COMMUNICATIONS AND NETWORKS

In this chapter

Purposes of computer networks Components of communication networks

Communications
mediums or channels
Software needed for
communication

Specific hardware Data communication

needed for protocols
communication

a. INTRODUCTION

A computer network, also referred to as a network, consists of two or more computers or

devices linked to one another by communication media, which facilitates communication
among these computers or devices. The purpose of networks is to allow users to share
resources, data information and to facilitate communication.

b. PURPOSE OF COMMUNICATION NETWORKS

Computer networks are used for various purposes;

 a. Facilitating communication: Networks enable people to communicate efficiently and
easily via-email, instant messaging, telephone video telephone calls and video
conferencing.
b. Sharing hardware: Networks enable computers connected to the network to access and
use hardware resources on the network, such as printing a document on a shared network
printer.
c. Sharing files, data and information: Networks enable authorized users to access data
and information stored on other computers in the network. The ability to provide access
data and information on shared storage devices is an important feature of many networks
d. Sharing software: Networks enables users to run application programs on remote
computers.
e. Information preservation: Backups of information are shared and stored in multiple
locations for easy recovery if information is lost or corrupted in the case of a system
failure or part of disaster recovery.

c. COMPONENTS OF COMPUTER NETWORKS

Components of communication networks include both the hardware and software needed to
enable the computer systems to communicate with one another.

In communications networks, a node is a connection point. A physical network node is an

active electronic device that is connected to a network, which is capable of sending, receiving
or forwarding information over a communication medium. These components include
communication channels or media, communication hardware devices, communication
protocols and communication software.

1. COMMUNICATION MEDIA OR CHANNELS

Communication media enables signals to move from one point to another. These communication
media or channels are either wired or wireless.
 i) Wired Transmission

Wires and cables are media through which information can move from one network device to
another. The type of cable chosen for a network is related to the networks configuration
(topology), protocol and size. Common wired mediums include

 Twisted pair cable

 Coaxial cable
 Fibre optics

ii) Wireless Transmission

With wireless transmission, signals are broadcast as electromagnetic waves through free air
space. Wireless signals are transmitted by a transmitter, and received by a receiver. Wireless
systems may be inexpensive because no wires need to be installed to transmit the signal.
Wireless transmissions are however susceptible to electromagnetic interference and physical
interference.

2. SPECIFIC HARDWARE NEEDED FOR COMMUNICATION

Networking hardware includes network interface cards, network cables or communication

mediums, switches and hubs, routers, modems, firewalls and other related hardware needed for
communication within a network.

a. A network interface card or network adapter provides a physical connection between the
computer and network cable or communication medium.
b. The communication medium or channel, as described in the previous section, enables
signals to move between locations.
c. A switch or a hub is a device that provides a central connection point for cables from
workstations, servers and peripherals. Switches are usually active, which means that they
electrically amplify the signal as it moves from one device to another.
 d. A router translates information and allows communication from one network to another.
Routers choose the best path to transmit signals, based on the destination address and
origin.
e. A modem - A modem is a device that makes it possible for computers to communicate
over telephone lines. The word modem comes from Modulate and Demodulate. Because
standard telephone lines use analog signals, and computer digital signals, a sending
modem must modulate its digital signals into analog signals. The computers modem on
the receiving end must then demodulate the analog signals into digital signals.

f. A firewall is a system designed to prevent unauthorized access to or from a private

network. Firewalls are the most important part of a network with respect to security .With
the increase in cyber-attacks to steal data, viruses, and so on; firewalls play a very
important in network security.

3. SOFTWARE NEEDED FOR COMMUNICATION

A network operating system (NOS) allows computer systems and devices connected to a
network to communicate with one another. The NOS performs the same tasks and functions for a
network as the operating systems (OS) does for a computer, such as processor task management,
memory management and device management. Popular NOSs are Microsoft Windows server,
UNIX, Linux, Mac OS X, and Novell Netware. Network Management software includes
software tools and utilities for managing networks. These tools enable the network manager to
scan for viruses on the network, monitor the shared hardware and manage validity of software.

