Computer Science - For Grade IX Written and Composed by SYED ATIF FEROZ 1

CHAPTER 4
Data Communications and
Networks
 Computer Science - For Grade IX Written and Composed by SYED ATIF FEROZ 2

DATA COMMUNICATION
Communication is the process of sharing a message. A conversation between two people
is an example of communication. Data communication is the exchange of digital messages
between two devices. It involves a sender and a receiver which communicate via some
form of transmission medium such as a cable.

COMPONENTS OF COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

A communication system has the following components…
 Message  Sender  Receiver  Transmission Medium  Protocol

Message
It is the information or data to be communicated. Common forms of information include
text, numbers, pictures, audio and video.

Sender
It is the device that generates and sends a message. It can be a computer, telephone etc.

Receiver
Any digital electronic device, computer, telephone etc. with the capability to receive data in
form of message is a receiver. The location of receiver is often different from the sender.

Transmission Medium
It is the channel or path through which the message is carried from sender to the receiver.
Transmission medium can be guided (wired) or unguided (wireless).

Protocol
Protocols are the rules to exchange data. Sender and receiver must have same protocols to
communicate with each other.
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PROPERTIES OF A COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

The effectiveness of any data communication system depends on the following
fundamental characteristics.
 Delivery  Accuracy  Timeliness

Delivery
Making sure that the data is delivered is the first fundamental characteristic of any
communication network. The system must be able to deliver data in correct order to the
correct destination.

Accuracy
The system must deliver the data accurately. Data that has been altered during
transmission and left uncorrected is not useful.

Timeliness
The data must be delivered in a timely manner. Late delivered data is useless.

SIGNAL IMPAIRMENTS
Sometimes, signals traveling through transmission media lose their quality. This means that
received signal is not same as the signal that was sent. This phenomenon is called signal or
transmission impairments. Transmission impairments are those defects that occur when
data is transmitted.
There are three causes of impairment…  Attenuation  Distortion  Noise

Attenuation
Attenuation means loss of energy. A signal loses its energy due to the resistance of
medium while it is transmitted. Its strength decreases with increase in distance. Amplifiers
are used to overcome attenuation and make signal stronger again.
 Computer Science - For Grade IX Written and Composed by SYED ATIF FEROZ 4

Distortion
Distortion means change in the shape of signal. A composite signal has several
frequencies. When it travels through a medium different component of signal may reach at
different time at destination because each component has different speed in that medium.

Noise
Unwanted signal that mixes up with the original signal during the transmission of data is
called noise. It can be induced (magnetic or electrostatic) noise, crosstalk (coupling) noise,
thermal noise and impulse (sudden) noise which may damage the signal.

BIT RATE
Bit Rate is the transmission of number of bits per second while Baud Rate is the number
of signals units per second. The formula that relates both is given below…
Bit Rate = Baud Rate × Numbers of Bit per baud
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Comparison – DATA/BIT and BAUD RATE

DATA / BIT RATE BAUD RATE

Baud rate is used when we want to know
Bit rate tells the number of bits
the number of signal units transmitted per
transmitted per unit of time (second).
unit of time (second).
Baud rate is the number of times a signal is
Bit rate is the number bits (0s and 1s)
traveling comprised of bits. One signal can
transmitted per second.
represent more than one bit.

Bit rate = baud rate × the number of Baud rate = bit rate / the number of bits
bits per signal unit per signal unit

Comparison – ANALOG and DIGITAL SIGNALS

ANALOG SIGNALS DIGITAL SIGNALS

Analog signal is a continuous wave that Digital signal is a discrete wave that carries
changes by time period. information in binary form.

Analog signal has no fixed range. Digital signal has fixed range i.e. 0 and 1.

Analog signal can easily be disturbed by A digital signal is less prone to other signals
other signals or waves. disturbances.

Human voice is an example of analog Signals used by computer are the digital
signals. signals.

Analog signal is represented by sine Digital signals are represented by square

waves. waves.
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TRANSMISSION MEDIUM
Transmission medium or communication channel is a wireless or physical path between
the sender and receiver through which data is sent and received from one place to another.
Transmission media is broadly classified into two groups; guided and unguided…

GUIDED MEDIA
In guided media signals are transmitted in a narrow pathway by using physical links. It is
also called wired or bounded transmission media. There are three common types of guided
media used for the networks. Each of them has its own characteristics like transmission
speed, effect of noise, physical appearance, cost, etc.

Twisted Pair Cable

This cable is made by two separate wires twisted together. A twisted pair cable is made up
of insulated copper wires. The insulation and twisting of wires prevent external
interference. Each pair of wires has unique color code. There are two types of twisted pair
cables…
 Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP)  Shielded Twisted Pair (STP)

Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP)

This type of cable can block interference but it is vulnerable
to external interference. It is mostly used for telephonic
applications. It is less expensive and easy to install.

