Computer Networks Lecture Review

Twenty flashcards covering key concepts from the networking lecture, formatted in Question and Answer style to help students prepare for exams.

What is a Personal Area Network (PAN) and what devices commonly use it?

The smallest type of network, connecting devices in very close proximity—such as smart-watches, headsets, and wireless headphones—typically via Bluetooth.

How does a Local Area Network (LAN) differ from a Wide Area Network (WAN)?

A LAN links devices over a small geographic area (e.g., one school or office), whereas a WAN spans a large geographic area by interconnecting multiple LANs; the Internet is the largest WAN.

State the main characteristic of a Wide Area Network (WAN).

It enables communication over very large geographic areas by linking several LANs together, often using leased lines, satellites, or the Internet.

List two benefits of using networked devices.

1) Users can share hardware such as printers. 2) Users can share software licences, communicate easily, and share a common Internet connection.

Give two disadvantages of setting up and running a network.

1) Networking hardware and installation can be expensive. 2) Management is complex and viruses can spread quickly if one device becomes infected.

What service does a File Server provide?

It offers devices on a network centralized storage space and access to shared files.

What is the role of a Print Server?

It allows multiple networked devices to share one or more printers efficiently.

What does a Mail Server do on a network?

It stores email messages and authenticates users so they can send and receive email.

Why is a Web Server important?

It stores Internet-accessible files (web pages, images, etc.) and transmits them to users over the World Wide Web.

What is a Network Interface Controller (NIC) and what unique identifier does it contain?

A hardware component that enables a device to connect to a network; each NIC carries a unique, manufacturer-assigned MAC address.

How does a network switch decide where to forward data?

By storing the MAC address of every connected device and sending each data packet only to its intended destination MAC address.

What is the purpose of a Wireless Access Point (WAP)?

It lets devices connect to a wired network via Wi-Fi, acting as a bridge between wireless clients and the cabled infrastructure.

What does a router do in a network?

It connects different networks together, finds the fastest route for data, and typically provides Internet access to local devices.

Which three networking components are combined in a typical home ‘all-in-one’ device?

A router, a wireless access point (WAP), and a multi-port switch.

State two advantages of fibre-optic cable over copper Ethernet cable.

Higher bandwidth (up to ~100 Tbps) and greater resistance to electromagnetic interference, resulting in faster and more reliable transmission.

What are the maximum theoretical data rates for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth?

Wi-Fi: up to 9.6 Gbps; Bluetooth: about 2 Mbps.

How many bits make up one byte?

Eight bits form a single byte.

Distinguish between serial and parallel data transmission.

Serial transmission sends data one bit at a time over a single channel; parallel transmission sends multiple bits (often 8) simultaneously on separate channels.

What is ASCII used for in computing?

The American Standard Code for Information Interchange; it represents characters (letters, digits, symbols) in binary form so computers can process text.

How does echo checking identify transmission errors?

The receiver sends the data back to the sender; if the returned data differs from the original, an error is flagged and the data is retransmitted.