Computer Hardware and Networking

Flashcards based on lecture notes about computer hardware and networking concepts.

What type of device has a clamshell-like build?

Laptop

Name two examples of mobile devices.

Phones and tablets

Give two examples of IoT devices.

Physical objects with processing ability

What does ESD stand for?

Electrostatic Discharge

What danger does ESD pose to electrical components?

It can harm electronics

What are two precautions to avoid ESD?

Use wrist straps and store components in antistatic bags

What are the main differences between desktops and laptops?

Desktops are easier to repair, more powerful, and not mobile; laptops run on battery, harder to repair, are more expensive, and have less computing power.

What are the two main parts of a computer?

Hardware and software

Define peripheral devices.

Any external component that either sends or retrieves information from a computer

Provide one example of a complex peripheral device.

An entire security system with motion sensors and biometric devices

Name the three categories of peripheral devices and give an example of each.

Input (keyboard), Output (monitor), and Input/Output (touchscreen)

Define hardware in the context of computers.

All physical components installed or connected to the computer system

Name two examples of input devices.

Keyboard and mouse

How do resistive and capacitive touchscreens differ?

Resistive touchscreens use two flexible layers separated by a gap, while capacitive touchscreens use a screen coated with a conductive material.

Define output in the context of computers.

Any device that receives data from a computer and outputs it on a physical medium

Name two examples of output devices.

Monitor and printer

What is a processing device?

Any hardware component that can analyze and interpret input

What does CPU stand for?

Central Processing Unit

What hardware piece is considered the heart of a computer?

Motherboard

Define circuit board.

A mechanical base that holds and connects components of an electric circuit

What does RAM stand for?

Random Access Memory

Define RAM.

Used to store processed information so it can be quickly accessed later

Is RAM volatile or nonvolatile?

Volatile

What does ROM stand for?

Read-Only Memory

Define ROM.

Permanent data that contains programming that allows the computer to start up each time it is turned on

Is ROM volatile or nonvolatile?

Non-volatile

Give two examples of long-term storage.

Hard-disk drive and SSD (solid state drive)

Provide two examples of removable storage devices.

Flash drives and SD Cards

Define power supply.

Converts AC (alternating current) power from the wall into DC (direct current) power usable by the computer

What are the two types of current, and give an example of each?

AC power (washing machine, refrigerator) and DC power (batteries, solar panels)

What are the two types of CPUs, and what devices are they used in?

x86 (desktops, laptops, servers) and ARM (mobile devices)

Why is a heat sink important?

It pulls heat away from the CPU and dissipates it to prevent overheating and damage.

What is the purpose of a NIC card?

Connects to the internet

What does NIC stand for?

Network Interface Card

Can a NIC connection be wired, wireless, or both?

Can be either or both

Define GPU.

A dedicated chip that contains specialized RAM and a cooling fan

What does GPU stand for?

Graphics Processing Unit

Define SSD.

Uses memory chips similar to RAM

What does SSD stand for?

Solid State Drive

Define expansion card.

Used to customize the motherboard

Why are expansion cards necessary?

They enhance the functionality of a computer.

Define HDD.

A mass storage device that combines a hard disk drive and a flash memory module

What does HHD stand for?

Hybrid Hard Drive

Define a network.

A group of two or more computers connected together

What is the physical channel data communication travels through called?

Network media

What is a host in networking?

Any computer on the network

What are the two categories network media is broken down into?

Bound and Unbound

What is network communication that is physically contained called?

Bound Media

What are three examples of bound media?

Coax cable, fiber optic, waveguide

What is network communication that is not physically contained called?

Unbound Media

What are two examples of unbound media?

Light waves and radio waves

Explain the transmission of data in a coaxial cable.

Transmission of data occurs along the copper core in the form of electrical signals

What dictates the grade of copper wire in coaxial cables?

The electrical specification

What are the four components of a coaxial cable, and what is the role of each?

Copper core (transmits data), Insulator (PVC), Metallic shielding, and Plastic jacket

What are three characteristics of RG 6?

Solid copper core, lower signal loss, and used for cable TV, satellite TV, and cable modems

What are three characteristics of RG-8?

Known as thicknet, very rigid, and used as the backbone of networks

What are three characteristics of RG-58?