4. TYPES OF COMPUTER NETWORKS

Networks can also be categorized according to their geographical scope. Geographical scope
refers to the distance or coverage area of the network, as well as the communication media or
channels connecting to the whole network together.

a. LOCAL AREA NETWORK

A local area network (LAN) is a network that connects different computers and devices together
within a relatively small area. Examples include small office and home networks confined to one
building or closely positioned buildings. Wireless LANs (WLAN) are LANs that use wireless
technologies instead of wires and cables to connect computers and devices in the network.

b. METROPOLITAN AREA NETWORK

A metropolitan area network is a network that is larger than a LAN but smaller than a WAN,
usually spanning a medium sized area such as a large campus or a city.

c. WIDE AREA NETWORK

Often elements of a network are widely separated physically. Wide area networking combines
multiple LANs that are geographically separate. WANs can be as simple as a modem and a
remote access server for employees to dial into, or it can be as complex as hundreds of branch
offices globally linked.

d. Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs)

Wireless LANs, or WLANs, use radio frequency (RF) technology to transmit and receive data
over the air. This minimizes the need for wired connections. WLANs give users mobility as they
allow connection to a local area network without having to be physically connected by a cable.
This freedom means users can access shared resources without looking for a place to plug in
cables, provided that their terminals are mobile and within the designated network coverage area.
With mobility, WLANs give flexibility and increased productivity, appealing to both
entrepreneurs and to home users. WLANs may also enable network administrators to connect
devices that may be physically difficult to reach with a cable.

5. CATEGORIES OF NETWORK:

Network can be divided in to two main categories:

 Peer-to-peer.
 Server – based.
In peer-to-peer networking there are no dedicated servers or hierarchy among the computers. All
of the computers are equal and therefore known as peers. Normally each computer serves as
Client/Server and there is no one assigned to be an administrator responsible for the entire
network.

Peer-to-peer networks are good choices for needs of small organizations where the users are
allocated in the same general area, security is not an issue and the organization and the network
will have limited growth within the foreseeable future.

The term Client/server refers to the concept of sharing the work involved in processing data
between the client computer and the most powerful server computer.

The client/server network is the most efficient way to provide:

 Databases and management of applications such as, Accounting, Communications and

Document management.
 Network management.
 Centralized file storage.

The client/server model is basically an implementation of distributed or cooperative processing.

At the heart of the model is the concept of splitting application functions between a client and a
server processor. The division of labor between the different processors enables the application
designer to place an application function on the processor that is most appropriate for that
function. This lets the software designer optimize the use of processors--providing the greatest
possible return on investment for the hardware.

Client/server application design also lets the application provider mask the actual location of
application function. The user often does not know where a specific operation is executing. The
entire function may execute in either the PC or server, or the function may be split between
them. This masking of application function locations enables system implementers to upgrade
portions of a system over time with a minimum disruption of application operations, while
protecting the investment in existing hardware and software.
6. NETWORK TOPOLOGIES

What is network Topology? - It refers to the shape or layout connected devices in a network.

7.1 TYPES OF NETWORK TOPOLOGY

a. BUS TOPOLOGY – All devices are connected to a central communication cable, called
the bus or backbone.

b. RING TOPOLOGY

All devices are connected to one another in the shape of a circle or a ring, thus each device is
connected directly to two other devices, one on either side. Communication signals travel
through the ring in the same direction, either clockwise or counter clockwise.
c. STAR TOPOLOGY

All devices are connected to a central switch, hub, or router. Devices communicate across the
network by sending data through the switch. This is the most common type of topology,
especially for home networks.

d. TREE TOPOLOGY

A tree topology is a hybrid, integrating multiple star topologies, connected together onto a
liner bus backbone. A star/bus hybrid approach supports the future growth of a network.
 e. MESH TOPOLOGY

Devices are connected with many redundant connections between network devices. A mesh
network in which every device connects to all others is called a full mesh.

* CLOUD COMPUTING – Cloud computing refers to the provision of applications and

services offered to a user, by another company (also known as a service provider) over the
internet. These computing resources and services are provided on demand by the applicable data
Centre. This means that user does not need the required hardware or applications to perform
specific tasks owing to the fact that the computing is done by the service provider who sends the
required results to the user. Therefore any user with internet connection can access the cloud and
the services it provides. The service provider carries out all the maintenance and development
needed to provide the applications and services.