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Questions
Explain the advantages and disadvantages of networking computers. (4 marks)
Advantages: Can share peripherals; use cheaper site licenses for software; centralise backup; easier communication. Max 2.
Disadvantages: Costly to set up, costly to maintain, viruses may spread more easily Max 2.
Explain the differences between a LAN and a WAN giving an example of each. (6 marks)
A PAN is a network connected by bluetooth centered around a single user(1) e.g. When someone connects a phone smart watch and headphones.(1)
A LAN is a network covering a small geographic area(1) where the network equipment is owned by the people running the network (1) e.g. an office network.(1)
A WAN is a network covering a large geographic area(1) where the network equipment is owned by independent 3rd parties (1) e.g. the Internet.(1)
Explain the advantages and disadvantages of a wireless network instead of a wired network (4 marks)
Advantages: Can work from more locations; Can share files without connecting to a port; Cheaper than wired; Easier to add new users; any 2
Disadvantages: Less secure; Slower speeds; Can be interfered with by walls, furniture etc; any 2
Explain what is meant by full mesh and partial mesh topologies and give an advantage and a disadvanatge to this type of network. (4 marks)
Full mesh is where every computer in the network is directly connected to every other connections (1)
Partial mesh is where all computers are connected to each other but some do not cnnect directly to some machines (1)
Advanatages: Faster message transfer when machines on the network are close; if one connection fails there are alternate paths; nodes can transmit to and from more than one node at a time; its easy to add new nodes; any 1 (1)
Disadvantages: Its difficult to manage all the cpnnections on a large network; maintaining the network is difficult; any 1 (1)
Explain what protocols are used when a user composes and sends an email to another user on a different network and that user logs in and reads the message. (3 marks)
SMTP is used to send the email message you compose from your computer to your mail server.(1) SMTP is used again to transfer the message from your mail server to the recipients mail server.(1) IMAP is used by the recipient to
download the message from their email server and read it(1)
Explain the similarities and differences between HTTP and HTTPS and when HTTPS might be needed. (3 marks)
They are both protocols for transmitting web page data(1) but HTTPS encrypts data before it is transmitted.(1) HTTPS is used when information that needs to be kept private such as bank details are transmitted.(1)
Explain what a firewall is and how it works (3 marks)
A firewall can be physical or software based and monitors network traffic(1) and can be configured to allow or deny certain data(1) based on a set of predefined rules.(1)
Give an example of an IPV4 and IPV6 address and explain why IPV6 addresses were needed (3 marks)
IPV4 - any example with 4 numbers between 0 and 255 separated by dots (1) IPV6 - any example with 8 lots of 4 hex digits(1) IPV4 addresses were running out because of the Internet of things.(1)
A user types in the domain for a website they have not been to before and that has low visitor numbers. Explain how the DNS system is involved in retrieving the desired webpage. (4 marks)
First the domain name will be searched in the local DNS cache and if its their its IP address will be returned but as they haven't visited it before this one will not be. (1)
Next it will be passed to the DNS of your ISP and if the domain is known the IP will be returned.(1) As this site has low visitor numbers the request may eventually reach a
root server that contains all domains and their IP addresses.(1) Then the webpage can be requested from the webserver at the specified IP address.(1)
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