CSCI: Networking

PAN (Personal Area Network)

A network designed for communication among devices for one person

MAN (Metropolitan Area Network)

A network designed to provide access to a larger geographical area like a city

LAN (Local Area Network)

A network where the nodes are located in a small geographical area (computer lab at school, house)

Coaxial cable

A single copper wire surrounded by layers of plastic and copper mesh, used to connect cable TV, more expensive, less interference

HAN (Home Area Network )

A specific type of LAN at your home

Mesh Topology

Every node is connected to every other node, data can be going between different nodes at the same time, expensive because of the amount of cable needed

WAN (Wide Area Network)

Spans a large physical distance, a collection of LAN's, the internet is the largest WAN

Router

Splits the connect given to is by the modem so that multiple users can connect

Bandwith

The max speed that data can be transmitted between nodes in a network

Twisted pair cable

copper wires twisted around each other, Used for telephones

Throughput

Actual speed of the data transmission that is achieved

Bus Topology

All computers are connected on a sequence on a single cable, less used, data collisions are common, minimal cable, many nodes slows down network

Ring Topology

Computers connected along a ring, uses a token to avoid collisions, no collisions, failure of one node brings down whole network, security is bad

Modem

Converts the internet signal coming in from the cable into a signal that your computer can understand and vice versa when sending out data

Point to Point Topology

Data travels from one node to another, very simple, fast, no interference

Star topology

Nodes all connect to a switch, data first goes to switch then switch directs data where to go, easy to add nodes, requires more cable, if switch fails system goes down

Tree Topology

Nodes are connected to a central node directly or indirectly, has hierarchy, easy to add nodes, if one goes down the others don't, can be hard to maintain as it grows

Fiber-optic cable

Plastic or glass fibers transmit data, most expensive, more fragile, works best, used as the network backbone