Network Hardware

Question 1

What is the purpose of a Network Interface Card (NIC)

Answer 1

provides a connection to the network

Question 2

What does the NIC do

Answer 2

converts data from the nodes into a format that is compatible with the network - this is called network protocol

Question 3

What does every NIC have

Answer 3

it has an unique address hard-wired or burned into it -This is called a Media Access Control (MAC Address)

Question 4

What does having a MAC Address mean

Answer 4

it means that every node on the network can be uniquely identified so that the data can be sent to the right place

Question 5

What are MAC Addresses represented as

Answer 5

they are represented as 12 digit hexadecimal numbers

Question 6

What is a hub

Answer 6

It is a piece of hardware that allows nodes to be linked together and exchange data

Question 7

What is a node connected by

Answer 7

it is connected by to the hub by a cable and is connected to a single port on the hub

Question 8

How is data moved around

Answer 8

It is moved in the form of data packet

Question 9

What is a data packet

Answer 9

Small chunks of data that has a destination address included

Question 10

What happens to the data packet when it arrives at the hub port

Answer 10

it is transmitted to to every other port and to every node on the network

Question 11

How does a data collision happen

Answer 11

if two or more computers want to place a data packet on to the network at the same time then a data collision happens

Question 12

What happens if a data collision happens

Answer 12

the collided data is mark unusable and the two computers are forced to send their data packets again at different times

Question 13

Why can using a hub to connect a network cause a security threat

Answer 13

because a hub receives data it will forward it to every device it connects to regardless of whether it was only meant for that device

Question 14

What does a switch do

Answer 14

it allows computers to be linked together and exchange data

Question 15

How does a switch differ from a hub

Answer 15

unlike a hub, a switch does not broadcast every data packet to every device which mean there is better security

Question 16

How does a switch make a network more efficient

Answer 16

it reduces the amount of data collisions and helps speed up the running of the network.

Question 17

What are the advantages of a hub

Answer 17

-Less expensive than a switch

Question 18

What are the disadvantages of a hub

Answer 18

• The data packets are transmitted to every node on the network
• It connects nodes on the network together. It is not intelligent
• Higher risk of data collisions
• Security risk

Question 19

What are the advantages of a switch

Answer 19

• It connects nodes on the network together. It is intelligent
• Data packets are only transmitted to the node for which it is intended
• Less risk of data collisions

Question 20

What are the disadvantages of a switch

Answer 20

-More expensive than a node

Question 21

What is a router

Answer 21

A device that transfers data packets by the most efficient route from one network to another

Question 22

When a data packet arrives a router does what

Answer 22

1. Reads the data packet destination address
2. Looks up all the paths it has available to get to that address
3. Checks how busy each path is
4. Sends the packet along the least congested route

Question 23

What other tasks can the router perform

Answer 23

• Exchange of protocol information across networks

- Filter traffic- helps prevent unauthorised intrusion by malware

Question 24

How do you connect a Wi-Fi device to a wired network

Answer 24

Use a Wireless access point (WAP)

Question 25

Why is wireless technology so helpful

Answer 25

it makes it easy for people to use the network and transmit data without being physically connected

Question 26

Where are WAP’s commonly found

Answer 26

in public areas (Airport, Cafes, Offices)

Question 27

What does a WAP do

Answer 27

it doesn’t read the destination MAC address of a data packet and so the data is broadcast to ever one connected to it