Appendix C: How To Ping Your Isp's E-Mail & Web Addresses - Linksys BEFSR81 User Manual

UDP (User Datagram Protocol) - A method (protocol) used along with the IP
(Internet Protocol) to send data in the form of message units (datagram) between
network devices over a LAN or WAN. While IP takes care of handling the actu-
al delivery of the data (routing), UDP takes care of keeping track of the individ-
ual units of data (called packets) that a message is divided into for efficient deliv-
ery over the network. UDP is known as a "connection-less" protocol due to NOT
requiring the receiver of a packet to return an acknowledgment of receipt to the
sender of the packet (as opposed to TCP).
Upgrade - To replace existing software or firmware with a newer version.
Upload - To send a file transmitted over a network. In a communications session,
upload means transmit, and download means receive.
URL (Uniform Resource Locator) - The address that defines the route to a file
on the Web or any other Internet facility. URLs are typed into the browser to
access Web pages, and URLs are embedded within the pages themselves to pro-
vide the hypertext links to other pages.
UTP - Unshielded twisted pair is the most common kind of copper telephone
wiring. Twisted pair is the ordinary copper wire that connects home and many
business computers to the telephone company. To reduce crosstalk or electro-
magnetic induction between pairs of wires, two insulated copper wires are twist-
ed around each other. Each signal on twisted pair requires both wires. Since some
telephone sets or desktop locations require multiple connections, twisted pair is
sometimes installed in two or more pairs, all within a single cable.
WAN (Wide Area Network) - A communications network that covers a relative-
ly large geographic area, consisting of two or more LANs. Broadband commu-
nication over the WAN is often through public networks such as the telephone
(DSL) or cable systems, or through leased lines or satellites. In its most basic
definition, the Internet could be considered a WAN.
WINIPCFG - Configuration utility based on the Win32 API for querying, defin-
ing, and managing IP addresses within a network. A commonly used utility for
configuring networks with static IP addresses.
Workgroup - Two or more individuals that share files and databases.
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Instant Broadband Series
®
EtherFast Cable/DSL Router with QoS and 8-Port Switch
®
Appendix C: How to Ping Your
ISP's E-mail & Web Addresses
Virtually all Internet addresses are configured with words or characters (e.g.,
www.linksys.com, www.yahoo.com, etc.) In actuality, however, these Internet
addresses are assigned to IP addresses, which are the true addresses on the
Internet. For example, www.linksys.com is actually 216.23.162.142. Type it into
your web browser and you will wind up at the Linksys home page every time.
There are servers that translate the URL to an IP address; this is called the
Domain Name System (DNS).
IP and web addresses, however, can sometimes be long and hard to remember.
Because of this, certain ISPs will shorten their server addresses to single words
or codes on their users' web browser or e-mail configurations. If your ISP's e-
mail and web server addresses are configured with single words (www, e-mail,
home, pop3, etc.) rather than whole Internet addresses or IP addresses, the
Router may have problems sending or receiving mail and accessing the
Internet. This happens because the Router has not been configured by your ISP
to accept their abbreviated server addresses.
The solution is to determine the true web addresses behind your ISPs code
words. You can determine the IP and web addresses of your ISP's servers by
"pinging" them.
Important: If you don't have your ISP's web and e-mail IP
addresses, you must either get them from your ISP or follow these
steps prior to connecting your Cable/DSL Router to your network.
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