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Telecom Dictionary - W

W - This the abbreviation for Watt.

W3 - This is an abbreviation for WWW -- i.e., the World Wide Web.

Walkie Talkie - A portable, handheld radio receiver and transmitter.

Wallpaper - In computer-speak, wall paper is the picture behind your icons on your desktop (which is the main work-page provided by your MS Windows Operating System).

Warez - Cracked or pirated versions of commercial software.

Watt - This is a unit of power, or electricity consumption, and it is the product of the current's ampere and the voltage ratings.

Wave - In general, this is any pattern with some identifiable periodicity in time (such as with FM) and/or space (such as with AM). It can be thought of as a disturbance that moves through or over the surface of the medium with speed that is dependent on the properties of the medium.

Waveguide - This is a metallic microwave conductor that is used to carry microwave signals into and out of microwave antennas.

Wavelength - The distance between a point on one wave and the same point on the adjacent wave. It is, for instance, the distance from crest-to-crest.

Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) - This is a technique that increases the transmission capabilities of optical-fibers by transmitting at multiple wavelengths (up to four). It allows wavelength division multiple access.

Wavelength Division Multiple Access (WDMA) - see Wavelength Division Multiplexing.

Wavelet - This is an oscillating waveform that only lasts for a few cycles. A natural wave continues indefinitely.

WDM - see Wavelength Division Multiplexing.

WDMA - see Wavelength Division Multiple Access.

Web - The internet's World Wide Web.

Web Address - The string address of a website on the internet, such as:
http://www.satellite-tv-hq.net

Web Browser - Software that you use to surf the internet, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) or Netscape.

Webcam - A digital video recorder that allows video to be sent, in real time, over the internet to another computer.

Webmaster or Webmistress - An administrator with the most authority regarding the management (and possibly design) of a website.

Webpage - A single page within a website, such as:
http://www.satellite-tv-hq.net/free-satellite-tv.htm

Website - A set of web pages that can visited and accessed with a Web Browser, such as all of the pages in our site: www.satellite-tv-hq.net.

Wet Circuit - A circuit that carries direct current (DC).

White Noise - Noise that results from the random motions of electrons in electronic materials. Also known as average white Gaussian noise.

White Paper - A plain, white paper booklet up to around 30 pages (usually) that discusses technical issues (usually related to a specific company).

Window - In telecommunications, this is the flow control mechanism in a packet switched network. It prevents overload by limiting the amount of packets that can be en route at one time.

Windows - The name of the ubiquitous Microsoft Operating System.

Wire Gauge - The system of numerical designations representing wire sizes.

Wireless - In the US, this means a phone or internet system that operates without wires (usually within a building), but in Australia and England, the wireless is the radio.

Wizard - A program within an application that is an online tutor.

Word - This is a set of binary bits recognized by a computer as a primary unit of information.

Word Length - This is the number of bits in a word, without stop, start, or parity bits.

World Wide Web (WWW, W3) - This refers to the total amount of information accessible from many computers around the world that are connected to the internet, which is the public network.

Worm - This is a software program, benign or malignant, that is capable of reproducing itself and spreading over a network.

Write - To record data on a storage device.

WWW - see World Wide Web and W3.