Introduction to Networking 1 - Concepts, Standards, Devices, Media, and Topologies

Flashcards reviewing key computer networking concepts, TIA/EIA standards, hardware devices and interfaces, media types, wireless standards, and network topologies.

What is a computer network?

A series of interconnected nodes that can transmit, receive, and exchange data, voice, and video traffic.

What are the common uses of a computer network highlighted in the lecture?

File sharing, application sharing, hardware sharing, client-server model, voice over IP (VoIP), communication, e-commerce, and gaming.

Which networking standard covers Residential/Light Commercial Wiring?

EIA/TIA 570

Which standard specifies Commercial Building Telecommunications Cabling and color codes for RJ-45 termination?

EIA/TIA 568

Which standard covers Commercial Building Standard for Telecommunications Pathways and Spaces?

EIA/TIA 569

Which standard provides design guidelines for the administration and cable labeling of telecommunications infrastructure in commercial buildings?

EIA/TIA 606

What does the acronym ANSI stand for?

American National Standards Institute

What do the acronyms CSU and DSU stand for in digital line equipment?

Channel Service Unit (CSU) and Data Service Unit (DSU)

What is the X.21 interface and when was it recommended?

Recommended by the CCITT in 1976, it is defined as a digital signaling interface between customer (DTE) equipment and carrier (DCE) equipment.

What type of connector is specified for the EIA-530 standard?

A 25-pin connector

At which layer of the OSI model does a primary network switch operate?

Layer 2 (Data Link layer)

What are the three switch implementation layers in enterprise networks?

Core Layer, Distribution Layer, and Access Layer

How does an enterprise Cisco router differ from a home wireless router?

Enterprise routers do not have built-in Wi-Fi, require a knowledgeable network professional to implement, have numerous Ethernet ports, and can handle millions of packets of Internet traffic per second.

What are the primary ports and interface slots labeled on a Cisco router interface?

WAN Serial Ports in slot, LAN interfaces, Console Port RJ45, AUX Port RJ45, and LAN Interfaces in slot.

What are the four main types of twisted pair copper cable media?

UTP (Unshielded Twisted Pair), FTP (Foiled Twisted Pair), STP (Shielded Twisted Pair), and SFTP (Shielded-Foiled Twisted Pair).

What are the structural components of a coaxial cable from the center outward?

Center conductor, dielectric, foil shield, braided shield, and outer jacket.

What is a fiber optic cable?

A network cable containing strands of glass fibers inside an insulated casing, designed for long-distance, high-performance data networking.

According to the IEEE wireless standards, what are the release year, frequency, and maximum data rate for 802.11a?

Released in 1999, frequency of 5GHz, and maximum data rate of 54Mbps.

What are the specifications for the IEEE 802.11n wireless standard?

Released in 2009, operates on 2.4GHz & 5GHz frequencies, and has a maximum data rate of 600Mbps.

What are the theoretical and real-world distances for the 2.4 GHz 802.11b wireless standard?

Theoretical distance is 460 ft, and real-world distance is 230 ft.

What is a wireless Access Point (AP)?

A device that connects to a wired router, switch, or hub via an Ethernet cable and projects a Wi-Fi signal to create a wireless local area network (WLAN).

What are the main characteristics of a bus topology?

It has a simple layout and is cheap, but it is vulnerable to failure and only suitable for low traffic volumes.

What is a key drawback of a ring topology?

It relies on all nodes being powered up and in full working order.

What makes the star topology efficient and widely used?

All devices connect to a central switch, making it easy to add new nodes without rebooting connected devices and efficient in cable usage.

How is a tree topology structured?

It is a hierarchical layout that links groups of nodes, creating parent-child dependencies between root nodes and regular nodes.

What are the features of a mesh topology?

Each node is connected to every other node with a direct link, creating a very reliable network, though it requires a large amount of cable and is difficult to administer.

What is a hybrid topology?

A topology that combines two or more standard topologies to quickly link together different existing networks into a unified system.