Networks

Networks

1. Disadvantages

   • Expensive - extra hardware/ wiring
   • Errors can affect all computers
   • Difficult - requires technical experti
   • Malware - viruses can spread

2. Advantages

   • Print, use the internet, email and use the same software
   • Files are available on all computers
   • Log in to all school computers with same password

3. Types

   • LAN - Local Area Network
     • Single location or organisation
   • WAN - Wide Area Network
     • Large area or multiple organisations

4. Topologies

   • Star Topologies - connected to a central switch
   • Bus Topologies - a single cable that runs through a network
   • Ring Topologies- Computers that are connected to each other in a ring
   • Mesh Topologies - each computer network is connected with each other

5. IP address

   • An address to identify a computer.
   • Internet Protocol Address
   • Each IP address is unique to each computer on a network
   • Made up of 32 bit binary value

6. The Internet

   • The internet is a huge global inter-connected network
   • All data on the internet is spilt into small chunks = packets
   • Messages can take many different routes to get to its destination
   • Before we transmit we need to decide what route the data will take
     • Algorithms are used to determine which route will cost the least and take less time