CLASS : XII

SUBJECT : INFORMATICS PRACTICES

UNIT-3 (INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER NETWORKS)
NOTES

The collection of interconnected computers is called a computer network. Two

computers are said to be interconnected if they are capable of sharing and
exchanging information.
Resource Sharing :- Resource Sharing means to make all programs, data and
peripherals available to anyone on the network irrespective of the physical location
of the resources and the user.

Reliability :- Reliability means to keep the copy of a file on two or more different
machines, so if one of them is unavailable (due to some hardware crash or any
other) them its other copy can be used.

Cost Factor :- Cost factor means it greatly reduces the cost since the resources can
be shared.

1. Sharing of data, services and resources

2. Access to remote database

3. Communication facilities

Nodes (Workstations):- The term nodes refer to the computers that are
attached to a network and are seeking to share the resources.
Server:- A computer that facilitates the sharing of data, software and hardware
resources on the network.
Bandwidth:- Bandwidth refers to the volume of information per unit of time that
a transmission medium (like an Internet connection) can handle. For digital
devices, the bandwidth is usually expressed in bits per second (bps) or bytes per
second. For analog devices, the bandwidth is expressed in cycles per second,
or Hertz (Hz).
Cloud computing means storing and accessing data and programs over the Internet
instead of your computer's hard drive. The cloud is just a metaphor for the Internet.

BENEFITS OF CLOUD COMPUTING

 Increased security at a much lesser cost.

 Easy to maintain.

CHARACTERISTICS OF CLOUD COMPUTING

 On-demand self-service by consumers

 Broad access via the network
 Resource pooling of physical and virtual resources
 Rapid scaling of capacity
 Enhanced transparency of usage via metrics
Based on the size and the coverage area , networks
are categorized into the following types:

 Personal Area Networks (PANs)

 Local Area Networks (LANs)

 Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs)

 Wide Area Networks (WANs)

 A PAN is a network of communicating devices (Computer, Phone,
MP3/MP4 Player, Camera etc.) organized around an individual person.

 Is a small network established for communication between different

devices, such as laptops, computers and mobiles.

 A PAN can be set up using guided media (USB cable) or unguided media
(Bluetooth, Infrared).

 A pan may include wired and wireless devices.

 The reach of a PAN typically extends to 10 meters

 A Local Area Network (LAN) is a network that is limited to a relatively
small area.

 A local area network ( is a network that connects computers and devices in a

limited geographical area such as a home, school, office building, or closely
positioned group of buildings.

 It is generally privately owned networks over a distance not more than 5

Km. e.g. network in a college, school, hospital etc.
 MAN is the networks cover a group of nearby corporate offices or a city and
might be either private or public. E.g. Cable TV Network in a city.

 Network size generally ranges from 5 to 50 km. It may be as small as a

group of buildings in a campus to as large as covering the whole city.

 It is relatively larger than LAN and extends across a city or a metropolitan.

 It is created by connecting two or more LANs located at different locations

in a city.

 Examples: cable TV network, ATMs within a city, colleges in a campus.

 These are the networks spread over large distances, say across countries or
even continents through cabling or satellite uplinks are called WAN. E.g.
Internet.

 A wide area network ( is a computer network that covers a large geographic

area such as a city, country, or spans even intercontinental distances.

 A WAN uses a communications channel that combines many types of media

such as telephone lines, cables, and air waves.

 A WAN often makes use of transmission facilities provided by common

carriers, such as telephone companies.

 One of the most prominent examples of the existing WAN is the Internet.
COMPARISON OF PAN, LAN, MAN AND WAN
MODEM :- A modem (modulator/demodulator) is a hardware device that
allows a computer to send and receive information over telephone lines. When
sending a signal, the modem converts (modulates) digital data to an analog signal
and transmit it over a telephone line. Similarly when an analog signal is received,
the modem converts it back (demodulates) to a digital signal.

NIC (Network Interface Card): This is at top among other networking devices
and mostly used networking device. This is also known as network adapter card,
Ethernet Card and LAN card. It allows our PC to communicate with other PCs.
A PC uses parallel data transmission to transmit data between its internal parts
where as the media that connects this PC with other device/PCs uses serial data
transmission. A NIC converts parallel data stream into serial data stream and
viceversa.

HUB :- A Hub is an electronic device that connects several nodes to form a

network and redirects the received information to all the connected nodes in
broadcast mode. The computer(s) for which the information is intended receive(s)
this information and accept(s) it. Other computers on the network simply reject this
information.

Types of Hub-
Passive Hub: This type of does not amplify or boost the signal. It does not
manipulate or view the traffic that crosses it.

Active Hub: It amplifies the incoming signal before passing it to the other ports.

