Network Basics

Question 1

Client

Answer 1

▪ Device end-user accesses the network with
▪ Workstation, laptop, tablet, smartphone, television, server, or other
terminal devices
▪ Can be any device that connects to the network

Question 2

Server

Answer 2

▪ Provides resources to the rest of the network
▪ Different servers provide different functions, such as an E-mail server,
Web server, File server, Chat server, and Print server
▪ Can be a dedicated server hardware/software or can be a device that is
acting like a server for a particular function

Question 3

Hub

Answer 3

▪ Older technology to connect networked devices, such as clients and
servers
▪ Can be interconnected to provide more ports, but leads to increased
network errors
▪ Receives information in one port and rebroadcasts it out all the other
ports

Question 4

Wireless Access Point (WAP)

Answer 4

▪ Device that allows wireless devices to connect into a wired network
▪ Commonly used in home, small business, and even some large enterprise
networks
▪ Acts as a wireless hub

Question 5

Switch

Answer 5

▪ Connects networked devices such as clients and servers (like a hub)
▪ Switches learn what devices are on which switch ports
▪ Switches only forward traffic received from a port to the destination port
based on the device’s MAC address
▪ Provides more security and efficiently uses available bandwidth

Question 6

Router

Answer 6

▪ Connect two different networks together
▪ Intelligently forwards traffic to and from a network based on its logical
address
▪ Most modern routers use Internet Protocol (IP) address to determine
routing of traffic

Question 7

Media

Answer 7

▪ Connect two devices or a device to a port
▪ Made from copper cable, fiber optic cable, or radio frequency waves
(WiFi)
▪ Each type has strengths and limitations, such as its available bandwidth,
capacity, distance that can be covered, and cost to install and maintain

Question 8

Wide Area Network (WAN) Link

Answer 8

▪ Physically connects networks together
▪ Numerous WAN links are available: leased lines, DSL, Cable, Fiber Optic,
Satellite, Cellular, Microwave, …
▪ Connects internal network to external networks, such as a SOHO network
to Internet

Question 9

Client/Server Model

Answer 9

Uses dedicated server to provide access to
files, scanners, printers, and other resources
▪ Administration and backup are easier since
resources are located on a few key servers

Question 10

Benefits of Client/Server

Answer 10

▪ Centralized administration
▪ Easier management
▪ Better scalability

Question 11

Drawbacks of Client/Server

Answer 11

Higher cost
▪ Requires dedicated resources
▪ Requires network operating system

Question 12

Peer-to-Peer Model

Answer 12

▪ Peers (PCs) share resources (files/printers)
with each other directly
▪ Administration and backup are more difficult
since resources are located on a many PCs
which adds to the administrative burden

Question 13

Benefits of Peer-to-Peer

Answer 13

▪ Lower cost
▪ No dedicated resources required
▪ No specialized operating system required

Question 14

Drawbacks of Peer-to-Peer

Answer 14

▪ Decentralized management
▪ Inefficient for large networks
▪ Poor scalability

Question 15

Personal Area Network (PAN)

Answer 15

Smallest type of wired or
wireless network
▪ Covers the least amount
of area (few meters)
▪ Examples:
● Bluetooth cellphone to car
● USB hard drive to laptop
● Firewire video camera to
computer

Question 16

Local Area Network (LAN)

Answer 16

▪ Connects components in a limited distance
▪ Each segment is limited to short distances, such as 100 meters with CAT 5
cabling
▪ Consists of Ethernet (IEEE 802.3) or WiFi networks (IEEE 802.11)
● Internal wired or wireless networks

Question 17

Campus Area Network (CAN)

Answer 17

▪ Connects building-centric LANs across a university, industrial park, or
business park
▪ Covers many square miles and buildings
▪ Examples:
● College campus
● Business Parks
● Military bases

Question 18

Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)

Answer 18

▪ Connects scattered locations across a city
▪ Larger than a CAN, but smaller than a WAN
▪ Covers up to a 25-mile radius in larger cities
▪ Examples:
● City departments like the police department
● Community college with campuses spread across a county

Question 19

Wide Area Network (WAN)

Answer 19

▪ Connects geographically disparate internal networks
▪ Consists of leased lines or Virtual Private Networks tunneled over the
Internet
▪ Covers distances around the country or around the world
▪ Examples:
● The Internet (largest WAN)
● Connecting two private corporate networks from New York to
Seattle

Question 20

Physical Topology

Answer 20

● How devices are physically connected by media

Question 21

Logical Topology

Answer 21

How the actual traffic flows in the network

Question 22

Bus Topology

Answer 22

▪ Uses a cable running through area that required network connectivity
▪ Each device “taps” into the cable using either a T connector or vampire
tap
▪ Old technology, not commonly used anymore
▪ Devices on cable form single collision domain

Question 23

Ring Topology

Answer 23

Uses a cable running in a circular loop
▪ Each device connects to the ring, but data travels in a singular direction
▪ FDDI (Fiber networks) used two counter-rotating rings for redundancy
▪ On token ring networks, devices wait for a turn to communicate on ring
by passing a token

Question 24

Star Topology

Answer 24

▪ Most popular physical LAN topology
▪ Devices connect to a single point
▪ Commonly used with Ethernet cabling, but wireless or fiber is also used
▪ If the central device fails, the entire network fails

Question 25

Hub-and-Spoke Topology

Answer 25

Used for connecting multiple sites
▪ Similar to Star but with WAN links instead of LAN connections
▪ Not redundant, if central office (hub) fails, the whole network can fail

Question 26

Full-Mesh Topology

Answer 26

Most redundant topology
▪ Every node connects to every other node
▪ Optimal routing is always available
▪ Very expensive to maintain and operate
▪ Number of Connections

Question 27

Partial-Mesh Topology

Answer 27

▪ Hybrid of the full-mesh and the hub-and-spoke topologies
▪ Provides optimal routes between some sites, while avoiding the expense
of connecting every site
▪ Must consider network traffic patterns to design it effectively

Question 28

Ad Hoc Mode

Answer 28

▪ Decentralized wireless network
▪ No routers or access points are required
▪ Forwarding decisions for data on the network are made dynamically
▪ Allows creation/joining of networks “on-the-fly”
▪ Creates P2P connections

Question 29

Wireless Mesh Topology

Answer 29

Interconnection of different types of nodes or devices
▪ Consists of clients, routers, and gateways
▪ Utilizes different radio frequencies to extend and expand access
▪ Reliable and redundant connections

Question 30

Infrastructure Mode

Answer 30

▪ Most common type of wireless network
▪ Requires centralized management
▪ Uses a wireless access point as a centralized point like a star topology
▪ Supports wireless security controls

Question 31

802.11

Answer 31

● Operates as infrastructure or ad hoc

Question 32

Bluetooth

Answer 32

Low energy use variant of Bluetooth which allows for a mesh

network

Question 33

RFID

Answer 33

Uses electromagnetic fields to read data stored in embedded tags

Question 34

NFC

Answer 34

Enables two electronic devices to communicate within a 4 cm

range

Question 35

Infrared (IR)

Answer 35

Operates with line of sight

Question 36

Z-Wave

Answer 36

● Provides short-range, low-latency data transfer at rates and
power consumption lower than Wi-Fi
● Used primarily for home automation

Question 37

Ant+

Answer 37

● Collection and transfer of sensor data

● Used with remote control systems (tire pressure, TVs, lights)