F

FAQ

(Frequently Asked Question) Lists of Frequently Asked Questions (and their answers) covering all manner of topics can be found across the World Wide Web, allowing the user to search for a query that somebody has already found the answer to.

Also see URL

Fast Ethernet

Fast Ethernet operates at 100Mbps and so has 10 times more bandwidth than Ethernet, enabling it to cope with larger amounts of traffic; this results in operation 10 times faster than Ethernet. Fast Ethernet runs over the various 100BASE (cables): for example, 100BASE-FX and 100BASE-TX.

Fast Ethernet networks operate at 100Mbps and are based on the 10BASE-T Ethernet CSMA/CD network access method, an extension to the IEEE 802.3 specification.

FCC

(Federal Communications Commission). The regulatory telecommunications body for the U.S.A. that licenses and controls electronic and electromagnetic transmission standards. The FCC specifies bandwidth ranges for different communication channels.

FDDI

(Fiber Distributed Data Interface). This is a network standard for high speed transmission over fiber-optic cable. FDDI uses two rings of fiber-optic cabling (providing greater resilience) and transmits at 100Mbps at distances up to 2km (1.24 mile) between nodes. FDDI is typically used as a backbone technology providing connectivity between Ethernet and Token Ring networks. It is used in critical applications, for example in an airport

Fibre Optic Cable

A cable containing one or more optical fibers used for transmitting data in the form of light. Fiber-optic cable is more expensive than copper but is not susceptible to electromagnetic interference and is capable of higher data transfer speeds over greater distances.

Filename extension

Commonly a three or four-letter extension on the end of a file name designating the file type. There are hundreds in existence, and new ones frequently being invented. Examples are: .txt (text file), .gif (Graphics Interchange Format).

Filtering

A process where network traffic is screened for certain characteristics, such as destination address (the address of the device for which the packet is intended) or protocol. From this process it is determined whether traffic is forwarded based on the established criteria. This allows only essential internetwork traffic to cross a bridge thereby reducing internetwork traffic.

Filtering in routers can prevent unauthorized access to a network or host on a network; this barrier is often called a firewall. Filtering is performed by bridges, switches and routers.

Finger

A Unix program which displays information about a particular user or all users logged on the system, or a remote system.

Firewall

Secures a company or organisation's internal network from unauthorised external access (most commonly in the form of Internet hackers).

A firewall in a network is a node set up as a barrier to prevent traffic crossing from one segment to another. Firewalls are used to improve network traffic as well as for security purposes, and may serve as a barrier between connected public and private networks. A firewall may be implemented in a router or it may be a network device specialized for this purpose.

fixed attribute

An attribute whose value cannot be changed by the document developer. If an attribute is designated as fixed and its value in a document is other than the value specified by the DTD, the document is invalid.

Flame

An insulting or derogatory message usually sent via E-mail as punishment for breach of netiquette. There have been instances of 'Flame Wars', when other people join in the heated exchanges. In either case, not recommended.

flow object

An XSL convention that contains the specific information about how the content of an element within a document should be formatted. Construction rules link flow objects to their elements.

font properties

In CSS, font properties are the collection of properties and values that control the fonts used in the display of a document.

Also see CSS

Forms

An insulting or derogatory message usually sent via E-mail as punishment for breach of netiquette. There have been instances of 'Flame Wars', when other people join in the heated exchanges. In either case, not recommended.

Frame

A frame is a set of bits that form a basic block of data. Usually, a frame contains its own control information, including the address of the device to which it is being sent.

From a piece of networking equipment, frames can be unicast (sent to a single device), multicast (sent to multiple devices) or broadcast (sent to all devices).

Frame Relay

Frame relay is a high-speed packet switching protocol used in WANs. It is popular for LAN to LAN connections across remote distances and is suitable for data and image transfer. Due to its variable-length packet architecture it is not the most efficient technology for voice and video. Frame relay is more popular in the U.S. than it is in Europe.

Freeware

Software allowed to be distributed free by the author, but often with certain conditions applying (ie. the software cannot be modified etc).

FTP

(File Transfer Protocol).

FTPmail

The process where E-mail is used to access FTP Sites

Full Duplex

The ability of a device or line to transmit data simultaneously in both directions over the same communications link, potentially doubling the throughput of traffic.