Internet and Web Host Glossary: Common Terms Explained

This web host glossary defines important concepts such as DNS, IP address, SEO, IMAP, and POP, along with other common technical terms. Whether you’re new to web hosting or looking for a quick reference, this guide will help you better navigate the language of web technology, domains, and email services.

In this article, we will discuss:

• Internet Terms
• Computer Terms
• Distributed Denial of Service Attack (DDoS)
• Website Terms
• Email Terms
• Ruby on Rails
• Review

Internet Terms

Web hosting – a service that provides space on the internet that can be used for a website. The space provided is typically stored on a group of servers (computers) that are located in a secure location. Hosting is only one part of an online presence, as a website must be associated with a domain name (such as www.example.com) that is purchased through a registrar to appear on the internet.

Address bar – the area typically found in the top part of a browser that is used to input a domain name or URL.

URL – short for Uniform Resource Locator, this identifies the exact address of a webpage on the internet.

IP address – stands for Internet Protocol address and refers to the unique numeric location of a computer or device on a network.

ISP – an Internet Service Provider is a company that supplies internet access, typically for a subscription fee. Examples include Comcast/Xfinity, Verizon, Cox, and Qwest/CenturyLink.

Search engine – an online tool that lets users look up information across websites using keywords or phrases. Popular search engines include Google, Yahoo, and Bing.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – this refers to techniques and services designed to improve how high a website can rank in search engine results. More information on SEO can be found in Network Solution’s Knowledge Base article, which is located here: Benefits of SEO for Website.

 

Computer Terms

Bandwidth – the amount of information that can be transferred from your website on the internet.

Server – another name for a computer.

Operating system – the program that is used to run a computer. Commonly used operating systems include Windows (XP, Vista, 7), Mac OS, UNIX, and Linux.

 

Distributed Denial of Service Attack (DDoS)

A distributed denial of service attack (DDoS) occurs when a third party tries to overload the entire network of a company or service provider to the point that their services are not available on the internet. A DDoS attack is NOT an attempt to breach customer servers, and at no point is customer data at risk from such an event.

At Network Solutions, our pooled, load-balanced architecture minimizes the effects of most DDoS attacks on our user base in the event that one does occur. Most DDoS attacks will end up affecting less than one percent of users. We understand that if your site is within the group of affected users, it has a large effect on your ability to do business. As such, we are constantly striving to find new methods and technologies to strengthen our architecture and avoid outages that may affect our customers.

 

Website Terms

Domain – the name of your website. Also known as a 'domain name.' An example of a domain is 'www.example.com'.

Registrar – the company from which a domain must be purchased and maintained. In some cases (such as with Network Solutions), a registrar is different from a web host, as a web host provides the space online for a website, while a registrar provides the name of the website. However, although Network Solutions currently provides hosting space and acts as a registration service provider for domains, it is not a registrar. Common registrars include Tucows, FastDomain, and eNom.

DNS – information used by the internet regarding the location of a website. DNS stands for 'Domain Name System.' Refer to the How to Manage DNS and Advanced DNS Records knowledge base article for more information.

Nameservers – tell the internet where to find your website.

WHOIS – public record of the domain and how to contact the owner. A WHOIS search can be performed at any WHOIS search engine.

 

Email Terms

Email client – is a program used to access email. It may be installed locally on a device or accessed online, where it is commonly referred to as a ‘webmail client.’

• An email client typically provides more options for mail management than a webmail client, and also has the ability to work offline. Common email clients include Outlook, Apple Mail, and Thunderbird.
• A webmail client allows you to access your mail from anywhere, requiring only an internet browser. Common webmail clients include AtMail, SquirrelMail, Gmail, Hotmail, and Yahoo Mail.

SMTP – an internet standard for sending email. SMTP stands for 'Simple Mail Transfer Protocol.' May also be referred to as 'outgoing mail.'

POP – an internet standard for retrieving email. POP stands for 'Post Office Protocol.' May also be referred to as 'incoming mail.'

POP is a one-way communication path. This means that when you access your email from your computer or other local device, your email client (such as Outlook or Thunderbird) will save a local copy of the email to your computer, then delete the original from the mail server. Email accessed using POP ties it to a specific computer or device; thus, you will be unable to view your webmail from multiple sources. However, POP is useful for storing local copies of email to be read offline or when not connected to the internet, as well as for ensuring that your webmail mailbox in MailCentral will retain plenty of storage room for accepting more email in the future.

IMAP – an internet standard for retrieving email. IMAP stands for 'Internet Message Access Protocol.' May also be referred to as 'incoming mail.'

IMAP is a two-way communication path. This means that when you access your email from your computer or other local device, any changes that are made will be synchronized with your webmail on the mail server. For example, if you log in to MailCentral, create a new folder in your webmail, then put a message into that folder, this change will instantly and automatically appear in your email client (such as Outlook or Thunderbird), and on your mobile device. Also, if you are at work and you begin a message, then save it, it will still be there in your mailbox when you log in from a different email client, such as one on your home computer.

IMAP provides a smooth method to access your mail from multiple devices, say from work, home, and your mobile, through two-way syncing capabilities between your mail clients and the Network Solutions mailbox. However, because IMAP saves all your messages on the server, be sure to frequently clean up your mailbox, delete old messages, and save the ones you want to keep on a local computer.

 

Ruby on Rails

Ruby on Rails is a web application that is used to develop database-backed websites using the Ruby programming language. It is open source and operates independently of a web server.

In short, Network Solutions does support Ruby. However, the Ruby on Rails architecture uses system calls to create things like directories, and our current security protocols would not allow the Rails calls to go out. Thus, incorporating Ruby on Rails would require a complete rewrite of our current security protocols, essentially allowing access for Rails calls to the system where we otherwise would lock it down as part of security. As the continued safety and stability of our hosting community are of utmost concern here at Network Solutions, we currently have no plans to change our existing system security.

 

Review

This glossary provides straightforward explanations of essential web hosting, internet, and email terms such as DNS, IP address, SEO, IMAP, and POP. Gaining familiarity with these concepts makes it easier to manage a website, work with your hosting provider, and understand the technical aspects of online services.