Study Opportunities Computers, part of your life – Grade 12, 2nd Edition

Module 2.1 Internet connections and

services
Written module activity
1. Give a short, but clear definition of the internet.
1. The internet is a worldwide computer network consisting of computers, devices and networks that are
linked using some form of communication media.
2. Briefly describe the purpose of a WAN, and give one typical example of a WAN.
2. The purpose of a WAN is to facilitate the sharing of computer resources and the means of electronic
communication over a wide geographical area, e.g. bank networks, the internet itself.
3. What phrase is used to describe the trend whereby all sorts of different devices (not only computers)
connect to the internet so that they can be remotely monitored and controlled?
3. Internet of Things (IoT)
4. Explain the role or function of an ISP.
4. An ISP (Internet Service Provider) is a company that has a permanent, fast connection to the internet,
and that sells internet access and services to individuals and organisations for a monthly fee.
5. An ISP provides wireless and wired internet access. Give three other services that an ISP typically
offers.
5. Email, web page hosting, fax-to-email and spam filtering.
6. Internet packages refer to broadband. Explain what broadband is and why it is so important to people
using the internet.
6. Broadband refers to a high-speed, high-bandwidth connection to the internet. This connection allows
users to have fast access to websites and fast downloading and uploading. In addition, some services
such as video or TV streaming will not work effectively (or will not work at all) unless the user has a
broadband connection.
7. What would be the main question to ask if you needed to make a choice between an ADSL and a
3G/4G internet connection?
7. Do you need to be mobile? If you do, you would have to choose a 3G/4G connection.
8. A friend was looking at a 4G/LTE internet package and came across the following specifications: 90
Mbps and 20 GB cap.
Briefly explain what these two terms mean and what their significance is to your friend.
8. The 90 Mbps refers to the maximum speed of the connection – in this case 90 Megabits per second.
The cap is the amount of data (measured in Gigabytes) that can be downloaded and uploaded in a
month (without having to pay extra). Here the cap is 20 GB.

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Study Opportunities Computers, part of your life – Grade 12, 2nd Edition

9. An ISP reserves the right to throttle a user’s internet connection, if necessary.

What practical effect does ‘throttling’ have on an internet connection? Also explain why an ISP might
decide to do this.
9. The internet connection speed slows down.
The ISP believes that an excessive amount of data is being downloaded.
10. Your friend looked at an ADSL package with the following specifications:
• 8 Mbps / 1 Mbps uncapped ADSL
• Shaped for normal web browsing, email, online banking and social networking services
• 10 hours free WiFi per month at more than 750 hotspots
• 5 GB cloud storage account
a) Why are there two different speeds given and what is the benefit of these to the user?
a) More bandwidth is allocated for downloading than for uploading. This is because you usually
download much more (web pages, music or video files), than upload. So you need a higher speed
for downloading than for uploading.
b) What does uncapped mean in this context?
b) Uncapped means that there is no limit placed on the amount of data that can be uploaded or
downloaded in a month.
c) What does the term shaped mean in this context?
c) A shaped connection means that preference is given to certain services on the internet (such as
email, downloading and browsing), while other services (such as online gaming and VoIP) are
given less preference and are slower.
d) What would the user typically have to pay for each month, under the ADSL contract?
d) The monthly cost would include a monthly ISP cost, as well as a fixed monthly cost for the rental
of the line. You do not pay for the connection time to the internet, but you still pay for the normal
telephone calls made on the line at the normal rates.
e) Is ADSL a wireless connection? Briefly motivate your answer.
e) No, ADSL is a permanent digital connection that operates through your fixed landline.
f) Give three general advantages and three potential disadvantages of making use of an ADSL
connection.
f) Advantages:
You can make and receive phone calls on your landline and use the line for internet access at the
same time.
ADSL generally provides cheaper connections to the internet than cellular connections.
ADSL is more stable than cellular connections, as it is not affected by issues such as cellphone
reception.
ADSL routers usually have a built-in WiFi adapter to create your own WiFi network – ideal for
allowing your mobile devices to benefit from the cheaper and faster access provided by the fixed
line.

