NETWORKING

REMEMBER

1. Describe the three types of networks.

There are three types of networks they are: local area

Networks (LAN), wide area networks (WAN) and

Virtual private networks (VPN).

2. Distinguish between a LAN and a WAN.

A local area network (LAN) supplies networking capability to a group of

computers in close proximity to each other such as in an office building, a
school, or a home. A LAN is useful for sharing resources like files,
printers, games or other applications. A wide area network (WAN) is a
geographically dispersed telecommunications network. The term distinguishes
a broader telecommunication structure from a local area network. A wide
area network may be privately owned or rented, but the term usually
connotes the inclusion of public (shared user) networks.

3. Explain the term `data packet'.

A Data packet is a basic unit of communication over a digital network. A

Data packet is also called a datagram, a segment, a block, a cell or a
frame, depending on the protocol. When data has to be transmitted, it is
broken down into similar structures of data, which are reassembled to the
original data chunk once they reach their destination.

4. Explain what a server is. Describe three types of servers.

A network server is a computer designed to process requests and deliver

data to other (client) computers over a local network or the Internet.

Network servers typically are configured with additional processing, memory

and storage capacity to handle the load of servicing clients. Common types
of network servers include:
• Web servers

• proxy servers

• FTP servers

THINK

5. Define the term ‘hub’. How is it different from a switch?

A Hub Network is a device for connecting multiple twisted pair or fibre

optic Ethernet devices together. A hub network is different from a switch
because each port or outlet on the switch gets the full

bandwidth of the switch, where is a hub does not.

INVESTIGATE

6. Find out more about proxy servers. Explain how they make web pages load
more quickly. What other functions do proxy servers perform?
Proxy servers act as an intermediary between an end user and the
Internet. They temporarily store frequently accessed web pages. When a
user requests a web page, the proxy server checks whether it has stored
the page before forwarding the request to the Internet. This can make
access to frequently visited pages much faster than retrieving the pages
from the Internet each time they are required.