Shielded Twisted Pair (STP)

This type of cable consists of a special coating to
block external interference. It is used in fast data
rate network and also in voice and data channels
of telephone lines.

Coaxial Cable
Coaxial cable is also known as coax. It has an outer
plastic covering containing two parallel conductors
each having a separate insulated protection cover.
Cable TVs and television networks widely use coaxial
cables.
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Fiber-Optic Cable
In fiber-optic cable data is transferred in the form of
light. It uses the concept of reflection of light
through a core made up of glass or plastic. It is used
for transmission of large volumes of data at very high
speed.

UNGUIDED MEDIA
Unguided media is also termed as wireless or unbounded transmission media. As the name
implies, it does not require physical medium such as wire for the transmission of signals.
There are three major types of unguided media.

Radio Waves
Radio waves are also called electromagnetic waves. These are easy to generate and can
penetrate through buildings. FM radios, television and cordless phones use radio waves for
transmission.
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Microwaves
Microwave transmission is a line of sight transmission i.e. the sending and receiving
antennas need to be properly aligned with each other. These are mostly used for mobile
phone communication towers and television broadcast. Terrestrial and Satellite are two
types of microwave transmissions.

SATELLITE TRANSMISSION

TERRESTRIAL TRANSMISSION

Terrestrial
Terrestrial microwaves have both stations having antennas on earth.

Satellite
In satellite system, some antennas are on satellite in orbit and others are on earth stations.

Infrared
It uses infrared light to transmit signals. LED is used to transmit signals
and light receivers to receive signals. It cannot penetrate through walls or
other objects. Infrared light is transmitted in line of sight.
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Comparison – GUIDED and UNGUIDED MEDIA

GUIDED MEDIA UNGUIDED MEDIA

Guided media is used for point to point Unguided media is generally suited for
communication. radio broadcasting in all directions.

It transmits data in the form of an Signals are in the form of electromagnetic

electrical or optical signal. waves in unguided media.

The signal energy propagates through The signal energy propagates through air
wires in guided media. in unguided media.

It provides better security during

The security is weak during transmission.
transmission.
Examples of guided media are twisted Examples of unguided media are
pair wires, coaxial cables, optical fiber microwave or radio links and infrared
cables. light.

Comparison – RADIO and MICRO WAVES

RADIO WAVE MICRO WAVE

Radio waves have frequency range from Micro waves have frequency range from 1
3 KHz to 1 GHz. GHz to 300 GHz.

These are omnidirectional in nature. At These are unidirectional in nature. At low

low frequency they penetrate through frequency they can penetrate through solid
solid objects but at high frequency they objects but at high frequency they cannot
bounce back. penetrate.

These waves offer poor security while These waves offer medium security while
attenuation is high. attenuation factor is variable.

Setup and usage cost is moderate. Setup and usage cost is high.
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COMPUTER NETWORK
A computer network is a group of computers and related equipment connected by
communication links to share data and other resources.

TYPES OF COMPUTER NETWORKS

Computer networks can be categorized by their size as well as their purpose. Based on
geographical area, there are three types of computer networks…
 Personal Area Network (PAN)  Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
 Local Area Network (LAN)  Wide Area Network (WAN)

Personal Area Network (PAN)

Personal Area Network (PAN) connects electronic devices within a very limited area. The
size of PAN ranges from a few centimeters to a few meters. One of the most common
examples of a PAN is the connection between a Bluetooth earpiece and a smartphone.
Example
 Connection between a Bluetooth earpiece and a smartphone
 Connection between two or more smart devices

 Connection between a router and a smartphone or laptop

Local Area Network (LAN)

LAN is a group of computer and peripheral devices which are connected in a limited area
such as school, laboratory, home and office building. Resources like internet, storage and
printers can be shared through LAN.
Example
 Home Wi-Fi networks and small business networks
 Networking in school, laboratory, university campus

 Networking between two computers

Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)

In MAN, computer network can spread across an entire city, college campus, or a small
region. It can cover the area of several miles and may include multiple LANs. These
networks offer very fast communication but they are expensive to establish.
Example
 Computer network across an entire city or two consecutive cities
 Networking in a large university campus
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Wide Area Network (WAN)

A Wide Area Network is used for long distance transmission of data. WAN helps to cover
a larger geographical area and connect countries. Using WAN technology, computers may
be linked together using satellites, microwaves etc. A WAN may include multiple MAN
and LAN.
Example
 World Wide Web (internet) is the prime example of WAN.

