Networking

Question 1

Benefits of data communications

Answer 1

Share information
Order of management
Security systems
Easy to update

Question 2

What is a Network Interface Card

Answer 2

Allows access to network (wired or wireless)

Question 3

What are the roles of a modern router

Answer 3

Receives data being transmitted
Acts as a firewall
Acts as a switch (creates connection between 2 devices in a network)
Provides WIFI
Acts as a modem (convert digital to analogue so they can be transmitted down standard telephone cables

Question 4

What are LANs

Answer 4

Local Area Networks
Relatively Small areas such as a building or group of small buildings.
Wifi, Ethernet, fibre optic

Question 5

What are WANs

Answer 5

Wide Area Networks
Span an area so large it reaches several continents.
Satellite Connection or Internet

Question 6

What are the advantages of LANs

Answer 6

Less data loss
Less traffic
Cheaper
More secure
High transmission rates
Easy to maintain

Question 7

Examples of devices that use LANs

Answer 7

Printers
File servers
PC’s

Question 8

Characteristics of WANs

Answer 8

Expensive hardware
Slower transmission rates
More devices

Question 9

Examples of uses of WANs

Answer 9

Internet
Databases eg NHS
Information Sources
Connecting LANs

Question 10

Define how a star network topology works

Answer 10

Central computer to which all the other computers are attached to.

Question 11

Advantages of star topology

Answer 11

Reliable - unless main computer fails
High performance - no data collisions
Cheaper - only one I/O per device
Easier to setup

Question 12

Disadvantages of star topology

Answer 12

Expensive to install cable
If Central computer/switch fails, everything fails

Question 13

Describe how a bus topology works

Answer 13

A length of cable onto which various computers / devices are connected to

Question 14

Advantages of bus topology

Answer 14

A lot cheaper
No additional power required
Easy to setup
Easily scalable
Extendable

Question 15

Disadvantages of bus topology

Answer 15

Dealing with one singular device becomes difficult
If main cable fails, everything fails
Terminators are required at both ends of the cable
Additional devices slow the network down

Question 16

What does Physical topology mean

Answer 16

The physical layout of a network.
EG arrangement of wires, cables and computers

Question 17

What does Logical Topology mean

Answer 17

How devices appear connected to the user.
Eg how the devices are arranged and how they communicate

Question 18

Characteristics of a client-server network

Answer 18

centralised
scalable
dependable
security

Question 19

Characteristics of a peer-to-peer network

Answer 19

no central server
direct communication
scalability
privacy
resource sharing

Question 20

Advantages of a wireless network

Answer 20

flexibility
mobility
easy to install
cheap
speed
efficiency

Question 21

disadvantages of a wireless network

Answer 21

less secure
unreliable
open to interference
slow transmission speed
easily hacked

Question 22

What is an SSID

Answer 22

The way a wireless network can be identified
SSID’s can be hidden from all devices for extra security.

Question 23

What is a MAC Address

Answer 23

Media Access Control
Uniquely identifies a unique device.
6 sets of 2 HEX digits

Question 24

What is a wireless protocol

Answer 24

A set of rules to allow 2 or more devices to communicate with each other and transmit data

Question 25

What is a frequency

Answer 25

range of radio waves that the wireless network uses to transmit data

Question 26

What is a channel

Answer 26

a frequency range where wireless devices can communicate

Question 27

What can you do to speed up wifi

Answer 27

ethernet
move router
wifi extender
change frequency

Question 28

What is a collision

Answer 28

more than one device attempts to send a packet on a network segment at the same time

Question 29

How does a wireless network deal with collisions

Answer 29

divides the wireless channels equally among transmitting nodes within the collision domain

Question 30

Why is wireless less secure than wired

Answer 30

As signals are transmitted through the air, they can be intercepted with bad intentions.
Wired travels along a cable and is a lot harder to intercept.