1. Networks

2. What is a network? two or more computers linked together.

3. What does network allow users to do? to share software and hardware

4. What are Local Area Networks (LANs)? Networks that link computers within a limited area (a department, an office, or a building).

5. What are Wide Area Networks (WANs)? Networks that link computers across the world.

6. What advantages do networks have? - increase productivity - workers can share information easily without printing, copying, telephoning, or posting.

7. TOPOLOGIES Computers in a network can be connected in 3 basic topologies: a star topology a ring topology a bus topology

8. Star topology Describe the star topology a server computer is at the centre and a separate cable connects the server to the other computers in the network. What does the central server control? The central server controls the flow of data in the network. What happens if the central server fails? If the central server fails, the whole network will fail.

9. Ring topology Describe the ring topology each computer is connected to its neighbour in a circle, the data flow in one direction round the ring. What happens if one computer fails? If a cable breaks or one of the computers fails, the whole network will fail.

10. Bus topology Describe the bus topology all the computers are connected to a common cable, the data flow in both directions along the cable. What happens if a computer fails? If a computer fails, or we remove one from the network, the other computers won’t fail.

11. Mesh topology Describe the mesh topology every computer is connected to every other computer, is not commonly used.