1.3- Networks, Connections and Protocols

Question 1

What is a network?

Answer 1

Collection of computers connected together

Question 2

What is a LAN?

Answer 2

Normally contained within a single building or small site- small geographical area. Uses your own hardware.

Question 3

What is a WAN?

Answer 3

Covers large geographical area, for example the internet. Often a collection of connected LANs. Parts of the structure are often owned by other people.

Question 4

What can affect speed of a network?

Answer 4

No. of devices
Bandwidth
Traffic
Latency
Transmission Errors

Question 5

What is a client-server network?

Answer 5

Separates computers into clients and servers.
Server provides services and data for others on the network.
Client is a computer that requests data and services from server
More expensive, if server fails everything fails, better security, centralised software updates.

Question 6

What is a peer to peer network?

Answer 6

Does not have a central server to manage the network, so network management is down to peers. Each computer is able to share files and resources on the network. Better suited to networks with fewer computers.
Cheaper, if peer fails then network can continue, no centralised processing server so security is worse.

Question 7

What is a Wireless Access Point?

Answer 7

A network hardware device that allows any device with Wi-Fi to connect to a network. Often built into router. Not located on device.

Question 8

What is a router?

Answer 8

Connects devices to internet. Forwards packets of data from one network to next. Scans packets of data to see where its destination is and either forwards it on to other network or device in current network.

Question 9

What is a switch?

Answer 9

Scans a packet of data to see where destination is and forwards it on. Only works within a single network and often used to join together sections of a LAN network.

Question 10

What is an NIC (network interface controller)?

Answer 10

A circuit board installed to a computer that allows it to be connected to a network. WNIC allows a computer to be connected wirelessly.

Question 11

What is transmission media?

Answer 11

Coaxial cable (mostly used in Ethernet), twisted pair cable (most common cable type in network), fibre-optic cable (now replacing network cabling as carries data much faster)

Question 12

What is DNS (DOMAIN NAME SERVER)?

Answer 12

Protocol that matches URLs with IPs
URL sent to DNS
URL matched to IP/URL sent to higher DNS
Once matched DNS returns IP address

Question 13

What is hosting?

Answer 13

Storing of files and data on a web server

Question 14

What is the cloud?

Answer 14

Generic term given to remote data storage.

Question 15

Advantages and disadvantages of cloud storage

Answer 15

ADVANTAGES
Don’t purchase additional hardware, don’t employ technical staff, no need to local backup, easy to access files, no need to update software
DISADVANTAGES
Requires internet, reliant on company, if cloud servers fail may not be able to access files

Question 16

What is a star topology?

Answer 16

A network where each node is connected to a central switch

Data collisions, if server fails whole network goes down

Question 17

What is a mesh topology?

Answer 17

A network where each node is directly connected to all other nodes

Easy to add more computers, but takes lots of cabling, doesn’t matter if one computer goes down

Question 18

What is ethernet?

Answer 18

Protocol that describes how data is transmitted in wired networks

Question 19

What is Wi-Fi?

Answer 19

Used by multiple devices to connect to a LAN at the same time. 2.4Ghz or 5Ghz

Question 20

What is Bluetooth?

Answer 20

Direct connection between two devices so data can be shared
Low bandwidth compared to Wi Fi.

Question 21

What is encryption?

Answer 21

Process of scrambling data into a code which only someone with the correct key can read. Essential for sending data over a network securely.

Question 22

What is IP addressing?

Answer 22

A unique address assigned to a device by a network

Question 23

What is MAC addressing?

Answer 23

A unique serial number assigned to each NIC. Allows network to uniquely identify any device even when dynamic IP is used.

Question 24

What is a standard?

Answer 24

Provides rules for an area of computing

Question 25

What is a protocol?

Answer 25

Set of rules

Question 26

What is TCP/IP?

Answer 26

TCP separates file into packets and manages reassembly into file. IP gives each packet an address so it reaches destination.

TRANSMISSION CONTROL PROTOCOL/ INTERNET PROTOCOL

Question 27

What is HTTP?

Answer 27

Allows browser to communicate with web server

HYPERTEXT TRANSFER PROTOCOL

Question 28

What is HTTPS?

Answer 28

More secure version of HTTP. Encrypts and decrypts web pages and data as it is sent. Used by banks, shopping sites.

HYPERTEXT TRANSFER PROTOCOL SECURE

Question 29

What is FTP?

Answer 29

Used with TCP/IP to transmit files across network

FILE TRANSFER PROTOCOL

Question 30

What is POP?

Answer 30

Used to retrieve emails from a server. Once email is downloaded from inbox, protocol deletes it from server

POST OFFICE PROTOCOL

Question 31

What is IMAP?

Answer 31

Used to retrieve emails from a server. Email not deleted from server when downloaded

INTERNET MESSAGE ACCESS PROTOCOL

Question 32

What is SMTP?

Answer 32

Governs the sending of emails using a network

SIMPLE MAIL TRANSFER PROTOCOL

Question 33

What are protocol layers?

Answer 33

Different layers in a protocol are responsible for different processes. Makes a process less complex. Layers are self contained.