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Study Opportunities Computers, part of your life – Grade 12, 2nd Edition

Disadvantages:
ADSL may not be available in your area.
ADSL speed drops the further you are away from the telephone exchange, so for this reason ADSL
is better suited for urban areas.
ADSL can be affected by electrical interference.
It is not a mobile solution.
g) One of the specifications refers to 10 hours free WiFi per month at more than 750 hotspots.
Briefly explain what each of the terms WiFi and hotspot mean and how and where a user would
typically make use of them.
g) WiFi is a wireless radio technology used to connect to an existing internet connection (e.g. an
ADSL connection) wirelessly.
The WiFi connectivity offered in hotels, airports and shopping malls can be called a ‘hotspot’ or an
‘access point’ – a fairly small area of coverage typically measured in square metres.
Most hotspots are protected by a password and you have to ask for the password in order to
connect to the WiFi.
WiFi at a public hotspot can provide you with cheaper or even free access.

h) The specifications also refer to 5 GB of cloud storage.

Explain what this means and give four potential benefits of cloud storage.
h) Cloud storage or online storage simply means that your data is not stored on your local hard
drive. It is stored on a server on the internet.
Advantages:
It is a simple, cost-effective method to share and transfer files.
File extensions are not blocked.
The system backs up the files.
You can save space on your local hard drive.
You can use these systems to synchronise (‘sync’) your files.
11. What is the main reason why most people would choose a fibre internet connection over an ADSL
connection? Also give three other advantages of fibre over ADSL, in terms of internet connectivity.
11. Fibre is much faster than ADSL.
Other advantages of fibre over ADSL:
cheaper, more stable and not affected by electrical interference.
12. Your mom is considering a wireless internet package for her desktop computer. Give two devices your
mom could use to link to a 3G internet connection.
12. She can connect via a smartphone or she can use a 3G USB modem (also called a dongle) plugged into
a USB port on her computer.
13. Give two disadvantages or limitations of a cellular internet connection over a wired connection,
besides issues related to the speed or quality of the connection.

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Study Opportunities Computers, part of your life – Grade 12, 2nd Edition

13. Disadvantages or limitations:

You never really escape communication, which can result in an information overload.
You might need to limit the amount of data that you use, for example by ensuring that your cellular
connection is switched off for updates on a smartphone or tablet.
14. Your friend’s father installed an ADSL connection for his computer at home. Is there a way in which
this connection can be shared with other computers and devices (e.g. smartphones and tablets) in the
household? Motivate your answer.
14. Yes, there is – most ADSL routers (like the one connected to the father’s computer) have a WiFi
adaptor built into it that allows one to create a WiFi network (a wireless LAN or WLAN). Multiple
devices or computers can connect to the WiFi access point and share the internet connection.

15. The internet and the WWW are terms that are often (incorrectly) used interchangeably.
Briefly explain the relationship between the WWW and the internet.
15. The internet is a Global Area Network or GAN as it spans the whole world and links networks together.
The World Wide Web (WWW) is a service that runs on the internet and consists of a vast collection of
interlinked and interactive documents stored on computers all over the world.

16. Your mother was invited by her friend to join Google Chat. She can’t see the benefit of doing this as
she and her friend both have email addresses.
What is the main difference between communicating via email and using a service such as Google
Chat?
16. Google Chat is a form of instant messaging which occurs ‘live’ or in real time when both parties are
online. Email does not require both parties to be online at the same time, as emails that have been
sent are downloaded by the recipient only when they log in to retrieve their mail.
17. Give two examples of popular IM systems.
17. WhatsApp, Google Chat, Snapchat, Facebook Messenger, etc.

18. Give three general disadvantages of chatting with people using real-time messaging.
18. Three disadvantages:
You cannot ensure that people are who they say they are.
Users can spend more time chatting online than interacting with the ‘real world’. This can lead to anti-
social behaviour.
It can create opportunities for cyber-stalking, identity theft, etc.
19. Skype is one of the most popular software packages that allow people to communicate
using VoIP.
What is the function of VoIP?
19. VoIP allows voice calls to be made over LANs, WANs and the internet and allows you to speak to
anyone who also has a VoIP system anywhere in the world.

20. Give two reasons why a person might choose to turn off the video component, when using Skype to
chat with others.
20. To conserve cap (on a capped connection); to improve call quality (on a slow or poor connection).

