TCP\IP - Stands for Transmission Control Protocol \ Internet Protocol and is the primary protocol stack used for Internet communications and is the base communication for networking in an IP environment.
IP - Stands for Internet Protocol and is a large part of the TCP/IP stack used in all modern networks.
IP Address - Every device on a network needs its own unique IP address so the other devices know where to find each other. Most of the devices are computers, but some are switches and routers and they need a unique IP address too. An IP address is 4 bytes in length with the following format - 192.168.2.5. This is a logical address and can easily be changed.
Subnet Mask - This value defines which portion of the IP address belongs to the Network and which is the 'user' assigned portion. Ultimately it is a bit value and tells you how many of the 32 bits belong to the Network ID. There is a great deal more to know, but only network administrators need to be burdened with that bit of joy!!
Node - Each one of the device in the above description that require an IP address is a node on the network.
DNS - Domain Naming System and its primary purpose is to ease navigation through the Internet and other large networks. It translates names to IP addresses. This allows for us to remember something like www.google.com as opposed to 74.125.113.104.
WINS - Windows Internet Naming Service and its primary function was to perform name to IP resolution. DNS has since replaced it, but it is still is use is some networks running legacy equipment.
DHCP - Stands for Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol is how Windows handles the shortage of IP addresses. A server running DHCP manages a pool of IP address it can dole out to equipment that attaches to its network and needs an IP address. Now this piece of equipment needs to have its parameters set to ask for an IP via a DHCP server, but if it does, than the DHCP server gives it an IP address so it can jump on the network and share network resources with the other authenticated network objects.
LAN - Local Area Network and represents the boundry of any given network address before a Layer 3 device such as a router is required to reach additional networks and network resources
WAN - When routers are employed and multiple Local Area Network are connected, the over encompassing network is called the Wide Area Network, or WAN.
Router - Routers are pieces of electronic equipment that controls IP traffic across a given network.
Home Gateway - Also known as a home router this device will take your single DSL or High Speed Cable connection and spit it so more than one device can use the same DSL\Cable connection at the same time
Switch - A switch is a piece of network equipment that operates on a bit lower layer in the communication chain. Switches are historically based in MAC addressing. However, switches that can communicate with both MAC addresses and IP addresses are becoming more and more prevalent.
NIC - Network Interface Card and is how your computer or laptop can access any given network including the Internet. NICs come in a few flavors these days - there are NIC cards you can add to a PC, there are built-on NIC components, Wireless NICs to name the common ones. The NIC is where the MAC address is located and to which the IP address needs to 'bind' with so you can get access to the network at home or wherever.
MAC Address - The MAC address is a physical address burned onto your NIC card by the NIC card manufacturer so that at least all NICs have that basic layer 2 network and can be accessed and assigned an IP address, which is the logical aspect of the addressing scheme.
Provider - Any communications company that offers Internet or other communications services.