1.5 Communication Hardware

Question 1

what is a hub

Answer 1

hubs join multiple network devices together to form a single network segment.

connect segments of a LAN

handles frames (frames carry data) when a frame is received it is amplified then transmitted on to the part of the destination PC

Question 2

what does a passive hub do

Answer 2

doesn’t amplify electrical signal of packets before broadcasting to the network (concentrator)

Question 3

what is an active hub

Answer 3

amplified electrical signal of incoming packets (multiport repeater)

Question 4

what is an intelligent hub

Answer 4

a hub that is stackable and includes remote management capabilities through SNMP and virtual LAN support

Question 5

disadvantage of a hub

Answer 5

they are slow as they cannot send and receive data at the same time

Question 6

what is a router

Answer 6

connect LAN’s to WAN’s

monitors the condition of the network to adapt to changes

multiport devices with high speed backbone

self learning, less susceptible to catastrophic failure

Question 7

what is a switch

Answer 7

does the same as a hub but more efficiency

learns where addresses are making the network fast

uses a table of MAC addresses to find the port data needs to go to

connects LAN segments

expanded bandwidth

network traffic goes where it needs to instead of every port

Question 8

what is a modem

Answer 8

concerts digital signals from the computer to analogue signals that can be transmitted over telephone, cable or satellite.

different models have different BPS (speed data is transmitted)

can be an expansion board

Question 9

what is a wireless access point (WAP)

Answer 9

• hardware device on a LAN that allows devices and wired networks to connect through wireless standard
• known as hotpot
• provide wireless internet in public places such as coffee shops, airports and train stations

Question 10

what is a combined / hybrid device

Answer 10

• a device that combines the functionality of a number of communication devices