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Study Opportunities Computers, part of your life – Grade 12, 2nd Edition

21. Link each of the scenarios (a) – (d) below to one of the internet services listed in the table, by writing
down the appropriate letter from the table:

A. IM B. Skype C. Video conferencing D. Online chat

a) You have family overseas and would like to be able to speak to them cheaply and be able to see
their faces when you speak to them.
b) You have a few friends with whom you would like to keep in contact in real time and via live
texting.
c) You are interested in a topic such as art and would like to speak with like-minded people using a
computer in real time.
d) Your father’s company has decided to no longer pay for staff members to travel from all over the
country to one venue for a business meeting. They are looking for an alternative solution.
21. a) Skype (B)
b) IM (A)
c) Online chat (D)
d) Video conferencing (C))
22. Explain why cloud computing can potentially save on hardware costs, e.g. when buying a computer.
22. With cloud computing the programs run on servers on the internet, while the local computer does
little more than display the results of the processing. The local computer does not have to be so
powerful, and can afford to have lower hardware specifications, e.g. in terms of hard drive space,
memory and computing power.
23. Many users make use of a number of easy-to-use online storage services such as Google Drive.
a) Give two other examples of this type of site or service.
a) Dropbox, OneDrive, SugarSync, Tresorit, etc.

b) How would one typically share a file with other users using this type of facility?
b) Send people (via email) a link to the file you want to share.
c) Explain what it means to synchronise files.
c) If you place an updated version of a file on the system, it will automatically update other copies of
the file that you have on other devices.

d) Give two possible disadvantages or limitations of using services such as Google Drive to share files
online.
d) Disadvantages / limitations:
• The amount of space allocated for saving files can be quite small for free usage.
• The people you have shared folders with or given access to these folders can remove the files
by mistake.

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Study Opportunities Computers, part of your life – Grade 12, 2nd Edition

24. Files have traditionally been shared by sending them as email attachments.
Give four disadvantages or limitations of using email to share files.
24. Disadvantages or limitations:
• Email is not suitable for large files as most email systems place a maximum limit on the size of the
attachments that you can send.
• Some email systems block certain potentially dangerous file extensions (such as .zip and .exe) for
security reasons.
• Email is not always secure as other users may have access to the mail on the recipient’s computer.
• As a way to prevent spam, most email systems place restrictions on the number of recipients to
whom you can simultaneously send a message.
• Email is not very easy or efficient when you want to share files with many people because you
have to send the file to each person you want to share it with and you have to have their email
address.

25. Your friend mentioned that you can download some old exam papers from the FTP server at
ftp://OpenFiles.org.za.
a) Briefly explain what FTP is and what it is used for.
a) FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is a service used for the fast and easy transfer of files between remote
computers that have an internet connection.
b) Explain why many people nowadays never encounter FTP.
b) Websites have evolved and bandwidth increased, making the downloading and uploading of files
more efficient via cloud storage services, than via FTP servers.

26. Briefly explain what grid computing is.

26. Grid computing is a system whereby the resources of different networked computers are shared and
used at the same time to solve a single problem. Grid computing is normally used for scientific or
technical applications that require large amounts of data to be processed, or high processing power.

27. Governments worldwide have placed their departments on the web.

a) Give three broad advantages of e-Government services for citizens, other than not having to
travel and stand in queues.
a) Advantages:
• Improved (easier and quicker) communication between the government departments and
citizens.
• Access to services anytime, anywhere, any place where there is internet access.
• Easier access to up-to-date information and documents.
• Many government sites and services can be accessed by smartphones.
• Increased efficiency and potentially lower costs in the long-run.
• The need for hard copies is reduced, which also promotes the idea of green computing.

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Study Opportunities Computers, part of your life – Grade 12, 2nd Edition

b) Give two broad reasons why South African citizens have been slow to adopt and make use of
existing e-Government services.
b) Reasons:
• Large sections of the South African population have limited access to technology and limited
knowledge of it. This is the so-called Digital Divide.
• Citizens are sometimes nervous about online threats which receive a lot of publicity in the
media. There are also sometimes concerns about the security, privacy and use of information.
• It is not generally possible to make all services totally electronic, so two systems need to be
maintained – the traditional manual system and the electronic self-service system. In
addition, many people prefer to deal with someone in person.