Computer Networks

Modern PCI Express video cards feature HDMI and DisplayPort outputs, which are designed to transmit high-definition video and multi-channel audio simultaneously. Other expansion cards, like LAN or RAID cards, do not handle direct audio and video output.

A router is a networking device that forwards data packets between computer networks, most commonly connecting a local area network (LAN) to a wide area network (WAN) like the Internet. While it can connect LANs together, its primary consumer role is linking the home network to the external internet.

WLAN stands for Wireless Local Area Network, which is a local area network that uses wireless communication (typically Wi-Fi) to link devices.

E-mail is a system for sending and receiving messages over electronic communication networks, primarily the Internet.

Worms are self-replicating programs that can spread across computer networks automatically by exploiting vulnerabilities, without needing any human action like opening an attachment. In contrast, computer viruses typically require human involvement, such as running an infected program, to spread. This independence makes worms particularly dangerous for network security.

An intranet is a private, secure network that is accessible only to authorized members or employees within a specific organization. It is used to share information, collaboration tools, and operational systems securely. In contrast, the Internet is public, and LAN or WAN refer to the geographical scale of networks rather than their private access restrictions.

The Internet is the ultimate example of a Wide Area Network (WAN) because it connects millions of computers and smaller networks globally across vast geographical distances. A Local Area Network (LAN) is restricted to a small area like a single building, and a Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) covers a city. RAM is a type of computer memory, not a network type.

The cloud refers to servers accessed over the internet, along with the databases and software that run on those servers. LAN, WAN, and MAN are types of physical network infrastructures (Local, Wide, and Metropolitan Area Networks) rather than the services hosting files and information.

A hub is a basic networking device that connects multiple computers or devices together in a local area network (LAN), broadcasting data to all connected ports. While routers connect different networks together and modems connect a network to the internet, a hub specifically serves as a common connection point for devices in a single network.

Fibre optics involve the transmission of information as light pulses through physical glass or plastic strands, making it a form of wired (or cabled) communication. Radio waves, Bluetooth, and 4G are all wireless technologies that transmit data through the air without physical cables.

A Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack uses a network of multiple compromised systems (a botnet) to flood a target website or server with traffic, causing it to crash or become unavailable to legitimate users. SQL is a database language, while USB and WLAN are hardware/networking standards.

Data transmitted over a network is broken down into small, manageable units called packets, which are routed individually and reassembled at the destination. Bytes and nibbles are units of data storage size, not the transmission units used by network protocols.