Information Systems/Networking

< Information Systems

This lesson covers computer networks.

Objectives and Skills

Objectives and skills for the networking portion of CLEP Information Systems include:[1]

Readings

  1. Read Wikibooks: Introduction to Computer Information Systems/Computer Networks.
  2. Read Wikipedia: Computer network.
  3. Read Wikipedia: Wireless network.

Multimedia

  1. Watch YouTube: Introduction to Computer Networks Part 1 - Easy to understand basics.
  2. Watch YouTube: Introduction to Computer Networks Part 2 - Easy to understand basics.
  3. Watch YouTube: Introduction to Computer Networks Part 3 - Easy to understand basics.
  4. Watch YouTube: Introduction to Networking.
  5. Watch YouTube: How to Connect Your Windows Laptop to the Internet via Wifi.
  6. Watch YouTube: How to check whether you have a static or dynamic ip address and how to change it.

Activities

  1. Review IP address settings for your local network:
  2. Verify Internet connectivity:
    1. Verify a physical connection:
      • Wired: Check for connectivity lights on the network adapter and switch or router.
      • Wireless: Check for connectivity through the user interface.
    2. Verify ip address settings.
      • Windows: Use ipconfig.
      • OS X: Use Network Utility, System Preferences / Network, or ifconfig.
      • Linux: Use Network Configuration, System Settings / Networking, or ifconfig.
    3. Review Ping/Host. Verify local and remote connectivity using ping.
      • Ping your local IP address.
      • Ping your local default gateway address.
      • Ping an Internet host such as 8.8.8.8.
    4. Review Nslookup. Verify name resolution using nslookup and an Internet host name, such as en.wikiversity.org.
  3. Share a folder and connect to the shared folder:
  4. Experiment with the Wireshark open source packet analyzer. Follow the activities to install Wireshark and capture network traffic. Then view the captured information.
  5. Play the GoCertify: OSI Networking game to practice matching protocols to their corresponding OSI layer.
  6. Review the lesson summary, key terms, review questions, and assessments below.

Lesson Summary

Key Terms

bandwidth
The amount of information that can be sent through a given communication channel in a given amount of time.[26]
blog
A discussion or informational site published on the World Wide Web and consisting of discrete entries ("posts") typically displayed in reverse chronological order (the most recent post appears first).[27]
Bluetooth
A wireless technology standard for exchanging data over short distances (using short-wavelength UHF radio waves in the ISM band from 2.4 to 2.485 GHz[4]) from fixed and mobile devices, and building personal area networks (PANs).[28]
broadband
A wide bandwidth data transmission with an ability to simultaneously transport multiple signals and traffic types.[29]
chat room
Describes any form of electronic conferencing, but traditionally refers to synchronous text-based communications with a group of users.[30]
client
A piece of computer hardware or software that accesses a service made available by a server.[31]
download
To receive data to a local system from a remote system, or to initiate such a data transfer.[32]
dynamic IP address
An address assigned either by the computer interface or host software itself, or assigned by a server using Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP).[33]
Ethernet
A family of computer networking technologies for local area networks (LANs) and metropolitan area networks (MANs), standardized in 1983 as IEEE 802.3.[34]
file server
A computer attached to a network that has the primary purpose of providing a location for shared storage of computer files that can be accessed by workstations attached to the same computer network. [35]
forum
An online discussion site where people can hold conversations in the form of posted messages.[36]
global positioning system (GPS)
A space-based satellite navigation system that provides location and time information in all weather conditions, anywhere on or near the earth where there is an unobstructed line of sight to four or more GPS satellites.[37]
instant messaging (IM)
A type of online chat which offers real-time text transmission over the Internet.[38]
local area network (LAN)
A computer network that interconnects computers within a limited geographic area such as a home, school, computer laboratory, or office building.[39]
mesh network
A network topology in which each node relays data for the network.[40]
network administrator
An individual responsible for the maintenance of computer hardware and software systems that make up a computer network.[41]
network adapter (NIC)
A computer hardware component that connects a computer to a computer network. [42]
network operating system (NOS)
Software that implements an operating system of some kind that is oriented to computer networking.[43]
packet switching
A digital networking communications method that groups all transmitted data into suitably sized blocks, called packets, that are transmitted via a medium that may be shared by multiple simultaneous communication sessions.[44]
peer-to-peer (P2P) protocol
An application layer distributed networking protocol that can be used to form and maintain an overlay network among participant nodes.[45]
protocol
A system of rules that allow two or more entities of a communication system to communicate between them to transmit information via any kind of variation of a physical quantity.[46]
Radio-frequency identification (RFID)
The wireless use of electromagnetic fields to transfer data, for the purposes of automatically identifying and tracking tags attached to objects.[47]
static IP address
An address manually assigned to a computer by an administrator.[48]
TCP/IP
The computer networking model and set of communications protocols used on the Internet and similar computer networks.[49]
telecommunication
The exchange of information between two or more entities using technology in the form of signals over a physical medium or in the form of electromagnetic waves.[50]
text message
A brief, electronic message sent between two or more mobile phones, or fixed or portable devices over a phone network.[51]
twisted-pair
A type of wiring in which two conductors of a single circuit are twisted together for the purposes of canceling out electromagnetic interference (EMI) from external sources.[52]
upload
The sending of data from a local system to a remote system such as a server or another client with the intent that the remote system should store a copy of the data being transferred, or the initiation of such a process.[53]
virtual private network (VPN)
A private, secure path over the Internet that provides authorized users a secure means of accessing a private network via the Internet.[54]
wide area network (WAN)
A network that covers a broad geographic area using leased telecommunication lines.[55]
WI-Fi
A local area wireless computer networking technology based on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers' (IEEE) 802.11 standards.[56]
wireless access point (AP or WAP)
A device that allows wireless devices to connect to a wired network using Wi-Fi, or related standards. [57]
wireless local area network (WLAN)
Links two or more devices over a short distance using a wireless distribution method.[58]

