Computer Basics

PREPARED BY:
ROHIT UPADHYAY

What is a Computer?
A computer is an electronic device, operating
under the control of instructions (software)
stored in its own memory unit, that can accept
data (input), manipulate data (process), and
produce information (output) from the
processing. Generally, the term is used to
describe a collection of devices that function
together as a system.

Devices that comprise a computer system

Monitor
(output)

Speaker
(output)

System unit
(processor, memory)

Printer
(output)

Storage devices
(CD-RW, Floppy,
Hard disk, zip,)
Scanner
(input)

Mouse
(input)
Keyboard
(input)

What does a Computer do?

Computers can perform four general
operations, which comprise the information
processing cycle.
Input
Process
Output
Storage

Data and Information

All computer processing requires data, which is a
collection of raw facts, figures and symbols, such as
numbers, words, images, video and sound, given to the
computer during the input phase.
Computers manipulate data to create information.
Information is data that is organized, meaningful, and
useful.
During the output Phase, the information that has been
created is put into some form, such as a printed report.
The information can also be put in computer storage for
future use.

Why is a Computer so powerful?

The ability to perform the information processing
cycle with amazing speed.
Reliability (low failure rate).
Accuracy.
Ability to store huge amounts of data and
information.
Ability to communicate with other computers.

How does a Computer know what to

do?
It must be given a detailed list of instructions, called a
compute program or software, that tells it exactly
what to do.
Before processing a specific job, the computer
program corresponding to that job must be stored in
memory.
Once the program is stored in memory the compute
can start the operation by executing the program
instructions one after the other.

What are the primary components of a

Computer ?
Input devices.
Central Processing Unit
(containing the control unit and
the arithmetic/logic unit).
Memory.
Output devices.
Storage devices.

Types of Computer Systems

Microcomputer Systems
Personal Computer (PC) microcomputer for
use by an individual.
Professional Workstation a powerful,
networked PC for business professionals.
Laptop small, portable PC.

Microcomputer Systems
Network Server more powerful
microcomputers that coordinate
telecommunications and resource sharing in
small local area networks and Internet and
intranet websites.
Computer Terminals depend on servers for
software, storage and processing power.

Microcomputer Systems
Network Computers low-cost, sealed
microcomputers with no or minimal disk
storage that are linked to the network.
Information Appliances hand-held
microcomputer devices.

Hardware Organized by System

Functions
Input Devices convert data into electronic form
for direct entry or through a telecommunications
network into a computer system.
Processing Components primarily the Central
Processing Unit (CPU)
Arithmetic-Logic Unit (ALU) - perform arithmetic and
logic functions required to execute software
instructions.

Hardware Organized by System

Functions
Output Devices convert electronic information produced
by the computer system into human-intelligible form for
presentation to end users.
Storage Devices store data and software instructions
needed for processing.
Control Components primarily the CPUs Control Unit
which interprets software instructions and transmits
directions that control the activities of the other
components of the computer system.

Computer Processing Speeds

Millisecond thousandth of a second
Microsecond millionth of a second
Nanosecond billionth of a second
Picosecond trillionth of a second

Computer Clock Speeds

MIPS million instructions per second
Megahertz (MHz) millions of cycles per
second
Gigahertz (GHz) billions of cycles per second

Input Devices
Keyboard.
Mouse.

The Keyboard
The most commonly used input device is the keyboard on
which data is entered by manually keying in or typing
certain keys. A keyboard typically has 101 or 105 keys.

The Mouse
Is a pointing device which is used to control the movement of a
mouse pointer on the screen to make selections from the
screen. A mouse has one to five buttons. The bottom of the
mouse is flat and contains a mechanism that detects
movement of the mouse.

The Central processing Unit

The central processing unit (CPU) contains electronic circuits
that cause processing to occur. The CPU interprets instructions
to the computer, performs the logical and arithmetic processing
operations, and causes the input and output operations to
occur. It is considered the brain of the computer.
Control Unit- ALU

Memory
Memory also called Random Access Memory or RAM
(temporary memory) is the main memory of the computer. It
consists of electronic components that store data including
numbers, letters of the alphabet, graphics and sound. Any
information stored in RAM is lost when the computer is turned
off.
Read Only Memory or ROM is memory that is etched on a chip
that has start-up directions for your computer. It is permanent
memory.

