CompTIA A+ Essentials – Lecture Review

Vocabulary flashcards summarizing key hardware, networking, printer, and cloud concepts from the lecture notes.

Fuser Printer

Component that melts and bonds toner to paper; failure causes loose or unfused toner.

802.11a

Wi-Fi standard that operates exclusively in the 5 GHz band.

DDR (Double Data Rate) RAM

Memory type required for dual-channel operation on modern motherboards.

IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol)

E-mail protocol that keeps messages on the server, enabling access and sync from multiple devices.

Intrusion Prevention (IPS)

Security function not listed by NIST as a core characteristic of cloud computing.

Magnetic Tape Backup

Removable media best suited for very large, long-term data backups and archiving.

Switch MAC Learning

A switch builds its MAC address table by examining the source MAC of incoming frames.

Laser Printer

Type of printer that requires toner replacement during routine maintenance.

Tracert / Traceroute

Network utility that shows each hop to a destination to locate communication breakdowns.

Firewall Port 80 (Outbound)

Exception that must be open for a client to initiate HTTP requests to a web server.

Inkjet Printer Voltage Control

Technique that regulates ink usage by varying print-head voltage.

DVI-D Cable

Digital Visual Interface connector that carries video signals only (no audio).

ECC (Error-Correcting Code) Memory

RAM feature that detects and corrects single-bit data errors for improved reliability.

MAM (Mobile Application Management)

Software solution that controls which apps users can install or run on corporate devices.

Server‐Grade System

Computer category most likely to employ ECC RAM for high reliability.

255 in Subnet Mask

Indicates the corresponding IP octet is part of the network portion.

Rapid Elasticity

Cloud trait allowing resources to be provisioned or released quickly in response to demand.

MAC Address Length

Hardware address made up of 48 bits (6 bytes).

Network Hub

Legacy device that repeats incoming frames out all other ports (layer-1).

Laptop Display Bezel

Plastic frame around the screen that must be removed to access and replace a Wi-Fi antenna.

Inkjet Nozzle Cleaning

First troubleshooting step for vertical color stripes—run the printer’s built-in nozzle-clean utility.

Wireless Mesh Networks

Generally suited for small or ad-hoc deployments; not ideal for large enterprise networks.

RAID 0 Drive Failure

Loss of a single disk results in loss of the entire striped volume with no data redundancy.

FTP Ports

Passive mode uses port 21; active mode uses ports 21 and 20.

RJ-45 Connector

8-position plug commonly crimped onto UTP Ethernet cables.

S.M.A.R.T. Alert

Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology warning indicating impending hard-drive failure.

SMB (Server Message Block)

File-sharing protocol that listens on TCP port 445.

VM Anti-Malware

Each virtual machine should have its own anti-malware software installed for protection.

IPv6 Address Length

Consists of 128 bits, written as eight groups of four hexadecimal digits.

Scanner Lock Switch

Mechanical latch that must be unlocked on a multifunction printer’s flatbed scanner before use.

2.5-Inch HDD

Standard platter diameter for hard drives installed in most laptops.

Dial-Up Speed Limitation

Dial-up connections do not meet broadband definitions (max ~56 Kbps, far below 1.5 Mbps).

LC Connector

Small form-factor fiber-optic connector used with multimode or single-mode cabling.

Broken Cooling Fan

Likely cause of a PC shutting down after ~15 minutes due to overheating.

OLED Display

Thin-panel technology that uses organic compounds which emit light when current is applied.

Restarting the Print Spooler

Follow-up action when cancel/restart attempts fail—stop and start the Windows Print Spooler service.