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Predict: Protocols and Connections

Think about which protocols, connections, and addresses to use in different scenarios

How to Use This Activity

For each scenario, make your prediction before revealing the answer. Think about what you know about protocols, wired/wireless connections, and addressing.

Scenario 1: Gaming PC Setup

Alex is setting up a gaming PC in their bedroom. They want the fastest, most reliable internet connection for online gaming where lag could mean losing a match.

Question: Should Alex use a wired (Ethernet) or wireless (WiFi) connection? Why?

Scenario 2: Wireless Headphones

Sarah wants to connect wireless headphones to her phone to listen to music while walking around the house.

Question: Which wireless technology would be used - WiFi or Bluetooth?

Scenario 3: Secure Banking

Tom is about to log into his online banking to transfer money. He notices the website URL.

Question: Should the URL start with http:// or https://? Why does it matter?

Scenario 4: Multi-Device Email Access

Emma checks her email on her laptop, phone, and tablet throughout the day. She wants to see the same inbox on all devices, and when she reads an email on one device, she wants it to show as read on all devices.

Question: Should Emma's email be configured to use POP3 or IMAP?

Scenario 5: Website Deployment

A web developer has finished building a website on their computer. They now need to upload all the HTML, CSS, and image files to the web hosting server.

Question: Which protocol would they most likely use - HTTP, HTTPS, or FTP?

Scenario 6: Identifying a Device

A network administrator needs to find a specific laptop that has been reported lost somewhere in the school building. The laptop is still connected to the school network.

Question: Would the admin use the laptop's IP address or MAC address to identify it? Why?

Scenario 7: Smart Home Devices

A family is setting up several smart home devices: a video doorbell, smart light bulbs, a smart thermostat, and voice assistants. None of these devices have Ethernet ports.

Question: What type of connection will these devices use?

Scenario 8: IPv4 Running Out

A news article mentions that IPv4 addresses have essentially run out globally. A student asks why we simply don't create more IPv4 addresses.

Question: Why can't we just create more IPv4 addresses? What's the solution?

Scenario 9: Email Sending and Receiving

Maya sends an email from her Gmail to her friend who uses Outlook. The email successfully arrives.

Question: Which email protocols were used in this process?

Scenario 10: Coffee Shop Connection

Jamie is working at a coffee shop using the free public WiFi. They need to check their bank balance and make a payment.

Question: What security concerns should Jamie have, and what should they check before logging in?

Scenario 11: Why Standards Matter

Imagine if every phone manufacturer used their own unique charging cable, every WiFi router used proprietary signals that only worked with that brand's devices, and every file format could only be opened by one specific program.

Question: What problems would this cause? How do standards help?

Scenario 12: Layered Troubleshooting

A user complains they can't load websites. An IT technician starts troubleshooting by checking if the network cable is plugged in.

Question: Using the concept of layers, why would the technician start with the physical connection rather than checking the web browser first?

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