Networks
Personal area network/ Home area network (HAN)
Network device: Function of modem, switch and router
Communication channel/media
Obtaining Internet access
ISP – definition and purpose
Internet and WWW
What is the Internet?
Internet addresses
Overview of the World Wide Web (WWW)
Browsers
Search engines
Concept of downloading and uploading
ISP
Communication
E-communication using computing devices
What is e-communication?
What is a communication device?
Overview of applications to facilitate e-communications
E-mail as a form of e-communication
Scan to e-mail
Netiquette rules wrt e-mail and social media platform
Communication
Basic use of the Internet, e-mail and social platforms
Hyperlinks
Apply netiquette rules
Basic e-mailing
Attachments
Social Implications
Digital citizenship (What it is)
Social issues
Digital footprint
POPI Act
Recognise and acknowledge the ownership of electronic material
Appropriate communication etiquette
Safe e-mail and Internet use
Here are clear, concise answers to questions—with definitions and explanations drawn from trusted
sources:
NETWORKS – BASIC CONCEPTS
Definitions
Personal Area Network (PAN)
A Personal Area Network (PAN) is a small network that connects devices within a person's immediate
vicinity—typically a few meters. It allows personal devices like smartphones, tablets, laptops, and
wearables to communicate, often via Bluetooth, USB, or other short-range technologies (TechTarget,
Wikipedia).
Home Area Network (HAN)
A Home Area Network (HAN) is a network connecting devices within a home, such as computers, game
consoles, smart appliances, and home assistants, usually linked through a router or LAN setup
(Wikipedia, Lenovo).
Functions of Network Devices
Modem
A modem (modulator–demodulator) converts digital data from a computer into analog signals suitable for
transmission over phone or cable lines—and vice versa—enabling internet access.
Switch
A switch connects multiple devices on the same local network layer (LAN) and forwards data packets
directly between them based on MAC addresses.
Router
A router directs data between different networks, such as a local home network and the internet. It
manages IP addressing and routes traffic through the most efficient paths.
Communication Media
Two common types of communication media used in networks are:
Wired media: such as Ethernet cables, fiber-optic cables, or USB.
Wireless media: such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or infrared (IrDA).
Role of an ISP
An Internet Service Provider (ISP) supplies the connection and infrastructure necessary to access the
internet. They assign you an IP address and facilitate the data transfer between your home network and
the broader internet.
internet vs. World Wide Web (WWW)
The Internet is the global system of interconnected computer networks—a vast infrastructure that carries
data across the world. In contrast, the World Wide Web (WWW) is a service that runs on top of the
Internet, providing access to web pages and linked resources using protocols like HTTP/HTTPS
(Wikipedia).
INTERNET
What is the Internet?
The Internet is a global network of interconnected computers and networks that enables data exchange
using standard protocols like TCP/IP (Wikipedia).
Examples of Internet Addresses
Two examples include:
IP address: e.g., 192.168.0.1 (numeric identifier for networked devices).
URL (Uniform Resource Locator): e.g., https://www.example.com, used to access websites.
Functions of a Web Browser
Two functions of a web browser are:
Retrieving and displaying web content (web pages, images, videos) from the WWW.
Interpreting and rendering HTML, CSS, and JavaScript content for user interaction.
Purpose of a Search Engine
A search engine helps users find information on the internet by processing search queries and returning
relevant web pages or resources, often using keywords and ranking algorithms.
Downloading vs. Uploading
Downloading is transferring data from the internet to your device (e.g. saving a file or web page).
Uploading is transferring data from your device to the internet (e.g. sending an email or posting a
photo).
Summary Table
PAN = small, personal device netork; HAN = home-wide local network
Modem = connects to internet; Switch = connects devices within network; Router = directs between
networks
Wired (e.g., Ethernet), Wireless (e.g., Wi-Fi, Bluetooth)
ISP provides internet access
Internet = infrastructure; WWW = web pages on that infrastructure
Defined internet, examples of addresses, browser functions, search engine purpose, upload vs
download
