Networks and communication Flashcards
What hardware is required to be able to join a network
A network adapter or interface card
What is the function of a router
- links devices, servers and the internet
- routes packets
- acts as a switch
- acts as a firewall
- acts as a wireless access point
- acts as a modem (converts digital to analogue)
what are 3 features of a LAN
- high speed transmission
- small geographical area
- usually owned by a single person or organisation
What are 4 features of a WAN
- operate over large distances
- link LANs together
- collective or distributive ownership
- one example is the internet
What are 3 features of a PAN
- organised around an individual
- often involves phones, tablets or bluetooth
- typical range of around 10 metres
what are the advantages of a star topology
- fast connection due to separated connections
- lower traffic even with other users
- fault finding is easier
- relatively secure
- easy to add clients up to a point
- if one cable fails the rest is unnafected
what are the disadvantages of a star topology
- expensive set up due to cable cost
- cable failure leads to that person being unable to use the network
- difficult to install due to the multitude of cables
- the hub may be congested
what is the function of carrier sense multiple access with collision detection
this is the scheme that stop signals from colliding in a bus network it does this by detecting collided signals and stopping further signals and setting them to send in a random interval of time
what is the function of carrier sense multiple access with collision avoidance
this is the scheme used on wireless networks to avoid collisions, it does this by having the hub clarify when it is free to receive data
what are the advantages of a bus topology
- cheaper as it requires less cable
- easier to install
- easy to add new clients by branching off the backbone
what are the disadvantages of a bus topology
- less secure as transmissions travel down the central backbone
- transmission gets slower as there are more users
- if the backbone is affected all other clients are aswell
- less reliable as it is dependent on the backbone
- more difficult to find faults
what is the difference between a physical and logical topology
a physical topology is the arrangement of cables whereas the logical topology is the way that the topology acts or how the cables are used
what are the characteristics of a peer to peer network
- no central server
- individual devices are connected to each other and treated equally
- shares files stored on the devices
- video on demand often uses this method
- no central control
- each computer can choose what the rest of the network can access, allowing everything is possible (not good security)
what is a peer to peer network suitable for
- fewer than 10 users
- located in the same area
- no security concerns
- limited growth for the future
bit torrent is a peer to peer network, what would happen when a user downloads a file using them
- the client receives the data from the source as well as other source computers
- after downloading the file the computer becomes a source
- the computers share the uploading and downloading role
