3.4 Connection Methods

Local Area Network : Computer systems are all relatively close go to each other e.g in the same building/ school. Advantages - Reduced costs, enables shares peripheral devices such as printers and scanners - Improved security as centralised data is easier to protect and backup

Metropolitan Area Network : covers the range of a town / city, for example a university campus network.

Wide Area Network : a network spanning a large geographical location such as as multiple cities or countries for example the internet.

Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line : a method of transferring data across copper wire telephone lines which uses a modem. Suffers from contention because the more people that use the network slows the connection speed.

A leased line is a rented connection only used by you that is uncontented and fixed bandwidth. More secure as it is uncontended and will have the same speed all the time.

The wired network used for telephones. PSTN is fixed into position using underground cables hence the connection quality is much more consistent.

The wireless network used for mobile phones. Cellular networks have greater range than PSTN but are more affected by weather and buildings.

Integrated Service Digital Network : an older alternative to ADSL but also transmits audio and voice data over copper telephone wires.