B

Backbone
The term backbone refers to the central point of connectivity in a network. A backbone may be a piece of cable or a device such as a hub, router, or switch.

Bandwidth
Bandwidth is the difference between the highest and lowest frequencies that can be transmitted across a transmission line or through a network. It is measured in hertz (Hz) for analog networks, and bits per second (bps) for digital networks.

Baseband
A type of communication signal where the entire media are used to carry a single signal representing information.

Binary
Binary is the base two number system that computers use to represent data. It consists of only two numbers: 0 and 1. The following listing shows the binary numbers, followed by their decimal equivalents: 0-0, 1-1, 10-2, 11-3, 100-4, 101-5, 110-6, 111-7, 1,000-8, 1,001-9, 1,010-10, etc.

Bit
A bit is the smallest unit of data in a computer. A bit has a single binary value, either 0 or 1. Although computers usually provide instructions that can test and manipulate bits, they generally are designed to store data and execute instructions in bit multiples called bytes. In most computer systems, there are eight bits in a byte. The value of a bit is usually stored as either above or below a designated level of electrical charge in a single capacitor within a memory device.

BNC Adapter
BNC connectors are small devices used for Thin Ethernet connections and terminations (10Base2). There are several different types of BNC connectors depending on their function. A BNC barrel connector joins two Thin Ethernet cables. A BNC terminator is used to terminate the end of an Ethernet cable. It acts as a resistive load that absorbs the signal (bits) at each end of an Ethernet LAN. BNC adapters allow us to connect different types of Ethernet cable, such as Thinnet to Thicknet.

Broadband
A type of communication signal where the media can carry multiple signals representing information.

Broadcast Frames
Broadcast frames are frames sent simultaneously to all users on a given network. The address in a broadcast frame is a special number that notifies all network devices they are to receive the frame.

Bus
There are many types of buses, including internal buses, external buses, and local area networks (LANs) that operate on bus topologies. Internal buses are buses within a PC that connect the central processor with the video controller, disk controller, hard drives, and memory.

Byte
In most computer systems, a byte is a unit of information that is 8 bits long. A byte is the unit most computers use to represent a character such as a letter, number, or typographic symbol (e.g., "g," "5," or "?"). A byte can also hold a string of bits that need to be used in some larger unit for application purposes (for example, the stream of bits that constitute a visual image within an application program).