Digital Convergence - Answers is the gradual merger of computing and communications into a new
information environment, in which the same information is exchanged among many kinds of equipment,
using the language of computers.
Digital - Answers Signals that computer uses to process a series of datas 0s and 1s, off and on.
Analog - Answers signals that use wave variations, continuously changing.
Can an analog data be converted to digital data? - Answers yes, by using modems
Modem - Answers short for modulate/ demodulate. Communications hardware device that facilitates
the transmission of data.
What does WAN stand for? - Answers Wide Area Network. It allows communication around the whole
world. It is meant to help others share resources. Example: The Internet
What does MAN stand for? - Answers Metropolitan Area Network. Communications network covering a
city or a suburb. Many cellphone systems are MANs.
What does LAN stand for and what is it? - Answers Local Are Network. Connects computers and devices
in a limited
geographic area, such as one office, one building, or a group of buildings close together. (A home area
network is a LAN.)
What does P2P stand for? - Answers peer-to-peer. All computers on the network are "equal" and
communicate directly with one another, without relying on servers.
client/server network - Answers A network that uses centrally administered computers, known as
"servers", to enable resource sharing for and to facilitate communication between the other computers
on the network.
Intranets - Answers use infrastructure and standards of the Internet and the web, but for an
organization's internal use only.
Extranet - Answers Similar to an intranet, but allows specific users outside of the organization to access
internal information systems.
VPNs - Answers (virtual private networks): use a public network (usually the Internet) plus intranets and
extranets to connect an organization's various sites) but on a private basis, via encryption and
authentication; regular Internet users do not have access to the VPN's data and information.
Firewall - Answers a system of hardware and/or software that protects the system from intruders.
(security software for the intranets, extranets and VPNs).
, Hosts - Answers Client/server network has a host computer, which controls the network.
Nodes - Answers any device attached to the network
Packets - Answers fixed-length blocks of data for transmission, reassembled after transmission
Protocols - Answers A set of rules governing the exchange or transmission of data between devices.
Handshaking protocol - Answers The sending and receiving devices exchange signals to establish that
they are each ready to initiate data transfer.
what are the four types of information that help Packet, or electronic message reach its destination? -
Answers 1. the sender's address (IP)
2. the intended receiver's address
3. how many packets the complete message has been broken into
4. the number of this particular packet. The packets carry the data in the protocols that the Internet uses
—that is, TCP/IP
Network linking devices - Answers switch, bridge, gateway, router, backbone, NIC, NOS
switch - Answers Device that connects computers to a network; sends only to
intended recipients; operates back and forth at the same time.
bridge - Answers interface device that connects same type of networks
gateway - Answers interface device that connects dissimilar networks
Router - Answers device that directs messages among several networks, wired or wireless.
backbone - Answers Main Internet highway that connects all networks in an organization; includes
switches, gateways, routers, etc.
NIC - Answers A Network Interface Card- inserted in a slot on the motherboard, enables computer to
operate as part of a network
NOS - Answers Network Operating System - the system software that manages
network activity.
network topology - Answers refers to the layout (shape) of a network
Basic Network Topologies - Answers Star, Ring, Bus, Tree and Mesh
star - Answers all nodes are connected through a central network switch