Network hardware Flashcards
What does a computer network need in order to connect the computer hardware?
(Name what it is called, not the specific types)
Network hardware
What are the types of important network hardware?
Wired Network interface controller (NIC)
Wireless network interface controller
Wireless access point (WAP)
Switch
Router
What are types of transmission media and what does it do?
it is the connection between computers on a network.
Coaxial cable
Twisted-pair cable
Fibre-optic cable
Radio waves
What does NIC stand for?
Wired network interface controller
What does WAP stand for?
Wireless access point
What is a NIC?
An internal piece of hardware that can be fitted inside a computer to allow it to connect to a wired network by plugging in a cabbie.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Wired network interface controllers are common on larger devices such as desktop computers, servers and printers.
What is a wireless network interface controller?
An internal piece of hardware that is fitted inside a computer to allow it to connect to a wireless network (WiFi).
One or more antennas are used to send and receive radio waves.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Most mobile devices such as laptops and smartphones have a wireless network interface controller built in so that they can connect to WiFi, but the antenna is often hidden inside.
What is a WAP?
A wireless access point sends and receives radio waves with nearby devices that have a wireless network interface controller. The WAP is then connected to a wired network using a socket on the back.
What is a switch?
A network switch allows several computers to be connected together with wires, and is the central hardware of a “star” network topology. The switch actively manages the flow of data by giving each connected device an IP address and by sending data packets directly to the correct computer on the network.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Some switches have as many as 52 sockets (ports) to plug in computers, servers, printers and other network devices such as wireless access points. A large office or school building might need several switches to connect all the computers together.
What is a router?
A “WiFi Router” used in a home or small office contains a combination of hardware including a wireless access point (to connect a few devices using cables) and a modem (to connect to the internet)
Like a switch, a router assigns each connected device a “local” IP address so that it can direct packets of data to the correct computer. The router also provides a “public” IP address on the internet so that it can send and receive packets of data with computers around the world.
What is a coaxial cable?
Coaxial cables contain a copper wire and surrounding copper mesh, separated by an insulating plastic layer.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
They are very cheap but quite slow (low bandwidth)
What is a twisted pair cable?
Twisted pair cables contain 8 small copper wires twisted together in pairs. They are used in modern computer networks because they are relatively cheap and fast.
What is a fibre optic cable?
Fibre optic cables use thin strands of glass to send network data as pulses of laser light rather than electrical signals.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
These are very, very fast and can cover long distances, but they are also expensive and quite difficult to work with.
What are radio waves?
Wireless network connections such as Bluetooth and WiFi transmit data as invisible radio waves.
The frequency of these radio waves determines how far and how fast the data can travel, but radio waves are usually slower (and travel less far) than twisted pair or fibre optic cables.
