Topic 2- History Of The internet

Question 1

Main motivation

Answer 1

Resource sharing
Firstly to connect each user to a Large and powerful central computer
Then to allow sharing the peripheral devices.

Question 2

Biggest changes in the internet that contributed to its phenomenal growth

Answer 2

• Speed increased dramatically (large amount of data can be transferred quickly)
• new applications arose that appealed to many parts of the society.
• affordable personal computers with powerful computational power and graphical display eliminates the need for resource sharing.

From resource sharing (mostly for scientists and engineers) to communication purposes.

Question 3

The data type sent over the internet (in the past vs today)

Answer 3

Originally- static text documents
Today- dynamic high quality multimedia (= a combination of text with audio, graphics, video).

Text- graphic images- video clips- full motion video

Question 4

Audio

Answer 4

Higher quality due to higher bandwidth

Alert sounds-human voice-audio clips- vey reliable audio

Question 5

Static vs dynamic

Answer 5

The Internet has transitioned from transfer of static textual documents to dynamic high-quality
multimedia.
• Offline (word) vs real-time requirements(drive)

Question 6

Analogue vs digital

Answer 6

The Internet has transitioned from transfer of static
textual documents
• Now the Internet can transfer dynamic high-quality
multimedia
• Offline vs real-time requirements

Question 7

Telephone

Answer 7

Before: analog transmission of audio
• Use the analog telephone circuits to
communicate • Known as the Public Switched Telephone
Network (PSTN)
• After: digital transmission of audio
• Uses the Internet infrastructure to communicate
• Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) ex. Zoom, FaceTime

Question 8

Television

Answer 8

• Before: wired analog channel
• Can also make use of satellite dishes to receive
TV broadcasts
• After: wired/wireless digital
• Can be received wireless
• Digital transmission
• Uses Internet Protocol (IP) for transmission

Question 9

Cellular

Answer 9

• Before: analog wireless cellular services
• Satellite dishes on Earth
• No connection to the Internet
• After: digital cellular services
• 3G onwards
• High speed mobile data

Question 10

Internet Access

Answer 10

• Before: wired, dial-up modem
• Make use of telephone circuits
• Cannot use telephone while connected
• After: wireless, broadband, fibre optic
• Wi-Fi
• Separate/shared channel from telephone

Question 11

Significance of Wi-Fi

Answer 11

• Before: mobile devices has to have mobile data
connectivity
• Additional hardware needed for Internet Access
• Incurs mobile data charges
connect to the Internet • Save on mobile data charges
• After: any device near a Wi-Fi broadcast can access
the Internet
• Allows for less powerful electronic devices to

Question 12

Data Access

Answer 12

• Before: centralised
• Single server, multiple users
• Bottleneck performance
• After: distributed, peer-to-peer (P2P)
• User can act as servers (Torrent)
• Can be used as backups

Question 13

Content Delivery

Answer 13

• Before: requires download to view
• Sometimes slow download
• Impact work efficiency
• After: streaming
• Can view content on browser
• Video streaming

Question 14

Applications

Answer 14

• Before: standalone, download and install
• Updates requires additional download
• Manual updates
• After: cloud, auto-updates
• Low cost computers, good productivity
• No need to install applications, save space
• Auto updates

Question 15

Teleconferencing Systems

Definition And benefits

Answer 15

Teleconferencing system: combination of software and hardware to allow virtual meetings
• Made possible by technological changes- faster communication
• Benefits
Reduces travel expenses/costs
Communicate anywhere

Question 16

Navigation System

Answer 16

• Navigation system: combination of software and
hardware that provides users with map functions
• Enabled by cloud technologies
• Benefits
Can navigate to new locations
No need for standalone GPS system

Question 17

Social Media

Answer 17

Social Media: community or platform that facilitates
sharing and creation of multimedia
• Enabled by availability and accessibility of the
Internet
• Benefits
Creates and maintains social connections
Meet new people
Entertainment purposes

Question 18

Forums

Answer 18

• Forums: platform that engage participants in some
form of discussions
• Contributes to community development
• Benefits
Get help easily
Mostly free to use

Ex. Reddit

Question 19

Wikis

Answer 19

• Wikis: platforms facilitates and maintain knowledge
creation and sharing
• Enabled by growing capacity and reduction in price
of storage devices available on the Internet
• Benefits
Public access knowledgebase
Contains plenty of content

Question 20

Blogs

Answer 20

• Blogs: customisable website that allows individual to
share and create contents
• Can be used to review products or act as a personal
diary
• Benefits
Can be designed to suit individual needs
Often free to create
Easily accessible to most people

Question 21

Email

Answer 21

• Email: electronic mail system that facilitates sending
of multimedia messages
• Important form of communication and can be used
in courts as evidence
• Benefits
Supported on most devices
Almost instant delivery

Question 22

E-commerce

Answer 22

• E-commerce: online retail platform that facilities
sales transactions
• Enabled by online payment services
• Benefits
Shop anywhere
Shop anytime
Cost effective transactions

Question 23

Remote Working

Answer 23

• Remote Working: ability to work and remain
productive anywhere
• Enabled by remote access services , high bandwidth
• Benefits
Can access to complex software running on
powerful computers Allows mobile devices to be productive

Question 24

Cable TV Network

Answer 24

• Original cable TV networks used copper coaxial cables • From RCH via a series of splitters and amplifiers to homes
• Modern networks have been re-engineered
• To use optical fibre cables
• But cost of running it to each home is prohibitive
• As such, optical network is converted back to copper at
Fibre Nodes in street cabinets

Question 25

Tv cable

Answer 25

Original cable TV networks used copper coaxial cables from the RCH via a series of splitters and amplifiers to homes. Modern networks have been re-engineered to use optical fibre cables. However, the cost of running optical fibre to each home is prohibitive. As such, optical network is converted back to copper at Fibre Nodes in street cabinets. The RCH feeds several distribution hubs and can support about 40,000 subscribers via switches and Fibre Nodes. Fibre Node will then split TV signals and transmit over coaxial cable. This can provide service to about 1,000 homes using a tree topology.

Due to the use of optical fibre and copper cables, the modern cable TV networks are known as Hybrid Fibre-Coaxial networks. This hybrid network can be adapted to provide a backwards channel to support interactive services. Most cable TV companies have also adapted their networks to support broadband services using cable modems. Coaxial cables carrying TV signals also carry downstream and upstream data channel. On top of broadband services, cable TV companies also supports voice services, usually via a separate cable. Voice services are carried over separate channels to RCH where these voice channels are connected to the telephone network circuits. Cable TV companies also offer similar products to enterprises as network operators. Some examples are private circuits, LAN extension, and IP VPNs. Access charges for use of the cable TV network are subsumed within prices charged for the WAN services.