Hidden terminal problem

Hey kiddo, do you know sometimes when we talk to people, we might think that they can hear us, but actually there's something blocking the sound from reaching them? This is kind of like what happens in a computer network when there's a hidden terminal problem.

When lots of devices like computers and phones are all trying to send information to each other on a network, they use something called a protocol to make sure that they take turns and don't all talk at once. But sometimes there can be a problem when two devices can't hear each other, even though they're both trying to send something to a third device.

Imagine you and your friend are both trying to tell your mom something at the same time but you're in different rooms and can't hear each other. You might both start talking without realizing the other person is also talking, and your mom might get confused or only hear part of what you're saying.

This is kind of like what happens when two devices on a network can't hear each other because they're too far away or there's an obstacle in the way. They both think it's their turn to talk, and they both start sending information at the same time. This can cause other devices on the network to get confused and not know what to do, like your mom when she hears both you and your friend talking at the same time.

To prevent this, computer networks use special protocols called collision avoidance or collision detection to make sure that devices only talk when they can hear each other. So just like you and your friend might stand closer together or raise your voices to make sure you can hear each other, devices on a network use special techniques to make sure they don't have a hidden terminal problem!