networks

networks

1. advantages of having networks:

   • you only have to do something once
   • access all the same files from different computers
   • faster and easier to use
   • consistent in user experience

2. disadvantages of networks:

   • costs
   • more room for errors
   • difficult - requires a technical expertise
   • malware
   • if one computer gets a virus, then all the others get it too

3. type of networks:

   • LAN:
     • Local, Area, Network
       • a network contained to a single geographical location
   • WAN:
     • Wide, Area, Network
       • a network of a large geographical location
   • network topologies
     • bus
       • advantages
         • cheap to install
       • disadvantages
         • lots of collisions
           • high chance od catastrophic failure
             • slows down as more computers are added
     • star
       • advantages
         • no collisions (fast)
           • low chance of failure
       • disadvantages
         • can be expensive
           • depends on a switch
     • Ring
       • disadvantages
         • high chance of catastrophic failure
           • difficult to expand
       • advantages
         • cheap to install
           • no collisions (fast)

4. IP address

   • an IP address is a unique value used to identify computers on a network
     • computers on a network need an addresses to identify them
       • its made up of 4 numbers between 0-155
       • when a computer is added to a network it is assigned an IP address
         • each IP addresses MUST be unique
           • all messages that are sent of the network, have both the sender and receiver's IP addresses attached to them