Chapter 3.

1:
Introduction to
Network
Y. P. Manawadu
Network

• A network is defined as a group of two

or more computer systems linked
together.
• A network is a collection of computers,
servers, mainframes, network devices,
peripherals, or other devices connected
to one another to allow the sharing of
data.
• Example: Internet

[email protected] 2
 • Network Topology describes the
relationship of connected
devices in terms of a geometric
graph.
• Devices are represented as
vertices, and their connections
are represented as edges on the
graph.
• It describes how many
connections each device has, in
what order, and in what sort of

Network Topologies hierarchy.

[email protected] 3
Types of Networks
Networks

Wired Wireless
Networks Networks

MAN Wireless Wireless System

LAN (Metropolitan WAN
LAN WAN Interconnections
(Local Area Area Network) (Wide
Network) Area
Network)

[email protected] 4
Local Area Network (LAN)

• LANs are designed for small physical areas such as an office, group of buildings or a
factory.
• LANs are used widely as it is easy to design and to troubleshoot.
• We can use different types of topologies through LAN such as Star, Ring, Bus, Tree etc.
• LAN can be a simple network like connecting two computers, to share files and network
among each other while it can also be as complex as interconnecting an entire building.
• LAN networks are also widely used to share resources like printers, shared hard-drive
etc.

[email protected] 5
LAN

[email protected] 6
 LAN's are private networks, not subject to tariffs or other regulatory controls.

LAN's operate at relatively high speed when compared to the typical WAN.

There are different types of Media Access Control methods in a LAN, the
prominent ones are Ethernet, Token ring.

It connects computers in a single building, block or campus, i.e. they work in a

restricted geographical area.

Characteristics of LAN
[email protected] 7
 Advantages of LAN
• Resource Sharing: This reduces cost and hardware (printers, modems, DVD-ROM drives and
hard disks, etc.) purchases.
• Software Applications Sharing: It is cheaper to use same software over network instead of
purchasing separate licensed software for each client a network.
• Easy and Cheap Communication: Data and messages can easily be transferred over networked
computers.
• Centralized Data: The data of all network users can be saved on hard disk of the server
computer.
• This will help users to use any workstation in a network to access their data. Because data
is not stored on workstations locally.
• Data Security: Since, data is stored on server computer centrally, it will be easy to manage data
at only one place and the data will be more secure too.
• Internet Sharing: Local Area Network provides the facility to share a single internet connection
among all the LAN users. Single internet connection sharing system keeps the internet
expenses cheaper.
[email protected] 8
 • High Setup Cost
• Privacy Violations: The LAN administrator has the rights
to check personal data files of each and every LAN user.
Moreover he can check the internet history and
computer use history of the LAN user.
Disadvantages • Data Security Threat: Unauthorised users can access
important data of an organization if centralized data
of LAN repository is not secured properly by the LAN
administrator.
• LAN Maintenance Job: Local Area Network requires a
LAN Administrator because, there are problems of
software installations or hardware failures or cable
disturbances in Local Area Network. A LAN Administrator
is needed at this full time job.
• Covers Limited Area

[email protected] 9
 One of the computer in a network can become a server
serving all the remaining computers called clients.
Software can be stored on the server and it can be used
by the remaining clients.

Connecting Locally all the workstations in a building to

Applications let them communicate with each other locally without
of LAN any internet access.

Sharing common resources like printers etc are some

common applications of LAN.

[email protected] 10
 It was developed in 1980s.It is basically a
bigger version of LAN.

It is designed to extend over the entire city.

Metropolitan
Area Network
It can be means to connecting a number of
(MAN) LANs into a larger network or it can be a
single cable.

It is mainly hold and operated by single

private company or a public company.
[email protected] 11
MAN

[email protected] 12
 It generally covers towns and cities
(50 km)
Characteristics
Communication medium used for
of MAN
MAN are optical fibers, cables etc.

Data rates adequate for distributed

computing applications.

[email protected] 13
Advantages of MAN

Extremely efficient and It provides a good back bone

provide fast communication for large network and
via high-speed carriers, such provides greater access to
as fibre optic cables. WANs.

The dual bus used in MAN

A MAN usually encompasses
helps the transmission of
several blocks of a city or an
data in both directions
entire city.
simultaneously.

[email protected] 14
Disadvantages of MAN

More cable required for a MAN connection from one

place to another.

It is difficult to make the system secure from hackers

and industrial espionage(spying) graphical regions.

[email protected] 15
 Wide Area Network (WAN)

• WAN can be private or it can be

public network.
• It is used for the network that covers
large distance such as cover states of
a country.
• It is not easy to design and maintain.
• Communication medium used by
WAN are PSTN or Satellite links.
• WAN operates on low data rates.

[email protected] 16
WAN
Characteristics of WAN

IT GENERALLY COVERS COMMUNICATION MEDIUM USED ARE

LARGE DISTANCES(STATES, SATELLITE, PUBLIC TELEPHONE
COUNTRIES, CONTINENTS). NETWORKS WHICH ARE CONNECTED BY
ROUTERS.

[email protected] 18
Advantages of WAN
• Covers a large geographical area so long distance business can
connect on the one network.
• Shares software and resources with connecting workstations.
• Messages can be sent very quickly to anyone else on the
network. These messages can have picture, sounds or data
included with them(called attachments).
• Expensive things(such as printers or phone lines to the internet)
can be shared by all the computers on the network without
having to buy a different peripheral for each computer.
• Everyone on the network can use the same data. This avoids
problems where some users may have older information than
others.

[email protected] 19
 Need a good firewall to restrict outsiders from entering
and disrupting the network.

Setting up a network can be an expensive, slow and

complicated. The bigger the network the more expensive
it is.
Disadvantages
of WAN Once set up, maintaining a network is a full-time job which
requires network supervisors and technicians to be
employed.

Security is a real issue when many different people have

the ability to use information from other computers.
Protection against hackers and viruses adds more
complexity and expense.

[email protected] 20
 • Earlier, Morse code was used
to implement wireless
networks.
• Wireless Networks can be
divided into three main
categories:
1. System interconnection
2. Wireless LANs
3. Wireless WANs

Wireless Network

[email protected] 21
 System Interconnection

• System interconnection is all about interconnecting the components of a

computer using short-range radio.
• Example : Bluetooth
• Bluetooth allows mouse, keyboard, digital cameras, headsets, scanners and
other devices to connect to a computer by merely being brought within range.
• In simplest form, system interconnection networks use the master-slave concept.
• The system unit is normally the master, talking to the mouse, keyboard, etc.
as slaves.

[email protected] 22
 These are the systems in which every
computer has a radio
modem and antenna with which it can
communicate with other systems.

Wireless Wireless LANs are becoming increasingly

common in small offices and homes, where
LANs installing Ethernet is considered too much
trouble.
There is a standard for wireless LANs
called IEEE 802.11, which most systems
implement and which is becoming very
widespread.

[email protected] 23
 • Example of a low-bandwidth
wireless WAN: the radio network
used for cellular telephones
• This system has already gone
through three generations.
Wireless WANs 1. The first generation was analog
and for voice only.
2. The second generation was
digital and for voice only.
3. The third generation is digital
and is for both voice and data.

[email protected] 24
 • Inter Network or
Internet is a
combination of two
or more networks.
• Inter network can be
formed by joining
two or more
individual networks
by means of various
devices such as
routers, gateways
Internet (Inter Network) and bridges.

[email protected] 25
Thank you