computer science

Visitor Based Network

Visitor Based Network is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Visitor Based Network rather than just read about it. In short: A Visitor-based network (VBN) is a computer network intended for mobile users in need of temporary Internet access. A visitor-based network is most commonly established in hotels, airports, convention centers, universities, and business offices.

Key takeaways

Visitor Based Network belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Visitor Based Network to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Visitor Based Network from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

A Visitor-based network (VBN) is a computer network intended for mobile users in need of temporary Internet access. A visitor-based network is most commonly established in hotels, airports, convention centers, universities, and business offices. It gives the on-the-go user a quick and painless way to temporarily connect a device to networks and broadband Internet connections. A visitor-based network usually includes hardware (such as VBN gateways, hubs, switches, and/or routers), telecommunications (an Internet connection), and service (subscriber support).

What is a VBN Gateway? Virtually any Internet-based Ethernet LAN can become a visitor-based network by adding a device generally termed a "VBN gateway". The function of a VBN Gateway is to provide a necessary layer of management between public users and the Internet router to enable a plug and play connection for visitors. Typical VBN Gateway provide services and support for billing and management application integrations, such as PMS systems (in hotels), credit-card billing interfaces, or Radius/LDAP servers for central authentication models. A common criteria for VBN gateways is they allow users to connect and access the available network services with little or no configuration on their local machines (specifically modification to their IP address). In order to accomplish this a layer 2 (See: OSI model#Layer 2: Data link layer) connection is required between the user and the VBN gateway. Aside from the layer 2 (or bridged) network requirement, there are really no other restrictions for using a VBN gateway to enable a network. As such, Ethernet, 802.11x, CMTS, and xDSL are all acceptable mediums for distributing networks to use with VBN Gateways. In the simplest form a VBN gateway is a hardware device with a minimum of two network connections. One network connection is considered the subscriber network, and the other the uplink to the Internet. The majority of VBN gateways on the market today all use Ethernet interfaces for their connection, but as stated above, any layer 2 connection is acceptable for this.

Types of VBNs Generally speaking there are three models of operation for a VBN: Transparent, Pay For Use, and Authenticate For Use. Transparent VBN A transparent VBN's purpose is to provide network services to users to reduce support and/or IT infrastructure costs. Generally these networks are not concerned with security but rather fast and easy access. Metro Wi-Fi networks, or free to use Hotspots are examples of this type of VBN. Billing VBN A billing-based VBN is one where users are required to pay to obtain network services. Traditionally these types of VBNs are found in hotel or Hotspot (Wi-Fi) networks. Payment services are provided in a variety of methods, most commonly with a credit card Merchant account in hot spot environments or integration to a property management system in hotel environments. Authentication VBN An authenticate for use VBN is most commonly found in business environments. In these cases the VBN gateway requires users to authenticate to the gateway in order to be allowed access to network services. Commonly this authentication is achieved via integration to RADIUS or LDAP servers or by implementing access-codes which a user would be required to enter.

How does a VBN work? While manufacturers offer many different configurations for VBN gateways, a set of common features exist. Even the most basic VBN gateways provide DHCP and Proxy ARP to allow users to connect to the network with no IP address configuration required. A captive portal is used for a variety of functions including, billing or authentication and acceptance of terms and conditions. Once the user successfully meets the criteria in the captive portal, the VBN gateway then allows the user's traffic to be routed through.

References

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Visitor Based Network

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Visitor Based Network claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Visitor Based Network before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Visitor Based Network ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Visitor Based Network

In research: Visitor Based Network appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Visitor Based Network in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Visitor Based Network is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Networks, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Visitor Based Network outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Visitor Based Network in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Visitor Based Network means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Visitor Based Network out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Visitor Based Network in simple terms?

Why does Visitor Based Network matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Visitor Based Network?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Visitor Based Network.