Cisco Networking Academy Chapter #1

Cisco Networking Academy Chapter #1 Hosts - All computers connected to a network that participate directly in network communication The Advantages of Peer-to-Peer Networking - Easy to set up Less complexity Lower cost since network devices and dedicated servers may not be required Can be used for simple tasks such as transferring files and sharing printers The Disadvantages of Peer-to-Peer Networking - No centralized administration Not as secure Not scalable All devices may act as both clients and servers which can slow their performance Three Categories of Network Components - Devices Media Services End Device - It is either the source or destination of a message transmitted over the network Intermediary Devices - Intermediary Devices connect the individual end devices to the network and can connect multiple individual networks to form an inter-network. These intermediary devices provide connectivity and ensure that data flows across the network. Intermediary Devices - Wireless Router LAN Switch Multi-layer Switch Firewall Appliance Router Medium - Provides the channel over which the message travels from source to destination. Metallic Wires Within Cables - Data is encoded into electrical impulses, for which CAT 5 or other copper wires cables are an example. Glass or Plastic Fibers (Fiber Optic Cable) - Data is encoded as pulses of light Wireless Transmission - Data is encoded using wavelengths from the electromagnetic spectrum Network Interface Card - A NIC, or LAN adapter, provides the physical connection to the network at the PC or other end device. The media that are connecting the PC to the networking device, plug directly into the NIC