Networks

Networks

1. Advantages

   • You can communicate with other people and send them things
   • If your computer gets broken you can still access all your info on a different computer
   • You download new software without needing any hard ware and you can print and use the internet

2. Types of networks

   • LAN
     • Stands for Local Area Network
     • It is a network which is in one location or organization
   • WAN
     • Stands for Wide Area network
     • It is a network that spans across a large area or multiple organizations
     • Often consists of multiple LAN networks

3. Disadvantages

   • Viruses can be a big problem as all the computers are connected to a server
   • More costly and difficult to make
   • One mistake can affect all the computers

4. Topoligies

   • Bus network
     • A network that is cheap and simple with terminators on the end, but there is a high chance of catastrophic failure, collisions and the more computers the slower it is
   • Ring network
     • A network that is fairly cheap and as its in a ring there is a low chance of collisions. However, its is very slow because of this and has a high chance of catastrophic failure. Its easy to connect new computers into the network though.
   • Star network
     • Has a switch in the middle which is attached to all devices, its very fast, easier to connect new computers and has a low chance of catastrophic failure. It costs a lot though.

5. Ip addresses

   • An IP Address is a unique value assigned to every computer on a network, used to identify it.
   • Up to 4 billion unique addresses
   • Has 4 numbers which can go up from 255. For example, 243.125.5.55 would be a valid IP address