COMPUTER SKILLS

Summaries

DR:ABDULAZIZ ALDERHAMI
STUDENT NAME.: NADA MOHAMMED
 Networks (part2)
Communication Systems
communication network (or communication system) links together devices to
data and information can be shared among them.

Networks classification
❖ PAN (personal area network)

within a range of about 30 feet (10 meters) and without the use of wires or cables. The
reference to personal indicates that the network serves a single individual, rather than
multiple users.

❖ LAN (local area network)

LANs are data communication networks that connect personal computers within a very
limited geographical area—usually a single building. EXAMPLE :School computer labs and
home networks are

❖ WAN (wide area network)

WANs cover a large geographical area and usually consist of several smaller networks,
which might use different computer platforms and network technologies. The
Internet is the world’s largest WAN.

Communication Channels

communication channel is the medium used to transport information from

one network device to another
Wired channels transport data through wires and cables
Wired channels include twisted pair wires used for telephone land
lines
Wired connections are dependable. Their carrying capacity and
speed are not affected by airborne interference from rain
Wired connections are more secure than their wireless
counterparts.

Wireless channels transport data from one device to another without the
use of cable or wires

o The most widespread wireless channels for communication

networks are radio signals and microwaves
o Most wireless channels transport data as RF signals
commonly called radio waves
o RF signals are sent and received by a transceiver (a
combination of a transmitter and a receiver) that is equipped
with an antenna
o Microwaves (the waves themselves, not your oven!) provide
another option for transporting data wirelessly

❖ Advantages of wireless
• Mobility
• No unsightly cables
• Less susceptible to power spikes
❖ Disadvantages of wireless
• Speed
• Range
• Security
• Licensing
Network Topology

• Point-to-point topology refers to the process of peripheral devices

connecting to a host device using expansion ports, USB cables, or Bluetooth
• Star topology connects multiple devices to a central device

• Mesh topology connects multiple devices to each other, either as a full mesh
or as a partial mesh
Network Nodes

❖ Any device on a network is called a node

❖ Devices on a network are classified as DTEs or DCEs

DTE stands for data terminal equipment and can be any device that stores or
generates data
DCE stands for data communication equipment; these devices control the speed of
data over networks

❖ router is a device that controls the flow of data within a network and also
acts as a gateway to pass data from one network to another

❖ A modem contains circuitry that converts the data carrying signals from a
digital device to signals that can travel over various communications

Communication Protocols
-communication protocol refers to a set of rules for efficiently transmitting data from
one network node to another
-this process is called handshaking

-PHYSICAL PROTOCOLS Specify cable and signal standards for the channels that carry
data

-TRANSPORT PROTOCOLS :Make sure data gets to its destination by establishing

standards for dividing data into chunks, assigning addresses, and correcting errors

-ARRIVAL PROTOCOLS :Convert data into standard formats that can be used by
applications, such as email, Web browsers, and Skype

Error correction is one of the responsibilities of communication protocols

Digital networks —those that transmit digital signals

Internet governance is simply a set of shared protocols, procedures, and technologies

that evolve through common agreement among network providers

The way networks fit together is referred to as the Internet Infrastructure

Networks that form the Internet are maintained by Internet service providers (ISPs)
packets

A packet is a parcel of data that is sent across a computer network; when

packets reach their destination, they are reassembled into the original message
according to their sequence numbers.

-One of the core Internet protocols, TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) is

responsible for dividing files into chunks, adding headers containing information for
reassembling packets in their original order, and verifying that the data was not
corrupted while in transit (a process called error checking)

A communication port (usually referred to simply as a port) is a virtual end point for
data entering and leaving a digital device.