Amount of RAM In Computers

The amount of memory in computers is typically
measured in kilobytes or megabytes. One kilobyte
(K or KB) equals approximately 1,000 memory
locations and one megabyte (M or MB) equals
approximately one million locations A memory
location, or byte, usually stores one character.
Therefore, a computer with 8 MB of memory can
store approximately 8 million characters. One
megabyte can hold approximately 500 pages of
text information.

Output Devices
Output devices make the information resulting
from the processing available for use. The two
output devices more commonly used are the
printer and the computer screen.
The printer produces a hard copy of your output,
and the computer screen produces a soft copy of
your output.

Storage Devices
Auxiliary storage devices are used to store
data when they are not being used in
memory. The most common types of auxiliary
storage used on personal computers are
floppy disks, hard disks and CD-ROM drives.

Floppy Disks
A floppy disk is a portable, inexpensive
storage medium that consists of a thin,
circular, flexible plastic disk with a
magnetic coating enclosed in a squareshaped plastic shell.

Compact Discs
A compact disk (CD), also called an optical disc, is a
flat round, portable storage medium that is usually
4.75 inch in diameter.
A CD-ROM (read only memory), is a compact disc
that used the same laser technology as audio CDs
for recording music. In addition it can contain other
types of data such as text, graphics, and video.
The capacity of a CD-ROM is 650 MB of data.

Peripherals Advice

Storage Capacities

Kilobyte (KB) one thousand bytes

Megabytes (MB) one million bytes
Gigabytes (GB) one billion bytes
Terabytes (TB) one trillion bytes
Petabytes (PB) one quadrillion bytes

RAM vs. ROM

Random Access Memory (RAM) each
memory position can be both sensed and
changed
Read Only Memory (ROM) can be read but
not erased or overwritten

ASCII Codes

What is Software?
Definition:
Various kinds of programs used to operate
computers and related devices.

Types of Software

Types of Software
Application Software - performs information
processing tasks for end users.
System Software manages and supports
operations of computer systems and
networks.

Application Software
General-Purpose programs that perform
common information processing jobs for end
users.
Application-Specific support specific
applications of end users in business and
other fields.

General-Purpose Application
Software

Software Suites
Web Browsers
Electronic Mail
Word Processing
Spreadsheets
Database Managers
Presentation Graphics
Personal Information Managers
Groupware

Software Suites

The Early Period: Up to 1940

3,000 years ago: Mathematics, logic, and numerical
computation.
Important contributions made by the Greeks,
Egyptians, Babylonians, Indians, Chinese, and
Persians.
1614: Logarithms

Invented by John Napier to simplify difficult

mathematical computations.
Around 1622: First slide rule created.

The Early Period: Up to 1940 (continued)

1672: The Pascaline
Designed and built by Blaise Pascal
One of the first mechanical calculators
Could do addition and subtraction
1674: Leibnitzs Wheel
Constructed by Gottfried Leibnitz
Mechanical calculator
Could do addition, subtraction, multiplication, and
division

The Pascaline: One of the Earliest Mechanical Calculators

The Early Period: Up to 1940 (continued)

1801: The Jacquard loom
Developed by Joseph Jacquard
Automated loom
Used punched cards to create desired pattern
1823: The Difference Engine
Developed by Charles Babbage
Did addition, subtraction, multiplication, and
division to 6 significant digits
Solved polynomial equations and other complex
mathematical problems

The Early Period: Up to 1940 (continued)

1823: The Difference Engine
Developed by Charles Babbage
Capabilities:
Addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division to 6
significant digits.
Solve polynomial equations and other complex
mathematical problems.

