Broadband Glossary "P" Definitions

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Welcome to our Broadband Glossary. We compiled a comprehensive collection of Broadband and Internet related terms and definitions. To look for a definition or term, simply click on the letter that matches the first letter of the word you are searching for. If the term you want is a numeral, you will find it under the 0-9 listing.

We intend for our Broadband Glossary to be ever expanding. As new technology is released, we will add these definitions to our Glossary. If you cannot find the term you are searching for, please contact us and we will add it to the Broadband glossary as quickly as possible. We hope that you find this Broadband Glossary easy to navigate and that you find the term you're looking for.

Password

An alphanumeric code or special word that verifies your identity and lets you access protected places. Secure areas could be files, Web sites, an ISP, and e-mail account settings over the Internet. Your password, along with your user name, uniquely identifies you and keeps unauthorized users from accessing your private information.

Personal Digital Assistant or PDA

A hand-held computing device that most often can transmit data, such as paging, data messaging, e-mail, fax, and other functions.

Personal Identification Number or PIN

A unique code for the authorized user. It should be memorized to protect you from fraud. PINs are used by wireless phone customers, bank card customers, and to access some phone features.

PING

PING is used primarily to troubleshoot Internet connections. It is a protocol used to test whether a computer or network is connected to the Internet. It sends a packet to the computer's IP address and waits for the response. If there is no response, the computer or network is down or offline.

POTS or Plain Old Telephone Service

A term sometimes used in discussion of new telephone technologies in which the question of whether and how existing voice transmission for ordinary phone communication can be accommodated. For example, Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line and Integrated Services Digital Network connections provide some part of their channels for "plain old telephone service" while providing most of their bandwidth for digital data transmission.

Point-to-Point Protocol or PPP

A data link protocol used to transmit TCP/IP packets through dial-up connections. Typically used between a computer and Internet. PPP supports dynamic IP address allocation and has protection for data security and integrity.

POP or Post Office Protocol

POP (or POP3) stands for Post Office Protocol and is the standard Internet protocol for receiving e-mail. POP is what allows you to download mail from the Web mail server. The server stores your mail when you are not connected to the Internet. When you open your e-mail box and send a request to get new messages, the messages are moved from our server to your computer.

POP Mail

POP mail is the term used to describe the e-mail address that comes with your online service. POP mail accounts can be accessed through a Web page or through your e-mail software, such as Outlook Express and Netscape.

Point-to-Point Protocol Over Ethernet or PPPoE

Point to Point Protocol over Ethernet (PPPoE) is used to communicate with the rest of the Internet. This type of protocol combines the popular and efficient PPP with large, switched Ethernet networks.

PRI or Primary Rate Interface

In the Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN), there are two levels of service: the Basic Rate Interface (BRI), intended for the home and small enterprise, and the Primary Rate Interface (PRI), for larger users. Both rates include a number of B-channels and a D-channel. Each B-channel carries data, voice, and other services. The D-channel carries control and signaling information.

Protocol

An agreed-upon method, set of standards, or rules for doing something. TCP/IP, for example, is considered the protocol of the Internet. Some people refer to Internet manners as Internet Protocol. A more accurate description is Netiquette.