Download Networks

Network Recap
First a recap on networks
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What is a stand alone PC
What is a LAN
Name 5 advantages of a LAN
What is a WAN
Name 1 advantage and 1
disadvantage with a WAN
Star Networks
How good is a
star network?
What type of network is this
and how good is it?
What is this network and how
does it work?
Communications
Mr Hewitt
Network Components
How would you connect a stand
alone PC to the Internet?
Modems:
THE INTERNET
To access the internet, (a WAN) a modem is
needed
A modem or modulator demodulator converts
the computers digital signals into the
analogue (voice signals) of phone lines
More modern lines (broadband) carry digital
signals so rather than a modem you would
use a terminal adapter
Network Components
Gateway:
How would you connect a LAN to the
A gateway is used to translate data between one network
Internet or make a LAN into a WAN?
and another.
The internet or another LAN
The Importance of Bandwidth
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Computers connected to the internet have
different transmission speeds (measured in
Kbps or now Mbps)
The faster the transmission speed, the more
data can be transferred. Transmission
speed is called ‘bandwidth’
If a network does not have enough
bandwidth, it will be slow!
Low Bandwidth
Network with low bandwidth
As the amount of data travelling between computers
increases, the network gets slower and slower!
High Bandwidth
Network with high bandwidth
This network has enough bandwidth to cope with all of
the data travelling across it!
How to get more bandwidth
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You can get more bandwidth than you can
from a standard 56K modem?
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Get an ISDN or ADSL line and subscribe to
broadband
These newer lines are not analogue but
digital – this means they are much faster
You need a special broadband modem
which is actually called a terminal adaptor
But –typically this is more expensive
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