Drawing of the Jacquard Loom

The Early Period: Up to 1940 (continued)

1830s: The Analytic Engine
Designed by Charles Babbage
More powerful and general-purpose
computational machine
Components were functionally similar to the four
major components of todays computers

Mill (modern terminology: arithmetic/logic unit)

Store (modern terminology: memory)
Operator (modern terminology: processor)
Output (modern terminology: input/output)

The Early Period: Up to 1940 (continued)

1890: U.S. census carried out with programmable
card processing machines

Built by Herman Hollerith

These machines could automatically read, tally,
and sort data entered on punched cards

The Birth of Computers: 19401950

Development of electronic, general-purpose
computers
Did not begin until after 1940
Was fueled in large part by needs of World War II
Early computers
Mark I
ENIAC
ABC system
Colossus
Z1

Photograph of the ENIAC Computer

The Birth of Computers:

19401950
Stored program computer model
Proposed by John Von Neumann in 1946
Stored binary algorithm in the computers
memory along with the data
Is known as the Von Neumann architecture
Modern computers remain, fundamentally, Von
Neumann machines
First stored program computers
EDVAC
EDSAC

The Modern Era: 1950 to the Present

First generation of computing (1950-1959)
Used vacuum tubes to store data and programs
Each computer was multiple rooms in size

Computers were not very reliable

The Modern Era: 1950 to the Present

(continued)
Second generation of computing (1959-1965)
Replaced vacuum tubes by transistors and
magnetic cores
Dramatic reduction in size
Computer could fit into a single room

Increase in reliability of computers

Reduced costs of computers
High-level programming languages
The programmer occupation was born

The Modern Era: 1950 to the Present

(continued)
Third generation of computing (1965-1975)
Used integrated circuits rather than individual
electronic components
Further reduction in size and cost of computers
Computers became desk-sized
First minicomputer developed

Software industry formed

The Modern Era: 1950 to the Present

(continued)
Fourth generation of computing (1975-1985)
Reduced to the size of a typewriter
First microcomputer developed
Desktop and personal computers common
Appearance of

Computer networks
Electronic mail
User-friendly systems (Graphical user interfaces)
Embedded systems

The Altair 8800, the Worlds First Microcomputer

The Modern Era: 1950 to the Present

(continued)
Fifth generation of computing (1985-?)
Recent developments
Massively parallel processors
Handheld devices and other types of personal digital
assistants (PDAs)
High-resolution graphics
Powerful multimedia user interfaces incorporating sound,
voice recognition, touch, photography, video, and
television

The Modern Era: 1950 to the Present

(continued)
Recent developments (continued)
Integrated global telecommunications
incorporating data, television, telephone, FAX, the
Internet, and the World Wide Web
Wireless data communications
Massive storage devices

Ubiquitous computing

Computer Software
Computer software is the key to
productive use of computers. Software
can be categorized into two types:
Operating system software
Application software.

Operating System Software

Operating system software tells the computer how to
perform the functions of loading, storing and executing an
application and how to transfer data.
Today, many computers use an operating system that has a
graphical user interface (GUI) that provides visual clues such
as icon symbols to help the user. Microsoft Windows 98 is a
widely used graphical operating system. DOS (Disk
Operating System) is an older but still widely used operating
system that is text-based.

Application Software
Application Software consists of programs that
tell a computer how to produce information.
Some of the more commonly used packages
are:

Word processing
Electronic spreadsheet
Database
Presentation graphics

Computers and software

Application software is designed to solve a specific
problem
System software provides a general programming
environment
Operating system is a subset of the system software
Provide functions used by the application software
Provides the mechanisms for application software to
share the hardware in an orderly fashion
Sharing increases the overall performance by allowing different
application software to use different parts of the computer at
the same time, decreasing the time to execute a collection of
programs and increase overall system performance

System Software

Runtime system for a programming language

C libraries runtime
Standard input/output (I/O) library procedures to perform
buffered input/output on a stream of data
The math library functions to perform various mathematical
functions
Graphics libraries functions to render images on a bitmapped
display

Window system software that provides a virtual

terminal to an application program

INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER
NETWORKS

Introduction to Computer Networks

Computer Networks
Computer network connects
two or more autonomous
computers.
The computers
geographically
anywhere.

can be
located

Introduction to Computer Networks

LAN, MAN & WAN

Network in small geographical Area (Room, Building or a
Campus) is called LAN (Local Area Network)

Network in a City is call MAN (Metropolitan Area

Network)

Network spread geographically (Country or across Globe)

is called WAN (Wide Area Network)

Introduction to Computer Networks

Applications of Networks
Resource Sharing

Hardware (computing resources, disks, printers)

Software (application software)
Information Sharing

Easy accessibility from anywhere (files, databases)

Search Capability (WWW)
Communication

Email
Message broadcast
Remote computing

Introduction to Computer Networks

Network Topology
The network topology
defines the way in which
computers, printers, and
other
devices
are
connected.
A
network
topology
describes the layout of the
wire and devices as well as
the paths used by data
transmissions.

