Connectivity

  

Open a new Word document. Save it in your GCSE ICT folder in a folder titled ‘Unit 1’ with the name ‘2 Connectivity’. Make notes as you work through and read. Feel free to research anything that you do not understand or would like to know more about.

Connectivity is the term given for how devices are linked together. You have probably linked devices together often: your laptop to your home router or your mobile to a speaker. This is connectivity.

Remember: a device is a technical item used for a particular purpose (e.g. printer, mouse, tablet, mobile phone, etc)

Why it is needed

  

By connecting devices together, it allows us to share resources. By connecting your laptop to your router, you are sharing your home internet connection. By connecting your phone to a speaker, you are making use of the improved sound quality of the speaker. Some devices allow us to control another, larger, device. You may have a wireless mouse that allows you to control your computer. Connectivity allows users to share files, features, devices and access the same thing.

Devices that connect

  

There are loads of different devices that connect to each other. Some examples are listed below:

Task

List at least 10 different device connection examples (think about game consoles also).

Methods of connecting

  

There are many different ways devices can connect to each other, but they tend to come down to 4 different methods: Bluetooth, WiFi, Infrared or wired.

Bluetooth

  

Bluetooth is a way of exchanging data without wires over a short distance. It uses a special radio frequency to transmit data. If is quite secure and can connect up to 8 devices at the same time. It is low power also, so does not use much electricity.

WiFi

  

WiFi uses radio waves to connect devices together and can handle large volumes of data. Unlike Bluetooth, WiFi does not work ‘device to device’ but instead needs a special piece of hardware to maintain the WiFi signal. The device, known as a Wireless Access Point, receives the WiFi signals from the connected devices and broadcasts the WiFi signal over an area. If 2 devices, like a computer and a printer, needed to be connected, both will need to be connected to the Wireless Access Point.

Infrared

  

Infrared uses a beam of light to send data. Very useful if only a small bit of data needs to be send over a small distance. Line of sight is required.

Wired

  

A wired connection is where simply a wire connects the two devices. The type of wire can vary greatly depending on the devices being connected. Headphones may use a 3mm aux cable, while a computer may connect to a router using an ethernet cable. Cables are reliable as they do not suffer from interference as much.

Task

  

Create a table like below. Using what you already know and the web, record the uses, advantages and disadvantages of each.

Situations where they are used

  

For the situations listed below, give the type of connection you think should be used and explain your reason why. The first one I have done for you as an example.

Equipment needed

  

Bluetooth

Each device will need to be able to send and receive Bluetooth signals. If your device is not able to, your may be able to plug in a Bluetooth dongle that will allow the feature, although this can only really be done with laptops and desktop computers.

WiFi

  

Devices will need a Wireless Network Card in order to send and receive WiFi signals. Many devices (phones, laptops, tablets) have them built in, while not all desktop computers to. You may need to install one to a desktop computer in order to add the feature (if you want or need it). There also needed to be a Wireless Access Point, such as a broadband router, for the WiFi devices to connect to and manage the network.

Infrared

  

The sender (remote) will need a bulb that can send out the beam of light. The receiver (TV, Sky box, etc) will need a infrared receiver diode that can interpret the incoming beam and workout what it means

Wired

  

Of course each device will need the corresponding port to take the particular wire being used. For example, for wired headphones, both will need 3mm aux connections. For your Sky box and TV, both will need HDMI connections (or Scart if you do not have HD). Without a special adapter, it would be impossible to use a wire to connect 2 devices if they do not have the corresponding connection ports available.

End of task test

Complete the digital exercise (press 'Take Test')

Take Test

Extention

Home networks

  

So far you have been looking at connecting devices together. Now we are just looking at connecting devices together on a network and going online.

Task

  

Like before, you can connect devices to your home network wirelessly (with WiFi) or wired (using Ethernet). Why do people have home networks? What are the advantages of a home network?

Task

  

Home networks are usually a mixture of WiFi and Ethernet. What are the advantages and disadvantages of WiFi and Ethernet for devices on a home network?

  

Did you know? I have BT Infinity at home and my usual connection is 24 megabits per second. My main computer uses WiFi to connect to my router as it is the other side of the room. For some reason I was only getting 4 megabits per second on my computer, which was frustrating. It turned out my WiFi signal was suffering with interference in between the 2 devices from other devices such as TV, tablets, lights, as well as plugs! I instead used a long Ethernet cable and now I am back up to speed, although I had to ‘tack’ the cable around the edge of the room which my wife is not too happy about.

Task

  

How do mobile phones connect to the net when there is no WiFi available? What are GSM, UMTS and LTE Advanced?