Unexpected Disadvantages of Computer Networking: What Aspect Could Potentially Not Be a Positive Result of Connecting Computers?
In the digital age, networking computers has become an essential aspect of modern businesses and daily life. However, it's important to be aware of the potential drawbacks that come with this interconnectedness, particularly in terms of network speed and system administration.
Networking computers requires a significant time investment in maintenance, with system integration, protocol management, security maintenance, and user management each requiring 8-12, 6-10, 10-15, and 4-6 hours per week, respectively. This time commitment can escalate as networks grow in size.
The administrative burdens of networking are manifold. Maintaining consistent configuration across network devices, implementing complex routing protocols, coordinating software updates across multiple systems, managing user permissions across network resources, and troubleshooting connectivity issues between different platforms are all key challenges.
When it comes to network speed, there are several potential pitfalls. Performance degradation can occur due to poor transmission quality, interference, or bottlenecks created by multiple devices communicating over the network. As more devices are added, the network can become slow and congested, directly impacting data transfer rates and overall speed.
Wireless networking speeds fluctuate due to distance from the access point, interference from physical obstacles, other electronic devices, and network congestion, resulting in slower or unstable connections compared to wired networks. Hardware limitations, such as outdated or incompatible Network Interface Cards (NICs), can also limit speed.
In addition, network congestion, a common issue, is caused by factors such as multiple users downloading large files simultaneously, heavy streaming traffic during peak usage hours, inadequate network infrastructure, broadcast storms from misconfigured network equipment, and memory buffer overflows in network switches or routers.
It's also crucial to understand network limitations when setting realistic expectations for networked systems. The maximum bandwidth for copper cable is 1 Gbps, fiber optic is 100 Gbps, Wi-Fi 6 is 9.6 Gbps, and 5G is 20 Gbps.
Other factors that limit bandwidth include physical infrastructure capacity, internet service provider throttling, network protocol overhead, quality of service settings, and distance between network nodes. The absence of guaranteed increased network speed is a key non-benefit of computer networking.
Network congestion can lead to slower transmission speeds and increased latency. Light congestion increases typical delay by 50-100ms, medium congestion by 100-300ms, and heavy congestion by 300ms.
For small networks (5-10 devices), weekly maintenance is 4 hours; for medium networks (11-50 devices), it is 15 hours; and for large networks (51+ devices), it is 30+ hours. Successful network implementation requires thoughtful planning focusing on actual requirements rather than assuming all networking features will automatically improve performance.
Bandwidth constraints restrict the amount of data transmitted across a network within a specific timeframe. Technical dependencies create additional complexity, including protocol compatibility requirements between different vendors, version control across multiple network components, authentication system integration with various services, backup synchronization across distributed systems, and firewall rule management for multiple network segments.
The system administration overhead increases exponentially with network size, and network complexity introduces significant operational challenges that offset many networking benefits. It's essential to be aware of these factors when considering the implementation and management of networked systems.
Streaming traffic during peak usage hours can contribute to network congestion, potentially impacting data transfer rates and overall network speed. The system administration overhead for maintaining networked computers, including user management, system integration, protocol management, and security maintenance, can escalate as networks grow larger.
