Communication
2.1 Networks including the internet
Candidates should be able to:
1. Show understanding of the purpose and benefits of networking devices
2. Show understanding of the characteristics of a LAN (local area network) and a WAN (wide area network)
3. Explain the client-server and peer-to-peer models of networked computers
1. Roles of the different computers within the network and subnetwork models
2. Benefits and drawbacks of each model
3. Justify the use of a model for a given situation
4. Show understanding of thin-client and thick-client and the differences between them
5. Show understanding of the bus, star, mesh and hybrid topologies
1. Understand how packets are transmitted between two hosts for a given topology
2. Justify the use of a topology for a given situation
6. Show understanding of cloud computing Show understanding of the differences between and implications of the use of wireless and wired networks
1. Describe the characteristics of copper cable, fibre-optic cable, radio waves (including WiFi), microwaves, satellites
7. Describe the hardware that is used to support a LAN
1. Including switch, server, Network Interface Card (NIC), Wireless Network Interface Card (WNIC), Wireless Access Points (WAP), cables,bridge, repeater
8. Describe the role and function of a router in a network
9. Show understanding of Ethernet and how collisions are detected and avoided
1. Including Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision Detection (CSMA/CD)
10. Show understanding of bit streaming
1. Methods of bit streaming, i.e. real-time and on-demand
2. Importance of bit rates broadband speed on bit streaming
11. Show understanding of the differences between the World Wide Web (WWW) and the internet
12. Describe the hardware that is used to support the internet
1. Including modems, PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network), dedicated lines, cell phone network
13. Explain the use of IP addresses in the transmission of data over the internet
Including:
1. format of an IP address including IPv4 and IPv6
2. use of subnetting in a network
3. how an IP address is associated with a device on a network
4. difference between a public IP address and a private IP address and the implications for security
5. difference between a static IP address and a dynamic IP address
14. Explain how a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) is used to locate a resource on the World Wide Web (WWW) and the role of the Domain Name Service (DNS)