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APPENDIX E
GLOSSARY
What is my User ID?
Your UserID consists of the
10-digit assigned AT&T
CallVantage
SM
Service phone
number. This information was
provided in your order confirma-
tion e-mail.
What is IP?
IP, or Internet Protocol, is the
language used to exchange data
over the Internet.
What is an IP address?
Every computer or device on the
Internet has what is known as
an IP address, which uniquely
defines that device and enables
devices to find each other on the
Internet. The IP address format
is a string of four numbers, each
from 0 to 255, separated by peri-
ods, for example, 192.168.15.1.
What is a cable modem? What is
a DSL modem?
Your cable or DSL modem is
the device that enables your
computer to make a broadband
Internet connection.
What is a router?
A router is a device that
enables multiple devices such
as computers and printers to
communicate with each other.
It also enables multiple devices
to share an Internet connection.
If you have two or more
computers sharing a cable/DSL
connection, chances are they
are doing so through a router.
You may also hear routers
referred to as “switches” or
“hubs”.
What is USB? What is a USB
modem?
USB, or Universal Serial Bus,
is a technology used to connect
computers and other devices
to each other. You can recognize
USB cables or ports through
their distinctive square cable
connections and sockets.
A USB modem is a cable
modem or DSL modem that
uses a USB connection to link
to a computer or router.
What is DHCP?
DHCP, or Dynamic Host
Control Protocol, is part of your
computer’s Operating System.
Your computer may use DHCP
to obtain an IP Address from
your cable/DSL provider so that
you can access the Internet.
DHCP may also be used to allow
multiple computers on a home
LAN to share a single cable/DSL
Internet connection.
What is PPPoE?
PPPoE, or Point-to-Point
over Ethernet, is a technology
standard adopted by most DSL
service providers to recognize
their customers and give
them permission to get on
their network. Your computer
may use PPPoE to connect
to your DSL service provider.
A username and password
are usually used with PPPoE.
Following authentication of the
username and password, an IP
Address is obtained from your
DSL service provider so that you
can access the Internet.
What is a MAC address?
Each computer on a home
network has a unique MAC, or
Media Access Control, address.
It is used by your home network
to route information from the
Internet specifically to the
computer that requested it, and
not to other computers on the
network.
What is static IP?
Some cable/DSL Internet
customers have what is known
as static IP, in which their
computer has a permanent IP
address that never changes.
Some users have this because
their cable/DSL service provider
doesn’t support dynamic
addressing (or didn’t at the time
they set up the service) while
others opt for static IP address.