3.4 Connection Methods

Question 1

What is a LAN and two advantages?

Answer 1

Local Area Network : Computer systems are all relatively close go to each other e.g in the same building/ school.

Advantages
- Reduced costs, enables shares peripheral devices such as printers and scanners
- Improved security as centralised data is easier to protect and backup

Question 2

What is a MAN?

Answer 2

Metropolitan Area Network : covers the range of a town / city, for example a university campus network.

Question 3

What is a WAN?

Answer 3

Wide Area Network : a network spanning a large geographical location such as as multiple cities or countries for example the internet.

Question 4

What is ADSL?

Answer 4

Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line : a method of transferring data across copper wire telephone lines which uses a modem. Suffers from contention because the more people that use the network slows the connection speed.

Question 5

What is a leased line?

Answer 5

A leased line is a rented connection only used by you that is uncontented and fixed bandwidth. More secure as it is uncontended and will have the same speed all the time.

Question 6

What is PSTN?

Answer 6

The wired network used for telephones. PSTN is fixed into position using underground cables hence the connection quality is much more consistent.

Question 7

What is cellular?

Answer 7

The wireless network used for mobile phones. Cellular networks have greater range than PSTN but are more affected by weather and buildings.

Question 8

What is ISDN?

Answer 8

Integrated Service Digital Network : an older alternative to ADSL but also transmits audio and voice data over copper telephone wires.