Internet Addresses

-Internet Addresses are controlled by IP (Internet Protocol), which is part of the

Internet protocol suite

– Many devices on the Internet have permanently assigned IP addresses called

static addresses
-IP defines two sets of addresses: IPv4 and IPv6

-IPv4 – (Internet Protocol version 4); is the Internet address standard; uses 32bit
addresses to identify Internet connected devices
-IPv6 – (Internet Protocol version 6); uses 128 bits for each address; produces billions
and billions of unique Internet addresses
Internet addresses that are temporarily assigned to a device are called
dynamic addresses
IP addresses can be assigned by a network administrator, but more
commonly they are automatically assigned by DHCP (Dynamic Host
Configuration Protocol)
A private IP address can be allocated by any network without
supervision from ICANN – but it cannot be used to send data over the
Internet; it’s not routable

Domain Names
The mechanism for tracking domain names and their corresponding IP addresses
is called the domain name system (DNS)
 Domain name servers are scattered around the world and maintain lists of all domain
names and their corresponding IP addresses

Networks (part2)
Connection Basics
ISPs control connection speeds based on the service plan you’ve selected
Your bandwidth cap is the top speed allowed by your plan
During peak times, ISPs can place further limits on speed, a process called
bandwidth throttling.
When Internet upload speed differs from download speed, you have an
asymmetric connection
When upload and download speeds are the same, you have a symmetric
connection
Ping is utility software designed to measure responsiveness

Ping rate indicates how quickly data can reach a server and bounce back to you

Latency is the elapsed time for data to make a roundtrip from point A to point B and
back to point A
Jitter measures the variability of packet latency caused when network traffic and
interference can delay packets and create erratic data flow
Packet loss refers to data that never reaches its destination or gets discarded because
it arrives too late
 Cable Internet Service
❖ CATV coaxial and fiber-optic cables have plenty of bandwidth to
carry television signals for hundreds of channels in addition to
digital data.
❖ CATV cables provide bandwidth for television signals, incoming
data signals, and outgoing data signals.

Telephone Network Internet Service

❖ Telephone companies offer four types of service: dialup, ISDN, DSL,

and FTTH
❖ A voiceband modem converts digital signals from a computer into
audible analog signals that can travel over telephone lines

ISDN stands for Integrated Services Digital Network; it

divides a telephone line into two channels, one for data and
one for voice, by using packet switching.

DSL (digital subscriber line) is a high-speed, digital, always-

on, Internet access technology that runs over standard phone
lines; it’s offered by AT&T’s U-verse service

FTTH (fiber-to-the-home) is the use of high-capacity fiber-

optic cables, rather than coaxial cables, to connect homes to broader
municipal networks

Satellite Internet Service

❖ Satellite Internet service is a means of distributing broadband asymmetric
Internet access by broadcasting signals to a satellite
❖ In many rural areas, satellite Internet service is the only alternative to a slow
dial-up connection

Mobile Broadband Service

▪ Cell networks transmit voice and data using radio signals; the signals flow between a device and a cellular
radio tower (1), transmitters and receivers on each tower cover a specific area and use a unique frequency;
data signals are passed to ground stations (2), where they are forwarded over a packets witched network to
the Internet (3); voice signals may be routed to a circuits witched network (4)
Wi-Fi Hotspots
A Wi-Fi hotspot is a wireless local area
network that offers Internet access to the
public.
The network has an Internet connection
and device called an access point that
broadcasts Wi-Fi signals within a range of
about 150 feet
Low: Browsing. When using a Wi-Fi hotspot for simple browsing activities such as checking
sports scores, reading Google news
Low: Using secure sites. Your security risk is low when you are accessing secured Web sites
that have addresses beginning with HTTPS.
MED: File sharing. Eavesdroppers might be able to access the files on your computer if you
have file sharing turned on.
HIGH: Using unsecured sites. When you log in to unsecured sites while using public Wi-Fi
hotspots, a wireless eavesdropper could potentially snag your user ID and password
information, then use it later to access your accounts

Local Area Networks

LAN Basics
o Local area networks are often referred to as LANs
o They are designed to provide connectivity for devices within a limited area, typically
within the premises of a home, office building, business, or school.
o LANs can be classified by their protocols; Ethernet and Wi-Fi are the two most popular
o NICs contain a MAC address (media access control address) used to identify devices on
LANs

