Introduction to networks: Flashcards
What are the benefits of a network?
Data Exchange
Resource Sharing
Managing Computers
Data exchange
Data can be sent between computers without the need for external storage
Resource sharing
Peripherals are shared
Such as printers and scanners
Managing computers
A network manages can manage other computers over a network by
- Updating software
- Fixing problems
- Help users (e.g. resetting passwords)
What factors affect a network performance?
- Topology
- Choice of hardware
- Bandwidth
- Wired or wireless
Network topology
How the computers are laid out and connected together
Bandwidth
Amount of data that can be transferred in a given time
Bandwidth is shared between all active users
Wired vs Wireless
Wired networks are much faster and more reliable
Wireless performance depends on how well a computer can pick up the signal
Different types of Transmission media:
- Radio waves
- Twisted-pair copper cable
- Coaxial cable
- Fibre-optic cable
Radio waves
Transmission media of wireless networking
Twisted-pair copper cable
Ethernet cable
Coaxial cable
Wired transmission where an insulated copper wire is surrounded by a metal mesh to protect it from interference
Fibre-optic cable
Made of thin strands of glass which transmit binary data as pulses of light
Advantages of fibre optic cables:
- Do not suffer interference
- Very high bandwidth (100Tbps)
Fibre- optic cable use
Appropriate for long distance communication such as undersea cabling
