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Edexcel IGCSE ICT Your notes

Requirements for Connecting to a Network

Contents
Identifying Devices
Components of a Network
Connecting to the Internet

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Identifying Devices
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IP Addresses
What is an IP address?
An IP (Internet Protocol) address is a unique identifier given to devices which communicate over the
Internet (WAN)
IP addresses can be allocated by a network administrator or assigned dynamically by a Dynamic Host
Configuration Protocol server (DHCP)
IP addresses make it possible to deliver data to the right device
A device connecting to a network will be given an IP address, if it moves to a different network then the
IP address will change

IPv4
Internet Protocol version 4 is represented as 4 blocks of denary numbers between 0 and 255,
separated by full stops
Each block is one byte (8 bits), each address is 4 bytes (32 bits)

IPv4 provides over 4 billion unique addresses (232), however, with over 7 billion people and countless
devices per person, a solution was needed

IPv6
Internet Protocol version 6 is represented as 8 blocks of 4 hexadecimal digits, separated by colons
Each block is 2 bytes (16 bits), each address is 16 bytes (128 bits)

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IPv6 could provide over one billion unique addresses for every person on the planet (2128)

MAC Addresses
What is a MAC address?
A MAC (Media Access Control) address is a universally unique identifier given to devices which
communicate over a local area network (LAN)
MAC addresses are static, they can never change
MAC addresses make it possible for switches to efficiently forward data to the intended recipient
Any device that contains a Network Interface Card (NIC) has a MAC address assigned during
manufacturing
A device connecting to a local network already has a MAC address, if it moves to a different network
then the MAC address will stay the same

A MAC address is represented as 12 hexadecimal digits (48 bits), usually grouped in pairs
The first three pairs are the manufacturer ID number (OUI) and the last three pairs are the serial number
of the network interface card (NIC)
There are enough unique MAC addresses for roughly 281 trillion devices

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MAC addresses can be used to:

Restrict or allow access to a network Your notes
Identify a device on a network
Track a device
Assign 'static' or 'fixed' IP addresses
Device name
What is a device name?
A device name is a way for users to describe/name a device so that it is easier to identify on a network
Device names are not used by devices to communicate as they are not always unique
Device names are set by users in the devices operating system or from a router

Worked Example
Computers in a network can be identified using both IP addresses and MAC addresses.
Describe two differences between IP addresses and MAC addresses
[2]
Answer
IP address is dynamic/can change // MAC address is static/cannot change [1]
IP address is used to communicate on a WAN/Internet // MAC address is used to communicate
on a LAN [1]

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Components of a Network
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Cables
What cables are used in a wired network?
A wired network is a network where physical cables are used to join devices together and transmit
data
The most common types of cables in a wired network are:
Ethernet
Fibre optic

What is Ethernet?

Ethernet is a wired networking standard to carry electrical signals between devices on a local area
network (LAN)
Ethernet is common in most offices and homes to connect devices such a desktop computers &
servers
Ethernet uses twisted pair cables (CAT5) to allow duplex communication

What is fibre optic?

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Fibre optic is a type of cable that uses light to transmit data on a wide area network (WAN)
Fibre transmits data at a much higher speed and has a much higher bandwidth compared to copper
cables
Fibre optic cable does not suffer from interference which makes them the most secure option to
send sensitive data
Fibre optic cables can cover a long distance without any degradation, they can span cities and
countries

Wireless Access Points

What is a wireless access point (WAP)?
The Wireless Access Point (WAP) allows wireless devices to connect to a local area network (LAN)
The WAP connects to a Switch or Hub via an Ethernet cable
The WAP range is limited so the use of multiple Wireless Access Points can be used for complete
coverage or a home/business

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Router & gateway

What is a router?
The router is responsible for routing data packets between different networks
An example of data the router can direct is, sending internet traffic to the right devices in your home
The router manages and prioritise data traffic, which can help to keep connections stable
The router will assign IP addresses to the devices on the network
The router acts as a gateway

What is a gateway?
A gateway is a device that bridges the connection between two different types of network
Gateways translate between different network protocols
For example, a local area network (LAN) to a wide area network (WAN)

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Switch & boosters

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What is a switch?
A Switch allows multiple wired devices to connect to a local area network (LAN)
The Switch is an active device, which means it can inspect network data and route it to the correct
device, thus reducing traffic on the network
A Switch can contain extra Software to allow administration/configuration

What is a booster?
A booster is a device used to amplify a network signal in order to extend the normal range
Boosters can be used with both wired and wireless networks
Wireless access points can be be configured to act as a booster (repeater mode)

Server
What is a server?
A server is a dedicated computer that shares its resources with devices that connect to it
Devices that connect to a server are known as clients
Common examples of servers include:
File
Web
Print
Authentication
Application

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Server Function
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File Allows access to shared and private resources

Web Stores the content of websites and processes requests made via HTTP to access
them

Print Manages print jobs and organises the queue so that individual printers are not
overloaded

Authentication Stores usernames and passwords that can be checked when a user logs in
Authenticated users receive a certificate that allows access to resources

Application Allows clients access to applications that run directly from the server

A single computer can perform multiple server functions depending on its resources (memory &
processor)

Worked Example
One piece of network hardware is a router.
State 3 tasks carried out by a router.
[3]
Answer
1 mark each to max 3 e.g.
Receive packets [1]
Forward/send packets [1]
Maintain a routing table [1]
Identify the most efficient path to the destination / correct IP / correct location [1]
Assign IP addresses to nodes / devices [1]

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Connecting to the Internet

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Web browser
What is a web browser?
A web browser is a software application used to locate, retrieve, and display content on the World
Wide Web (WWW)
Web browsers are used to display web pages which include images, videos and other files
Most web browsers have the following features:
Home page
Ability to bookmark favourites
Keep a history of visited websites
Hyperlinks which allow users to navigate between pages

Internet Service Provider (ISP)

What is an ISP?
An Internet Service Providers (ISP) is a company that provides access to the Internet to users and
businesses
The ISP provides internet access by leasing equipment and telecommunication lines to users that are
required to access the internet
IPS generally charge a subscription fee for access to the internet

Search Engines
What are Search Engines?
Search engines are tools that locate and display web pages related to the search terms entered by
the user
They are essential for navigating the vast amount of information on the internet
They index millions of web pages and use algorithms to rank the relevance of each page to the search
terms

How do search engines work?

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Search engines work in several stages:

Crawling Your notes
Indexing
Ranking
Crawling is when web crawlers scour the internet daily to retrieve new websites
Indexing is how websites are categorised based on the content of their web pages, keywords and
metadata
Ranking is how websites are ranked and listed on search engine pages - this depends on many factors
to display the most relevant results

Filter software
What is filter software?
Filter software uses two lists stored in a database to allow or block access to websites
URLs entered by a user are compared against both lists
The two lists are:
Whitelist - URLs on the whitelist are allowed and the website can be viewed
Blacklist - URLs on the blacklist are not allowed and the website is blocked
URLs that cannot be found on either list are allowed
Filter software is used by schools and parents to protect children from accessing age inappropriate
content
Administrators can add and remove URLs from the lists

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