Chapter 3 Flashcards
What are the components of Coaxial Cable?
Inner conductor (copper core), Insulator (PVC plastic), Braided mesh conductor (aluminum or tin-coated copper), Sheath (PVC plastic)
What are the advantages of Coaxial Cable?
Less susceptible to EMI, Resistant to physical damage, Large existing infrastructure
What are the disadvantages of Coaxial Cable?
Expensive, Not very flexible, Signal quality degrades with multiple splitters
What are the components of Twisted Pair Cable?
Four pairs of copper wires, PVC plastic insulation, Outer plastic sheath, Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP), Shielded Twisted Pair (STP)
What are the advantages of Twisted Pair Cable?
Inexpensive, Easy to install, flexible, lightweight, Common, tools are readily available, Widely supported network medium
What are the disadvantages of Twisted Pair Cable?
Susceptible to interference, Vulnerable to cable damage and eavesdropping, Low bandwidth
What are the components of Fiber Optic Cable?
Central core (plastic or glass), Cladding, Protective layer, Plastic sheath
What are the vulnerabilities of traditional cables?
Vulnerable to cable damage and eavesdropping.
What is a disadvantage of traditional cables?
Low bandwidth.
What is the central component of a Fiber Optic Cable?
Central core (plastic or glass): Carries the signal.
What is the function of the cladding in a Fiber Optic Cable?
Cladding: Maintains the signal in the core.
What does the protective layer of a Fiber Optic Cable provide?
Protective layer: Provides structural support.
What is the purpose of the plastic sheath in a Fiber Optic Cable?
Plastic sheath: Encases and protects the cable.
What is an advantage of Fiber Optic Cables?
Immune to EMI.
What is another advantage of Fiber Optic Cables?
Highly resistant to eavesdropping.
What is a key benefit of Fiber Optic Cables regarding transmission rates?
Fastest transmission rates.
What is an advantage of Fiber Optic Cables concerning distance?
Greater cable distances without repeaters.
What is a disadvantage of Fiber Optic Cables?
Very expensive.
What is another disadvantage of Fiber Optic Cables?
Difficult to work with.
What is required for attaching connectors to Fiber Optic Cables?
Specialized training required for attaching connectors.
What is a BNC connector used for?
Used in legacy networks, specialized industries, and composite video.
What is the F-Type connector primarily used for?
Used for cable/satellite TV and broadband connections.
What is the RJ11 connector used for?
Used primarily for telephone wiring.
What is the RJ45 connector used for?
Used for Ethernet networks.
What type of connector is ST?
Keyed, bayonet-type connector, used with single and multi-mode cabling.
What type of connector is SC?
Push-on, pull-off connector, used with single and multi-mode cabling.
What is the LC connector?
Small plastic connector with a locking tab, used with single and multi-mode cabling.
What is the MT-RJ connector?
Plastic connector with a locking tab, used with single and multi-mode cabling.
What is a feature of USB?
Cross-platform compatibility.
What type of communication does USB use?
Serial communication.
What configuration does USB support?
Plug-and-play configuration.
What does hot-swappable mean in the context of USB?
Devices can be connected or disconnected without shutting down the system.
What is a feature of USB regarding power supply?
Power supply over cable.
How many devices can USB support per bus?
Support for up to 127 devices per bus.
What is a characteristic of USB bandwidth?
Shared bandwidth among connected devices.
How many generations has USB evolved through?
USB has evolved through four generations, all backward and forward compatible.
What is the USB Type-A connector?
Standard connector on desktop PCs and older laptops.
What is the USB Mini-B connector?
Small connector, replaced by Micro-USB.
What is the Micro-B connector commonly used for?
Commonly used on smartphones.
What is USB Type-C?
The latest USB standard, smaller, thinner, reversible, can be inserted either way.
How do USB devices connect?
They can connect directly to a USB port or via an external USB hub.
What are self-powered devices?
Devices that have their own power supply.
What are bus-powered devices?
Devices that receive power via the USB cable.
What is the ATX form factor?
The most used form factor, with several versions including Standard ATX, MicroATX, Mini-ITX, NLX, and BTX.
What are the dimensions of Standard ATX?
12” x 9.6”, up to seven expansion slots.
What are the dimensions of MicroATX?
9.6” x 9.6”, up to four expansion slots.
What are the dimensions of Mini-ITX?
6.7” x 6.7”, one expansion slot.
What is the NLX form factor?
An older form factor that has been replaced by MicroATX and Mini-ITX.
What is the BTX form factor?
Designed as an ATX replacement but not widely adopted.
What is the purpose of the CPU socket?
It houses the CPU.
What are memory slots used for?
For installing RAM modules.
What are PCI slots used for?
For installing expansion cards.
What does firmware (BIOS or UEFI) control?
It controls the startup process.
What is the function of the CMOS battery?
It maintains the system clock and BIOS/UEFI settings.
What is the role of the chipset?
It facilitates communication between components.
