Computer Networks: Devices, types, topologies

by
Dr. Simar Preet Singh
(Associate Professor)
Email: [email protected]

School of Computer Science Engineering and Technology

Bennett University
Greater Noida – 201310
 Outline

Networking devices
 Network types
 Network topologies
 Networking devices

1. NIC 5. Repeater
2. Hub 6. Router
3. Bridge 7. Gateway
4. Switch 8. Firewall
 Networking devices: NIC

NIC is used to connect host devices to the network media.

A NIC is a printed circuit board that fits into the
expansion slot of a bus on a computer motherboard.
It can also be a peripheral device.
NICs are sometimes called network adapters.
Each NIC is identified by a unique code called a Media
Access Control (MAC) address.
This address is used to control data communication for the
host on the network.
Which NIC you are using right now to attend the lecture?
 Networking devices: Repeater

A repeater is a network device used to regenerate a

signal.

Repeaters regenerate analog or digital signals that

are distorted by transmission loss due to attenuation.

A repeater does not make an intelligent decision

concerning forwarding packets
 Networking devices: Hubs

Hubs concentrate on connections.

Hubs take a group of hosts and allow the network to

see them as a single unit. This is done passively,
without any other effect on the data transmission.

Active hubs concentrate hosts and also regenerate

signals.
 Networking devices: Bridges

A bridge is a repeater, with add on the functionality

of filtering content by reading the MAC addresses
of source and destination.
Bridges provide connections between LANs
working on same protocol.
A bridge operates at the data link layer.
It has a single input and single output port, thus
making it a 2 port device.
 Networking devices: Switches
Switches add more intelligence to data transfer management.

Determine if data should remain on a LAN and transfer data only to the connection that needs it.

A switch is a multiport bridge with a buffer and a design that can boost its efficiency.

A switch is a data link layer device.

The switch can perform error checking before forwarding data.

 Networking devices: Routers
A router is a device or a hardware which is
responsible for receiving, analyzing and
forwarding the data packets to other networks.

It is used in the LAN and WAN domain.

A router operates on layer 3 and layer 4 of the

OSI model.

A router installs routing details for multiple

networks and routing traffic based upon the
destination address.
 Networking devices: Gateways
A device used for the communication among the networks which have a different set of protocols.

It is used to communicate using multiple protocols to connect a bunch of networks

A gateway operates up to layer 5 of the OSI model.

It is used to differentiate what is inside the network and what is outside the network.
 Networking devices: Firewall
A firewall is a network device/software for controlling security and access rules.
 Firewalls are placed internal networks and external networks such as the Internet.
Firewalls are typically configured to reject access requests from unrecognized
sources while allowing actions from recognized ones.
 Network Types

Personal Area Network (PAN)

Local Area Network (LAN)
Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)

Wide Area Network (WAN)

 Network Types: PAN

 Deployed mainly in a home environment,

connecting one or more computers, printers,
phones, other personal gadgets through modem
either in wired or wireless mode.

 It serves the purpose of sharing documents &

photos within nodes, accessing the internet and
entertainment.
 Network Types: LAN
 LAN connects computers and other equipment
within a premise or building.

 Computers and devices are connected through

Hub, switches, network adapters, cables, and
optic fibers.

 In modern LAN, computers are connected in

wireless mode through access points (Antenna)

 A LAN can be logically split into multiple

Virtual local area networks (VLANs).
 Network Types: MAN
 MAN is a network that covers a larger
geographic area by interconnecting a different
LAN to form a larger network.

 In MAN, various LANs are connected to each

other through a telephone exchange line.

 The most widely used protocols are RS-232,

Frame Relay, ATM, ISDN, etc.

 Use cases: Communication between the banks in

a city, airline reservation, communication in the
military.
 Network Types: WAN
 WAN extends over a large geographical area
such as states or countries.

 WAN spans over a large geographical area

through a telephone line, fiber optic cable or
satellite links.

 Internet is one of the biggest WAN in the world.

 WAN is widely used in the field of Business,

government, education, sharing of message,
software and resources, global business, high
bandwidth
 Network Topology

Bus
Ring
Star

Tree(Hierarchical)

Mesh
Hybrid
 Network Topology : Bus
Devices are connected to a central cable, called bus
or backbone. Terminators at each end of the bus
stops signal and keeps it from traveling backwards.