Introduction to Computer Networks

Bus Topology
Commonly referred to as a
linear bus, all the devices on
a bus topology are connected
by one single cable.

Introduction to Computer Networks

Star & Tree Topology

The star topology is the most commonly
used architecture in Ethernet LANs.
When installed, the star topology
resembles spokes in a bicycle wheel.

Larger networks use the extended star

topology also called tree topology. When
used with network devices that filter
frames or packets, like bridges, switches,
and routers, this topology significantly
reduces the traffic on the wires by
sending packets only to the wires of the
destination host.

Introduction to Computer Networks

Ring Topology
A frame travels around the ring, stopping at
each node. If a node wants to transmit data,
it adds the data as well as the destination
address to the frame.
The frame then continues around the ring
until it finds the destination node, which
takes the data out of the frame.

Single ring All the devices on the

network share a single cable
Dual ring The dual ring topology
allows data to be sent in both
directions.

Introduction to Computer Networks

Mesh Topology
The mesh topology connects all
devices (nodes) to each other for
redundancy and fault tolerance.
It is used in WANs to interconnect
LANs and for mission critical
networks like those used by banks
and financial institutions.
Implementing the mesh topology is
expensive and difficult.

Introduction to Computer Networks

Network Components
Physical Media
Interconnecting Devices
Computers
Networking Software
Applications

Introduction to Computer Networks

Networking Media
Networking media can be
defined simply as the means
by which signals (data) are
sent from one computer to
another (either by cable or
wireless means).

Introduction to Computer Networks

Networking Devices
HUB, Switches, Routers, Wireless
Access Points, Modems etc.

Introduction to Computer Networks

Computers: Clients and Servers

In a client/server network
arrangement,
network
services are located in a
dedicated computer whose
only function is to respond to
the requests of clients.
The server contains the file,
print, application, security,
and other services in a
central computer that is
continuously available to
respond to client requests.

Introduction to Computer Networks

Applications
E-mail
Searchable Data (Web Sites)
E-Commerce
News Groups
Internet Telephony (VoIP)
Video Conferencing
Chat Groups
Instant Messengers
Internet Radio

LAN Technologies

Ethernet BUS Topology

Repeater

LAN Technologies

Ethernet STAR Topology

Hub

Classification of computers
Classification of
computers

On the basis of
purpose

General purpose
computers

Specific purpose
computers

On the basis of
principles of
operation

Analog computers

Hybrid computers

Digital computers

On the basis of
size and speed

Micro computers

Mini computers

Main frame
computers

Super computers

Classification of computers according to purpose

General purpose computers:

A general purpose computers is designed to
perform all the needs of the society. These
computers have the ability to store
numerous programs.
These computers can be used for various
applications,
ranging
for
various
applications, ranging from scientific as well
as business purpose.

Classification of computers according to

purpose
Specific purpose computers
These computers are designed to handle
problem or to perform a single specific task.
A set of programs are built into the machine
and hence cannot perform other types of
task. The computers used for airline
reservations', satellite tracking, and air
traffic control are specific purpose
computers.

Classification of computers based on the

principles of operation
Analog computers
Analog computers operates by measuring
physical units such as voltage, pressure,
temperature, speed etc. These computers do
not deal directly with numbers.
Analog computers are used for scientific and
engineering purposes.

Digital computers
Digital computer:
computer that operates with numerical
information or non-numerical information,
represented in a digital form is known as digital
computer.
These computers operate on binary values 0 and
1.
Analog quantities must be converted into digital
quantity before processing it.
The output will also be in digital.

Hybrid computers
The hybrid computers combines analog and digital
capabilities.
The user can process both analog and digital data.
These computers can take either analog or digital data
and gives the result as per requirement through special
devices.
A converter is used to convert analog data into digital
data and vice-versa.e.g., ROBOT is the best example of
hybrid computer.
These computers are used for scientific applications,
various field of engineering and in industrial control
process.

