Glossary of fixed wireless and internet terms

The A to Z list below links to a page for every term. Read them in any order. Nothing here assumes you know the jargon, and nothing is meant to sell you something.

5

5G home internet

5G home internet is a service that delivers home broadband over a cellular network to an indoor gateway. Full entry

A

Acceptable use policy

An acceptable use policy is a set of rules from a provider about how its service may be used. Full entry

Affordable Connectivity Program (ended)

The Affordable Connectivity Program, ACP, was a federal program that gave eligible households a monthly discount on broadband; it ended on June 1, 2024. Full entry

American Community Survey

The American Community Survey, ACS, is an ongoing survey by the U.S. Census Bureau that reports yearly on people and households, including how they connect to the internet. Full entry

B

Backhaul

Backhaul is the high-capacity connection that carries traffic from a tower or local network back to the larger internet. Full entry

Band steering

Band steering is a router feature that encourages devices to use the less crowded 5 GHz band instead of the 2.4 GHz band. Full entry

Bandwidth

Bandwidth is the maximum amount of data a connection can carry in a given time, usually stated in megabits per second. Full entry

BEAD

BEAD, the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program, is a federal grant program that pays for internet service in places that lack it. Full entry

Beamforming

Beamforming is a technique in which an antenna array shapes its transmission so more of the signal travels toward a particular receiver. Full entry

Broadband Data Collection

The Broadband Data Collection, BDC, is the FCC's program in which providers report service availability location by location, which feeds the National Broadband Map. Full entry

Broadband label

A broadband label is a standard fact sheet the FCC requires providers to show for each internet plan, listing price, speeds, data allowance and other terms. Full entry

Broadband serviceable location

A broadband serviceable location, often called a BSL, is a home or business location where fixed broadband service is or can be installed. Full entry

Bufferbloat

Bufferbloat is the delay that builds when too much data waits in queues inside a router or radio while a link is busy. Full entry

C

Cable internet (DOCSIS)

Cable internet carries data over the same coaxial lines that bring cable television, using a standard called DOCSIS. Full entry

Cat 6 cable

Cat 6 is a grade of twisted-pair copper cable, used with Ethernet to carry network data between devices. Full entry

CBRS (Citizens Broadband Radio Service)

CBRS, the Citizens Broadband Radio Service, is a band of radio frequencies in which different users share access under FCC rules. Full entry

CGNAT

CGNAT, carrier-grade NAT, is address translation done by the provider so many customers share a small pool of public addresses. Full entry

Channel width

Channel width is the amount of radio spectrum, measured in megahertz, that one signal uses. Full entry

Community anchor institution

A community anchor institution is an organization such as a school, library, hospital or public safety site that serves a community and is counted separately in broadband grant programs. Full entry

Customer radio (CPE)

A customer radio, or customer premises equipment, is the antenna and radio installed at your building that connects to the provider's tower. Full entry

D

Data transfer limit

A data transfer limit is the amount of data a service level includes in a billing cycle before extra charges can apply. Full entry

DHCP

DHCP, the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol, is the method a network uses to give each device an address and other settings automatically. Full entry

DKIM

DKIM, DomainKeys Identified Mail, is a method that adds a digital signature to an email message so the receiver can check which domain signed it. Full entry

DMARC

DMARC, Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance, is a DNS policy that tells receivers how to treat mail that fails domain checks. Full entry

DNS

DNS, the Domain Name System, translates the names people type into the numeric addresses computers use to find each other. Full entry

DNS record

A DNS record is a single entry in the Domain Name System that ties a name to a piece of information, such as an address or a mail server. Full entry

Domain name

A domain name is the human-readable address, such as hdiss.net, that points to a website or an email system. Full entry

Domain registrar

A domain registrar is a company that registers domain names on behalf of customers and keeps their registration current. Full entry

Download speed

Download speed is the rate at which data travels from the internet to your device, shown on plans as the first, larger number. Full entry

