Activity 1 ( PC 1.1 & 1.

2)

ADSL ADSL uses standard telephone lines to transmit upstream and downstream data on a digital frequency, which sets these datastreams apart from the analog signals telephones and fax machines use. Because the ADSL signal is operating on a different frequency, the telephone can be used normally, even when surfing the Web with ADSL service. The only requirement will probably be inexpensive DSL filters on each phone or fax line, to remove any "white noise" on the line that might be generated from ADSL service. The "asymmetric" in ADSL refers to the fact that the downstream data rate, or the data coming to your computer from the Internet, is traveling faster than upstream data, or the data traveling from your computer to the Internet. Upstream data rates are slower because Web page requests are fairly miniscule data strings that do not require much bandwidth to handle efficiently. CABLE Network cable is used to connect and transfer data between computers and a network. There are different types of network cable, and the appropriate type to use will depend on the structure and topology of your network. The most commonly used types of network cable are the twisted pair, coaxial, Ethernet cross over, and fiber optic. The unshielded twisted pair (UTP) cable is used in many Ethernet networks. It has four pairs of wires that are housed inside of the lining of the cable. Each pair is twisted into several additional twists to prevent interference from other devices on the network. The structure of this type of cable increases its reliability and helps minimize network failures. Coaxial cable, or coax, is another common type of network cable. It has a copper conductor in its center and a plastic coating serves as an insulator between the center conductor and a metal shield. The cable is then covered with a coating. The coating may be think or thick the thicker coating which less pliable provides extra protection. Ethernet crossover cable is used to connect a computer network made up of two or more computers. This type of network cable eliminates the need for network

switches or routers. The cable also allows the computers to be connected using their network adaptors, such as the network interface card (NIC). ISDN Integrated Service Digital Network, or ISDN, is the original high-speed internet service. It sparked the high-speed internet development between service providers during the 1990's and, of course, revolutionized internet use. Much like its predecessor, the dial-up internet service, ISDN utilizes a phone line. In fact, it set the standard for telephone data service. ISDN internet service was the improvement upon dial-up, and it also paved the way for DSL and cable-modem internet service thereafter. It can be considered the step of internet evolution that lies between dial-up and DSL/Cable. Modernizing internet use and bringing high-speed access inside the home, ISDN became the standard by which rival broadband internet service providers competed. Although ISDN internet service still exists, like the dial-up connection it is being replaced by faster and cheaper services that the broadband companies are providing. Regardless, broadband high-speed internet service is still compared with ISDN today since they both represent the standard of their times. ISDN internet service is basically a telephone-based network system that operates by a circuit switch, or dedicated line. It can transmit data and phone conversations digitally over normal telephone wires. This makes it both faster and of higher quality than dial-up internet service. During the 1990's this revolutionized the way people did business. No longer would you have to miss a call in order to access your internet, or shut down the internet to make a telephone call. As such, ISDN internet service made video teleconferencing not only possible, but very popular at this time as well. There are two different types, or lines, of ISDN internet service. The first is a basic rate ISDN line. Called a Basic Rate Interface (BRI), this line has two data, or bearer, channels that operate at 64 kbit/sec. Two or more ISDN-BRI lines can be combined as well, yielding speeds of 256 kbit/sec. Combining these lines is common for video conferencing use or for transmitting data at higher speeds. The second type of ISDN line is called a primary rate line, or Primary Rate Interface (PRI). This line had 23 bearer channels and has a total speed of 1,544 kbit/sec. It is used mostly for telephone communication rather than data transmission, particularly within companies that have large, private telephone exchange systems operating inside their business. The advantages of having ISDN internet service definitely lies in the data lines themselves. Not only do you have constant data speed via these lines, each