NETWORKING DEVICES
Switch
Switch is a networking device that connects computers and
other devices like printers, scanners and cameras on a
network. Data cables from all computers and other devices
of network are plugged into the switch to enable
communication between them.

Router
Router is a device that connects two or more networks.
Router works on the principle of combining hardware
and software. The main function of a router is to
determine the optimal data path and transfer the
information through that path.
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Modem
Modem is short for Modulator and Demodulator.
Modulation is the process of converting digital signals into
analog signals while demodulation is the vice versa. Modem
has the ability of sending and receiving signals over phone
lines, cables or satellite connections. There are a few types of
modems which are discussed below…

Dial-Up Modem
Dialup modems use standard telephone lines to transmit and receive information. A dialup
modem can be internal or external.

DSL Modem
DSL stands for Digital Subscriber Line. Like dial-up modem DSL modem also uses
telephone lines to transfer digital signals.

ISDN Modem
Integrated Services Digital Network is a digital phone connection that can transmit data,
voice and video over a normal telephone line. It is faster and expensive technology.

Network Interface Card

Network cards also known as Network
Interface Cards (NIC) are hardware devices
that connect a computer with the network.
They are installed on the mother board. They
are responsible for establishing a physical
connection between the network and the
computer.
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FUNCTIONS OF NETWORKING DEVICES

Amplifier
Amplifiers are used in wireless communications and broadcasting.

Functions of Amplifier
 It is used to increases the power of a signal.
 Weak signal amplifiers are used in wireless receivers.
 Power amplifiers are used in wireless transmitter ad hi-fi audio equipment.

Router
Router is a device that connects two or more networks.

Functions of Router
 Router determines optimal data path and transfer information through that path.
 It builds a logical map of the network through which it sends and receives data.
 Router uses hardware/software to map data from source to destination network.

Switch
Switch connects computers and other devices like printers, scanners over a network.

Functions of Switch
 Switch receives information from source and dispatches information to the destination.
 Data cables from computers and other devices are plugged into the switch.
 Switch allows each connected device to talk (communicate) with other.

Hub
Hubs were used for connecting different devices in a network, but they are replaced by
switches.

Functions of Hub
 Hub works as the central connecting point for the network devices.
 Computers, printers, scanners are attached to the hub by individual network cables.
 Function of hub is to forward the information to every device connected to the network.
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NETWORK TOPOLOGY
The physical layout in which computers are connected is called topology. Topology is a
major design consideration for computer networking.
There are many types of network topologies among which are… ● Bus ● Ring ● Star

Bus Topology
As name suggests, in bus topology computers and other devices are connected with a
single cable. The central cable is the backbone of the network.

Ring Topology
Signal travels around loop in one direction and passes through each computer. The
recipient of message receives the message while another computer acts like repeater to
send it to next computer.

Star Topology
In star topology, all the computers are connected to a central device called hub or switch.
To communicate with any computer, the sender must send information to the hub. Then
the hub transmits that information to the destination.
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MERITS AND DEMERITS OF TOPLOGIES

Bus Topology

Merits
 Easy to implement and extend

 Well-suited for temporary small networks

 Quick and less expensive to setup

Demerits
 Performance degrades if more nodes (computers) are added to the network

 Entire network goes down in case of a cable fault

 Low security, one virus in the network will affect all connected nodes

Ring Topology

Merits
 No need of network server

 Maintenance and troubleshooting is easier

 Better performance even when number of nodes is increased

Demerits
 Transmission of data is slower

 Addition and removal of a node is difficult

 Entire network is disturbed in case of a cable break

Star Topology

Merits
 Easy to manage and maintain the network because each node requires a separate cable

 In case of a cable fault, only a single user is affected

 Fault identification and removing nodes is easy
 High speed of data transfer

Demerits
 Entire network depends on a single device

 Star topology needs more wiring and cabling work

 Setup cost is quiet high
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HYBRID TOPOLOGY

NETWORK ARCHITECTURE
It is the design of a computer network. It is a framework for the specification of a
network’s physical components, their functional organization and configuration,
operational procedures and communication protocols used.

NETWORK ADDRESSING
A network address is any logical or physical address that uniquely identifies a computer
from others. This address is needed to distinguish a network node or device on a computer
network.
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Comparison – Physical and Logical Address

PHYSICAL ADDRESS LOGICAL ADDRESS

Physical address is attached with the

Logical address is assigned to a device.
NIC card.

Logical addressing means IP addressing

Physical Addressing means MAC (Media
that is provided by the Internet Service
Access Control) provided by
Provider (ISP) or set by network
manufacture.
administrator.
Physical addressing cannot be changed
normally. Any attempt made to change Logical Address can be changed any time
the physical address is considered a as per requirement.
crime in many countries.

