1.3 - Network performance factors

What happens when everyone in your house connects to your wireless access point/router with wi-fi enabled devices?

• The network becomes faster.

• The performance is not affected.

• The network becomes slower as the 'contention ratio' increases

Define the term 'bandwidth'?

• Amount of data that can travel along a network.

• Ratio of users compared to available bandwidth

When does ethernet signal degradation occur?

• When long cables are used this  means the signal decays over a long distance.
• Nothing happens to signal degradation.

What happens when there is limited bandwidth due to lots of people connecting to the internet at the same time?

• Internet connection slows down
• Internet connection gets faster

Which cable transmits data packets the fastest in a wired network?

• Ethernet cable i.e. Cat-5/6

• Fiber Optic

When does radio interference occur on a wireless network?

• Wi-fi signals have a maximum range, with 5GHz signals having a shorter range than 2.4GHz signals.
• If something else is transmitting on the same frequency as a wi-fi network, like a microwave or a faulty electric motor, this lowers the performance of any wi-fi devices trying to communicate on that frequency.

What can physically block a wi-fi signal?

• Solid brick walls

• Signals get weaker over large distances

If you walk away from a wireless access point whilst surfing the internet on your tablet - what will happen to your internet speed?

• The internet connection will be quicker, the greater the distance from the WAP you are.
• The internet connection  will be slower as the signal gets weaker, the further away from the WAP you are

Define the term 'contention ratio'

• Speed at which data is transferred over a network
• Ratio of users compared to available bandwidth

Define the term 'latency'

• The speed at which packets are transmitted, measured in milliseconds

• Ratio of users compared to available bandwidth