INSTITUT TEKNOLOGI BRUNEI

FORTH ASSIGNMENT
Printer & Network
1. List down the types of printer and explain briefly.
Dot-matrix printer --> use a set of closely spaced pins and a ribbon to print letters or other
characters on a page. These printers actually impact the page to print a character, much
like a typewriter. Dot - matrix printers vary in terms of speed and the number of pins they
have.
Bubble jet-printer --> Printers spray ionized tiny drops of ink onto a page to create image.
This is achieved by using magnetized plates which direct the ink's path onto the paper in
the desired pattern. Almost all ink-jets offer a color option as standard, in varying degrees
of resolution
Laser printer --> operate by shining a laser beam to produce an image on a drum. Finally
using a combination of heat and pressure, the ink on the drum is transferred onto the
page. Laser printers print very fast and the supply catridges work a long time.
2. What are stages we need to know when troubleshooting laser printer?
Cleaning
Charging
Writing
Developing
Transferring
Fusing

i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.

3. Why are we still using DOT-matrix printers?

Dot matrix printer, like any impact printer, can print on multi-part stationary or
make carbon copies.
Impact printers have one of the lowest printing costs per page
As the ink is running out, the printout gradually fades rather than requiring
individual sheets, making them useful for data logging.
They are good, reliable workhorses ideal for use in situations where printed
content is more important than quality.

4. What types of portsor interface used to connect our pinter and PC?
The printer is of an older type that has the appropriate logic circuits and connectors, a
parallel port and/or serial port.The USB port can be used to connect printer and PC.

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5. What is Print Server?

A Print Server or printer server is a computer or device that is connected to to one or
more printers and to client computers over a network, and can accept print jobs from the
computers and send the jobs to the appropriate printers.
6. What is Computer Network?
A computer network is a group of computers that are connected to each other for the
purpose of communication. Networks may be classified according to wide variety of
characteristics.
7. Why using computer networks (advantage)? Also explain the disadvantages.
Advantages

Save money on other software and other programs

Fast
Allow you to share files easily
Let you mark projects on the computers

Disadvantages

Expensive to set up
All the wires can get in the way
If something goes wrong, the whole network could go down.
Lower security

8. Explain what is peer to peer and server based (client server) network.
A peer-to-peer, commonly abbreviated to P2P, distributed network architecture is a
composed of participants that make a portion of their resources directly available to other
network participants, without the need for central coordination instances.
Server based (client-server) computing or networking is a distributed application
architecture that partitions tasks or workloads between service providers (server) and
service requesters, called clients.
9. List down the operating system that use peer or server based network.
Network operating system, printers and disk drives.
10. Explain briefly 5 different services used in computer network.
Optical fiber, Ethernet, Wireless LAN, HomePNA, Power Line communication or G.hn

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11. What do we need if we want to set up small LAN?

By expanding the definition of a LAN to the services that it provides, two different
operating modes can be defined:
- In a peer-to-peer network, in which communication is carried out from one computer to
another, without a central computer, and where each computer has the same role.
-In client server network, in which a central computer provides network services to users.
12. List down the network topology .Explain the advantages and disadvantages.

Bus Topology
Star Topology
Ring Topology
Tree Topology
Mesh Topology

Bus Topology
Advantages
It is easy to handle and implement
It is best suited for small networks
Disadvantages
The cable length is limited. This limits the number of stations that can be connected.
This network topology can perform well only for a limited number of nodes.
Star Topology
Advantages
Due to it central nature, the topology offers simplicity operation.
It also achieves an isolation of each device in the network
Disadvantages
The network operation depends on the functioning of the central hub.
Hence, the failure of the central hub leads to the failure of the entire network.
Ring Topology
Advantages
The data being transmitted between two nodes passes through all the intermediate nodes.
A central server is not required for the management of this topology.
Disadvantages
The failure of a single node of the network can cause the entire network to fail.
The movement or changes made to network nodes effects the performance of the entire
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network.

Tree Topology
Advantages
A tree topology is supported by many network vendors.
A point to point connection is possible with tree networks
Disadvantages
All the computers have access to the larger and their immediate networks
Best topology for branched out networks.
Mesh Topology
Advantages
The arrangement of the network nodes is such that it is possible to transmit data from one
node to many other nodes at the same time.
Disadvantages
The arrangement where in every network node is connected every other node of the
network, many of the connection serve no major purpose.
This leads to the redundancy of many of the network connections.
13. List down the networking device used to create LAN and WAN.
Router, Hub, Switch, Gateway, Repeater and LAN cards are used to create LAN.
Router, ISDN adaptors, CSU/DSU, Bridges, Modems and Brouter are used to create WAN.
14. What media and connector used in BUS, STAR and RING topology?
A bus topology features all networked nodes interconnected peer-to-peer using a single,
open-ended cable. These ends must be terminated with a resistive load that is terminating
resistors. This single cable can support only a single channel. This cable is called the BUS.
Star Topology LANs have connections to networked devices that radiate out from a
common point that is the Hub. Unlike Ring Topologies, physical or virtual, each networked
device in a star topology can access the media independently.
The Ring Topology started out as simple peer-to-peer LAN topology. Each networked
workstation had two connections: one to each of its nearest neighbours. The
interconnection had to form a physical loop, or ring. Data was transmitted unidirectional
around the ring. Each workstation acted as a repeater, accepting and responding to
packets addressed to it, and forwarding on the other packets to the next workstation
"downstream".
15. What do meant by attenuation? How to reduce the effects?
Attenuation affects the propagation of waves and signals in electric circuits, in optical
fibres, as well as in air. The signal to noise ratio must be at maximum order to reduce
attenuation.
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16. List down the bandwidth for all the topology in LAN.
Star Topology - 100Mbps
Bus Topology - 75Gps
Ring Topology - 75Gps
17. What is simplex, half and Full duplex?
Simplex refers to communication that occurs in one direction only.
A half-duplex system provides for communication in both directions, but only one
direction at a time (not simultaneously). Typically, once a party begins receiving a signal, it
must wait for the transmitter to stop transmitting before replying.
A full duplex, or sometimes double-duplex system, allows communication in both
directions and unlike half-duplex, allows this to happen simultaneously.

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