Networks

Networks

1. Types of network

   • LAN
     • Local area networks over one locations
   • WAN
     • Wide area networks over a large geographical area

2. Advantages

   • Share files on every computer
   • Share resources including printers and on the internet
   • Share logins with same username and password

3. Disadvantages

   • Expensive to set up
   • Higher virus risk that could affect all computers
   • More experts needed to create and maintain

4. Topology

   • Ring
     • Advantages
       • cheap
       • no data collisions
     • Disadvantages
       • catastrophic failure chance
       • difficult to extend
   • Star
     • Advantages
       • Easy to extend
       • Low catastrophic failure
       • Fast
     • Disadvantages
       • Expensive
       • Switch failure
   • Bus
     • Advantages
       • Cheap
     • Disadvantages
       • High collision chance
       • high catastrophic failure chance

5. IP Address

   • An IP Address is a unique value assigned to every computer on the network, used to identify
   • Every message has an IP Address attached, which is how a computer knows whether or not to keep the message
   • The internet is huge and connected to more devices than possible to give to give each their own IP. So most houses+businesses get one each. Therefore they can run their own mini-networks with same IP

6. Internet

   • A giant mesh of computers. There are multiple different routes between any two nodes
   • A cost is assigned to each connection. Route-finding algorithms are used to find the lowest cost between 2 nodes
   • Data is split into chunks and called packets. Each packet is sent along the lowest cost route. These packets are re-assembled on the other side
   • It is impossible to break because another route is always formed