VOCABULARY PRACTICE SETION 4

1. Read these descriptions of different physical topologies of communication networks and match them with the terms in Key information section 4.

1 All the devices are connected to a central station. 2 In tin- type of network there is a cable to which all the computers and peripherals are connected. 3 Two or more star networks connected together; the central computers are connected to a main bus.

4 All devices (computers, printers, etc.) are connected to one another forming a continuous loop.

2. A network administration has set up a new network at a school. Which topology has she chosen?

We have decided to installcomputers in all the departments but we haven’t spent a lot of moneyon them. Actually, only the one in the staff room is really powerful and expensive! They all have common access to the Net andshare a laser printer. The teachers in this school have built up ageneral file of resources kept in the main computer to which all theothers in the network have access.

3. Look at these four extracts. Which criteria is the writer using to classify the networks he’s describing?

1. The most common examples of networks are LANs, PANs, MANs and WANs.

2. There are several languages that the computers on a network can use to communicate with each other. For example, the Internet uses TCP/IP.

3. A client-server network differs from a peer-to-peer network in several ways, the most important being that on a peer-to-peer network, there is no need for a separate computer to act as a server.

4. The most common layouts for networks are bus, star and ring.