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- Explain what a network is
- Be able to explain the difference between a LAN and WAN
- Be able to describe transmission mediums
- I am able to demonstrate an understanding of how computers communicate and share information over networks
A network is a group of interconnected people or things.
Examples of computer networks include:
- The school network
- Your home network
- Government networks
- Company networks
Computers that are not on an network are called stand alone computers.
Computer networks are made up of multiple computers which all communicate using agreed protocols.
Each computer is given an IP address that allows the computer to uniquely identify itself.
There are two main type of network:
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Local Area Network (LAN) - E.g. your home network or the school network
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Wide Area Network (WAN) - E.g. The Internet
There are two formats of transmission media used to carry data:
- Wired (using a cable)
- Wireless (e.g. WiFi)
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1
Fill in the blanks:
When data is requested by a user, the user's address is given to the other computer so that it knows exactly where to send the data back to. There are two sizes of networks that are in common use today, the LAN (L A N) and the WAN (W A N).
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LAN WAN Distance covered Example of where it could be used Can span multiple countries Is very fast Is made up of smaller LANs -
A school Physics lab only has many computers but only one computer connected to the Internet and a printer connected to it. It is considering networking all computers in the Physics lab.
3Would a LAN or WAN be more suitable for this setup?
4State one benefit of networking all of these computers to the Physics lab.
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5
Networks allow files to be shared and allow users to remotely access these files. Data can also be backed up easily and devices such as printers can be shared which can save m. One of the biggest risks with this is that the files could be stolen by someone who breaks into the network called a h.
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6
Firewalls are especially important to keeping computers safe. Based on what you have learned about firewalls, explain why you think a firewall is called a firewall.
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7
Create a poster or a presentation describing networks. In your poster or presentation you should describe what a network is, what LAN and WAN are, and mention packets and protocols.