Classification of computers based on size

and speed
Based on size and speed, we can divide
computers into four major categories:
1. Micro computers
2. Mini computers
3. Main frame computers
4. Super computers

Layered System View

Intranet

Extranet

Internet

Corporate members

Clients, partners, customers

Global society: competitors

Internets and Extranets

Intranets
Private network within an organization
Provides information to employees

Extranets
Private network that connects organizations
Used to allow suppliers and others access

Firewalls
Security system
Protects against external threats

Page 257

Internet Introduction
Internet: The internet is a global network of
interconnected networks, connecting private,
public and university networks in one cohesive
unit.
Intranet: An intranet is a private enterprise
network that uses internet and web technologies
for information gathering and distribution within
an organization.
Extranet: An extranet is a community of interest
created by extending an intranet to selected
entities external to an organization.

The Internet
The internet
A network of networks
The internet transmits data from one computer
(called a host) to another

Internet networks
Linked networks that work much the same way -they pass data around in packets, each of which
carries the addresses of its sender and receiver

Have a
nice day

Encryption
software
running on
sending
computer
E%$&:}{|

Decryption
software
running on
Receiving
computer

Have a
nice day

What is the Internet

The Internet connects millions of servers.

Intranets and Extranets

Intranet
An internal corporate network built using Internet and
World Wide Web standards and products that allows
employees of an organization to gain access to
corporate information

Extranet
A network based on Web technologies that links
selected resources of the intranet of a company with its
customers, suppliers, or other business partners

Intranets and Extranets

Intranet
A within-organization computer network that uses
Internet technologies to communicate

Extranet
Uses Internet technologies to facilitate
communication and trade between an organization
and its business partners, such as suppliers

Intranets and Extranets

Internet, intranet, and extranet potential for productivity enhancement

The Internet
The internet
A network of networks
The internet transmits data from
computer (called a host) to another

one

Internet networks
Linked networks that work much the same way
-- they pass data around in packets, each of
which carries the addresses of its sender and
receiver

How the Internet Works

Transport control protocol (TCP)

A protocol that operates at the transport layer and

is used in combination with IP by most Internet
applications
Backbone

An Internet high-speed, long distance

communications links (like a bus; wire that
connects nodes)

Uniform resource locator (URL)

An assigned address on the Internet for each

computer
E.g., http://www.yorku.ca/

Domain Affiliations
Domain
arts
com
edu
firm
gov
info
mil
nom
net
org
rec
store
web
net

Affiliations
cultural and entertainment activities
business organizations
educational sites
businesses and firms
government sites
information service providers
military sites
individuals
networking organizations
organizations
recreational activities
businesses offering goods for purchase
entities related to World Wide Web activities
networking organizations

Access to the Internet

LAN servers
Local servers can provide access to the Internet through normal
connections (e.g., Ethernet)

Serial line internet protocol (SLIP) and

Point-to-point protocol (PPP)
Communications protocol software that transmits packets over
telephone lines, allowing dial-up access to the Internet

Connection via an on-line service

Examples are America Online and Microsoft Network. These
services usually require sign-up procedures

Three Ways to Access the

Internet

Schematic

Internet Service Providers

Internet service provider (ISP)
Any company that provides individuals or
companies with access to the Internet
Thousands of providers including large
communications companies
Need an account with the ISP and software that
links with TCP/IP

The World Wide Web

World Wide Web
A collection of tens of thousands of independentlyowned computers that work together as one in an
Internet service

WWW Terminology
Home page
The cover page for a Web site that has graphics, titles,
coloured text, etc.

Hypermedia
Tools that connect the data on Web pages, allowing
users to access topics in whatever order they wish

Hypertext markup language (HTML)

The standard page description language for Web pages

Intranets and Extranets

Intranet
An internal corporate network built using Internet
and World Wide Web standards and products that
allows employees of an organization to gain access
to corporate information

Extranet
A network based on Web technologies that links
selected resources of the intranet of a company
with its customers, suppliers, or other business
partners

Intranet
A network based on TCP/IP protocols (an internet) belonging to an
organization, usually a corporation, accessible only by the
organization's members, employees, or others with
authorization.
An intranet's Web sites look and act just like any other Web sites,
but the firewall surrounding an intranet fends off unauthorized
access.
Like the Internet itself, intranets are used to share information.
Secure intranets are now the fastest-growing segment of the
Internet because they are much less expensive to build and
manage than private networks based on proprietary protocols.

