Contains the full lesson along with a supporting toolkit, including teachers’ notes.
The importance of technical standards
The various components of a network cannot work together unless they all operate to an agreed standard. If a laptop sends a message to the router, the router must be able to understand it. For example, in computer networks, information is sent in groups of binary digits (bits) called packets or frames. When these packets reach the destination computer it must be able to extract the information from them. The standards, or rules, governing Wi-Fi networks are published by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE). Without such standards there would be no useable Wi-Fi. All equipment manufacturers follow these standards so that if you purchase a Wi-Fi adapter for your computer, either in card form or as a USB device, you know it will work.
What is a hotspot?
A device that allows wireless access to the internet is called a wireless network access point. These points are called hotspots and are often located in places such as cafes, libraries and hotels. These hotspots are often free of charge and are used to attract customers. The range of a hotspot might be around 20 metres. Larger areas can be covered by using a number of overlapping access points.
Radio versus cable
It can be difficult to install cables in buildings, especially in older ones where provision for cabling may not have been made. Wireless removes the need for physical cables and this is an important advantage...
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