DSL

DSL, or digital subscriber line, is a family of technologies that carry internet data over copper telephone wires. Full entry

E

Early termination fee

An early termination fee is a charge a provider adds when a customer ends a fixed-term service agreement before the term is over. Full entry

Email client

An email client is a program on a computer or phone that fetches, displays and sends email. Full entry

Ethernet

Ethernet is the standard way to connect devices by cable, defined by the IEEE 802.3 family of standards. Full entry

F

FCC broadband benchmark (100/20)

The FCC broadband benchmark is the speed the commission uses to define advanced telecommunications capability for fixed service: 100 Mbps down and 20 Mbps up. Full entry

FCC Form 477

FCC Form 477 was the form on which providers told the FCC where they offered broadband and at what speeds; the Broadband Data Collection replaced it. Full entry

FCC National Broadband Map

The FCC National Broadband Map is a public website at broadbandmap.fcc.gov that shows which providers report offering service at an address. Full entry

Fiber to the home

Fiber to the home, often written FTTH, is a connection in which an optical fiber runs all the way from the provider to the house. Full entry

Firewall

A firewall is a security filter that allows or blocks network traffic according to rules. Full entry

Fixed wireless

Fixed wireless is internet delivered by radio from a tower to a stationary antenna at one home or business, with no cable run to the street. Full entry

Fresnel zone

The Fresnel zone is an oval-shaped region around the straight line between two antennas that should stay largely free of obstacles for a strong radio link. Full entry

G

Gateway

A gateway is a device that connects one network to another; in a home it is usually the router, and its address is called the default gateway. Full entry

Geostationary satellite

A geostationary satellite orbits above the equator at the same rate the Earth turns, so it stays over one spot in the sky. Full entry

Gigabit

A gigabit is one thousand megabits, the unit behind the "up to 1 Gig" name used for the top tier of many internet plans. Full entry

H

High Speed NV

High Speed NV, or High Speed Nevada, is the state's broadband initiative under which Nevada runs its BEAD program. Full entry

Hybrid fiber-coax

Hybrid fiber-coax, or HFC, is a network design that uses fiber in the main lines and coaxial cable for the final connection to the home. Full entry

I

IMAP

IMAP, the Internet Message Access Protocol, lets a mail program read and organize messages that stay stored on the mail server. Full entry

Interference

Interference is unwanted radio energy that disturbs or weakens a signal you want. Full entry

IP address

An IP address is a number that identifies a device on a network so data knows where to go. Full entry

IPv6

IPv6 is the current version of the Internet Protocol, which uses 128-bit addresses instead of the 32-bit addresses of IPv4. Full entry

J

Jitter

Jitter is the change from one packet to the next in how long data takes to arrive. Full entry

L

Latency

Latency is the time data takes to travel from your device to a server and back, measured in milliseconds. Full entry

Licensed spectrum

Licensed spectrum is a range of radio frequencies that a regulator assigns to a particular holder, who has the right to use it in a given area. Full entry

Lifeline

Lifeline is a federal program that offers a monthly benefit toward phone or internet service for households that qualify. Full entry

Line of sight

Line of sight is an unobstructed straight path between two antennas, and it is what a fixed wireless link needs between a tower and your roof. Full entry

Low-earth-orbit satellite

A low-earth-orbit satellite circles the planet much closer than a geostationary one, so a network needs many satellites passing overhead in turn. Full entry

LTE

LTE, Long Term Evolution, is a mobile broadband standard, widely marketed as 4G, used by cellular networks for phone data. Full entry

M

MAC address

A MAC address is a hardware identifier built into a network adapter, written as six pairs of letters and numbers. Full entry

Mbps

Mbps stands for megabits per second, the unit internet providers use to state how fast data can move. Full entry

Mesh Wi-Fi

Mesh Wi-Fi is a home network made of a main router and extra units placed around the house that act together as a single Wi-Fi network. Full entry