What is Static RAM (SRAM)?
Stores data using four transistors per bit, faster, more expensive, used in cache memory.
What is Dynamic RAM (DRAM)?
Stores data using one transistor per bit, slower, less expensive, used in main system memory.
What is DDR SDRAM?
A new generation of SDRAM, synchronized with the system clock, double data rate.
What is DDR1?
The original DDR, no longer used in modern systems.
What is DDR2?
It doubles the data rate of DDR.
What is DDR3?
It doubles the data rate of DDR2.
What is DDR4?
It doubles the data rate of DDR3 and supports power-saving features.
What is DDR5?
It doubles the data rate of DDR4, with improved power management and efficiency.
What is DIMM?
Dual Inline Memory Module, with pins on both sides and a 64-bit data path.
What is SODIMM?
A smaller DIMM used in laptops.
What is UniDIMM?
A module that can carry either DDR3 or DDR4 chips.
Who are the major CPU manufacturers?
Intel and AMD.
What are the CPU architectures?
22-bit or 64-bit.
What is speed in relation to CPUs?
Measured in MHz, also called frequency.
What is cache in a CPU?
Memory accessed directly by the processor.
What does process size refer to?
Manufacturing process used to create the CPU.
What is a multi-core processor?
Processors with multiple cores for parallel processing.
What is throttling in CPUs?
Modifying operating characteristics based on conditions.
What is virtualization?
Running multiple operating systems simultaneously.
What must match for a CPU to work?
The motherboard socket must match the CPU socket type.
What is LGA?
Land Grid Array: Pins are on the socket, contacts are on the CPU.
What is PGA?
Pin Grid Array: Pins are on the CPU, inserted into the socket.
What is ZIF?
Zero Insertion Force: Evolution of PGA, lever for safe installation.
What is BGA?
Ball Grid Array: CPU permanently soldered to the motherboard.
What are integrated video cards?
Integrated with the CPU or motherboard, less expensive, less powerful.
What are dedicated video cards?
Installed in an expansion slot, more expensive, more powerful.
What should display connectors match?
Match the connectors to the display.
What factors contribute to display quality?
Resolution and refresh rate.
What handles video rendering tasks?
GPU handles video rendering tasks.
What type of memory do dedicated video cards use?
Dedicated video cards use high-speed memory.
What is important about bus type for video cards?
Compatible with the motherboard expansion slot.
What is multi-GPUs?
Linking video cards together to share the processing load.
What are capture cards used for?
Used to capture on-screen content and encode it for livestreaming or video files.
What does ADC do in sound cards?
Converts analog sound to digital data.
What is the function of DSP in sound cards?
Handles analog and digital conversion.
What does DAC do in sound cards?
Converts digital data to analog sound.
What is important about bus support for sound cards?
Compatible with the motherboard expansion slot.
What do channels refer to in sound cards?
Number of audio channels supported.
What is sampling rate?
Number of analog signal samples taken per second.
What does feature support mean in sound cards?
Additional features for higher quality sound.
What is the role of airflow in cooling systems?
Computer cases maintain a consistent airflow to cool components.
What do intake fans do?
Pull in air, while exhaust fans expel air.
What do intake fans do?
Intake fans pull air in.
What do outtake fans do?
Outtake fans exhaust hot air.
What is the function of case fans?
Case fans create pressurized airflow.
What is the role of a power supply?
The power supply exhausts hot air.
What does a heat sink do?
A heat sink dissipates heat from components.
What do heat sensors monitor?
Heat sensors monitor temperature levels.
When is liquid cooling used?
Liquid cooling is used when air cooling is insufficient.
What is the primary function of power supplies?
Power supplies provide DC voltage to components.
How do power supplies aid in thermal management?
They aid in thermal management by exhausting hot air.
What must power supplies match?
Power supplies must match the motherboard and case form factor.
What does the voltage switch do?
The voltage switch allows for automatic voltage adjustment.
How are power supplies rated?
Power supplies are rated in watts, determining maximum power output.
What type of power do ATX power supplies provide?
ATX power supplies provide soft power.
What does the 24-pin ATX connector do?
The 24-pin ATX connector powers the motherboard.
What does the 4+4 pin CPU connector do?
The 4+4 pin CPU connector powers the CPU.
What does the 6+2 pin PCIe connector do?
The 6+2 pin PCIe connector powers video cards.
What does the 4-pin peripheral power connector do?
The 4-pin peripheral power connector powers legacy components.
What does SATA power do?
SATA power powers SATA devices.
What does the 4-pin mini-Molex connector do?
The 4-pin mini-Molex powers floppy drives.
What are symptoms of CPU issues?
Symptoms include system won’t boot, OS fails to load, and POST errors.
What are symptoms of memory issues?
Symptoms include high disk usage, ‘Not Enough Memory’ errors, system boot failure, and blank display.
What troubleshooting steps should be taken for memory issues?
Check for seating, compatibility, installation, and configuration issues.
