UNIT 6:

Networks
and
Networking

Objectives:
Networking concepts.
Types of networks.
Describe kinds of network topologies.
Local area network concepts, terminology.
Identify:
sources of data
data communications hardware
transmission media

Connectivity
Connectivity pertains to the

degree to which hardware

devices, software, and databases
can be functionally linked to one
another. It is implemented in
steps & various tools.

Why Networking?
Computer networks enhance the

efficiency and effectiveness of the

interaction between people and
resources in different locations.
Interface (connect) a diverse set of
hardware, software, and databases.
Converge media types so that
information will be more easily
accessible to more people.
Global village NEEDS networks

Networking Concepts
Intranet : Closed or private version of the

Internet. Intranets use Internet technologies on

an in-house network.
A private network whose hosts cannot exchange
messages with hosts outside of the private
network, unless messages pass through socalled firewalls (which control flow of
messages in network) and use same types of
hosts, routers , links and protocols as public
Internet.

Networking Concepts
Extranet Extension of an intranet in

that it is partially accessible to authorized

outsiders, such as customers and
suppliers.

Intracompany

networking
Networks set up within a company.
Intercompany networking
Companies cooperating externally
with other companies and customers.
Another name for this is B2B, or
business-to-business e-commerce.
E-commerce Electronic commerce :
describes business conducted online.
B2B relies on computer networks &
the Internet to transmit data.

Backbone Collective term - a

system of routers, gateways, other

communications hardware, and
the associated transmission
media (cables, wires, and wireless
links) that link the computers in an
organization.
Node Endpoint in a network.

Four (4) main Types of Networks

Networks are classified by the proximity of nodes
(how close nodes are to each other and size of
network)

LAN Local Area Network; connects nodes

in close proximity, such as in a building.

resources can be shared - applications
software, I/O devices, storage devices.
CAN: Campus Area Network - LAN operating

within a single organization that leases

Internet access directly from regional or
national carrier, e.g. The U.W.I.

Types of Networks
WAN Wide area network

biggest type of network

Connects nodes in widely dispersed
geographic areas, such as cities,
states, or countries.
MAN Metropolitan area
network - designed for a city.
MANs are smaller than WANs but
larger than LANs.

Basic hardware components

in LAN(Local Area Network)
1. the NIC,
2. transmission media,
3. servers.

Network Interface Card

(NIC)
Add-on board or PC card that enables
and controls the exchange of data
between the PCs in a LAN.
A card installed in a slot in the PC to
allow communication between the PC
and other PCs in the LAN and beyond

NETWORKS SETUP
Ethernet: In the Ethernet access

method, nodes on the LAN must gain

access to send a message. When two
computers start to send information at the
same time, one must wait until the other
computer is finished. This happens very
quickly.

Network Topology
Description of the possible

physical layout and

connections of nodes within a
network.

Types of Network Topologies

Star topology Centralized host computer connected to

several other computer systems.

Communication is performed through the host.

Ring topology computer systems of about the same

size;
no one computer as the focal point of the network.
Messages passed around the ring until reach their

destination.

Bus topology Includes terminals, peripheral devices &

PCs connected along a common cable called a network

bus.
A message signal is broadcast to the nodes, but only

destination node responds.

Types of Network
topologies

A STAR
TOPOLOGY
B RING
TOPOLOGY
C BUS
TOPOLOGY

Data Communication
HARDWARE:
Data communication
Electronic collection and distribution of

information between two points.

Data communications hardware transmits

digital information :
between terminals and computers or
between one computer and other computers.

A: Client and Server

Computers
A server computer is one or more central

computer(s) in a network. The server

computer manages the network and
performs a variety of functions for the
other computers on the network, the
client computers.
Client computer Usually a PC or
workstation; linked to the server computer.
Client/server computing When a
server computer supports many client
computers.

Client and Server Computers

Proxy server computer

Computer that sits between the client PC

and a normal server and handles as many

client requests as possible, routing only
those requests that it cannot handle to the
real server.
Filters external and internal network

access.

LAN Transmission Media and

Servers
The following figure illustrates how nodes in a

LAN are connected using a bus topology &

popular servers.
The server is the component that can be

shared by users on the LAN.

Three popular servers are the file server,

the print server, and the communications

server.

File server
Usually a dedicated
computer with a
high-capacity hard
disk for storing the
data and programs
shared by the
network users.
Print server
Handles user print
jobs and controls at
least one printer.
Communications
server Provides
communication
links external to the
LAN to other
networks.