No of cables = N+1, Ports = N

Benefits: Drawbacks:
 It is cost-effective.  If the main cable collapses, the complete network
 The Cable length required is the least in collapses.
comparison to other topologies.  The performance is at stake for heavy network
traffic and large number of nodes.
 Easy to understand.
 The length of the cable is limited.
 Expansion can be done easily by linking the
 It is not as fast as Ring Topology.
cables together.
 Network Topology: Ring
 The main computer is known as the monitor station,
responsible for all the operations and transmission amongst
devices is done with the help of tokens.

 The computer station has to hold the token for the transmission.
The token is released only when the transmission is complete.

 Data transmission is done in a sequential method.

 Each pair of stations has a point-to-point connection

 Each device incorporates a repeater.

 The data transmission is unidirectional in a Ring topology, but No of cables = N,

it can be created to be bidirectional. No of Ports = 2N
 Network Topology : Ring

Benefits: Drawbacks:
 The network is not affected by numerous nodes It is a tedious task to troubleshoot in Ring
or heavy traffic, as only the nodes possessing topology.
tokens can transfer data. It is difficult to add or delete nodes, as it
 Ring topology has cheap installation and interrupts the network activity.

expansion. If one computer crashes, the entire network

activity is disrupted.
 Network Topology : Star

 All the nodes are connected via cables to a single

node called a hub.

 The hub can be active or passive in nature.

 Active hubs contain repeaters, while passive hubs

are considered non-intelligent nodes.

 Each node contains a reserved connection to the

central node, which the central node acting as a
repeater during data transmission.

 No. of cables = N, No. of ports = N

 Network Topology : Star

Benefits: Drawbacks:
 Easy to install and reconfigure.  The devices are not linked to each other.

 Robustness, if one link fails; only that link is  If one device wants to send data to another, it
affected. All other links remain active. sends it to the controller, which then relays the

 Easy fault identification and isolation. As long as data to the other connected device

the hub is working, it can be used to monitor link

problems and bypass defective links.
 Network Topology : Tree/ Hierarchal

 Nodes are connected hierarchically, with all the

nodes connected to the topmost node or root node.

 Tree topology has at least three levels of

hierarchy.

 It is an extension of Bus topology and Star

topology.

 It is best if the workstations are situated in groups,

for easy working and managing.
 Network Topology : Tree/Hierarchal

Benefits: Drawbacks:
 It allows more devices to be attached to a single  It is profoundly cabled.
central hub and can therefore increase the  Expensive compared to other topologies.
distance a signal can travel between devices.
 If the root node collapses, the network will also
 It allows the network to isolate and prioritize collapse.
communications from different computers.
 Network Topology : Mesh

 All the nodes are connected with all the other

nodes via a network channel.

 Mesh topology is a point-to-point connection.

 Mesh topology has two techniques for

transmission of data, i.e., routing and flooding.

 No of cables = N * (N-1)/2

 No. of ports = N * (N-1)

 Network Topology : Mesh

Benefits: Drawbacks:
 Every connection has the ability to carry its  Mesh Topology is challenging to install and
particular data load. configure.

 Mesh Topology is very robust.  As all the nodes are connected with each other,

 It is easy to diagnose faults. cabling is costly.

 Mesh Topology provides privacy and security.  Bulk wiring is essential.

 Network Topology : Hybrid

 Comprising of two or more different types of

topologies.

 It is a reliable and scalable topology, but

simultaneously, it is a costly one.

 It receives the merits and demerits of the

topologies used to build it.
 Network Topology : Hybrid

Benefits: Drawbacks:
 It is easy to troubleshoot and provides simple  t isn’t very easy to design it.
error-detecting techniques.  It is costly, as it involves more than one topologies.
 It is a flexible network topology, making it quite
effective.

 It is scalable since the size can be made greater

easily.
 References

 https://www.javatpoint.com/types-of-computer-network

 https://www.belden.com/blogs/network-types

 https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/types-of-network-topology/

 https://www.javatpoint.com/computer-network-topologies

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSKdjjw5zow

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BIN99rHOCQ

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pMm_QxCg3I