Computer networking

What is a computer network?

A collection of two or more autonomous computers interconnected for sharing resources using transmission media and protocols.

What is the main purpose of a computer network?

To allow communication and sharing of resources like data, programs, and peripherals among users.

Name two main goals of networking.

Resource sharing and high reliability.

What does 'resource sharing' mean in computer networks?

Making programs, data, and peripherals available to anyone on the network irrespective of their location.

What is 'high reliability' in a network?

Files can be replicated on multiple machines, ensuring availability even if one fails.

List one advantage of networking related to cost.

Networking reduces operational cost by sharing hardware resources.

What is centralized control in networks?

A central server manages and controls all network resources like files, databases, and printers.

Name two disadvantages of computer networks.

They can be expensive to install and require technical expertise.

What were the major networks that led to the Internet?

ARPANET, NSFNET, and INTERNET.

What are the components of data communication?

Sender, Receiver, Message, Communication Media, and Protocols.

What is a 'protocol' in networking?

A set of rules for exchanging information over a network.

What is bandwidth?

The capacity of a communication channel to transmit data, measured in bits per second (bps).

What is a data channel?

A logical path between source and destination used to carry data.

What is baud?

The unit of measurement for the information-carrying capacity of a communication channel.

Name the three types of network switching.

Circuit Switching, Message Switching, and Packet Switching.

What is circuit switching?

A technique that establishes a complete physical connection before data transmission.

What is a key feature of circuit switching?

Guaranteed delivery of the message.

What is message switching?

A switching method that uses store-and-forward technique to transfer data.

What is packet switching?

A method where data is divided into packets and sent independently through the network.

State one advantage of packet switching.

Efficient use of bandwidth.

State one disadvantage of packet switching.

Higher latency compared to circuit switching.

What are the two types of transmission media?

Wired (guided) and Wireless (unguided) media.

Give two examples of wired transmission media.

Coaxial cable and fiber optic cable.

Name two types of wireless transmission.

Radio wave and microwave transmission.

What is a network device?

A component used to connect computers and other electronic devices for resource sharing.

What is the function of a repeater?

To boost signal strength that weakens during long-distance transmission.

What is a router?

A device that receives, analyses, and transmits data, connecting LANs to the internet.

What is a gateway?

A device that connects networks using different protocols.

What is a NIC?

Network Interface Card — enables a computer to connect to a network.

Name four types of networks based on geographical spread.

PAN, LAN, MAN, and WAN.

What does LAN stand for?

Local Area Network.

What is a PAN?

Personal Area Network — used for connecting devices like phones and laptops within a short range.

What is network topology?

The arrangement of computers and devices in a network.

What is bus topology?

All devices are connected to a central cable called a bus or backbone.

What is star topology?

Each device is connected to a central node such as a hub or switch.

What is tree topology?

A hierarchical topology combining multiple basic topologies like star and bus.

What is a network protocol?

A set of standard rules followed during communication between devices.

Why are protocols needed?

For flow control, access control, and addressing.

What does HTTP stand for?

HyperText Transfer Protocol.

What is the function of FTP?

To transfer files between systems using a client-server model.

What is PPP?

Point-to-Point Protocol, used for establishing a direct connection between two devices.

What is SMTP used for?

It is used for sending emails between mail servers.

What is TCP/IP?

A set of rules enabling communication and data transfer over the Internet.

What is Telnet used for?

Remote login and interactive communication using virtual terminals.

What does VoIP stand for?

Voice over Internet Protocol.

What is the Internet?

A global network of computing devices for communication and information sharing.

What is WWW?

World Wide Web — a collection of interlinked web pages accessible via the Internet.

Who created the World Wide Web?

Tim Berners-Lee in 1989.

What is HTML?

HyperText Markup Language used to design and structure web pages.

What is XML?

Extensible Markup Language used for encoding data in a readable and transferable format.

What is a domain name?

A unique name that identifies a website and maps to its IP address.

What is a URL?

Uniform Resource Locator — the address used to access resources on the web.

What is a website?

A collection of related web pages stored on a web server.

What is a web browser?

A software application used to access and view web pages.

What is a web server?

A computer that stores and serves web pages to clients over the Internet.

What is web hosting?

A service that provides storage and accessibility for websites on the Internet.

Name four types of web hosting.

Shared, VPS, Dedicated, and Cloud hosting.