Home Tech Glossary

A wireless access point (AP) is a device that adds Wi-Fi to a wired network by connecting to your router with an Ethernet cable.

Alexa is Amazon’s voice assistant, built into Echo speakers and displays, used to control smart home devices by voice and in the Alexa app.

HomeKit is Apple’s smart home framework, shown in the Home app as Apple Home, for controlling accessories from iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch.

Backhaul is the connection that carries traffic between mesh units or access points and your main router.

A bridge is a small hub made by one brand, such as the Philips Hue Bridge, that connects that brand’s devices to your network and its app.

Bridge mode switches off a gateway’s or router’s own routing so it only passes the internet connection on to another router, which then runs your network.

A C-wire (common wire) is a low-voltage wire that gives a thermostat continuous power from your heating and cooling system.

Camera resolution is the number of pixels a camera records, such as 2K or 4K, which sets how much detail a video can hold.

Cloud control means a smart device is operated through the maker’s internet servers, so commands travel out to the cloud and back.

DHCP is the service, usually built into your router, that automatically gives every device on your network an IP address.

DNS (Domain Name System) translates website and service names into the numeric addresses that computers use to find each other.

Double NAT happens when two devices in a row, such as a provider gateway and your own router, both do routing, so your traffic passes through two layers of address translation.

A DVR (digital video recorder) is a box that records video from older analog cameras connected by coaxial cable.

EasyMesh is a Wi-Fi Alliance standard that lets compatible routers and extenders form one mesh network, even across some brands.

Ethernet is the standard for wired network connections, using a cable between devices, routers and switches.

Field of view (FOV) is how wide an area a camera lens can see, usually given in degrees.

Firmware is the built-in software that runs a device such as a router, camera, hub or smart plug.

A gateway is a single box from your internet provider that combines a modem and a router, and often Wi-Fi as well.

Google Home is Google’s smart home platform and app, used to set up and control Nest speakers and displays and compatible smart devices.

A guest network is a separate Wi-Fi network on your router that gives visitors internet access without letting them reach the devices on your main network.

Home Assistant is a free, open-source smart home platform that you run yourself and that controls devices from many brands, mostly over your local network.

IoT, short for Internet of Things, means everyday devices such as cameras, plugs, bulbs and thermostats that connect to your network.

An IP address is the number that identifies a device on a network, like a street address for data.

Local control means a smart device is operated over your home network without needing the maker’s cloud servers.

Matter is an open smart home standard, from the Connectivity Standards Alliance, that lets compatible devices work with Apple Home, Google Home, Amazon Alexa and Samsung SmartThings.

A Matter controller is the hub, speaker, display or app-based system that sets up and controls Matter devices, such as Apple Home, Google Home, Alexa or SmartThings.

Mesh Wi-Fi is a system of two or more units that work together as one network with one name, handing your devices from unit to unit as you move around.

MoCA is a technology that carries a wired network connection over the coaxial cable already in your walls.

A modem is the box that turns your internet provider’s line, such as cable or DSL, into an Ethernet connection that a router can use.

Motion zones, also called activity zones, are areas of a camera’s view that you choose to watch for movement so motion elsewhere does not trigger alerts.

A NAS (network-attached storage) is a small always-on storage device on your home network that holds files and backups and, with the right software, camera recordings.

A neutral wire is a wire in a light switch box that completes the circuit, and many smart switches and dimmers need it to power themselves.

An NVR (network video recorder) is a box or computer that records video from network cameras onto its own hard drive.

Power over Ethernet (PoE) sends both power and data to a device over a single Ethernet cable.

Powerline adapters send a network connection through your home’s electrical wiring, so a wall outlet can work like an Ethernet port.

A router is the device that connects your home network to the internet and directs traffic between your devices, and it usually provides your Wi-Fi as well.

A smart display is a screen with a built-in voice assistant, such as an Echo Show or a Nest Hub, used to control the home, make calls and view cameras.

A smart home hub is a central device that connects smart devices that do not use Wi-Fi, such as Zigbee, Z-Wave or Thread ones, to your network and apps.

A smart plug is an adapter that sits between an outlet and an appliance and lets you switch it on or off from an app, a voice assistant or a schedule.

SmartThings is Samsung’s smart home platform and app for connecting and automating devices, including Matter devices.

An SSID is the name of a Wi-Fi network, the name you pick from the list of networks on your phone.

Thread is a low-power wireless mesh network for smart home devices such as sensors and locks, and it can carry Matter.

A Thread border router is a device that connects a Thread network to your Wi-Fi or Ethernet network, so Thread devices can be reached from your phone and the internet.

Two-factor authentication (2FA) asks for a second proof, such as a code from an app or a text message, in addition to your password when you sign in.

A VLAN (virtual LAN) splits one physical network into separate virtual networks, so groups of devices cannot talk to each other freely.

Wi-Fi is the wireless technology that connects phones, laptops, cameras, plugs and other devices to your home network and the internet, usually through a router.

Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) is a Wi-Fi generation that handles many connected devices more efficiently and works on the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands.

Wi-Fi 6E is Wi-Fi 6 extended to the 6 GHz band, which adds a set of less crowded channels for newer devices.

Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) is the newest Wi-Fi generation, adding wider channels, 6 GHz support and the ability to use more than one band at the same time.

A Wi-Fi band is a range of radio frequencies used for Wi-Fi, and home networks use 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz and, on newer gear, 6 GHz.

A Wi-Fi dead zone is a part of your home where the Wi-Fi signal is weak or missing.

A Wi-Fi extender, also called a repeater or booster, picks up your router’s signal and rebroadcasts it to reach further.

WPA2 is a long-standing Wi-Fi security standard that encrypts your wireless traffic and protects it with your network password.

WPA3 is the newer Wi-Fi security standard, with stronger protection for your network password than WPA2.

Z-Wave is a low-power wireless standard for smart home devices such as locks, switches and sensors, which connect through a Z-Wave hub.

Zigbee is a low-power wireless standard used by many smart bulbs, sensors and switches, which connect to a hub or bridge rather than directly to Wi-Fi.

2.4 GHz is the Wi-Fi band with the longest range and the lowest top speeds, and the one most smart plugs, bulbs and many cameras use.

5 GHz is a faster, shorter-range Wi-Fi band that suits phones, laptops, streaming devices and gaming.

6 GHz is the newest Wi-Fi band, available on Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 devices, with more open channels but a shorter range than the older bands.