A short glossary

The terms of the network world can look complicated at first glance. Here are simple explanations of the ones you will meet most often:

Router

A device that connects the internal network to the internet and directs traffic.

Switch

A distributor that connects cable-attached devices to each other.

Access Point (AP)

A device that turns a wired network into a wireless (Wi-Fi) network.

Firewall

A system that protects the network from outside threats and applies rules to traffic.

PoE (Power over Ethernet)

Sending electric power together with data over the same network cable.

NVR

A network video recorder that receives and stores video from IP cameras.

VLAN

A technology that logically divides one physical network into several separate networks.

Mesh Wi-Fi

Several devices linking wirelessly to each other to create one wide Wi-Fi coverage area.

UPS

An uninterruptible power supply that keeps equipment running on battery for a while when the power goes out.

Uptime

The share of time, in percent, that a system has been up and running over a given period.