Section 2.2 Local Area Networks Flashcards
(14 cards)
What is a LAN (local area network)?
A collection of devices connected together often on a single site, eg: a school.
Benefits of LAN:
- sharing resources
* centralised management
What are the two network topologies?
Star and mesh.
What are star networks?
All computers are connected to a switch, the server controls the network.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of a star network?
Advantages:
•if one cable fails, nothing else is affected
•consistant performance
Disadvantages:
•costly to get extra cables and hardware
•if server or switch fails the whole network does as well.
What are mesh networks?
A mesh network is where all the devices connect to each other, information travelling via the quickest route. They can span over small cities.
What are full mesh and partial mesh networks?
Full mesh have every node connected to each other while partial mesh only have some nodes connected.
What are the advantages of mesh networks?
- fewer cables means it’s cheaper
- the more nodes, the larger and faster it becomes
- broken nodes don’t affect the network
- they run faster as packets don’t have to go to a central switch
Give some examples of network hardware.
Routers, switches and NIC cards.
Cables and wireless access points may also be required.
What does a router do?
It routes packets across the network.
What does a switch do?
It’s a component of a LAN that know the MAC address of each device and send the packets to its intended to recipient.
What does a NIC card do?
It’s a card required for any internet connected device.
What are the differences between copper and fibre optic cables?
Copper cables are better in rural areas where there may already be existing cables to use. Fibre optics are better and stronger but more expensive.
What are virtual networks or VPN’s?
A subset of computers connected as part of a larger physic network. They may be encrypted for security.
