Computer Networks

The Data Protection Act (DPA) is the standard legislation in many jurisdictions designed to regulate the processing of personal data. The other options are fabricated acronyms.

Encryption is the process of encoding information so that only authorized parties with the correct decryption key can read it. Authentication and verification are about identity, not data transformation.

Scanning external media like flash drives is a standard security practice to prevent malware from spreading to your computer. Opening attachments or visiting suspicious sites are common ways to get infected.

Authentication is the process of verifying a user's identity. Passwords, biometrics, and ID cards are methods to prove who you are; a firewall is a network security device that monitors and filters traffic, not a user authentication technique.

HTTP stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol, which is the foundation of data communication for the World Wide Web.

An HTTP Proxy Server acts as an intermediary for requests from clients seeking resources from other servers, often used for buffering, security, or filtering.

While proxy servers often perform caching, the term 'Internet Server' is sometimes used in introductory contexts to describe a gateway or caching server that manages internet access and security for a local network.

A Mail Server is a server that handles and delivers email over a network, using protocols like SMTP, POP3, or IMAP.

A Print Server is a device or software that manages print requests and queues, allowing multiple users to share one or more printers.

A File Server is a computer responsible for the central storage and management of data files so that other computers on the same network can access them.

An Intranet is a private network accessible only to an organization's staff, making it inherently safer than the public Internet.

Intranets can be accessed remotely via secure connections (like VPNs) or gateways, allowing authorized users to access internal resources from the public internet.

TCP stands for Transmission Control Protocol, which is a core protocol of the Internet protocol suite.

IP stands for Internet Protocol, which is the method or protocol by which data is sent from one computer to another on the internet.

The internet is a global network of networks, designed to be accessible to anyone with the necessary infrastructure and connectivity.

An Intranet is restricted to a specific organization, unlike the Internet, which is global.

Installing a video card is a hardware upgrade for graphics processing and is not a step in setting up a network connection.

A Wide Area Network (WAN) is a telecommunications network that extends over a large geographical distance, typically connecting multiple Local Area Networks (LANs).

WAN stands for Wide Area Network.

A modem is required to convert the signal from the ISP (like DSL or cable) into a digital format that the computer can understand.

Routers use routing tables and protocols to determine the most efficient path for data packets to travel across a network, effectively managing traffic.

Modem is a portmanteau of Modulator-Demodulator.

A bridge is a network device that connects two separate network segments, allowing them to communicate as a single network.

A hub operates at the physical layer and broadcasts incoming data to all connected ports, whereas a switch uses MAC addresses to send data only to the intended recipient. This makes switches more efficient and secure than hubs.

Sharing a network is intended to facilitate collaboration and resource access. Hacking is a security threat and a malicious activity, not a benefit of network sharing.

VOIP is an acronym for Voice Over Internet Protocol, a technology that allows voice calls to be made over the internet rather than traditional telephone lines.

ISP stands for Internet Service Provider, which is a company that provides individuals and organizations access to the internet.

Modems, routers, and switches are physical hardware devices used to build a local network. An ISP is a service provider entity, not a piece of hardware used to set up the network itself.

Modern networks include a wide variety of devices such as smartphones, tablets, printers, smart home appliances, and servers, not just desktop or laptop computers.

By definition, a network requires at least two devices to be connected to one another to facilitate communication.