Microwave link

A microwave link is a radio connection that uses very high frequencies to send data between two fixed antennas. Full entry

Millimeter wave

Millimeter wave is a part of the radio spectrum at very high frequencies, where the waves are only millimeters long. Full entry

MIMO

MIMO, multiple input multiple output, is a way of using several antennas at both ends of a link to carry more data or hold a signal better. Full entry

Mobile hotspot

A mobile hotspot is a feature or device that shares a cellular data connection with other devices over Wi-Fi. Full entry

MoCA

MoCA, the Multimedia over Coax Alliance standard, carries network data over a building's existing coaxial cable. Full entry

Modem

A modem is a device that converts digital data into a signal a particular kind of line can carry, and back again. Full entry

Month-to-month service

Month-to-month service is an arrangement with no fixed length, so it continues one billing period at a time until the customer or the company ends it. Full entry

MX record

An MX record is a DNS record that names the mail servers that accept email for a domain. Full entry

N

Nameserver

A nameserver is a server that holds the DNS records for a domain and answers requests about the domain. Full entry

NAT (network address translation)

NAT, network address translation, rewrites the addresses on data so many private devices can share one public address. Full entry

Network congestion

Network congestion is the condition in which a link or device receives more traffic than it can carry, so data waits or is dropped. Full entry

Network switch

A network switch is a box with several Ethernet ports that passes data between the devices plugged into it. Full entry

Nevada OSIT

Nevada OSIT is the Governor's Office of Science, Innovation and Technology, the state office that administers broadband programs including BEAD. Full entry

NTIA

NTIA, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, is the part of the U.S. Department of Commerce that advises on telecommunications policy and administers the BEAD grant program. Full entry

O

OTARD rule

The OTARD rule, the FCC's Over-the-Air Reception Devices rule, limits restrictions on certain small antennas on property a user controls. Full entry

P

Packet loss

Packet loss is the share of small data packets that are sent but never arrive, so they have to be sent again or are skipped. Full entry

Phishing

Phishing is the use of fake email, text or phone messages to trick a person into giving up personal or financial information. Full entry

Ping

Ping is a small test message sent to another computer to see whether it answers and how long the reply takes. Full entry

Point-to-multipoint

Point-to-multipoint is a radio design in which one base station on a tower sends to and receives from many customer antennas. Full entry

Point-to-point link

A point-to-point link is a radio connection between exactly two fixed locations, using a narrow, aimed beam. Full entry

POP3

POP3, the Post Office Protocol version 3, is a method a mail program uses to fetch your messages from a mail server and store them on your own device. Full entry

Port forwarding

Port forwarding is a router setting that sends incoming connections on a chosen port to one device inside your network. Full entry

Power-over-Ethernet injector

A Power-over-Ethernet injector is a small indoor adapter that adds electrical power to an Ethernet cable so a device far away needs no outlet of its own. Full entry

Powerline adapter

A powerline adapter is a pair of plug-in devices that carry network data through a home's electrical wiring. Full entry

Promotional rate

A promotional rate is a temporary price offered for a limited period, after which the regular price applies. Full entry

Proration

Proration is the practice of charging for only the portion of a billing period that a service was used. Full entry

Q

QoS (quality of service)

QoS, quality of service, is a set of router features that give some kinds of traffic priority over others. Full entry

R

Router

A router is a device that directs data between your home network and the internet and usually provides Wi-Fi as well. Full entry

S

Signal strength (dBm)

Signal strength in dBm is the power of a received radio signal, written as decibels relative to one milliwatt. Full entry

Signal-to-noise ratio

Signal-to-noise ratio, SNR, is the difference between the strength of a wanted signal and the level of background noise, usually written in decibels. Full entry

SMTP

SMTP, the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol, is the standard method for sending an email message from your mail program to a server and between servers. Full entry

SPF record

An SPF record is a DNS text record that lists which servers are allowed to send email using a domain name. Full entry

SSID (network name)