Extranet
A new buzzword that refers to an intranet that is partially
accessible to authorized outsiders.
Whereas an intranet resides behind a firewall and is accessible only
to people who are members of the same company or
organization, an extranet provides various levels of accessibility
to outsiders. You can access an extranet only
if you have a valid username and password, and your identity
determines which parts of the extranet you can view.
Extranets are becoming a very popular means for business partners
to exchange information.

What is Wireless
Now the term is used to describe modern wireless
connections such as those in cellular networks and
wireless broadband Internet. In modern usage,
wireless is a method of communication that uses
low-powered radio waves to transmit data
between devices.
Wireless refers to communication without cables
or cords, chiefly using radio frequency and
infrared waves.

 "Wifi" means "wireless fidelity". The term

"wifi" refers to certain kinds of wireless local
area networks, or WLAN (as opposed to LAN,
or computers that are networked together
with wires).

Internet
The internet is a worldwide
interconnection of many different
computers and networks.
The internet allows users to
efficiently
share
information,
programs and equipments and to
communicate with each other.

 The internet was originally developed by

the department of defense and the
national science foundation.
Each internet computer is called a host,
and is independent.
Its operators can choose which internet
services to use and which local services
to make available to the global internet
community.

Advantages of extranet
Exchange large volumes of data using Electronic Data
Interchange (EDI)
Share product catalogs exclusively with wholesalers or those
"in the trade"
Collaborate with other companies on joint development
efforts
Jointly develop and use training programs with other
companies
Provide or access services provided by one company to a
group of other companies, such as an online banking
application managed by one company on behalf of affiliated
banks
Share news of common interest exclusively

Disadvantages of extranet
Extranets can be expensive to implement and maintain within
an organization (e.g.: hardware, software, employee training
costs)
Security of extranets can be a big concern when dealing with
valuable information. System access needs to be carefully
controlled to avoid sensitive information falling into the wrong
hands.
Extranets can reduce personal contact (face-to-face meetings)
with customers and business partners. This could cause a lack
of connections made between people and a company, which
hurts the business when it comes to loyalty of its business
partners and customers.

Wireless technologies
Bluetooth, WiFi and WiMAX are wireless
technologies which allow devices to interconnect and communicate with each other.
Radio waves are electro magnetic waves and
have different frequencies. These technologies
are radio frequencies. Similar to the analogue
radio, or FM radio.

 Bluetooth works on 2.45GHz frequency.

WiFi works in two frequency bands
2.4GHz and 5GHz.
Wi-MAX- Wi MAX is Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave
Access works in two frequency bands, 2 11GHz and 10 - 66GHz.

Bluetooth
Named after the Danish king, Harold Blue
tooth, was the first to emerge, several
devices like mobile phones, pdas,
headsets, keyboards, mice, medical
equipment and even cars now come with
this feature.

Due to its low cost, manufacturers are

willing to implement this technology in
most devices. It is designed for short
range communications with a range of
about 10m. As a result, it consumes less
power and are suited for very small
battery powered devices and portable
devices.

Problems associated when devices

communicate via infrared or cables
are removed. Infrared requires a line
of sight, blue tooth only needs to be
in reasonable vicinity.

As cables are not required, it would

be less cumbersome carrying a
personal blue tooth device and
space would be less cluttered.

As
blue
tooth
devices
automatically communicate with
each other, it requires very little
from the user.

Bluetooth allows for a wireless

Personal Area Network (PAN) with
it's short range.

Wi - fi
WiFi or Wireless Fidelity, has a range of about
100m and allows for faster data transfer rate
between 10 - 54Mbps. There are three
different wireless standards under WiFi,
802.11a, 802.11b and 802.11g. 802.11 being
the wireless standard set by The Institue of
Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE). WiFi
is used to create wireless Local Area Networks
(WLAN).

