Definition: FireWire is a high performance networking standard based on a serial bus architecture similar to USB. FireWire is also known as the IEEE 1394 standard, created in 1995.
People typically use FireWire to network their digital video cameras with their computers using special cables. However, FireWire theoretically supports direct networking of any two computers / computer peripherals that support the standard.
The original FireWire technology provided 400 Mbps of network bandwidth, but the newer Firewire 800 (IEEE 1394b) implementations offer 800 Mbps. As those speeds far exceed typical Ethernet or WiFi connections, FireWire is therefore also well-suited for fast computer-to-computer large file transfers on home networks. Both Windows XP and Apple Mac OS support FireWire fire transfers over Internet Protocol (IP).
Also Known As: IEEE 1394
