1.4 Wired and Wireless Networks Flashcards
What are standalone computers?
Computers that are not connected to a network.
What are the advantages of networking standalone computers together?
1) Users can share files and peripherals.
2) Users can access their files from any computer on the network.
3) Server can control security, software updates and backup of data.
4) Communication with others e.g. email and social network.
What are computers in a LAN connected with?
Switch.
What is a LAN?
Local Area Network
A small geographical area located on a single site.
How does a LAN cover the area?
A Local Area Network is wired through a UTP cable, fibre optic or wireless, using WIFI/ radio waves.
What is a WAN?
Wide Area Network
A large geographical area (connecting LAN’s together).
How does a WAN connect LAN’s together?
Infrastructure between LAN is mostly hired from telecommunication companies who own and manage it.
They are connected with telephone lines, fibre optic cables or satellite links.
What are computers in a WAN connected with?
Router.
What are the disadvantages of networking?
1) Increased security risk to data.
2) Malware and viruses spread easier between computers.
3) If a server fails, computers connected to it may not work.
4) Computer might run slowly if there’s lots of data travelling on it.
What is Bandwidth?
How much data can be transferred over a connection in a given time.
How is bandwidth shared between users?
Through internal networks and WAN.
Name three types of copper Ethernet cable?
Cat-4
(slowest: 16 Mbps)
Cat-5
(slower: 100 Mbps)
Cat-6
(faster: 1Gbps)
Why are fiber optic cables good and bad?
Good: Faster
Bad: Very Expensive
How do fiber optic cables transfer data?
They reflect beams of light through one end of the cable to the other.
What can effect wi-fi performance?
(HINT: there are 4)
Latency: Max. speed a connection can go.
Throughput: Amount of traffic a network can carry at a time.
Packet Loss: Glitches, errors, or network overloading might result in the loss of data packets.
Retransmission: When packet loss does occur, those lost packets are retransmitted.