The most widely used standard is 802.11b

and 802.11g is expected to grow rapidly.
These two standards are relatively
inexpensive and can be found providing
wireless connectivity in airports, railway
stations, cafes, bars, restaurants and other
public areas.
The main difference between the two is the
speed. 802.11b has data transfer rate of
upto 11Mbps and 802.11g has a rate of upto
54Mbps. 802.11g is a relatively new and
has yet to be adopted widely. 802.11a is
more expensive and as a result it not
available for public access.

Wi -max
Wi MAX is Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access.
The IEEE standard for Wi-MAX is 802.16 and falls under the category of
wireless Metropolitan Area Network (WMAN). Wi-MAX operates on two
frequency bands, 2 - 11GHz and 10 - 66GHz and has a range of about
50km with speeds of up to 80Mbps.
This enables smaller wireless LANs to be interconnected by Wi-MAX creating
a large wireless MAN. Networking between cities can be achieved
without the need for expensive cabling.
It is also able to provide high speed wireless broadband access to users. As it
can operate in two frequency bands Wi-MAX can work by line-of-sight
and non-line-of-sight.

Wi-MAX, More Than Internet?

WiMAX has the potential to
replace a number of existing
telecommunications
infrastructures. In a fixed
wireless configuration it can
replace
the
telephone
company's
copper
wire
networks, the cable TV's coaxial
cable
infrastructure
while
offering
Internet
Service
Provider (ISP) services. In its
mobile variant, WiMAX has the
potential to replace cellular
networks.

Bluetooth Technology
Bluetooth is an industrial
specification
for
wireless
personal area networks (PANs),
also known as IEEE 802.15.1.
Bluetooth provides a way to
connect
and
exchange
information between devices
such as personal digital
assistants
(PDAs),
mobile
phones, laptops, PCs, printers,
digital cameras and video game
consoles via a secure, globally
unlicensed short-range radio
frequency.

Bluetooth Contd.
Bluetooth is a radio standard and communications protocol primarily
designed for low power consumption, with a short range (power class
dependent: 1 meter, 10 meters, 100 meters) based around low-cost
transceiver microchips in each device.
Bluetooth lets these devices communicate with each other when they
are in range. The devices use a radio communications system, so they
do not have to be in line of sight of each other, and can even be in
other rooms, so long as the received transmission is powerful enough.

Introduction
Wi-MAX stands for Worldwide
Interoperability for Microwave Access
IEEE 802.16 standards-based wireless
Metropolitan Area Network technology
Extends upto 50 km (31 miles) & connects
IEEE 802.11( Wi-Fi Hotspots) to the internet
and provides a wireless extension to Cable
and DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) broadband
connections over long distances.

 IEEE 802.16, specifies WiMAX in the 10 to 66

GHz range.
WiMAX technology also provides data rates
upto 70 mbps.

Wi Fi
Wi-Fi is an acronym for Wireless Fidelity
IEEE 802.11 standard for wireless local area
networks (WLAN)
Wi-Fi was intended to be used for mobile
devices and LANs, but is now often used for
Internet access.
Other wi fi standards are 802.11a, 802.11b
and 802.11g

Wi Fi: How it works

Setup requires Wi Fi hotspots composed of
many access points(AP).
AP broadcasts its SSID(service set identifier)
via packets called beacons every 100 ms at 1
mbps.
Based on settings of SSID, the client decides
whether to connect to an AP.
Based on the signal strength, the firmware on
the client wi fi card decides to which AP it will
connect.

 Wifi standard allows the connection criteria

and roaming totally open to the client.
Feature called Zero Configuration available in
Windows XP shows any N/W available to the
user & lets the user connect to it on the fly i.e.
it controls the roaming criteria.
Wi Fi has the same properties as an Ethernet
N/W.

Software Access Point sharing one Internet

connection

Wi Fi vs. Cellular
Obstacles to Wi Fi are missing roaming,
authentication features(SIM cards, RADIUS) &
the limited range of Wi-Fi.
Wi-Fi is ideal for VoIP applications in a
corporate LAN.
Wi-Fi only phones have limited range upto 300
ft & setting up a covering N/W would be very
expensive.
Companies: Zyxell, UT Starcomm, Samsung,
Hitachi, etc. are offering VoIP Wi-Fi Phones for
reasonable prices.

