| stand-alone or networked | |
| A stand-alone computer is not connected to any other computer.
A network computer is connected to other computers via a network, this can be either wireless or wired |
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| LAN/internet | |
| Local Area Network – This a network of computer in a small geographical area, such as a building.
Internet – This is a worldwide network of computer networks. |
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| Description and comparison of the following transmission media in relation to data speeds and ease of use: | |
| wired | |
| A wired network connect is fast connection, which makes use of copper cables to connect to other network devices. This type of network is used for LANs as it has a short range. | |
| optical | |
| Optical networks use fibre optic cables to connect devices together. The data is transmitted as a series of light pulses. Different colours can be sent of the same cable allowing for more than one piece of data to be transmitted at once. Optical networks have the largest range and are often used in undersea cables. | |
| wireless | |
| Wireless networks allow network data to be transmitted without a dedicated wire. The most common are Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Wi-Fi has the largest range and fasted speed but Bluetooth is the most energy efficient. | |
| Description and exemplification of hardware required for network connectivity including: | |
| Network Interface Card | |
| A NIC is used to connect a device to the network, these can be wired or wireless. The NIC makes sure that the device’s data is
Wireless NICs are often in the form of a USB dongle that can be plugged into any computer or device. |
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| Router | |
| A network router is used to connect one network to another. We use routers to connect our house networks to the Internet. Home routers often have Wi-Fi built in as well as a network switch. | |
| Hub | |
| A network hub is used to connect computers together in a network. Hubs are used in star networks where all the clients share the same bandwidth. | |
| Switch | |
| A network switch is used to connect computers together in a network. Switches have high bandwidth and each device has a direct switched connection to each other. | |
| Description and exemplification of the appropriate type of network connection required for a specific information system including: | |
| Hardware | |
| To connect two or more computers in the network you would need.
· A NIC for each computer · A network hub or switch · Cables for a wired network. |
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| transmission media | |
| Transmission media is the connection between two network devices.
· Wi-Fi & Bluetooth – Wireless radio signals · Optical – Fibre optical cables · Twisted Pair – Copper cables that are twisted around each and plug into NICs |
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