Wired & Wireless // Protocols & Layers

• Advantages of a wireless network

  • Cheap set-up costs
  • Not tied down to a specific location
  • Can connect multiple devices without the need for extra hardware
  • Less disruption to the building due to no wires being installed
• Disadvantages of a wireless network

  • The connection is not as stable as wired networks and can 'drop off'
  • It will lose quality through walls or obstructions
  • More open to hacking
  • Slower than wired networks
• Encryption


  The process of encoding data or a message so that it cannot be understood by anyone other than its intended recipient. This is useful against passive or man in the middle attacks
• IP address


  Every device on the internet has a unique IP address. The IP address is included in a data packet. IP addresses are either 32-bit or 128-bit numbers. The address is broken down into four 8-bit numbers. It works similarly to a postcode
• MAC address


  A unique serial number assigned to each network interface controller (NIC). This allows a network to uniquely identify any device
• Standard


  An agreed way of doing things. Standards make it easier for people to build programs and software that work on different systems in different countries
• Types of standards


  • De Facto
  • De Joure
• TCP/IP protocol


  The transmission of data packets over the internet
• Layers of the TCP/IP protocol

  • Application
  • Transport
  • Internet
  • Network
• Layers


  They are self contained. If something goes wrong on one layer it does not affect others. Also it improves standardisation and makes it easier to work on individual layers
• Protocols for websites


  • HTTP
  • HTTPS
• Protocols for transmitting email

  • SMTP
  • POP3