using modem, DSL or cable. This is also used to refer to a company that provides space for your website. |
| DSL: | Digital Subscriber Line (DSL)—A method of connecting to the Internet via telephone line at faster speeds than a regular modem, anywhere from 128 Kbps to 1.5 Mbps. With this service you can use your phone for calls while you are on-line. This requires a DSL Modem. |
| Modem: | A device that translates your digital data into audio to transmit over the telephone lines and translating audio into data when receiving it. |
| Cable: | A method of connecting to the Internet using the same Cable that is used for Cable TV. This requires a cable modem. |
| Protocol: | A set of formal rules describing how to transmit data, especially across a network. Low level protocols define the electrical and physical standards to be observed, bit- and byte-ordering and the transmission and error detection and correction of the bit stream. High level protocols deal with the data formatting, including the syntax of messages, the terminal to computer dialogue, character sets, sequencing of messages etc. |
| TLD: | Top Level Domain—a reference to a domain with a suffix directory i.e. com, net, org are the TLDs for the United States, each country has their own TLD. The domain is the name that comes just before the prefix, i.e. Afternic.com where afternic is the TLD |
| SLD | Second Level Domain---a domain that is a sub domain to a TLD, i.e. JamesBrown.ForCongressman.com where ForCongressman is the TLD and JamesBrown is the SLD. |
| Backbone: | A reference to the main phone lines, cables or fiber optic cables that link the main Internet super-computers together at extremely high speeds. |
| Kbps: | 1000 bits per second, a small "b" means bits |
| KBps: | 1000 bytes per second, a capital "B" means Bytes, |
| Mbps: | 1,000,000 bits per second, mega bits per second |
| Gbps: | 1,000,000,000 bits per second, Giga bits per second |
| Byte: | BinarY TablE—one byte is equal to one character, number or symbol of information |
| Bit: | A bit is a 1 or 0, a Byte is made up of 8 bits, i.e. 00101101 |
some of these definitions came from: