Eleven things on one Wi-Fi
A technician checks the staff Wi-Fi in a small office. Eleven devices are on it. Four laptops, two desktops, three phones, a smart speaker and a watch.
Then she finds a twelfth: a USB stick plugged into the reception PC.
Each one is a way into the office. Each needs looking after in its own way.
Key words
| Word | What it means |
|---|---|
| End user device | a device a person uses directly, such as a laptop or a phone |
| Desktop | a computer that stays on a desk and plugs into the mains |
| Laptop | a computer you can carry, with a screen and battery built in |
| Mobile device | a phone or tablet that you carry and use over Wi-Fi or a mobile signal |
| Smart device | an everyday object, such as a speaker or a watch, that joins the network |
| Wearable | a smart device you wear, such as a watch |
| Removable media | storage you can unplug and carry, such as a USB stick |
| Network | computers and devices joined together so they can share data |
| Disk encryption | scrambling the data on a disk so only the right password can read it |
| Malware | software made to cause harm |
| Operating system | the main software that runs a device |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
By the end of this lesson
Note
I can describe four kinds of end user device and say what a technician must think about for each one.
Starter
Have a go
Starter
3 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.
Desktops and laptops
Desktops and laptops are the main work devices. They run a full operating system, such as Windows or macOS, and many programs.
A desktop stays put and often uses a cable. A laptop moves, so it uses Wi-Fi, can be lost or stolen, and may visit other networks.
A technician keeps both updated and protected. A laptop also needs disk encryption in case it is lost.
Mobile and smart devices
Mobile devices are phones and tablets. They run Android or iOS. Staff often use their own, so the technician must control what they can reach.
Smart devices include speakers, cameras, thermostats and wearables. They have little memory and often old software. Many are never updated, so they are easy to attack.
Put smart devices on their own network, apart from the staff files.
Quick check
Have a go
Quick check
3 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.