Review Questions

  1. A computer network or data network is a _____. Networked computing devices pass data to each other in the form of _____ across connections established using _____.
    A computer network or data network is a telecommunications network that allows computers to exchange data. Networked computing devices pass data to each other in the form of packets across connections established using either cable or wireless media.
  2. A network packet is a _____. Once packets arrive, they are _____.
    A network packet is a formatted unit of data sent through a network to the destination. Once packets arrive, they are reassembled into their original message.
  3. Wired media includes _____, _____, and _____.
    Wired media includes coaxial cable, twisted-pair cable, and optical fiber.
  4. Wireless local area network connections use _____ technology based on a common flavor of open-standards wireless radio-wave technology defined as _____ and known as _____.
    Wireless local area network connections use spread spectrum technology based on a common flavor of open-standards wireless radio-wave technology defined as IEEE 802.11 and known as Wi-Fi.
  5. A network interface controller (NIC) is _____.
    A network interface controller (NIC) is hardware that provides a computer with the ability to access the transmission media, and has the ability to process low-level network information.
  6. In Ethernet networks, each NIC has a unique _____.
    In Ethernet networks, each NIC has a unique 48-bit Media Access Control (MAC) address.
  7. A repeater or hub is _____. In local area networks, hubs have been replaced by _____.
    A repeater or hub is an electronic device that receives a network signal in the form of bits, cleans it of unnecessary noise, and regenerates it. In local area networks, switches have replaced hubs.
  8. A bridge or switch is _____.
    A bridge or switch is a device that connects and filters multiple network segments or devices, by forwarding data only to one or multiple devices that need to receive the data based on destination MAC address.
  9. A router is _____.
    A router is a device that forwards data packets between different computer networks based on network address (IP address).
  10. A modem is _____.
    A modem is a device used to connect network nodes via wire not originally designed for digital network traffic, by modulating the digital signal to produce an analog signal for transmission.
  11. A firewall is _____.
    A firewall is a device used to control network security and access rules by rejecting access requests from unrecognized sources while allowing actions from recognized ones.
  12. An access point is _____.
    An access point is a device that allows wireless devices to connect to a wired network using Wi-Fi, or related standards.
  13. An Internet Protocol address (IP address) is _____. An IP address serves two principal functions: _____ and _____.
    An Internet Protocol address (IP address) is a numerical label assigned to each device participating in a network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication. An IP address serves two principal functions: host identification and network addressing.
  14. IP addresses are _____-bit (IPv4) or _____-bit (IPv6) numbers usually written and displayed in human-readable notations, such as _____ (IPv4), and _____ (IPv6).
    IP addresses are 32-bit (IPv4) or 128-bit (IPv6) numbers usually written and displayed in human-readable notations, such as 198.51.100.1 (IPv4), and 2001:db8:0:1234:0:567:8:1 (IPv6).
  15. IP addresses are assigned to a host either _____, or _____.
    IP addresses are assigned to a host either anew at the time of booting, or permanently by fixed configuration of its hardware or software. Persistent configuration is also known as using a static IP address. In contrast, in situations when the computer's IP address is assigned newly each time, this is known as using a dynamic IP address.
  16. Static IP addresses are assigned _____.
    Static IP addresses are assigned to a computer manually by an administrator.
  17. Dynamic IP addresses are assigned _____.
    Dynamic IP addresses are assigned either by the computer interface or host software itself through automatic configuration, or assigned by a server using Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP).
  18. A shared resource, or network share, is _____.
    A shared resource, or network share, is a computer resource made available from one host to other hosts on a computer network.
  19. In SOHO networks, a decentralized approach is often used, where _____. This approach is sometimes denoted as a _____ or _____ network.
    In SOHO networks, a decentralized approach is often used, where every user may make their local folders and printers available to others. This approach is sometimes denoted as a workgroup or peer-to-peer network.
  20. In a workgroup, each computer is responsible for _____.
    In a workgroup, each computer is responsible for its own security, rather than relying on centralized authentication.
  21. Windows 7 and later Microsoft operating systems extend the workgroup with _____.
    Windows 7 and later Microsoft operating systems extend the workgroup with a homegroup option that uses a password to join computers into the group, and allows users' libraries, along with individual files and folders, to be shared between multiple computers.
  22. In larger networks, a centralized file server or print server, sometimes denoted _____, is typically used. A _____ process on the local user computer takes the initiative to start the communication, while a _____ process on the file server or print server remote computer passively waits for requests to start a communication session.
    In larger networks, a centralized file server or print server, sometimes denoted client–server network, is typically used. A client process on the local user computer takes the initiative to start the communication, while a server process on the file server or print server remote computer passively waits for requests to start a communication session.
  23. The centralized authentication approach used in larger networks is referred to as a _____, where all _____ are registered with _____.
    The centralized authentication approach used in larger networks is referred to as a domain, where all user accounts, computers, printers and other security principals, are registered with a central directory service.

