Technical Terms

Here’s a list of common technical terms along with their definitions:

access point:
A device that allows wireless-equipped computers and other devices to communicate with a wired network.  

address:
Identifies the location of an Internet resource. Examples: an e-mail address (sales@dataprise.com); a web address (http://www.dataprise.com); or an internet address (192.168.100.1). 

applet: 
A program capable of running on any computer regardless of the operating system. Many applets can be downloaded from various sites on the Internet. 

application:
A program designed for a specific purpose, such as word processing or graphic design. 

printer spooler
Sometimes called, Printer Service, this is a built-in Microsoft Windows service that manages all printer jobs that have been sent to the printer. If the printer spooler has hung or frozen, the service will need to be restarted. To learn how to restart, go to Printer Troubleshooting Tips.

Wireless Encryption – special security protocols that have been developed to protect home wireless networks. Each encrypt data with varied results.

WEP – oldest and most vulnerable, easily broken.
WPA – first update to replace WEP. Used a pre-shared key (PSK), generally referred to as WPA personal. Traditionally not used widely in the marketplace.
Wi-Fi Protected Access version 2 (WPA2) – Uses Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) for encryption. Has been approved for use by U.S. Government to encrypt top secret information.