BICOL STATE COLLEGE OF APPLIED SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY

College of Engineering and Architecture

Data Communications Instructor: Engr. Dominic P. Bolima

I. OVERVIEW OF DATA COMMUNICATIONS

Telecommunication – communication at a distance

which includes telephony, telegraphy, and television.

Data refers to information presented in whatever form is

agreed upon by the parties creating and using the 2. Half-Duplex – each station can both transmit and
data receive but not at the same time. (e.g. walkie-talkies
and CB radios)

Data Communications are the exchange of data

between two devices via some form of transmission
medium.

Components of Data Communications 3. Full-Duplex – (or duplex) both station can transmit and
receive simultaneously. (e.g. telephone)

Network – a set of devices (or nodes) connected by

1. Message – information (data) to be communicated communication links. A node can be a computer, printer,
such as text, numbers, pictures, audio, and video. or any other device capable of sending and/or receiving
data generated by other nodes on the network.
2. Sender – the device that sends the data message such
as computer, workstation, telephone handset, video Network Criteria
camera, etc.
1. Performance:
3. Receiver – the device that receives the message
 throughput
4. Transmission Medium – physical path by which a
 delay (transit time and response time)
message travels from sender to receiver, such as
twisted-pair wire, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable, and 2. Reliability
radio waves.
 accuracy of delivery
5. Protocol – set of rules that govern data  frequency of failure
communications that represents an agreement  time recovery
between the communicating devices.  robustness
3. Security
Data Representation
 unauthorized access and breaches
 Text  data damage and losses
 Numbers
 Images
 Audio Physical Structures – Types of Connection or Line
 Video Configuration

1. Point-to-Point
Data Flow or Transmission Mode
 provides a dedicated link between two devices
1. Simplex – communication is unidirectional. Only one of  the entire capacity of the link is reserved for
transmission between the two devices
the two devices can transmit, the other can only
 e.g. microwave, satellite, TV remote control
receive. (e.g. keyboard, monitor)

Page 1 of 4
 BICOL STATE COLLEGE OF APPLIED SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY
College of Engineering and Architecture
Data Communications Instructor: Engr. Dominic P. Bolima

2. Multipoint  robust – an unusable link does not incapacitate the

entire system
 more than two specific devices share  private and secure
(simultaneously) a single link  easy fault-identification and fault-isolation
 the capacity of the channel is shared either
spatially or temporarily (timeshared connection) Disadvantage: more cables and I/O ports required

2. Star Topology

 has a dedicated point-to-point link to a central

controller (hub)
 does not allow direct traffic between devices
 the controller relays the data to the other
connected device
 used in local-area networks (LANs)

Types of Transmission

1. Unicast – information is sent from one point to another

point

2. Multicast – information is sent from one or more points

to a set of other points

3. Broadcast – information is sent from one point to all

other points
Disadvantage: dependence on one single point

Physical Topology
3. Bus Topology
 physical network of two or more links
 geometric representation of the relationship of all  multipoint connection
the links and linking devices (nodes) to one another  a long cable acts as a backbone to link all the
devices
1. Mesh Topology

 every device has a dedicated point-to-point link to

every device
 e.g. connection of telephone regional offices
 total number of physical links =
𝑛(𝑛 − 1)
= ; 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑑𝑢𝑝𝑙𝑒𝑥 𝑚𝑜𝑑𝑒
2 Advantages:
= n(n − 1) ; 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑠𝑖𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒𝑥 𝑚𝑜𝑑𝑒  ease of installation
 less cabling
Disadvantages:

 increase in signal attenuation as the distance

increases
 difficult reconnection and fault isolation
 degradation of signal due to signal reflection
 fault or break in the bus cable stops all transmission

4. Ring Topology

Advantages:  each device has a dedicated point-to-point

connection with only the two devices on either
 guarantees that each connection can carry its side of it
own data load, thus eliminating the traffic  signal is unidirectional, from device to device,
problems that can occur when links must be until it reaches its destination
shared by multiple devices  each device has a repeater

Page 2 of 4
 BICOL STATE COLLEGE OF APPLIED SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY
College of Engineering and Architecture
Data Communications Instructor: Engr. Dominic P. Bolima

Categories of Networks

1. Local Area Network (LAN)

 normally covers an area less than 2 mi.

 usually privately-owned
 designed to allow resources to be shared between
PCs or workstations
 uses only one type of transmission medium
Advantages:  commonly in bus, ring, or star topology
 data rate is 100 – 1000 Mbps
 relatively easy to install and reconfigure
 ease on fault isolation 2. Wide Area Network (WAN)
 break in the ring can disable the entire network
 provides long-distance transmission of data over
large geographic areas that may comprise a
country or larger areas
5. Hybrid Topology  can be a Point-to-Point WAN (internet) or a
Switched WAN (leased line)

Network Models
3. Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
1. Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) Model – a seven-
layer network created by International Organization for  size between LAN and WAN
Standardization (ISO)  covers the area inside a town or a city

2. Internet (TCP/IP) Model – a four-layer network created

by the Defense Advance Research Project Agency internet (internetwork) – interconnection of networks
(DARPA) (LAN, MAN and/or WAN)

Page 3 of 4
 BICOL STATE COLLEGE OF APPLIED SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY
College of Engineering and Architecture
Data Communications Instructor: Engr. Dominic P. Bolima

The Internet 3. Timing – refers to two characteristics: when data should

be sent and how fast they can be sent
History
Standards – set of protocols and guidelines to ensure
1. ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency)
compatibility and interoperability between different
 communication between computers from different manufacturers/vendors, government agencies, and
manufacturers other service providers
 uses Interface Message Processor (IMP) and
Network Control Protocol (NCP) software Categories of Standards

2. TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) 1. De facto (by fact or by convention) – standards that
have not been approved by an organized body but
 protocols to achieve end-to-end delivery of
packets have been adopted as standards through widespread
 included concepts such as encapsulation, the use
datagram, and the functions of a gateway
2. De jure (by law or by regulation) – standards that have
3. TCP/IP (Internetworking Protocol) been legislated by an officially recognized body
 IP handles datagram routing

Standard Organizations
Internet – networks of many WANs and LANs, form private 1. ISO (International Organization for Standardization)
or public entities, joined by connecting devices and
switching stations  composed of standards creation committees of
various governments throughout the world
 active in developing cooperation in the realms of
scientific, technological, and economic activity
2. ITU-T (International Telecommunication Union –
Telecommunication Standards Sector)

 formerly CCITT or Consultative Committee for

International Telegraphy and Telephony
 formed by the United Nations
 devoted to the research and establishment of
standards for telecommunications in general and
for phone and data systems in particular
3. ANSI –American National Standards Institute

 private and nonprofit corporation

4. IEEE – Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

 largest professional engineering society in the world

 aims to advance theory, creativity, and product
quality in the fields of electrical engineering,
electronics and radio as well as in all related
branches of engineering
Protocols and Standards  oversees the development and adoption of
international standards for computing and
Protocol communications
 a set of rules that govern data communications 5. EIA – Electronics Industries Association
 defines what is communicated, how it is
communicated, and when it is communicated  nonprofit organization devoted to the promotion of
electronics manufacturing concerns
Key Elements of Protocols  made significant contributions by defining physical
connection interfaces and electronic signaling
1. Syntax – refers to the structure of format of the data or
specification for data communication
the order in which they are presented

2. Semantics – refers to the meaning of each section of

bits, how is a particular pattern to be interpreted, and
what action is to be taken based on that interpretation

Page 4 of 4