Networks (Paper 2)

Question 1

Define the word network

Answer 1

a network is two or more computers that are interacting with each other and sharing data

Question 2

What are the benefits of networks?

Answer 2

• easier to share information
• sharing resources eg printers
• cost efficient

Question 3

What are the disadvantages of networks?

Answer 3

• more accessible to hackers

- viruses can spread easier

Question 4

What is a PAN?

Answer 4

Personal Area Network, small networks, 10 meters range

eg Bluetooth

Question 5

What is a LAN?

Answer 5

Local Area Network, larger scale network, connects buildings - used in office blocks

Question 6

What is a WAN?

Answer 6

Wide Area Network, largest network, used to connect computers over long distances eg intercontinental

Question 7

What are some advantages of a wireless network over a wired network?

Answer 7

• can move freely with device

- more convenient as on wired all devices must be connected to an ethernet cable

Question 8

What are some advantages of a wired network over a wireless network?

Answer 8

• stronger connection to the internet

- harder to be hacked in comparison to wireless

Question 9

What are benefits of the star topology over the bus topology?

Answer 9

• if one computer breaks, the rest of the computers are not affected
• less traffic in the wires
• in bus you can get hold of other people’s information easier

Question 10

What are benefits of the bus topology over the star topology?

Answer 10

• cheaper than star

- more convenient to set up as all the computers are connected to one cable

Question 11

What is the ethernet protocol?

Answer 11

Ethernet is a link layer protocol in the TCP/IP stack that transmits data to other computers

Question 12

What is the WiFi protocol?

Answer 12

the technology that allows devices to connect a wireless LAN (WLAN)

Question 13

What is the purpose of the TCP / IP?

Answer 13

The TCP / IP protocol is two separate protocols - Transmissions Control Protocol and Internet Protocol. TCP defines how messages are broken up into packets and reassembled at the destination. IP identifies the location of a device on the internet and routes the individual packets from the source to the destination via routers

Question 14

What is the UDP?

Answer 14

User Datagram Protocol (UDP) allows computer apps to send messages (datagrams) to other hosts on an IP network.

Question 15

What is the HTTP?

Answer 15

Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is used for accessing web pages in the form of HTML

Question 16

What is HTTPS?

Answer 16

Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure serves the same purpose as HTTP but encrypts the data so it cannot be accessed if hacked

Question 17

What is FTP?

Answer 17

File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is a standard protocol for transferring files between a client and a server

Question 18

What is SMTP?

Answer 18

Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) is a protocol for sending emails between servers. Most email systems use SMTP to send emails and either POP or IMAP to receive emails.

Question 19

What is IMAP?

Answer 19

Internet Messaging Access Protocol (IMAP) is an email protocol that stores emails received on a server and allows the user to access them.

Question 20

How is authentication a good security measure for networks?

Answer 20

Authentication is a good security measure because it checks to see that only people allowed to access a network are accessing it

Question 21

What are two security methods?

Answer 21

• passwords

- User access levels (users can only access what they need to)

Question 22

What is encryption?

Answer 22

Encryption is the process of encrypting messages before they send, with the receiving device having the key so if messages are intercepted they cannot be decrypted.

Question 23

What are firewalls?

Answer 23

Firewalls are designed to prevent unwanted internet traffic from gaining access to a LAN. Unauthorised users are blocked by a firewall.

Question 24

What are MAC addresses?

Answer 24

every device has a unique MAC address, making filtering for unwanted devices on a network easier

Question 25

What are the 4 layers in the TCP/IP model?

Answer 25

• Application Layer
• Transport Layer
• Internet / Network Layer
• Link Layer

Question 26

What does the application layer in TCP/IP do?

Answer 26

The application layer is where network apps operate. HTTP, HTTPS, IMAT, SMTP and FTP protocols operate here. The data sent / received is also encoded / decoded here.

Question 27

What does the transport layer in TCP / IP do?

Answer 27

The transport layer sets up a communication between the two devices and establishes settings such as the language and packets.

Question 28

What does the network / internet layer in TCP / IP do?

Answer 28

The network / internet layer labels the packages for transmission and routes the packages. It attaches the IP address to the packages so the receiver knows who sen them.

Question 29

What does the link layer in TCP / IP do?

Answer 29

The link layer is where the network hardware eg network interface card and OS drives are located. It attaches the MAC address of the recipient and the sender to the packages, allowing the packages to be directed to a specific device on a LAN.