Glossary

Bandwidth

The amount of information or data that can be sent over a network connection in a given period of time. Bandwidth is usually stated in bits per second (bps), kilobits per second (Kbps), or megabits per second (Mbps).

DNS (Domain Name System)

Domain names (e.g. www.domainsdirect.nz) are associated with a series of numbers which allow your browser to find the server on the Internet that the site is hosted on. These series' of numbers are called IP Addresses and are made up of 4 sets of numbers, e.g. 210.50.105.251.

Domain Name

Domain names are unique names you can register for use on your website and with email, e.g. www.domainsdirect.co.nz. A Domain name consists of a top level, e.g. ".nz", and can consist of a second level, e.g. ".co". The third level is the actual name, e.g. "domainsdirect".

Cookie

A file created on your computer where web pages store information about you. For example, if you login to a site, the cookie will carry your logon details around the site. Cookies most often expire to remove them from your system.

Firewall

Security procedures and software that protect a LAN (local area network) or computer from hackers trying to gain access.

FTP

Abbreviation for File Transfer Protocol. A program for transferring files from your computer to a server on the Internet, and vice versa. FTP is most commonly used for managing files on a website.

HTTP

Abbreviation for Hypertext Transfer Protocol. A standard browsers and servers use to transfer text, images, sound, video, and other files across the Web.

IP address

A series of four numbers that represent the location of a computer on the Internet. e.g. 210.55.105.251. Every time you log on to the Internet your ISP gives your computer a temporary address. An Internet server has a fixed address.

Name Server

A name server (or nameserver) is a server connected to the Internet that determines where different types of requests should be directed, e.g. web service, email service. A name server is typically a Domain name and IP address.

Server

A computer permanently connected to the Internet which provides such services as web hosting and email.

Traffic

Data transferred between a server and all other computers requesting data from it. Traffic is generally measured in megabytes or gigabytes.

URL

Abbreviation for Uniform Resource Locator. A browser uses addresses to locate sites and pages on the Web. These addresses are called URLs.