An SSID, or service set identifier, is the text name a Wi-Fi network broadcasts so devices can find it. Full entry

SSL/TLS certificate

An SSL/TLS certificate is a digital file that proves a website's identity to browsers and lets them set up an encrypted connection. Full entry

Static IP

A static IP address is a fixed public address assigned to one connection that does not change from day to day. Full entry

Subgrantee

A subgrantee is an organization that a state selects to receive and spend part of a grant, here to build broadband under BEAD. Full entry

Surge protector

A surge protector is a device that limits brief spikes in electrical voltage before they reach the equipment plugged into it. Full entry

Symmetrical speed

Symmetrical speed means a connection sends data out as fast as it brings data in, so the upload and download numbers match. Full entry

T

Throttling

Throttling is a provider deliberately lowering the speed of a connection or of certain traffic, as opposed to a slowdown caused by weather, distance or crowding. Full entry

Tower

A tower is a tall structure that holds the antennas and radios of a wireless network. Full entry

Tower access point

A tower access point is the radio and antenna on a tower that communicates with many customer radios in its area. Full entry

Traceroute

Traceroute is a diagnostic tool that lists the network hops between your device and a destination. Full entry

Two-factor authentication

Two-factor authentication, or 2FA, is a sign-in method that asks for two different proofs of identity, such as a password and a code. Full entry

U

Universal Service Fund

The Universal Service Fund is a federal system that collects money from telecommunications providers to support service in high-cost areas, for low-income households and for schools and libraries. Full entry

Unlicensed spectrum

Unlicensed spectrum is a range of radio frequencies that approved devices may use without the user holding an individual license. Full entry

Unserved and underserved locations

Unserved and underserved are terms grant programs use for locations that have no broadband service or service below a set speed. Full entry

"Up to" speed

"Up to" speed is the highest rate a plan can reach under good conditions, not the rate you will see all the time. Full entry

Upload speed

Upload speed is the rate at which your devices send data out to the internet, shown as the second number on a plan. Full entry

UPnP

UPnP, Universal Plug and Play, is a set of protocols that lets devices on a network find each other and ask the router to open ports. Full entry

UPS (battery backup)

A UPS, uninterruptible power supply, is a battery device that keeps connected equipment running when power is lost. Full entry

V

VoIP

VoIP, or voice over internet protocol, sends phone calls as data over an internet connection instead of over a traditional phone line. Full entry

VPN

A VPN, or virtual private network, creates an encrypted connection between your device and another network across the public internet. Full entry

W

Web hosting

Web hosting is a service that stores a website's files on a server connected to the internet so visitors can load them at any time. Full entry

Webmail

Webmail is an email service you use through a web browser, so your messages are handled on the provider's server rather than in a program on your computer. Full entry

Wi-Fi 6

Wi-Fi 6 is the name for the IEEE 802.11ax wireless standard, which handles many devices at once better than the generation before it. Full entry

Wi-Fi 6E

Wi-Fi 6E is Wi-Fi 6 operating in the 6 GHz band, in addition to the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. Full entry

Wi-Fi 7

Wi-Fi 7 is the newest generation of Wi-Fi, which adds very wide channels in the 6 GHz band and the ability to use several links at once. Full entry

Wi-Fi bands (2.4, 5 and 6 GHz)

Wi-Fi bands are the radio frequency ranges, 2.4, 5 and 6 GHz, that wireless routers use to talk to your devices. Full entry

WISP

A WISP is a wireless internet service provider, a company that delivers internet to customers by radio from its own towers instead of by cable. Full entry

WPA2 and WPA3

WPA2 and WPA3 are Wi-Fi Protected Access, the security methods that scramble Wi-Fi traffic and require a password to join. Full entry

Z

ZCTA (ZIP Code Tabulation Area)

A ZCTA, ZIP Code Tabulation Area, is a Census Bureau area shape that approximates a ZIP Code so statistics can be mapped. Full entry