bearer channel runs at 64 kbit/sec with the ability to be combined to reach greater speeds. ISDN internet serviced also allows for multiple data transmission, so telephone calls and data downloading are no longer mutually exclusive. The disadvantages, however, is that the digital clarity of ISDN voice communication and its speedy data transmission come at an extra cost. ISDN is billed like a phone line, but with an added cost for service. And although its operational distance from the ISDN central office is greater than that for DSL, its terminal adaptor (similar to a modem) is more expensive than DSL or cable modems. While this equipment and service continue to remain costly, it is leaving the way open for other internet services, like broadband, to quickly replace ISDN's share of the marketplace. Wireless Wireless is a term used to describe telecommunications in which electromagnetic waves (rather than some form of wire) carry the signal over part or all of the communication path. Some monitoring devices, such as intrusion alarms, employ acoustic waves at frequencies above the range of human hearing; these are also sometimes classified as wireless. The first wireless transmitters went on the air in the early 20th century using radiotelegraphy (Morse code). Later, as modulation made it possible to transmit voices and music via wireless, the medium came to be called "radio." With the advent of television, fax, data communication, and the effective use of a larger portion of the spectrum, the term "wireless" has been resurrected. Common examples of wireless equipment in use today include: Cellular phones and pagers -- provide connectivity for portable and mobile applications, both personal and business Global Positioning System (GPS) -- allows drivers of cars and trucks, captains of boats and ships, and pilots of aircraft to ascertain their location anywhere on earth Cordless computer peripherals -- the cordless mouse is a common example; keyboards and printers can also be linked to a computer via wireless Cordless telephone sets -- these are limited-range devices, not to be confused with cell phones Home-entertainment-system control boxes -- the VCR control and the TV channel control are the most Remote garage-door openers -- one of the oldest wireless devices in common use by consumers; usually operates at radio frequencies

Two-way radios -- this includes Amateur and Citizens Radio Service, as well as business, marine, and military communications Baby monitors -- these devices are simplified radio transmitter/receiver units with limited range Satellite television -- allows viewers in almost any location to select from hundreds of channels Wireless LANs or local area networks -- provide flexibility and reliability for business computer users Wireless technology is rapidly evolving, and is playing an increasing role in the lives of people throughout the world. In addition, ever-larger numbers of people are relying on the technology directly or indirectly. (It has been suggested that wireless is overused in some situations, creating a social nuisance.) More specialized and exotic examples of wireless communications and control include: Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) -- a digital mobile telephone system used in Europe and other parts of the world; the de facto wireless telephone standard in Europe General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) -- a packet-based wireless communication service that provides continuous connection to the Internet for mobile phone and computer users Enhanced Data GSM Environment (EDGE) -- a faster version of the Global System for Mobile (GSM) wireless service Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) -- a broadband, packetbased system offering a consistent set of services to mobile computer and phone users no matter where they are located in the world Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) -- a set of communication protocols to standardize the way that wireless devices, such as cellular telephones and radio transceivers, can be used for Internet access i-Mode -- the world's first "smart phone" for Web browsing, first introduced in Japan; provides color and video over telephone sets Wireless can be divided into: Fixed wireless -- the operation of wireless devices or systems in homes and offices, and in particular, equipment connected to the Internet via specialized modems Mobile wireless -- the use of wireless devices or systems aboard motorized, moving vehicles; examples include the automotive cell phone and PCS (personal communications services)

Portable wireless -- the operation of autonomous, battery-powered wireless devices or systems outside the office, home, or vehicle; examples include handheld cell phones and PCS units IR wireless -- the use of devices that convey data via IR (infrared) radiation; employed in certain limited-range communications and control systems

