3.1.1 Network Resources

Question 1

LAN

Answer 1

Local area network
Small area
Ethernet technology it WiFi to connect nodes
Provides services in one organisation

Question 2

WAN

Answer 2

Wide area network
Large area
Uses public telephone system
Provides services to users on a global scale

Question 3

MAN

Answer 3

Metropolitan area network 
Larger than LAN 
Smaller than WAN 
Covers highly populated area 
Uses fibre optic and WiFi 
Provides services for members of a community

Question 4

Network card

Answer 4

Circuit board installed in computer
Each node has to have NIC
Provide port that accepts Ethernet cable connection
Wireless versions WNIC

Question 5

Wireless network card WNIC

Answer 5

Allow machine to connect to wireless router using WiFi
Some accept diff frequencies that can be used in WiFi radio wave connections.
Most wireless NICs are preinstalled in motherboard and do not use an antenna.

Question 6

Server

Answer 6

Primary role- management of resources on the network

In smaller networks a single computer carried out all these functions.

On larger networks each service will require its own separate computer.

These are high speed computers with a great deal of processing power and hard drive storage available.

Question 7

Resources on the network

File server

Answer 7

Storage of network resources such as users files and shared files

Question 8

Resources on the network

Print service

Answer 8

That sharing of a resource that many network computers are connected to.
The server manages the print que.

Question 9

Resources on the network

Email server

Answer 9

The server handles the software through which emails are sent/ received internally.
From network user to network user.
As well as externally.
This requires an internet connection to/ from server.

Question 10

Switched hub

Answer 10

Acts as a single connection point for multiple networked computers.

Each network computer connects to the switched hub through its Ethernet cable.

Early versions of these devices took incoming messages from a node and forwarded the message to all other connected computers.

Modern switched hubs check the destination IP address if any data it receives and forwards the message only to the intended recipient computer.

Network data traffic is split into manageable segments called “packets” each packet contains the destination IP address.

A switch reads this address and knows which port to send the message through so it only goes to the intended recipient.

Question 11

Repeater

Answer 11

Network communications are digital signals.

An electrical signal will degrade if it has to travel for a long distance.

A repeater will regenerate these signals.

WiFi repeaters are also available.

Question 12

Wireless access point

Answer 12

Hardware device that makes a connection to a router.

It then shares out this routers internet connection to any wireless devices within range.

WiFi enables devices to send/ receive packets by radio waves.

Used to create WiFi hotspots.

A wireless router is a router with a WAP added.

Question 13

Wireless router

Answer 13

Creates network in your house.

Ethernet ports for wired connections.
Creates a lan to users can share resources.
LAN and it’s resources are available to stations that connect wirelessly aswell.

Question 14

Media converter

Answer 14

Changes the signals where different types of network link meet.

Allows to dissimilar media types to connect

Question 15

IP address

Answer 15

SW address
Internet protocol address
Uniquely identifies the physical computer linked to the internet.

A router uses this IP address to route data packets sent over the internet to the correct destination.

An IP address uses 32 bits- 4 sets of numbers in the 0-255 range.

IP addresses are assigned to an ISP whenever a device uses an ISP to get an Internet connection

Is is a software address. It is specific to the computers function on a network.

Question 16

Media access control MAC address.

Answer 16

HW address
Permanent fixed method of identifying a computer on a network.

Hardware address specific to machines hardware.

Embedded in the devices NIC unique to that NIC

Used 48 bits 6 two digit hexadecimal numbers separated by colons.

Question 17

Server based networks

Answer 17

Network which contains a server

Network computers aka nodes are clients

The client computers do none of the services that run on the network.

All computers are not equal. Server controls access to network resources.

Other nodes request access to resources from the server.

Negative- if server crashes no users can log in, no users can print access files etc

Question 18

What can a server based network carry out

Answer 18

File storage? Printer management, file backup, sharing our software.

Question 19

Peer to peer networks P2P

Answer 19

All nodes have equal status.

Services/ hardware attached to a single node can still be shared out.

Each node can supply resources.

Each node can request resources from any other node.

Each node can decide which other nodes are allowed access to its resources.

No need for expensive server or server OS, not reliant on a server.

Question 20

Network topology

Answer 20

The physical arrangement of components in a network.

How the devices in a computer network are connected to each other.

There are 3 common network topologies.
Ring
Bus
Star.

Question 21

Ring

Answer 21

Each node is connected to exactly two other nodes.

Data passes from node to node until it reaches its destination node.

Data travels in one direction.

Data is added to a token which passed from node to node.

Each node checks if it is the intended destination.

To add a new computer to a ring network, the link between two nodes is broken and a new computer is connected between them.

A broken connection will cause network to fail.

If ring long data signal may attenuate so repeaters may be needed

Question 22

Bus

Answer 22

All nodes are connected to the backbone cable via a connection cable.

The bus backbone cable is terminated at both ends.

Data is transmitted in both directions.

All nodes receive transmitted data but only the intended recipient will read it.

Adding a new node means adding new connection to backbone.

However more nodes added to a single backbone will slow transmission speeds because of the increase in data traffic.

If > node tried to transmit at same time problems with data collision.

Question 23

Star

Answer 23

Each node is linked by its own connecting cable to a central node.

If a cable fails it will only affect one single network device.

This is more reliable than a ring or bus topology.

This is also more secure than a bus or ring as data is sent by the server only to its intended recipient.