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Network + Week 1

📲 Week 1 – Networking Basics Flashcards

Q: What is a network?

A: Two or more devices connected to share resources.

Q: LAN stands for?

A: Local Area Network (small, like home or office).

Q: WAN stands for?

A: Wide Area Network (large, like the Internet).

Q: MAN stands for?

A: Metropolitan Area Network (city-wide).

Q: Client–Server vs Peer-to-Peer?

A: Client–Server = centralized server; P2P = devices talk directly.

Q: What does a switch do?

A: Connects devices in a LAN, forwards traffic only where needed.

Q: What does a hub do?

A: Sends data to all devices (inefficient, insecure).

Q: What does a router do?

A: Connects different networks (LAN to WAN/Internet).

Q: What does a firewall do?

A: Filters traffic, blocks or allows based on rules.

Q: What does an access point do?

A: Provides Wi-Fi connectivity.

Q: Which is more secure: switch or hub?

A: Switch.

Q: Cat5e, Cat6, Cat6a are what type of cables?

A: Twisted pair Ethernet cables.

Q: Which cable is immune to interference?

A: Fiber optic.

Q: Bandwidth = ?

A: Maximum capacity of data transfer.

Q: Latency = ?

A: Delay before data transfer starts.

Q: Throughput = ?

A: Actual data transfer rate (real-world performance).

Q: In simple terms: Hub, Switch, Router?

A: Hub = Dumb, Switch = Smart, Router = Boss.

1⃣

Physical

(Layer 1)

  • Cables, signals, bits (1s and 0s).

  • Example: Ethernet cable, fiber optic, radio waves.

2⃣

Data Link

(Layer 2)

  • MAC addresses (hardware addresses), switches.

  • Makes sure data gets to the right device on the same network.

3⃣

Network

(Layer 3)

  • IP addresses, routers.

  • Decides where the packet goes (which network).

4⃣

Transport

(Layer 4)

  • Ensures reliable delivery (TCP/UDP).

  • Breaks data into segments, checks if everything arrived.

5⃣

Session

(Layer 5)

  • Manages sessions (like logging into a website and keeping you connected).

6⃣

Presentation

(Layer 6)

  • Translates data formats (encryption, compression, file formats).

7⃣

Application

(Layer 7)

  • What the user actually interacts with.

  • Examples: Web browsers, email, Zoom.