Satellite What is Satellite Internet? Satellite internet is a high speed method of connecting to the internet when other, ground-based connectivity methods DSL, cable, fiber-optics are not available. Especially popular in rural areas and remote communities, satellite internet also provides connections when the user is traveling or away from land. How It Works There are three parts to a satellite internet connection: the ground-based server or hub, which is controlled by the internet service provider and allows access to and from the internet; the satellite, which is in orbit around the Earth, usually in a geosynchronous or geostationary orbit and which functions as a relay; and the equipment at the users end, which consists of a satellite antenna or dish, a satellite modem, and the coaxial cable that connects the antenna to the modem. In situations where the user is mobile, the antenna is often a rectangular box. The server and antenna send and receive information from the satellite via radio waves, and the modem coverts the radio waves to and from digital data. Most satellite internet connections use a technology called IP multitasking, which allows one satellite to handle up to 5,000 connections at one time, through the practice of compressing files. Installation Most stationary satellite internet service providers (ISPs) require that a certified technician install the needed equipment at the users residence or place of business; this is because of rules from the Federal Communications Commission, not at the whim of the ISP. The satellite antenna or satellite dish is usually mounted on the roof of a building, on a balcony, or on a pole. Then the coaxial cable is run from the antenna into the building and connected to the modem, which, in turn, is connected to the users computer. Connection Speeds

As is the case with most internet connections, not just satellite internet, there is a difference in connection speeds depending on whether the user is receiving data from the internet called download or downstream speed or sending data to the internet called upload or upstream speed. For satellite internet connections, the downloading speeds can be as fast as 5,000 kilobits per second (Kbps) thats 5.0 megabits per second with some connectivity plans, and uploads can be as fast as 300 Kbps. Drawbacks of Satellite Internet Connections There are some drawbacks to satellite internet connections, as there are with most technologies. First, there is rain fade or atmospheric interference; when this happens, the signal transmitting to and from the satellite may be disrupted by rain, snow, or other weather events. Once the weather has passed, the signal resumes at normal strength. Another drawback of a high speed satellite internet connection is the inherent latency, lag, or delay between data being transmitted and received, because of the distance that the information has to travel. As a result, satellite internet does not work well for online gaming, participating in live video connections, or internet phone connections. Satellite Internet Service Providers There are currently four companies offering satellite internet service in the United States: HughesNet Satellite SkyWay USA Satellite StarBand Satellite WildBlue Satellite

Activity 3 (PC 1.3) Client/server describes the relationship between two computer programs in which one program, the client, makes a service request from another program, the server, which fulfills the request. Although the client/server idea can be used by programs within a single computer, it is a more important idea in a network. In a network, the client/server model provides a convenient way to interconnect programs that are distributed efficiently across different locations. Computer transactions using the client/server model are very common. For example, to check your bank account from your computer, a client program

in your computer forwards your request to a server program at the bank. That program may in turn forward the request to its own client program that sends a request to a database server at another bank computer to retrieve your account balance. The balance is returned back to the bank data client, which in turn serves it back to the client in your personal computer, which displays the information for you. The client/server model has become one of the central ideas of network computing. Most business applications being written today use the client/server model. So does the Internet's main program, TCP/IP. In marketing, the term has been used

Below diagram is a typical diagram of a Server-client-Hardware diagram.

An architecture in which the user's PC (the client) is the requesting machine and the server is the supplying machine, both of which are connected via a local area

network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN) such as the Internet. Throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s, client/server was the hot buzzword as applications were migrated from minicomputers and mainframes with input/output terminals to networks of desktop computers. With ubiquitous access to company LANs and the Internet, almost everyone works in a client/server environment today. However, to be true client/server, both client and server must share in the business processing. To understand this principle, follow the examples below of a query to a hypothetical database of a million records, each 1,000 bytes long. Notice the amount of data flowing over the network.

Activity 4 (PC 1.1 & 1.4)

Modem Type: Cable, Wireless, Analog, Cellular, DSL, Fax / Voice 1.0 Mbps, 300.0 Mbps - Ethernet, USB - External Modem : Price AU$200 Netgear DGN2100 N300 Wireless ADSL :AU $ 150 Netgear DGN2200 N300 Wireless ADSL +2 Modem Router : AU $250 D-Link DIR-655 VOICE Xtreme N Wireless-N Router : AU$ 350 D-Link DIR-855 Xtreme N Wireless Router : AU 500