Types of Networks Overview

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Questions and Answers

What does a Local Area Network (LAN) typically connect?

Only smartphones and tablets

Devices within a small geographical area (correct)

Devices wirelessly across a city

Devices over long distances

Which network type allows communication over large geographic areas?

Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)

Wide Area Network (WAN) (correct)

Personal Area Network (PAN)

Campus Area Network (CAN)

What is a key feature of a Storage Area Network (SAN)?

It focuses on wireless communication.

It only connects personal devices.

It provides access to block-level storage. (correct)

It is used for email communication.

Which type of network primarily connects devices for personal use?

PAN Signup and view all the answers

What differentiates a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) from a Local Area Network (LAN)?

WLAN uses wireless communication. Signup and view all the answers

Which network type is commonly used in colleges and corporate sites?

CAN Signup and view all the answers

Which network is typically managed by cities or governmental bodies?

Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) Signup and view all the answers

What is one significant advantage of a Storage Area Network (SAN)?

It offers shared storage access. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of a VPN?

To encrypt and secure Internet connections Signup and view all the answers

Which statement best describes WAN?

It consists of multiple LANs and connects computers globally. Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes a client-server network from a peer-to-peer network?

Client-server networks rely on a central server to provide resources. Signup and view all the answers

Which type of network device is primarily responsible for routing data between different networks?

Router Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary difference between public and private IP addresses?

Public IP addresses identify devices on the internet. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following concepts is defined as the maximum capacity of a network connection?

Bandwidth Signup and view all the answers

Which network topology would likely lead to bottlenecks due to its design?

Bus Topology Signup and view all the answers

What does latency refer to in terms of data transmission?

The time delay between data sending and receiving Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

What is a Network?

A collection of interconnected devices (nodes) sharing data, resources, and services.
Includes computers, smartphones, servers, printers, etc.

Types of Networks

LAN (Local Area Network): Connects devices over a short distance (office, home).
- Commonly used: Ethernet LAN
- Allows sharing of data, files, and resources.
WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network): Similar to LAN but uses wireless communication.
- Typically involves a Wi-Fi router or access point.
CAN (Campus Area Network): Closed corporate communication network.
- May contain private or public parts.
- Commonly used in colleges, academies, and corporate sites.
MAN (Metropolitan Area Network): Larger than LAN but smaller than WAN.
- Covers several buildings in the same city.
- Connected via fiber optic cable.
- Managed by cities and government bodies.
PAN (Personal Area Network): Used personally, connecting devices like smartphones and laptops.
- Used for syncing content and sharing small files.
- Connects via wireless networks (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Infrared).
SAN (Storage Area Network): Specialized high-speed network for block-level data storage.
- Provides shared access to cloud storage.
- Consists of switches, servers, and disk arrays.
- Fault-tolerant, allowing data access even if a switch or server fails.
VPN (Virtual Private Network): Encrypts internet connection, hiding IP address and location.
- Boosts online privacy and secures data.
WAN (Wide Area Network): Connects devices over a wide geographical area (country, continent).
- Includes multiple LANs, MANs, and CANs.
- Example: The internet.

Network Architecture

Client-Server: A central server provides services to multiple clients.
- Example: Web servers providing web pages.
Peer-to-Peer (P2P): Devices share resources directly without a central authority.

Network Devices

Router: Routes data between different networks.
- Often used to connect a local network to the internet.
Switch: Directs data within a local network.
- Ensures data is sent only to the intended device.
Hub: Basic networking device that broadcasts data to all connected devices.
- Can cause traffic congestion.
Modem: Converts digital data to analog signals and vice versa.
- Used for transmission over telephone or cable lines.

IP Addressing

IP Address: Unique identifier assigned to each device on a network.
- IPv4: 32-bit address format (e.g., 192.168.1.1).
- IPv6: 128-bit address format (e.g., 2001:0db8:85a3::8a2e:0370:7334).
  - Developed to increase available address space.

Public vs. Private IP Addresses

Public IP: Used on the internet for unique device identification.
Private IP: Used within local networks, not visible on the internet.

Data Transmission Concepts

Bandwidth: Maximum capacity of a network connection.
- Measured in bits per second (bps).
- Higher bandwidth allows faster data transmission.
Latency: Time delay between sending and receiving data.
- Low latency is important for applications like gaming and video conferencing.
Throughput: Actual amount of data transmitted over a network.
- Can be lower than bandwidth due to congestion or other issues.

Network Topologies

Bus Topology: All devices share a single communication line.
- Simple but can lead to bottlenecks.
Star Topology: Devices connect to a central hub or switch.
- Offers better performance and fault tolerance than a bus topology.

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Description

This quiz covers the various types of computer networks including LAN, WLAN, CAN, MAN, and PAN. Each type is defined by its own characteristics and use cases in different environments. Test your knowledge on network fundamentals with this engaging quiz.