MIS CH 6 (Exam 2)

Computer Network

A system that connects computers and other devices via communications media so that data can be transmitted among them.

Bandwidth

The transmission capacity of a network; stated in bits per second (bps).

Broadband

The transmission capacity of a communications medium faster than 25 megabits per second (Mbps).

PAN

Personal (Bluetooth).

LAN

Local (Office/Home).

MAN

Metropolitan (City).

WAN

Wide Area (Country/Internet).

Twisted-Pair Wire

Strands of copper wire twisted in pairs. Pros: Inexpensive, easy to work with. Cons: Slow, low security, subject to interference.

Coaxial Cable

Insulated copper wire. Pros: Higher bandwidth than twisted-pair, less interference. Cons: Expensive, inflexible.

Fiber-Optic Cable

Thousands of very thin glass filaments that transmit data via pulses of light. Pros: Extremely high bandwidth, very secure, light/small. Cons: Difficult to install/splice.

Protocol

A set of rules and procedures governing transmission across a network.

Ethernet

A common LAN protocol.

TCP/IP

The protocol of the Internet. It uses Packet Switching to break data into small bundles (packets) for transmission.

IP (Internet Protocol)

Responsible for disassembling, delivering, and reassembling the data during transmission.

Client/Server Computing

Links two or more computers; "Servers" provide services (like data/apps) and "Clients" (your PC) request those services.

Peer-to-Peer (P2P)

Type of client/server where each computer acts as both a client and a server to others.

Intranet

A private network that uses Internet software/protocols; for use only within an organization.

Extranet

Connects parts of the intranets of different organizations (e.g., a company and its suppliers).