Lantronix XPort - Manual (Page 85)

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