User`s guide

Glossary
D-3
attenuation
The amount of power (or light) lost as power travels through a
medium, from the transmitter to the receiver. Difference between
transmitted and received power, in decibels (dB).
AUI (attachment unit interface)
A standard connector type used for Ethernet connections.
backbone
The major, central transmission path for a network. A backbone
usually handles high-volume, high-density traffic. Typically a
backbone connects various LANs into an integrated network.
bandwidth
A measure of the amount of traffic a given medium can handle at
one time: The communications capacity (measured in bits per
second) of a transmission line or of a specific path through a
network. Greater bandwidth generally means more information
can be sent through a circuit during any given period of time.
beacon
A specialized frame that notifies stations on an FDDI ring that the
ring is broken.
beacon process
Process by which stations on an FDDI network use a beacon frame
to isolate a serious ring failure such as a break on the ring.