ICT Computing Essentials - Lesson 4: Computer Networking
1
ICT Computing Essentials
Lesson 4 Cloze Notes
Network
Two or more computers are ____________ form a network.
Network Types
Network Type
Description
Local area network (LAN)
 A group of connected computers confined within a ____________ geographic
area
 LANs can range in size and scale based on their use
 Examples include a ____________ network, a school's network or a small
office's network
 Many homes and businesses use wireless local area networks (WLANs) to
provide wireless connectivity within a small geographic area
Metropolitan area network
(MAN)
 Designated for a network connection within a large city or multiple small
cities
 A MAN is much ____________ than a LAN because it covers a large
geographic area
 MANs are commonly operated by local ____________ or private companies
Wide area network (WAN)
 The largest network type
 Connects ____________ or more LANs together
 A WAN is typically owned and maintained by the owner of the LANs that it
connects
 The largest WAN in existence is the Internet
 Large corporations that span ____________ cities, states or countries.
Types of Networks

Intranet: designed for a company’s employees to share ____________ information.

Cannot be accessed by anyone without company ____________ and a user/password assigned by
the company.

Extranet: similar to an Intranet, but is usually designed for the company’s ____________ to also
access.

Virtual Private Network: ____________ networks designed to allow access to a specific group of
people.
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Network Typology
How the network is designed to ____________ information.
Network Type
Description
Bus
 Connects devices through one physical line called a bus cable
 Information can flow in only one direction
 Only one computer can send data at a time
 Requires a device called a terminator at the end of the cable to prevent
information from bouncing back if it reaches the end
 If the bus cable fails, then the entire network will malfunction
Star
 Each computer in the network connects to the same single network device
 The network device receives information from each computer and transmits it
accordingly
 Capable of high speeds because multiple computers can communicate
simultaneously
 If one computer or cable fails, the rest of the network will still function
 Most common topology used today
Ring (aka Token Ring)
 Connects all computers in the network through a single line
 Only one computer can send data at a time
 A computer must possess the "token" in order to send data on the network
 The token is passed in a clockwise direction
 If the main cable fails, then the entire network will malfunction
Mesh
 Each computer has a dedicated connection to every other computer in the
network
 If one cable fails, the rest of the network still functions normally
 The most secure and reliable topology
 Also the most expensive topology due to the amount of cable required to run
a dedicated line to each computer
Client/Server Network Model
Clients are all connected to a ____________, or multiple servers

Client: end user’s ____________ – processes the information

Server: a powerful computer that ____________ information and processes requests from the
connected clients

file sharing

print sharing

e-mail
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Mainframe/Terminal Network Model
Mainframe computer runs all programs directly on the ____________
Terminal: an access point to the mainframe that provides a connection for a ____________, mouse and
monitor

Is ____________ an actual computer and cannot process the information
Peer to Peer Model

Clients are ____________ to each other to share files or printers

There is no ____________
Requirements to Connect to a Network

Computer(s) — desktop, notebook, tablet, mobile device

Operating ____________ — Windows, Linux, Mac OS, mobile OS

____________ media — wired or wireless connections

Network hardware — physical hardware connecting computers across the network

Network ____________ — the set of rules defining how the computers on the network will
communicate
Network Hardware
Device
Description
Network Interface
Card (NIC)
A NIC is the specialized device that allows your computer to connect physically to the
network cable.
Modems
A device used either internally or externally to connect computers and allows them to
transfer data over phone lines. Modem is short for Modulator/Demodulator. Most of the
older phone modems are no longer used because Cable and DSL connections are so
much faster.
Hubs
Network Hubs: allow multiple computers to connect over a network. With multiple ports
to connect Ethernet cables these are often found in smaller offices or departments within
a larger network.
USB Hubs: Are used to connect multiple peripherals (speakers, headsets, mouse,
keyboard, etc.) to a single USB port of your computer in much the same way as extension
cords allow you to plug in multiple electrical devices to a single outlet.
Switches
Switches are more powerful than a hub and come in various sizes for both home and
office use. Unlike a hub, they are capable of controlling some of the network traffic and
some people refer to a switch as a "smart hub."
Routers
Routers are used to connect from a LAN to another network. They are much smarter than
switches and can be programmed to only allow authorized machines to connect to one
another.
Gateways
As the name implies, this device acts as a gate between two or more networks. It can be a
router, a firewall, or even a server whose function is to enable traffic flow in and out of a
network.
Access Points
Commonly a wireless router, an access point allows wireless devices to connect to a
network.
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ICT Computing Essentials - Lesson 4: Computer Networking
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Network Protocols: Rules for connecting and transmitting information
Protocol
Description
TCP/IP
 The standard protocol suite used to connect computer devices to the Internet
(Transmission Control
Protocol/Internet Protocol)
 Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) is used to manage the connection between
two computers
 Internet Protocol (IP) is used to identify computers on a network
 Like a home’s mailing address, each computer must have a unique address to
ensure that data reaches the proper destination
 An example of an IP address is 192.168.1.100
DHCP
(Dynamic Host
Configuration Protocol)
 DHCP dynamically assigns network computers a unique IP address, allowing them
to communicate with one another
 Used on TCP/IP networks
 The alternative to using a DHCP server is to manually access each network device
and assign each device a unique IP address, which can be very time-consuming
DNS
 Simplifies accessing computers over the Internet and on private networks
(Domain Name System)
 To access a device over the Internet, you must use its unique IP address
 DNS associates a word-based name with that unique IP address
 This enables users to remember the name instead of trying to remember the
number-based IP address
HTTP
 Used to transfer data over the World Wide Web
(Hypertext Transfer
Protocol)
 When a user visits a Web page, the page’s content must be downloaded to the
computer from the Web server
 HTTP manages the transactions that occur between the Web server and the user's
computer
FTP
 Used to transfer files from computer to computer over the Internet
(File Transfer Protocol)
 The most common use for FTP is publishing a Web site to a Web server
IMAP
 An e-mail protocol used for receiving incoming e-mail
(Internet Message Access
Protocol)
 IMAP stores messages on the mail server, which allows devices to synchronize email accounts
 When a user reads or deletes an e-mail message using IMAP, the change is
reflected on all devices
POP
 An e-mail protocol used for receiving e-mail
(Post Office Protocol)
 POP downloads all messages to every device
 When a user reads an e-mail message on one device, that same message will still
display as unread on another device because the mail server is not synchronized
SMTP
 An e-mail protocol used for sending outgoing e-mail
(Simple Mail Transfer
Protocol)
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Open Systems Interconnection (OSI)

Standardize the way that computers ____________ with one another

Divides a computer’s communication into ____________ layers
OSI/RM Layer
Description
Application
Interacts with the operating system or application to transfer data
Presentation
Converts data to ensure that it can be read by receiving computer
Session
Controls communication with the receiving computer
Transport
Ensures error-free transmission between sending and receiving computer
Network
Determines how the data will be sent to receiving computer
Data Link
Determines the appropriate protocol to send data
Physical
Defines the type of network media that is used to send data
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