backbone Part of a network that acts as the primary path for traffic that is most often sourced from, and destined for, other networks. bandwidth The difference between the highest and lowest frequencies available for network signals. The term also is used to describe the rated throughput capacity of a given network medium or protocol. […]
[Continue reading]Most Common Networking Terms and Acronyms – A
10BaseT 10-Mbps baseband Ethernet specification using two pairs of twisted-pair cabling (Categories 3, 4, or 5): one pair for transmitting data and the other for receiving data. 10BaseT, which is part of the IEEE 802.3 specification, has a distance limit of approximately 328 feet (100 meters) per segment 100BaseFX A 100-Mbps baseband Fast Ethernet specification […]
[Continue reading]IANA Well Known Ports
The Well Known Ports are assigned by the IANA and on most systems can only be used by system (or root) processes or by programs executed by privileged users. Ports are used in the TCP [RFC793] to name the ends of logical connections which carry long term conversations. For the purpose of providing services to […]
[Continue reading]Wired and Wireless Home Networks
As explained in this post, you can build your home network by using either wired or wireless infrastructure. Ethernet, Power Lines and Phone Lines can be used for wired home networks, whereas the dominant technology for wireless home networks is the WiFi 802.11 standard.Below we give you a quick snapshot and comparison of the different […]
[Continue reading]The need for setting up a home network
The driving force behind the explosion of home networks is the need for information and resource sharing. By having your computers, and other information resources, networked within your home, you have the following benefits: Internet Connection Sharing: Multiple home users can access the Internet simultaneously. File Sharing: Share music, files, photos etc between home computers. […]
[Continue reading]FTP Disconnects Through Cisco ASA Firewall. MSS Exceeded Problem.
Each TCP device on a network has an associated ‘ceiling’ on TCP Data Size, called the MSS (Maximum Segment Size). The TCP MSS is negotiated between two communicating devices via the TCP SYN and SYN-ACK packets. After this negotiation, each TCP device must comply with the advertised MSS of the peer device, and should not […]
[Continue reading]Troubleshooting IPSEC VPN
This post discusses the most basic steps needed to troubleshoot a LAN-to-LAN IPSEC tunnel between Cisco Routers. A Cisco Router with the proper IOS version can make an excellent IPSEC VPN termination device, and can be used to securely connect two distant LANs over an untrusted network, such as the Internet. In our example below, we […]
[Continue reading]Top 10 Freeware Network Security Tools
1. Nessus DOWNLOAD Nessus is a Network Vulnerability Scanner tool based on a client-server model. It features high speed discovery, configuration auditing, asset profiling, and vulnerability analysis of your network and systems. It is constantly updated with more than 11,000 plugins for the free version. Every audit in Nessus is coded as a plugin : […]
[Continue reading]Top 5 Freeware Tools for Network Admins
1. PuTTY for SSH Access DOWNLOAD PuTTY is a Secure Shell (SSH) client that runs on Windows. You can use PuTTY to access remote network devices (Routers, switches, firewalls, Unix Servers etc) using the secure SSH protocol. With an increased emphasis on security, most network devices can now be remotely accessed via SSH. PuTTY supports […]
[Continue reading]How to secure your small business with a PIX Firewall
One of the most popular firewall products for the small business market is the Cisco PIX 501. Out of the box it requires just a few configuration entries and you are up and running. In this guide, we will walk through the steps for configuring your brand new pix at the network edge. This guide […]
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