Known as thinnet, smaller in diameter, and easier to work with

Which coax cable was once used for satellite communications and cable, but is now obsolete?

RG 59

What are the two types of coax cable connectors called?

F-Type and BNC

Which coax connector is more widely used but can cause signal leakage?

F-Type

In your own words, what is signal leakage?

A disruption of radio frequency.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of coax cable?

Advantages: resistant to interface and physical damage; Disadvantages: expensive, inflexible, can cause signal loss

Explain twinaxial cable.

Similar to a coaxial cable with two inner conductors.

Which bound media is the most common and has four pairs of wires?

Twisted pair

What type of Field is electrical current passing through any copper wires creates?

Electromagnetic field

What does twisting the wires together reduce?

Reduces EMI

What does UTP stand for?

Unshielded twisted pair

What does STP stand for?

Shielded twisted pair

What is data transferred at a specific number of cycles per second called?

Frequency

What is frequency measured as?

MHz

What is the number of bits transmitted per second from one device to another over a network called?

Data rate

What does Mbps stand for?

Megabits per second

What are three characteristics of category 1 twisted pair cable?

UTP, Data Rate = less than 1 Mbps, Used for voice transmission

What are three characteristics for Cat 2 twisted pair cable?

UTP, Data rate = 4 Mbps, Used in earlier networks

What are three characteristics for Cat 3 twisted pair cable?

UTP, Data rate = 10 Mbps, 16 Mbps, Used for voice and data

What are three characteristics for Cat 4 twisted pair cable?

UTP, Data rate = 16 Mbps, Frequency = 20 MHz

What are three characteristics for Cat 5 twisted pair cable?

UTP/STP, Data rate = 100Mbps (2 pair)/ 1000 Mbps (4 pair), Standard budget cable

What are three characteristics for Cat 6 twisted pair cable?

UTP, Data speed = 10 Gps, Specifically designed for Gigabit ethernet

What are three characteristics for Cat 7 twisted pair cable?

UTP/STP, Data rate = up to 40 Gps, Good for gaming and streaming

What are three characteristics for Cat 8 twisted pair cable?

STP only, Data rate = min 40 Gbps, Not for home use

What type of twisted pair is designed to be buried?

Direct burial

What differences between general twisted pair and plenum twisted pair.

General twisted pair: Meets the minimum requirement in commercial installations, Meets vertical flame test, Highly toxic when burned. Plenum twisted pair: Meets rigorous fire safety standard, Coasted in flame retardant, Uses non-toxic plastics

Explain what a riser twisted pair is.

Cable is run between floors through open vertical shafts/conducts

What does the first number represent in 10Base2?

transmission speed of 10 Mbit/s Data rate

What does BASE represent in 10Base2?

Baseband signaling baseband

What does 2 represent in 10Base2?

Maximum segment length approaching 200 m

Define baseband.

Method of transmitting data in form of a digital signal using all the bandwidth

What does EMI stand for?

Electromagnetic interference

When does EMI occur?

Electromagnetic disturbance that interrupts, obstructs, or otherwise degrades or limits the effective performance of electronics/electrical equipment

When does crosstalk occur?

Occurs when one pair of conductors imposes a signal on another pair of parallel conductors

What does the core of fiber optic consist of?

Glass or plastic

How does fiber optic transmit data?

Carries pulses of light that represent binary code

What are binary values in fiber optics are represented by?

Different frequencies or wavelengths of light

What are two advantages and disadvantages of fiber optic?

Advantages: immune to EMI and highly resistant to eavesdropping Disadvantages: very expensive and difficult to work with

What differences between Multimode and single mode fiber optic cables

Multimode: transfers data through the core using multiple light rays, Has a core diameter of around 50 to 100 micros, Limits the distance of cable lengths. Single mode: transfers data through the core using a single light ray (ray is also called mode), Has a core diameter of 10 micros, Supports large amount of data, Allows cable lengths to extend a great distance

What does the acronym VGA stand for?

Video Graphics Array

What is a VGA cable used for?

Carries an analog video signal to the projector

What does the acronym DVI stand for?

Digital Visual Interface

What is a DVI used for?

Supports different signals

What makes HDMI unique?

Simultaneously transfers high definition digital video AND up to 8 channels of digital audio signals from the same source