1.5 Network Topologies, Protocols And Layers Flashcards
What’s a computer network?
It’s a 2 or more computers linked together to allow the exchange of resources.
What can networked computers share?
- hardware
- software
- data
What’s a star network?
- Each device is connected by an individual cable(generally to a switch).
- Star networks are usually the network of choice in schools and offices because they tend to be the most reliable of the topologies.
What’s a mesh network?
- where some or all the devices are connected directly to each other.
- most are usually connected to the node(connection point) that they exchange the most data with.
What are the two different frequencies of Wi-Fi channels?
Two frequency bands used for Wi-Fi technology, 2.4GHz and 5GHz
What are the characteristics of the 2.4GHz Wi-Fi frequency band?
-been around longer
-unregulated frequency
Adv
-vendors can manufacture 2.4GHz devices less expensively
Dis
-the unregulated factor meant that manufactures used it for everything e.g.microwaves, mobile phones(more interference)
What are the characteristics of the 5GHz Wi-Fi frequency band?
-regulated frequency
Adv
-less devices use it because it’s newer and less crowded
Dis
-regulated frequency costs more money for the manufacturers to produce
What’s encryption?
A method of scrambling data with a key code which makes no sense
Why is encryption used for Wi-Fi networks?
- on open or public Wi-Fi anyone can join and sniff out packets of data from other users
- therefore encryption is used if data is intercepted it’ll have no meaning unless it was decrypted using the key
What’s Ethernet?
Ethernet is the protocol for data travelling down a cable.
How does Ethernet cables carry data?
By electrical signals down copper wires
What are the two categories of Ethernet cables?
Cat-5 -slower -cheaper Cat-6 -faster -more expensive
What’re the characteristics of Ethernet?
- stable connection
- reduced possibility to be hacked
- faster traffic speed
- generally will have a good quality signal
What’s Wi-Fi?
- a communication technology that makes use of radio waves in a LAN
- widely used to connect to the internet
What are the characteristics of Wi-Fi?
- cheap set up costs
- user not set in a specific location
- connect extra devices without needing more hardware
- signal quality will reduce through obstacles, making it less stable, might ‘drop off’
- tend to have slow transfer speeds
What’s IP addressing?
IP V4, IP V6 as a way of locating routers when going across TCP/IP networks. To be able to send data and know where it’s going.
What’s MAC addressing?
Assigning a MAC address to a device and identify a device within a network
- MAC addresses are assigned to all network-enabled devices
- MAC addresses are unique to the device and can’t be changed
What does TCP stand for and what is it?
TCP-Transmission Control Protocol
Sets the rules for how devices connect to a network, it splits data into packets and reassembles the packets back into the original data, also responsible for checking that data is correctly sent and delivered