Communications
Hardware

The Standard
Telephone-Link
Modem
Most PCs have an internal modem.
Standard telephone lines transmit analog signals
BUT computer data is digital
THUS, a modem is needed to:
convert the digital signals into analog

signals (modulate) while the data travels

through the phone lines
converts the signals back to digital
(demodulates) so the receiver computer
can interpret received data.

Other Modems
Cable modem Modulates digital signals

to radio frequency carrier signals.

DSL (digital subscriber line) Not really
a modem; Rather, it is a DSL transceiver provides connection between the users
computer /network and DSL line.
Satellite modem Device to enable
uplink and downlink from a satellite;
composed of two modems: one for uplink
conversions and the other for downlink
conversions.

Routers
Router Bridges the gap between

incompatible networks by
performing the necessary
protocol conversions to route
messages to their proper
destinations.

Router
A router is the smartest and most

complicated of the bunch.

Routers come in all shapes and sizes from
small broadband routers that are very
popular right now to the large industrial
strength devices that drive the Internet
itself.
All routers include some kind of user
interface for configuring how the router will
treat traffic.

Example : LinkSys 160n Router

LinkSys Router WRT160N

with 2 WRT54 Antenna.

Hubs
Multi-port device that expands the number

of nodes that can be linked to a network.

least expensive, least intelligent, and least

complicated of the three.

simple hubs WHY? Gives quick and easy

ways to connect computers in small

networks.

Hubs
very simple job : anything that comes in one

port is sent out to the others.

Every computer connected to the hub "sees"
everything that every other computer on the
hub sees.
The hub itself is ignorant of data being
transmitted.

Hubs

Switch
Multi-port device for a LAN, similar to a

hub.
Full-duplex, enables transmission in both

directions at the same time to improve

overall network performance.
A switch does essentially what a hub does

but more efficiently.

Special-Function Terminals:
ATMs and POSs
Terminals enable input to and output

from a remote computer system.

Special-function terminals are
designed for a specific purpose, such
as is the case with ATMs (automatic
teller machine) and POS (point-ofsale) terminals.

Data Communications
Channels OR Transmission
Media

Communication
s channel
Medium through
which digital
information must
pass to get from
one location in a
computer
network to the
next.

Data Transmission in
Practice

Physical Transmission Media

using wire
Twisted-Pair Wire:
Telephone Line
Cat5 & Cat5e cabling
4 twisted pairs of wire : 100 Mbps, 1 G bps.

Twisted-pair wire is regular phone wire - two

copper wires twisted together.

Both dialup Internet service and DSL (digital
subscriber line) are delivered over POTS (plain old
telephone service).

Coaxial Cable
Commonly known as

cable in cable television.

Coaxial cables have a very wide pipe
A copper wire -permits high-speed data
transmission
minimal signal distortion.
hundreds of times faster than POTS

Fiber Optic Cable

Light Pulse - Carries data as laser-generated
pulses of light.
made of bundles of very thin, transparent,
almost hair-like fibers
transmits data more inexpensively and much
more quickly than do copper wire
transmission media.
The Internet backbone is mostly fiber optic
cable.

Wireless Communication /
Transmission Media
(No physical wire)
Microwave signals
Radio signals
Wireless Application Protocol allows

wireless Internet access via handheld

devices, such as cellular phones.

Communications Satellites:
Microwave signals are bounced off

satellites, avoiding obstructions

Wireless Communication /
Transmission Media
(No physical wire)
Cellular, digital cellular, satellite

Wireless LAN PC card

Transceiver with a limited range (about 50 to

300 feet).
It links computers via omnidirectional radio

waves to communications hubs, called access

points.

WHY?? Down to Earth Wireless:

Wi-Fi and Wireless-a/g
Popular communications standards used to

enable devices and PCs to talk to one another:

Wi-Fi or Wireless-B (IEEE 802.11b standard),
Wireless-A/G (IEEE 802.11a/g standard),

Eliminates biggest expenses in a

computer network of installing physical

links between the components.

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

Wi-Fi excellent range up to 300 ft
Most popular longwire replacement

technology in LANs
reasonable transmission speed (11 M bps)
High-speed, fixed broadband wireless LAN
Bluetooth range of 30 feet.
Considerably slower (1 M bps) shortwire

replacement technology
Low-speed, short range connection

Summary Media Transmission Types

Cable
Physical wire
Twisted pair, coaxial, fiber optic

Wireless
There are three types of cable
Twisted pair - Originally used to connect a
telephone to a wall jack
Optical fiber
Coaxial - The cable in cable TV
Wireless technology