5.2 Types and applications of networks, hardware and software, and the functions of internet of things (IoT)

pages 113-151

What is a personal area network? (PAN)

very small network within one building connected by Ethernet or USB

what is a wireless area network? (WPANs)

wireless versions of PANs that use bluetooth with limited distance

what is a local area network? (LAN)

connection of multiple computers and low voltage devices across a group of buildings close in proximity so that they can share information and resources

what is a wireless area network? (WLAN)

same as LANs but without using cables and the range can be from a room, building and across other buildings that are close in proximity

what is a metropolitan area network? (MAN)

a network that spans over a large area such as a town or city

what is a wireless metropolitan area network? (WMAN)

a form of wireless connection that spans to around a city up to 30 miles and are restricted to specific users

what is a wide area network (WAN)

covers a wide area for communications between computers (internet)

what is a wireless wide area network? (WWANS)

use mobile phone signals which are provided by service providers and transmit over a wide area

what is a virtual private network? (VPN)

an encrypted connection over the internet from a device to a network preventing unauthorized people accessing the network

What is a switch?

a device that takes in the packets that are being connected by the devices that are physically connected and sends them out again

what are some characteristics of a switch?

-Use packet switching to receive and forward packets from the source device to a destination device

-they support one-to-one, one-to-many and one-to-all communications

What is a router?

device that communicate between the internet and the devices connected to a network and takes data packets and route them to the correct destination

what are some characteristics of routers?

-self learning as they communicate to other devices

-consider networks when routing traffic

what is a network interface card? (NIC)

circuit board that is installed onto a computer so that it can connect to a network

What are the types of NIC?

-Wired

-USB

-Wireless

-Fiber optic

what is a universal serial bus network card? (USB)

used for short distance digital communication

what are the 3 types of copper cable?

-coxial: its effectiveness deteriorates over time

-unshielded twisted pair: twisting copper cables around each other

-shielded twisted pair: uses copper shielding around twisted wires to prevent electrical and magnetic forces

what is the advantages and the one disadvantage of copper cable?

+cabled telephone is powered from a copper cable so it can function even without power

+cheaper then fiber optic

-deteriorates over distances

What does the digital subscriber line use?

uses standard phone lines to send and receive information

what are advantages of digital subscriber line? (DSL)

-does not require new wiring as it uses an existing phone line

-you can use the internet and the phone line at the same time

-cheaper than cable connections

what are disadvantages of digital subscriber line? (DSL)

-receives data faster but has a much slower transmission speed

-not available in all rural areas

what is fibre optic?

it is the fastest method of delivering electrical signals by converting them into optical signals and supports high bandwidths

What are the advantages of fibre optic cables?

-higher bandwidth than copper cables

-allows for data transmission over long distances

-resistance to electromagnetic interference

-lighter, thinner and occupy less area than copper cables

What are the disadvantages of fibre optic cables?

-it is not as robust as cables and requires special test equipment

-more delicate than copper wires

What are the benefits of wired connection methods?

-Security stronger for a wired because it can have firewalls and other security

-Unauthorized users cannot connect without Ethernet cables

-more stable and reliable than wireless

What are the drawbacks of wired connection methods?

-More time consuming to install

-Less mobility to move around

-Must have physical access from a cable

what is a wireless access point?

permits wireless devices that enable them to connect to a network and can be used to extend a signal range and strength of a wireless network

What is the root access point?

where the access point is connected to a wired LAN

What is a repeater access point?

access point that can be configured to extend the range of the network infrastructure

What is a work group bridge?

link to access points as clients and provide network connections for devices connected to Ethernet ports

What is an operating system?

a program that is installed onto a system and manages the other available application programs

what is proprietary software? eg. windows

This is any software that has been copyrighted and has restrictions against use, distribution and modification

what is an open source operating system? eg. linux

open-source operating systems are freely available for anyone to view, modify, use and share

What are some features of linux OS?

It can co-exist with other operating systems

It supports multitasking

It can run multiple user programs

what does a network operating system do?

runs on a server and provides the capability to manage users, groups, security, applications, data and other networking function

What are the features of NOS?

-The centralized servers are stable.

-The security of the network is managed by the server

-Facilitates remote access to the servers from different locations and types of systems

-The purchase costs and running costs are high

-Regular updates and maintenance are required

What are some examples of productivity suites?

word processing, spreadsheet creation, presentation and presentation development

What is protection software

software that is used to protect a computer system from cyber attacks, especially when accessing the internet and networks

what are some examples of protection software

-Firewalls: used to control the incoming and outgoing traffic between networks

-Antivirus: this seeks out and destroys viruses. Viruses are programs or code that are loaded onto a computer without the user knowing

-Anti-malware: prevent viruses, Trojans and worms

What is the internet of things? (IoT)

everything connected to the internet and devices that communicate with each other

What is edge computing?

the capturing, processing and analysing of data near to where it is located

what is the use of edge computing?

helps to reduce bandwidth and latency issues by minimizing the distance of the communications between the clients

What are some examples of sensors which we can use?

-temperature sensor

-humidity sensor

-pressure sensor

-breathalyzer

-smoke detector

How is IoT used in an industrial context?

-improve the efficiency and reliability of their operations

-medical devices, robotics and software-defined production processes

-able to gather and analyse vast amounts of data

How is IoT used in the context of a smart city?

Uses lights, meters and sensors to collect and analyse data. This data is then used to improve the city’s infrastructure, public services, utilities

How are smart utility metres used?

-attached to or inside buildings and are connected to a smart energy grid

-track the energy consumption of their customers and provide more accurate billing

how is smart transportation used?

Car navigation – this is the use of satellite navigation to obtain positional data which is then correlated to the position of a vehicle on a road

How is automatic number plate recognition used?

uses character recognition on images to detect and read vehicle registration plates

How is smart waste management used?

Can monitor how full dustbins are at a given day and time. The information is sent to waste management companies who plan the most efficient route to collect the rubbish

How is IoT used within a domestic context?

-Smart lighting which can go on and off depending on the time of day

-Doors where they automatically open and close through sensors

-Shutters installed that will automatically open and close when the sun rises and when the sun sets.