Topic Four
� 1 Key Terminology for the Exam
� Understanding these definitions is crucial for grasping how networks function:
✔ Streaming Protocol: Rules that ensure data is supported in real-time.
✔ Bandwidth: The amount of data transferable through a specific path, measured in kb/s
(kilobits per second).
✔ Routing: Selecting paths in a network for data to travel between computers via a router.
✔ Circuit Switching Network: A network (like the telephone system) where a constant
bandwidth connection is established before sharing data.
✔ Packet Switching: The internet's method of breaking data into chunks called packets that
"hop" from router to router.
✔ Broadcast: Sending data from one computer to all others in a network.
� 2. Traditional Media vs. The Internet
� The sources contrast traditional media with the internet to explain performance differences:
� Media � Transmission
Key Characteristics � Main Barriers
Type Method
Everyone receives the same signal Distance, physical barriers
One-way
Radio / TV at the same time; no delays when (hills, buildings), and
broadcast
changing channels. signal interference.
Creates a two-way circuit; the entire Busy signals (lack of
Telephone Circuit-switched route is reserved for the caller and available slots/circuits) at
recipient. the start of a call.
Two-way conversation
Packet- Packet loss, latency, and
Internet (request/response) but no reserved
switched bandwidth variation.
circuit.
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� 3. How the Internet Functions
� The Backbone: Consists of high-volume, long-haul connections that carry data between
continents.
� Public Exchange Points: These are "nerve centers" where various networks (ISPs, schools,
government) converge to exchange traffic, similar to how major airports handle domestic and
international flights.
Routers: These devices route traffic between smaller networks; every time a packet moves
between different providers, it passes through a router.
� 4. Why Internet Video Streaming is Challenging
⚠ The sources list several technical reasons why streaming video often suffers from poor quality:
� Packet Loss: Routers can lose packets before they reach their destination. This requires a re-
request, causing video to pause or skip.
� Variable Routing: Packets in a single file may take different paths. This can result in
duplicate packets (causing audio stutter) or large delays if a packet takes a slow route.
� Latency (Delay): This is caused by busy routers, saturated links, or firewalls scanning for
viruses. Older technology like modems also contributes to latency.
� Bandwidth Variation: Unlike TV or radio, internet bandwidth is not constant. A connection's
speed is determined by its slowest link (bottleneck), meaning a high-capacity host is limited if
the user's local ISP is oversubscribed.
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