Confused by some of the terms used for talking about the Internet? You're not alone! Here is a basic glossary of terms you may want to know.

Broadband
Data transmission that uses a wide range of frequencies to transmit information.

Cable Modem
A device that allows you to connect your computer to our High Speed Internet service. Cable modems can transmit data at very high speeds.

Download
Transferring programs or data from a remote system, such as a server or another computer, to your computer.

Email Client
A program used to retrieve your email from the Internet and store it on your computer.

Firewall
A program that prevents other people on the Internet from accessing your computer and your files.

Gigabyte, or GB
A measure of computer data storage capacity that is roughly a billion bytes.

Hub
A piece of hardware that can be used to network, or connect, computers. A hub allows you to connect up to three computers to Cogeco's High Speed or High Speed Pro Internet services.

IP Address
A number that identifies senders and receivers of information that travels over the Internet.

Kilobyte, or KB
A measure of computer storage capacity that is roughly a thousand bytes.

MAC Address
A twelve-character string made up of letters and numbers that provides a unique identifier for a network-enabled device, such as a cable modem. The MAC address is how the network identifies your cable modem. It can be found on the bottom or back of your cable modem and may be labelled «Cable MAC,» «CM MAC» or simply «MAC.»

Megabyte, or MB
A measure of computer data storage capacity that is roughly a million bytes.

Network Interface Card, or NIC
A device on your computer that allows you to connect to a network, such as the Internet.

POP Server
The server on the Cogeco network where you send your email for delivery to its intended recipient on the Internet.

Protocol
A special set of rules that computers on a network use when they communicate.

Router
A piece of hardware that can be used to network, or connect, computers together. A router shares the same IP address with all the computers, so it allows you to connect more than the three computers allowed with our High Speed or High Speed Pro Internet services.

SMTP Server
The server on the Internet where you send your email for delivery to its intended recipient on the Internet.

Upload
To transfer programs or data from your computer to remote system, such as a server or another computer.

Usage
The amount of data your computer sends and receives from the Internet, measured in bytes.