Networks

Networks

1. Types of network

   • LAN
     • Local Area Network
       • Networks in a local area or building.
   • WAN
     • Wide Area Network
       • Large networks across a country or the world.

2. Advantages

   • Share files
     • So they have the same files on every computer.
   • Share resources
     • Such as printers and internet connection.
   • Share logins
     • So the same usernames and passwords can be used on the network.

3. Disadvantages

   • Cost
     • Networks are expensive to set up.
   • Risk
     • Problems such as viruses can effect every computer on the network.
   • difficulty
     • Experts are needed to set up and maintain a network.

4. IP Addresses

   • An IP address is a unique value assigned to every computer on a network, used to identify it. Messages check the messages have gone to the correct IP address.
   • There are about 4,294,967,296 IP addresses.
   • IP addresses are used to find and send messages because if you send something to the wrong IP address then it wont get sent or received.
   • The catmose IP address is two numbers followed by 3 sets of three numbers all of wich are random.

5. Internet

   • Large files are sent in smaller packets and then they are reassembles at the destination.
   • The internet is a mesh topology.
   • Routes between nodes are chosen by seeing how much the cost adds up to and they choose the smaller route.