Accept the default name — My Connection — for the new connection, or type a name of

Glossary mail server A central point where the electronic mailboxes are stored. The server may be remote or central to the network. map Network maps describe how a network is put together. Not only does the map show where the computers and peripherals are located, but it also tracks important information about wiring, networking hardware, and even software used throughout your system. mapping a drive A method of reconnecting to a network drive and folder as a shortcut. You assign a drive letter — such as J, K, L, M, N, or other drive not currently in use — to represent the path to the resource. MB See megabytes. Mbps megabits per second A measure of data transmission or network speed equaling 1 million bits or 1,000 kilobits per second. MCA Micro Channel Architecture A 32-bit expansion bus designed for multiprocessing. Expansion boards identify themselves, thus eliminating any conflicts created by manual con- figuration. Used only on IBM PS2s. meg See megabytes. megabit A megabit Mbit equals 1,048,576 binary digits, or bits of data. In general, a megabit is the equivalent of 1 million bits. megabits per second See Mbps. megabytes MB, M, or meg A megabyte MB contains 1,048,576 bytes. Mega- is the prefix for 1 million in the metric system. It is used in representing file size, as well as computer memory and hard disk capacity. megahertz See MHz. mesh topology Represents a wide area network WAN used in large corporations, universities, and government agencies. Mesh uses multiple paths to connect multiple sites or buildings. MHz megahertz One million cycles per second. A unit of measure for frequency. Micro Channel Architecture See MCA. microprocessor The processor chip in a computer. A microprocessor is miniaturized, whereas previous processors were built into integrated circuit boards with many large components. Microsoft Client for NetWare Networks A client that’s created by Microsoft to enable users to connect to a NetWare server over the network. As a NetWare client, Windows can share files, print, and use other resources on the server for which it has permissions. Microsoft Exchange A mail program that supplies a universal inbox for e-mail. You can receive e-mail from a local network or the Internet, among others. MIDI Musical Instrument Digital Interface A MIDI interface enables you to control synthe- sizers and other electronic instruments connected to the computer. MIDI is also a file type. modem MOdulate DEModulate A device connected to the computer, either inside the box internally or externally, that enables the computer to communicate over telephone lines in analog waves with another modem and computer on the other end of the line. Glossary motherboard The main circuit board on a computer. The motherboard includes the proces- sor, RAM, support circuitry, and a bus controller. Motion JPEG A variation of JPEG, this is a compression scheme for video files. See also JPEG. Moving Picture Experts Group See MPEG. MPC Multimedia Personal Computer A specification for multimedia hardware — speakers, sound cards, video cards, CD drives, and so on — that ensures the hardware is compatible, reliable, and meets certain quality standards. MPEG Moving Picture Experts Group A graphics file format that enables video to be stored in compressed form. MS-DOS–based application MS-DOS applications were built for the original MS-DOS operating system. Some MS-DOS programs can run in Windows and others cannot. multimedia Includes any applications with sound and video enhancements. Some applications that take advantage of multimedia features are movies, music programs, education software, and games. multimedia network A network that shares text, print, graphics, audio, digital, and full-motion data over a high-speed connection. Multimedia Personal Computer See MPC. multitasking The simultaneous execution of two or more programs in a Windows or OS2 operating system. multithreading A process by which Windows can multitask portions, or threads, of a program. Musical Instrument Digital Interface See MIDI. narrowband transmission One in which the data transfer is slow or has a small transfer rate. NDIS Network Driver Interface Specification A set of functions that causes a request to be submitted to the operating system or causes a local action to be performed. Mainly, the NDIS enables protocol drivers to send and receive packets on the network. NetBEUI NetBIOS Extended User Interface A Microsoft protocol you can use with any Windows program — most commonly used with Windows for Workgroups, Windows 9598, and Windows NT, and very seldom used with Windows Me, 2000, and XP. NetBEUI is easy to set up, provides good performance, and is a fast protocol. NetBEUI uses very little memory and also provides good error detection over the network. NetBIOS Network Basic InputOutput System A programming interface for developing clientserver applications; NetBIOS also works with other protocols and various network types. NetBIOS Extended User Interface See NetBEUI. netiquette Netiquette, or Internet etiquette, is simply behaving politely and sensibly while online and in discourse with others, whether via e-mail, bulletin boards, or a chat program. NETSTAT Short for network statistics, this is a command that is useful for tracking down net- work problems. Use NETSTAT to troubleshoot incoming or outgoing packet errors or to verify the presence of needed routes.