IB Computer Science Topic 3: Computer Networks Vocabulary

Flashcards on key vocabulary from the lecture notes on Computer Networks.

Topology

Physical layout of a network.

LAN (Local Area Network)

A network in which the nodes are close together (e.g., same building or site).

WAN (Wide Area Network)

A network in which the nodes are spread out over a larger geographic area (e.g., national and international).

GAN (Global Area Network)

A network where the nodes are spread out globally (e.g., the internet).

(W)PAN ((Wireless) Personal Area Network)

A network which consists of computers, mobile phones, iPods, headphones, etc.

P2P (Peer-to-Peer)

A distributed architecture that partitions tasks or workloads between peers with equal privileges.

WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network)

A network in which the nodes are close together but without wires.

SAN (Storage Area Network)

A network which provides dedicated access to storage.

Internet

A network of networks.

VLAN (Virtual Local Area Network)

a logical grouping of devices within a physical LAN that allows multiple networks to share the same physical infrastructure without interfering.

Standards

Play an important role in networking; without them, interconnecting products from various vendors is difficult.

VPN (Virtual Private Network)

A secure network that uses public telecommunication infrastructures to extend a private network.

Protocol

Set of rules for data communication.

Data Packet

A small unit of data used in network communication.

Compression

Encoding information using fewer bits than the original representation.

Packet

The unit of data that is routed between an origin and a destination on the Internet.

Packet Switching

Describes the type of network in which relatively small units of data called packets are routed through a network based on the destination address contained within each packet.

Hardware components of a wireless network

PC, Laptop, Tablet, Printer, Wireless network interface card, Radio waves (Bluetooth/WiFi), Connection point: Wireless AP / Router

Software components of a wireless network

Network Operating System (with drivers), Protocol stack (TCP/IP), Applications (Browser/File explorer)

Security properties of networks

making sure data is not stolen or leaked, maintaining accuracy of data, systems don’t hacked.

Authentication

Something you know. One factor Authentication

Firewalls

Hardware or Software,Controls incoming and outgoing network traffic and analyse data packets based on pre-determined set of rules.

Encryption over wireless networks

• UserID (and passwords)
• PSK (pre-shared key)
• WEP (dead)
• WPA / WPA2 Encryption