🎯 Learning Objectives
- Recognise methods of creating a network when mobile or remote working
- Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of ad hoc networks
- Judge the security of ad hoc networks
💬 Key Vocabulary
- ad hoc networks
- PAN (personal area network)
- network security
📝 Starter Activity – Exit Tickets
Last lesson you created a question with four possible answers about cloud computing. Your teacher will now show you some of these questions.
You need to write A, B C or D on your whiteboard to show what you think the answer is. Show your whiteboard to the teacher when they say.
📝 What would you do?
You have taken a very cool photo of your friend and they want you to share it with them, BUT you don’t have access to the internet or a mobile network where you are.
In pairs, discuss how you could solve this problem.
Explorer task
What are the advantages and disadvantages of your solution?
📖 What is an ad hoc network?
Typically, an ad hoc network is one that is created with a temporary device-to-device connection, without the need for a connection to a WiFi access point or router.
This normally uses technology such as Bluetooth, WiFi or even USB and Ethernet cables.
📖 Types of ad hoc network
Personal Area Network (PAN)
- Nearby personal devices are connected together
- Typically uses WiFi or Bluetooth for a wireless connection
- Can use USB cables to create a tethered network
- Proprietary technology such as Apple AirDrop or Quick Share on Android & Windows.
Advantages
- Easy to set up
- Distributed administration
- Robust
- Scalable
- Cheap to set up
- Adaptive – devices can join and leave at any point without disrupting the network
Disadvantages
- Limited bandwidth
- Energy constraints (battery life)
- Interference from other networks can lead to data loss
- More vulnerable to cyberattacks (less secure)
Public Open WiFi
- Access to WiFi in public places without the need for a security code (PIN)
- Often found in public places: cafes, parks, train stations, on public transport, etc.
Advantages
- Free to connect
- Useful in an emergency
Disadvantages
- Easily accessed by hackers
- Personal data easily accessed
- Lacks reliability (lots of people using it will slow connectivity)
- Low speed for data access
Tethering/personal hotspots
- Connects a device with a network connection to one without
- Transfers data to and from a network through this device
- Connects a notebook to a mobile device that has a connection (usually 4G)
- Can be wired or wireless
Advantages
- Can use WiFi anywhere, anyplace, anytime
- Cheaper, as you only need to purchase one data package to use across devices
- You can connect multiple devices
- You can share your mobile internet connection with your laptop
Disadvantages
- Slower than home connections
- Can drain battery
- Not really free – you still have to purchase a phone data package
- May not be safe
📝 Level 1 – Pros and Cons of ad hoc networks
Use the worksheet to sort the features of ad hoc networks into advantages and disadvantages.
📖 Virtual Private Network (VPN)
- There are many apps that provide VPN services
- A VPN will route your data traffic via a virtual server
- This will hide/cloak your data and IP address from potential hackers
- A good VPN will encrypt your data so that only devices with the decryption key (i.e. those in your ad hoc network) are able to access it
📝 Level 2 – What advice would you give?
Download the worksheet and read the two scenarios in which someone may want to use an ad hoc network.
You need to identify the benefits of an ad hoc network in the scenarios, as well as the potential risks and how to prevent them.
📝 Level 3 – Cloud computing and ad hoc networks
With a partner, discuss your ideas about cloud computing and ad hoc networks.
Use the Level 3 worksheet to formulate a written response to the question:
What is the connection between cloud computing and ad hoc networks?
🏅 Level Up
🥇 Level 1
- Sort the features of ad hoc networks into advantages and disadvantages and upload to Teams.
🥈 Level 2
- Evaluate the scenarios and then upload the completed worksheet to Teams.
🥉 Level 3
- Answer the question and then upload the worksheet to Teams.
In this lesson, you…
- Explored the methods of creating an ad hoc network
- Evaluated the advantages and disadvantages of creating an ad hoc network
Next lesson, you will…
- Evaluate the impact of remote working on your well-being