SWITCH :- A switch is an intelligent hub. It looks exactly like a hub. It has the
same function as that of a hub: to connect multiple computers/devices in a
network. But the difference between the two is in the way they re-transmit the
received information. Unlike a hub, instead of broadcasting (sending to each
device attached to it) the received information, a switch sends the information
selectively only to those computers for which it is intended. This makes a switch
more efficient than a hub. A Switch is an intelligent device that connects several
nodes to form a network and redirects the received information only to the
intended node(s).

REPEATER :- When the data is transmitted over a network for long distances,
the data signal gets weak after certain distance. This distance depends on the data
transfer range of transmission channel being used and can be from a few meters to
a few kilometres. If the signal becomes weak, it cannot reach its destination.
Therefore, some device is required which can re-strengthen the data signal before it
gets too weak. Repeater is such a device. A repeater regenerates the received signal
and re-transmits it to its destination.
A Repeater is a device that is used to regenerate a signal which is on its way
through a communication channel. A repeater regenerates the received signal
and re-transmits it to its destination.

ROUTER A device that forwards data packets from one network to another by
finding the shortest route, based on an internal routing table and the address of the
destination network in the incoming packet, the router determines whether to send
the packet out or keep it within the network.

GATEWAY :- There are a large number of computer networks in this world. As

common examples you can consider your school's computer network, ATM
network of a bank, a big company's computer network spread over a city, etc.
There are thousands of computer networks that exist. These networks use different
hardware and software. Many times these networks need to communicate with
each other. For example, companies X, Y, and Z do business with each other and
therefore they want to interconnect their computer networks. Another example is
the internet which contains a large number of different types of networks spread
over the globe. Different networks are sometimes incompatible with each other. It
is like a group of persons using different languages for conversation. When two or
more networks using different hardware and software have to be connected, some
device is needed which can translate one network's language into the other's.

A gateway is a device, which is used to connect different types of networks. A

gateway is capable of understanding address architectures used in different
networks and seamlessly translate between these address architectures.

A Gateway is a device, which is used to connect different types of networks and

perform the necessary translation so that the connected networks can
communicate properly.
 The pattern of interconnection of nodes in a network is called the

Topology .

 This layout also determines the manner in which information is

exchanged within the network.

 The different types of network topologies that can be used to set up a

network are:

 Bus Topology

 Star Topology

 Ring Topology

 Tree Topology

 Hybrid Topology
  Bus topology is a topology for a Local Area Network (LAN) in which all
the nodes are connected to a single cable. The starting and ending point of
cable is called terminator.

 The cable to which the nodes connect is called a Backbone. If the

backbone is broken, the entire segment fails.

 Bus topologies are relatively easy to install and don't require much
cabling compared to the alternatives.

ADVANTAGES

• It is easy to install.

• It requires less cable length and hence it is cost effective.

• Failure of a node does not affect the network.

DISADVANTAGES

• In case of cable or terminator fault, the entire network breaks down.

• Not suitable for large number of computers.

 • At a time only one node can transmit data.

 In star topology each node is directly connected to a hub/switch. If any

node has to send some information to any other node, it sends the signal
to the hub/switch. This signal is then broadcast (in case of a hub) to all
the nodes but is accepted by the intended node(s).
 In the case of a switch the signal is sent only to the intended node(s).
 A STAR topology is based on a central node which acts as a hub.
 A STAR topology is common in homes networks where all the computers
connect to the single central computer using it as a hub.
ADVANTAGES:
• Easy to install.
• A single node failure does not affect the entire network.
• Fault detection and removal of faulty parts is easier.
• In case a workstation fails, the network is not affected.

DISADVANTAGES:-
• Difficult to expand.
• Longer cable is required.
• The cost of the hub and the longer cables makes it expensive over others.
• Failure of hub/switch leads to failure of entire network.

 Tree topology is a combination of bus and star topologies.

 It is used to combine multiple star topology networks.
 All the stars are connected together like a bus.
 This bus-star hybrid approach supports future expandability of the
network.
  It has a root node and all other nodes are connected to it forming a
hierarchy.
 It is also called hierarchical topology.
 Used in Wide Area Network.

Advantages of Tree Topology

• Extension of bus and star topologies.
• Expansion of nodes is possible and easy.
• Easily managed and maintained.
• Error detection is easily done
Disadvantages of Tree Topology
• Heavily cabled.
• Costly.
• If more nodes are added maintenance is difficult.
• Central hub fails, network fails.

 Mesh topology is a group of nodes which are all connected to each other
and many types of connections are possible in a mesh topology.

Advantage of Mesh Topology

 • The arrangement of the network nodes is such that it is possible to
transmit data from one node to many other
nodes at the same time.
• Fault is diagnosed easily.

Disadvantage of Mesh Topology

• Installation and configuration is difficult.

• Cabling cost is more.
• Bulk wiring is required.
For better understanding refer the following youtube links:

1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svkGASq8mNM

2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1z0ULvg_pW8

3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mad4kQ58