Assessments

See Also

References

  1. ↑ CLEP: Information Systems
  2. ↑ Wikipedia: Computer network
  3. ↑ Wikipedia: Computer network
  4. ↑ Wikipedia: Computer network
  5. ↑ Wikipedia: Computer network
  6. ↑ Wikipedia: Computer network
  7. ↑ Wikipedia: Computer network
  8. ↑ Wikipedia: Computer network
  9. ↑ Wikipedia: Computer network
  10. ↑ Wikipedia: Computer network
  11. ↑ Wikipedia: Computer network
  12. ↑ Wikipedia: Computer network
  13. ↑ Wikipedia: Computer network
  14. ↑ Wikipedia: Wireless access point
  15. ↑ Wikipedia: IP address
  16. ↑ Wikipedia: IP address
  17. ↑ Wikipedia: IP address
  18. ↑ Wikipedia: IP address
  19. ↑ Wikipedia: IP address
  20. ↑ Wikipedia: Shared resource
  21. ↑ Wikipedia: Shared resource
  22. ↑ Wikipedia: Workgroup (computer networking)
  23. ↑ Wikipedia: Features new to Windows 7
  24. ↑ Wikipedia: Shared resource
  25. ↑ Wikipedia: Windows domain
  26. ↑ Wikipedia: Bandwidth
  27. ↑ Wikipedia:Blog
  28. ↑ Wikipedia: Bluetooth
  29. ↑ Wikipedia: Broadband
  30. ↑ Wikipedia: Chat room
  31. ↑ Wikipedia: Client (computing)
  32. ↑ Wikipedia: Download
  33. ↑ Wikipedia: IP address
  34. ↑ Wikipedia: Ethernet
  35. ↑ Wikipedia: File server
  36. ↑ Wikipedia: Internet forum
  37. ↑ Wikipedia: Global Positioning System
  38. ↑ Wikipedia: Instant Messaging
  39. ↑ Wikipedia: Local area network
  40. ↑ Wikipedia: Mesh network
  41. ↑ Wikipedia : Network Administrator
  42. ↑ Wikipedia: Network interface controller
  43. ↑ Wikipedia: Network Operating System
  44. ↑ Wikipedia: Packet switching
  45. ↑ Wikipedia: Peer-to-Peer Protocol (P2PP)
  46. ↑ Wikipedia: Protocol
  47. ↑ Wikipedia: Radio-frequency identification
  48. ↑ Wikipedia: IP address
  49. ↑ Wikipedia: Internet protocol suite
  50. ↑ Wikipedia: Telecommunication
  51. ↑ Wikipedia: Text messaging
  52. ↑ Wikipedia: Twisted pair
  53. ↑ Wikipedia: Upload
  54. ↑ Wikipedia: Virtual private network
  55. ↑ Wikipedia: Wide area network
  56. ↑ Wikipedia: Wi-Fi
  57. ↑ Wikipedia: Wireless access point
  58. ↑ Wikipedia: Wireless LAN
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