Wi Fi vs. Bluetooth
Bluetooth is for wireless PAN whereas Wi Fi is
for wireless LAN.
Bluetooth is a low power, short range(30 ft)
N/W specification for transmission speeds of
800 kbps whereas Wi-Fi is a fairly high power,
medium range(300 ft) N/W specification for
transmission speeds of upto 54 mbps.

 Bluetooth devices are embedded with a small,

inexpensive radio transmitter/receiver module
whereas Wifi products have an inbuilt wi fi
chip/adapter/wi fi card which access the
AP/hotspot within its proximity (300 ft radius)
for a fee.

Commercial Wi Fi
Commercial Wi Fi services are available in
places such as Internet cafes, coffee houses
and airports around the world.
WiSE Technologies provides commercial
hotspots for airports, universities &
independent cafes in the U.S.
In sept.2003,Ozoneparis in France, started
deploying ozoneparis N/W across the city with
the aim to construct a wireless metropolitan
network with full wi fi coverage of Paris.

 Sify, an Indian Internet service provider, has

set up 120 wireless access points in Bangalore,
India in hotels, malls and govt. offices.
FON, a Spanish start-up created in Nov.2005,
aims to become the largest N/W of hotspots
in the world by the end of 2006 with 30,000
access points financially supported by
companies like Google & Skype.

Advantages of Wi Fi
Wi Fi uses unlicensed radio spectrum &
doesnt require regulatory approval for
individual deployers.
Reduces the cost of N/W deployment and
Expansion.
Wi Fi products support roaming.
Many access points & N/W interfaces support
various degrees of encryption to protect traffic
from interception.
Wi-Fi is a global set of standards.

Disadvantages of Wi Fi
Wi Fi uses the unlicensed 2.4 GHz spectrum,
which is also used by other technologies like
Bluetooth, microwave ovens, cordless phones.
Thus causes degradation in performance.
Power consumption is fairly high compared to
some other standards.
Wi Fi N/Ws have limited range. A typical wi fi
home router using 802.11b/802.11g might
have a range of 45 m(150 ft) indoors & 90
m(300ft) outdoors.

Technical Advantages of Wi-MAX over Wi Fi

WiMAX uses the LLC layer(standardised by
IEEE 802.2) used by other LANs & WANs, it can
be both bridged & routed to them.
IEEE 802.16 defines a MAC layer that supports
multiple physical layer(PHY) specifications.
In wi fi the MAC uses contention access
causing interruption which reduces their
throughput whereas WiMAX has a scheduling
MAC which works in time slots by the base
station.

How Wi-MAX works

WiMAX system consists of two parts: WiMAX
tower, WiMAX receiver.
WiMAX tower station can connect directly to
the Internet using a high-bandwidth, wired
connection. It can also connect to another
WiMAX tower using a line-of-sight, microwave
link. This is called Backhaul.
A single tower can cover up to 3,000 square
miles. Thus WiMAX provides coverage to
remote rural areas.

 WiMAX actually can provide two forms of

wireless service: 1. non-line-of-sight
service
2. line-of-sight service
Through the stronger line-of-sight antennas,
the WiMAX transmitting station would send
data to WiMAX-enabled computers or routers
set up within the transmitter's 30-mile radius
(2,800 square miles or 9,300 square km of
coverage). This is what allows WiMAX to
achieve its maximum range.

Uses of WiMAX
Provides up to 50 km (31 miles) of linear
service area range and allows connectivity
between users without a direct line of sight.
Claims to provide shared data rates up to 70
mbps which according to WiMAX proponents,
is enough bandwidth to simultaneously
support more than 60 businesses with T1-type
connectivity and well over a thousand homes
at 1Mbit/s DSL-level connectivity.

 WiMAX will allow interpenetration for

broadband service provision of VoIP, video,
and Internet accesssimultaneously.
Sony and Microsoft are closely considering the
addition of WiMAX as a feature in their next
generation game console. This will allow
gamers to create ad hoc networks with other
players.

Conclusion
WiMAX outdistances WiFi by miles. WiFi's
range is about 100 feet (30 m). WiMAX will
blanket a radius of 30 miles (50 km) with
wireless access. The increased range is due to
the frequencies used and the power of the
transmitter.
This outstanding efficiency along with speed
of transmission (upto 70 mbps) makes WiMAX
a sort out technology in the field of wireless
networking.