Network Engineers

Non-experts often call any wireless device a router, but engineers differentiate an access point as a device that provides wireless connectivity within a network without routing capabilities.

The general public calls the modem; engineers often refer to it as CPE, encompassing all customer-side network devices including modems and routers.

Layman use "cable" broadly, but network engineers specify types of cables like Ethernet standards that define speed and transmission characteristics.

Casual users say "IP address" without distinction, whereas engineers explicitly define IP versions to clarify addressing protocols and capabilities.

Lay reports use "slow network" generically, but engineers analyze performance using metrics like latency and packet loss to pinpoint issues.

Laypeople say "firewall" broadly while engineers differentiate advanced firewalls that integrate intrusion prevention and application control as NGFWs.

Outside users see "hack" as malicious, but insiders use "penetration test" to describe authorized security testing to find vulnerabilities.

Casual terms use "password," while engineers use "shared secret" or "PSK" when referring to authentication keys for secure Wi-Fi or VPN access.

Casual users say "IP" vaguely, but engineers specify subnetting concepts like CIDR notation to efficiently allocate IP address ranges.

While casual observers say "Internet" to mean the global network, engineers distinguish the technique and scope by referring to WAN for large-scale networks connecting distant sites.