Fundamentals of Communication & Networking

• Asynchronous Transmission: The transmission of data intermittently between devices without the use of an external clock signal.
• Parallel Transmission: The transmission of data through multiple channels allowing for several bits to be transmitted at a time
• Serial Transmission: The transmission of data through a single channel a single bit at a time.
• Start Bit: The bit used to indicate the beginning of a unit of data in asynchronous transmission.
• Stop Bit: The bit used to indicate the end of a unit of data in asynchronous transmission.
• Synchronous Transmission: The transmission of data as a continuous between devices whose time signals are synchronised via a common clock
• Bandwidth: The range of frequencies at which data can be transmitted through a channel, measured in Hertz.
• Baud Rate: The number of symbol changes, waveform changes, or signaling events across a channel per unit time.
• Bit Rate: The number of bits transmitted per unit time.
• Latency: The time delay between the transmitter sending the data and the recipient receiving the data.
• Protocol: A common set of rules followed during data transmission over a network to minimise inconsistencies.
• Physical Star Topology: A network arrangement where every host computer has a dedicated connection to a central hub computer or switch
• Client-Server Network: A type of network organisation where networked computers (clients) connect to one or more powerful central computers ( servers) that handles service requests and has resources.
• Peer-to-Peer Network: A type of network organisation where networked computers are connected to each other with equal status and share resources and workloads without any central server
• Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance (CSMA/CA): A wireless protocol where computers attempt to avoid interference or collision in the channel by transmitting data only after the channel is sensed to be idle
• Media Access Control Address (MAC): A hardware identification number assigned to network interface cards used to uniquely identify a device on a network for communication purposes
• Request to Send/ Clear to Send (RTS/CTS): A protocol to prevent data collision during transmission on a wireless network, involving the transmitter sending a RTS to the receiver, and the receiver sending a CTS back to confirm it is idle
• Service Set Identifier (SSID): A local 32 character identifier for a group of wireless network devices, used to identify the network as a whole.
• Wi-Fi: A wireless local area network that is based on international standards.
• Wireless Network Adapter: A physical device that creates a wireless local area network that allows multiple devices to connect to a wired network.