Networks, Connections and Protocols Flashcards
How does the number of users affect the performance of a network?
If a large number of people are all using the network at once, and they are all performing data hungry tasks such as streaming video, then network speed can slow down.
How does the bandwidth affect the performance of a network?
How much data the network is capable of transmitting. If one section of the network, such as the connection between different LANs in a WAN, has a large amount of data being transmitted, then all users may notice a reduction in network speed.
What is a client- server network?
When all the nodes are connected to a hub or switch
What is a peer- to- peer network?
When all the nodes are connected to each other
Network Interface Card (NIC)
Device that can be for connecting via a cable to a wired network, or wirelessly to a wi-fi network.
Wireless Access Point (WAP)
Transmits signals from the network so that they can be read by the wireless NIC on the computer system.
Domain Name Servers (DNS)
Used to find the IP address of the actual web server that has the web pages that we need.
Hosting
The storing of files and data on a web server
Star Topology
Connects each computer or device to a central hub or switch
Advantages of Star Topology
- Speed is very high
- Most efficient
- High security
- Easy to install and configure
Disadvantages of Mesh Topology
- Expensive
- Central device dependency- if the hub/ switch goes down everything goes down.
Full Mesh Network
Every computer is connected to every other one. This means that the amount of connections are very large and this can quickly become unpractical and will even start to slow the network down.
Half/ Partial Mesh Network
Will have many less connections. Computers will generally be connected to two or more other computers but it is unlikely that any one computer has a direct connection to every other one.
Advantages of Mesh Network
- Multiple devices can transmit data at the same time, which may travel via a different route to its destination and means that a mesh network can handle high amounts of traffic.
- If one device on the network fails, the network can still function because alternative connections are available.
- Adding additional devices does not disrupt data transmission between other devices.
Disadvantages of Mesh Network
- The cost to implement is higher than other network topologies, making it a less desirable option
- Building and maintaining the topology is difficult and time consuming.
- The chance of redundant connections is high, which adds to the high costs and potential for reduced efficiency.
Wired network
Uses cables or fibres to connect the computer systems, switches, hubs and servers.
Bluetooth
Wireless technology standard used for exchanging data between fixed and mobile devices over short distances using wireless technology.
Advantages of Wired networks
- Faster data transfer speed compared to wireless
- Less likely to suffer from interference
- More difficult for unauthorised users to gain access to the network
Disadvantages of Wired networks
- Can be more expensive to install
- Users have to remain in 1 place as they are connected by a cable
Advantages of Wireless networks
- It is easy to add new connections without disrupting the rest of the network
- Users can move around freely and still stay connected
Disadvantages of Wireless Networks
- Radio signals have a limited range
- Radio signals can suffer from interference
- Each WAP can only support a limited number of users
- Radio signals can be intercepted by unauthorised users, which may be a security risk
IP address
When sending data on a network, including the internet
Media Access Control Address
Linked to the hardware
Transmission Control Protocol/ Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)
How data is sent between computers on a network and over the Internet. Data is split into packets, and each packet has some additional information attached in a header. The header contains information such as the IP address of where the data came from, the destination IP address
