The elements of a network

Make a list of at least five devices currently connected to your home (or classroom) router and highlight which one surprises you most to find on a network, explaining why.

Can a mobile phone be "connected to Wi-Fi" and at the same time have no internet access? Explain the difference between connecting to the router's local network and reaching the internet, and describe a situation in which this would happen.

What is a router? Explain in your own words the two main tasks it performs in your home network and where it is usually located.

The figure shows a home network with its devices, but the central device is covered with a question mark, as shown in the diagram.

Which device is marked with "?" and what task does it perform between the local network and the internet? Also indicate which devices in the figure connect by cable and which by Wi-Fi, and explain what you noticed to find out.

Explain what a Wi-Fi access point is and how it differs from a router. Hint: at home there is usually a single device that does everything, whereas at school there are many access points located along the corridors.

The network cable connector is different from USB and does not fit into its port. Explain why each type of cable has its own connector shape and what problems this prevents when setting up a network.

Your brother plays online games from his room over Wi-Fi and complains that "it lags". Analyse whether connecting his computer to the router using a cable could improve the connection, reasoning the differences between cable and Wi-Fi in terms of speed, stability and interference.

In the computer room almost all computers use cables, whereas at home almost everything uses Wi-Fi. Compare both decisions, considering the number of devices, the stability needed in each place, and the convenience of moving devices around.

When the internet goes down at home, the printer connected to the computer still works, but you cannot watch online videos. Explain which network you are using in each case (the home local network or the internet) and the difference between the two.

True or false? Justify each answer: (a) home Wi-Fi can keep working even if the internet goes down; (b) any Wi-Fi enabled device can connect to any network without a password; (c) the lights on the router indicate whether it is working properly; (d) the further away from the router, the better the signal strength.

After a storm passes, you try to browse the internet from your computer and the browser says "No connection". However, you verify that you can print without any issues on the living room network printer and open documents stored on another computer in the house. Your brother claims: "The router is broken and the home network is down". Refute his claim by demonstrating which part of the network is still working and which part has failed, and explain what physical checks you would carry out on the router's indicator lights to find out whether the fault is inside your house or in the provider company's line.

At home, the Wi-Fi signal is very weak in the room furthest from the router. Suggest two different solutions (moving the router, installing an access point or repeater, running a network cable...) and compare their advantages and disadvantages before deciding which one you would recommend.

Your neighbour sees the name of your Wi-Fi network on their mobile phone list. Explain how far a router's signal can reach, what things weaken it (walls, floors, distance), and why the password protects you even if the signal extends beyond your house.

In a home, the router is in the living room and the connection works at maximum speed. However, in the bedroom at the end of the hall, located after a long hallway and across the kitchen and a bathroom with tiles and pipes, the Wi-Fi signal barely reaches and video calls cut out. Analyze which physical factors are weakening the signal along that path, explain why replacing the laptop with one that has a more powerful processor will not help at all, and design two viable technical solutions to have a quality connection in the bedroom, justifying which one offers greater reliability.