Networks
Everything you need to know about Networks, or there about!
Routers
A router is a device that sends data packets along a network. it usually does this from a local area network (LAN) to other networks. a router also only allows authorized computer systems to connect to the network. Most routers also keep computer logs about the recent network activity.
Switch
A switch is used to network multiple computers together. Switches are more advanced than a Hub but less capable that a router. Unlike hubs, switches can limit the traffic to and from each port so that each device connected to the switch has a sufficient amount of bandwidth. For this reason, you can think of a switch as a "smart hub."
Hub
This is a hardware device that is used to network multiple computers together. It is a central connection for all the computers in a network, which is usually Ethernet-based. Information sent to the hub can flow to any other computer on the network. If you need to connect more than two computers together, a hub will allow you to do so.
Client
Clients are basically the computers that are connected to a server, all the computers are called clients. For example, if an office has a server that stores the company's database on it, the other computers in the office that can access the database are "clients" of the server.
Server
A server is a computer that provides data to other computers. It may serve data to systems on a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN) over the Internet. Many types of servers exist, including web servers, mail servers, and file servers. Each type runs software specific to the purpose of the server
Network interface controller (NIC)
Stands for "Network Interface Card." Pronounced "nick," this is the card that physically makes the connection between the computer and the network cable. Without this none of your computers would be able to connects to the internet.
Peer to Peer network
This is where just computers are in a network, there are no servers or switches to control the network. it is just computers to manage it.
Client server network
This is where the network has a server to control the network. All the computers are called clients and they will have a log in to access this network and that will have to go through the server to access this network.
Ring network
A ring network transmits data in a one way loop, this has many draw backs. if a computer wants to send some data to a computer next to it but before it in the one way cycle, it has to transmit all the data all the way around the circle, this means it is slow.
Also if one computer get a wire unplugged or there is a fault with its connection then that affects all of of computers because the data can travel the other way and a break will cause a massive build up of data.
Star network
A star network is probably the best choice of network types because each client has its own port to the server which means that if there is a brake in one of the computers connections, it will only affect that computer and not the others. The only way that all the computers could be affected if the server crashed but that is unlikely.
Bus network
A bus network is where there is a main bus going along the network and only one computer can use the bus at once. the other computers have to wait for the bus to come back round and be free for them to be able to use it. the bus network is inefficient because there isn't a continuous stream of data all the other computers that aren't using the bus have to wait for the chance to use the bus. if a line from one of the computers breaks only that computer is affected and it wont effect the rest of the network. however if there is a break in the central line then that effects all of the computers and will cause a massive build up of data.
LAN
A LAN network is a network that covers a small area like a school or a collage. It contains a small amount of clients and only covers a small area. Only the computers in that area can access the LAN. The pros and cons of a LAN network are that it only covers a small area but this means only clients in the area of the LAN can join the network.
WAN
A WAN network is a network that covers a large area and is made up of many interconnecting LAN networks. One Tesco store uses a LAN but all the Tesco stores use a WAN network. The internet is also a WAN. A WAN network also has pros and cons, the fact that it is so big it means that random people could piggyback the network but it does mean that if you have many stores in a business you can have all of them in one network. Because the internet is a WAN it can connect to so many people, whereas if it were a LAN it wouldn't have the range and everybody uses the internet.