Ethernet

❖ Ethernet is a wired network technology that is defined by IEEE 802.3 standards

❖ Ethernet’s success is attributable to several factors

o Easy – it’s easy to understand, implement, manage, and maintain

o Secure – the wired connections in an Ethernet LAN are more secure than
wireless LAN technologies
o Inexpensive – as a nonproprietary technology, Ethernet equipment is
available from a variety of vendors; market competition keeps prices low
 o Flexible – current Ethernet standards allow extensive flexibility in
network configurations

o Compatible – Ethernet is compatible with Wi-Fi wireless technology; it’s easy

to mix wired and wireless devices on a single network

Wi-Fi
Wireless ad-hoc networks are conceptually simple but
provide few security safeguards. This type of
connection is best limited to occasional use when
you want to temporarily connect two computers to
share a few files.

Set Up Your Own Network

Here’s how to set up your own safe and secure LAN:

– Plug in the router and connect it to your Internet modem

– Configure the router
– Connect wired and wireless devices
– Change the router password
– Create an SSID (service set identifier); this will be the name of your wireless network
– Activate wireless encryption to scramble and unscramble data
▪ WEP (wired equivalent privacy) is the oldest and weakest wireless encryption
protocol

▪ WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) and its cousins, WPA2 and PSK, offer more security
– Create a wireless encryption key (a network security) key or password)
– Configure the Guest Network (a second network on your LAN’s router)
– Activate DHCP (assigns addresses to each device that joins your network)

o
Network Monitoring
When your network has stopped sending and receiving packets, you might be able
to correct the problem by turning off your router and Internet modem, waiting a
few seconds, and then turning them on again

IoT Networks
The Internet of Things (IoT) connects active sensors and passive tags to
communications network
Wi-Fi is power hungry, so it’s not an optimal IoT technology
Existing wireless technologies such as RFID and NFC offer potential solutions
A sensor, such as a thermometer or heart rate monitor, actively collects data
An NFC tag might be attached to merchandise

File Sharing
File sharing allows files containing documents, photos, music, and more to be
accessed from computers other than the one on which they are stored.
Sharing can take place within a LAN or across multiple networks, including the
Internet

Accessing LAN Files

To see a list of devices on your network, you can use your OS’s file management
utility, such or as Finder of File Explorer
The network utilities provided by operating systems automatically detect other
devices when network discovery is turned on
Network discovery is a setting that affects whether your computer can see other
devices on a network
✓ -Mobile devices –the OS may not offer a way to see other devices on a
network
✓ -Macs –Macos devices have no user-modifiable network discovery settings;
offers file sharing settings instead
✓ -Windows –Some OSs offer network discovery setting that allows users to
turn it off or on
 Sharing Your Files
Permissions specify how shared files can be used

 Read and write permission –(full control) allows access for opening, viewing, modifying,
and deleting files

 Read permission –allows authorized people to open a file and view it, but not modify or
delete it

 Write-only permission –works like drop box, allowing people to put files in one of your
folders, but not open, copy, or change any files you have stored there

Internet-Based Sharing

 FTP(File Transfer Protocol) provides a way to transfer files from one computer to
another over any TCP/IP network, such as a LAN or the Internet

 You can access FTP servers with FTP client software, such as FileZilla, or with a
browser.

 Dropbox and similar file hosting services store files in the cloud
Torrents
BitTorrent is a file sharing protocol that distributes the role of a file server across a
collection of dispersed computers
How a BitTorrent works:
❖ A BitTorrent network server breaks a movie file into pieces and begins to download
those pieces to the first computer that requested the movie
❖ As more computers request the file, they become part of a “swarm” that uses peer-
to-peer technology to exchange movie segments with each other
❖ After the server has downloaded all the segments to the swarm, its job is complete,
and it can service other requests