Personal Computers and Applications

Networking for Home and Small Businesses – Chapter 1

Objectives
 Identify the purpose and uses of personal computers and describe local and
network applications.
 Compare and contrast different types of computing devices.
 Explain the binary representation of data.
 Determine appropriate components and peripheral devices to meet requirements.
 Install, verify, and upgrade computer components and peripherals.

Purpose and Uses of Personal Computers

 Multiple uses for computers

Computers need 3 things . . .

 Hardware
 Operating System
 Application Software

Purpose and Uses of Personal Computers

 Business & Industry
– Medical
– Educational
– Legal

 General Use
– Used by a wide range of people
– Used for various services

Types of Computing Devices

 Different types of Computers—each one with a different purpose
 Online Activity 1.2.1

Types of Applications
 Local – runs on only one PC
 Network – runs over the network (the Internet)
Must have two components
runs on a local computer
runs on a remote computer

Types of Computing Devices

 Servers – keep in a secure location (Why??)
 High performance computers which provide services to many clients
 Multiple CPUs
 Loads of RAM
  High capacity drives

Types of Computing Devices

 Desktop personal computer (PC)
 Used to run everyday applications
Email
Internet
Word Processing
Spreadsheet

Types of Computing Devices

 Workstation – high powered computers
 Features
• Multiple processors
• Large amounts of RAM
• High capacity drives
 Types of applications
• Computer Aided Design (CAD)
• 3D
• Video animation

Types of Portable Computing Devices

Laptop – AKA a Notebook
Use of a docking station with a laptop allows for more connection options

Binary Representation of Data

 Humans use words and pictures to communicate
 Computers use bits
– 1 or 0 (1=on; 0=off) – just like a light switch
– 8 bits = 1 byte

 Networkers need to be able to understand both

Binary Representation of Data

 Humans use the Base 10 numbering system, but computers only understand
binary, so how do we communicate??
 Simple – Convert Base 10 to Binary
 Try these examples:
– 175
– 68
– 255

What helps determine the speed?

 Type of Media
– UTP Cable
 – Fiber
– Wireless

 Type of file
– Larger files require more time to download

 Type of computer

Binary Representation of Data

 Measuring resolution and frequency
 Pixels – determines the resolution
 Hertz = how fast something recycle or refreshes
 300 MHz = 300 million cycles/second

Determining Appropriate Components and Peripheral Devices

 Preassembled or Custom Built – which one should you choose??
 Preassembled Advantages:
– Lower Cost
– Performs most applications
 Preassembled Disadvantages:
– May lack in performance
 Custom Built Advantages:
– Exact components
– Supports higher performance applications
 Custom Built Disadvantages
– Costly

Determining Appropriate Components and Peripheral Devices

 Motherboard
– main circuit board
– slots for network, video, and sound carts

Determining Appropriate Components and Peripheral Devices

 Central Processing Unit (CPU)
– nerve center of the computer
 Factors to remember when selecting your processor
– higher speed = faster performance
– more power = more heat
 Bus
– how data gets to its location (like a highway)
– faster bus = faster computer

Determining Appropriate Components and Peripheral Devices

 Random Access Memory (RAM)
– temporary storage
 – stores data while it is being processed by the CPU
 Why would a user need more RAM?
– Multiple applications running at the same time
– Multiple CPUs
– Amount of RAM available is determined by the motherboard

Determining Appropriate Components and Peripheral Devices

 Adapter cards add functionality to a computer system

Determining Appropriate Components and Peripheral Devices

 Optical Drives
– Use of laser beams to record information
– CD or DVD – uses red laser
– Blue Ray – uses blue-violet laser
• can hold up to 25GB of data

Determining Appropriate Components and Peripheral Devices

 Magnetic Drives
– Hard Drive
– Floppy Drive
– Tape Drive

Determining Appropriate Components and Peripheral Devices

 Peripheral Devices
– Added to the computer to expand its capabilities
– Different categories
• Input
• Output
• Storage
• Networking

 Where do these devices fit??

Determining Appropriate Components and Peripheral Devices

 Surge Protector
– prevents damage to the computer
 UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply)
– keeps charge of internal battery
– provides backup power without interruption for a short period of time

Install, Verify and Upgrade Components and Peripherals

 Computer Repair Best Practices
 Turn PC off and unplug power
– Determine if the part is hot-swappable (if so, there is no need to turn off
power before adding or removing the part)
 Never open power supply or monitor
 – both contain high voltages
 Be aware of Electrostatic Discharge (ESD)
– transfers electricity from your body to electrical parts
– ground yourself properly

Install, Verify and Upgrade Components and Peripherals

 Take the following precautions:
– Determine if the component is hot swappable
• If in doubt, unplug it!!
– Attach grounding strap
– Remove old component
– Check the connection on the new component
• Should fit easily; if you have to force it, it probably doesn’t belong
there
– Place component in the correct slot

Install, Verify and Upgrade Components and Peripherals

 PS/2 - connects keyboard and mouse
 USB – connects many devices (PnP)
 Serial – connects modems/printers
 Parallel – connects printer
 VGA – connects monitors
 RJ11 – connects phone lines
 RJ45 – connects to the network