It is unique in one network and

It is globally unique and permanent.
temporary.

IP ADDRESS
IP (Internet Protocol) address is a unique
number used to identify a device on a
network. Every device connected to the
internet must have an IP address to
communicate with other devices.

An IP address is made up of 32 binary bits,

which is divided into two parts, network and host. The network portion of the address
mentions the computer network and the host portion identifies the computer or any other
computing device.

MAC ADDRESS
A MAC (Media Access Control) address is a unique string of characters that identifies a
device on a network. It is etched on the network interface card NIC). The NIC is a card
that makes it possible for your computer to connect to a network. MAC addresses never
change, as opposed to an IP address, which can change from time to time.
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CONVERSION OF IP ADDRESS INTO 32 BITS

192.168.57.2
 Factorize all four pairs of digits by 2 See Page No.122 for Decimal to Binary conversion

192 11000000 = 8 bits = 1 byte

168 10101000 = 8 bits = 1 byte

57 00111001 = 8 bits = 1 byte

2 00000010 = 8 bits = 1 byte

32 bits 4 bytes

Given IP address 192.168.57.2 is equal to 11000000101010000011100100000010

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ISO's OSI MODEL

The Open Systems Interconnection model is a conceptual model developed by ISO. It
characterizes and standardizes the communication functions of a telecommunication and
computing network. Its goal is the interoperability of different communication systems
with standard communication protocols. This model divides a communication system into
seven layers.

LAYERS OF OSI MODEL

No. Format Layer Function

7 Data Application Application access network services

6 Data Presentation Encryption and compression of data

5 Data Session Connection management between nodes

4 Segment Transport Maintains data flow during transmission

3 Packet Network Determine the path for data transfer

2 Frame Data Link Connect physical nodes for transfer

1 Bit Physical Transfer raw bits using physical mode

Why OSI Model is Broken Up into Layers…?

The OSI model is a conceptual layered architecture and it is broken up into seven layers.
The reason for doing this are as follows…

 In OSI model, each layer has certain functionality.

 A person can easily visualize network communications from application to the medium.

 It is broken down so user can visualize steps a computer takes when it encapsulates data.
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TCP/IP PROTOCOL
TCP/IP is a suite of communication protocols used to interconnect network devices on
the internet. These are set of rules and procedures. TCP/IP specifies how data is
exchanged over the internet.
With reference to OSI layers, we can understand the functions of TCP/IP layers…

RELATION BETWEEN TCP/IP AND OSI MODEL LAYERS

OSI Layer TCP/IP Layer Function

Application
 Using HTTP, FTP, it allows interaction with applications

Presentation Application  Responsible to encode/decode data

 Establish communication between two devices

Session

 Using UDP, TCP, it establish logical connection between devices

Transport Transport
 Makes sure the reliable delivery of data

Network Internet  Responsible for packet forwarding by accessing physical path

Data Link
Network  Using logical addressing this layer decides how data will be sent
Access across different networks paths
Physical
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STANDARDS
Standards are rules that define the appearance, functionality, or protocols of equipment.
They are essential for network communication. Standards ensure that companies that
manufacture computing and networking products follow these uniform standards.

STANDARD ORGANIZATION
Standard Organization develops, coordinates, revises, amends and reissue technical
standards. There are several organizations working on standardization of computing
equipment to enable the interoperability among different devices manufactured by
different companies in different regions. IEEE, IETF, ITU and ANSI are the names of
some standard organizations.

ISO (International Standardization Organization)

ISO is responsible for developing models which provides high level of system
compatibility, quality enhancement, improved productivity and reduction in costs.

IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineering)

It is an international professional non-profit organization. Electronics, computer and
communication engineers, researchers, scientists and students are the members of IEEE.

IETF (International Engineering Task Force)

IETF is a large international community of network designers, operators, vendors and
researchers concerned with the development of internet architecture and smooth
operation of the internet.

ITU (International Telecommunication Union)

ITU is a specialized agency that is responsible for resolving the issues that concern with
information and communication technologies.

ANSI (American National Standards Institute)

ANSI is the official standards agency for the United States. ANSI is a completely private,
non-profit organization comprised of equipment manufacturers and users of data
processing equipment and services. It supervises standards for products, services and
personnel in the United States.
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EXERCISE
1 List the properties of a good communication system.
2 Explain components of communication.
3 List the causes of signal impairments.
4 Write the difference between radio and micro wave?
5 How can we measure bit rate and baud rate? Give an example of each.
6 Differentiate between data/bit rate and baud rate.
7 Differentiate between analog and digital signals.
8 What is a transmission medium? What are its types? Explain in detail.
9 Differentiate between guided and unguided media.
10 Explain different communication devices.
11 What is a network interface card?
12 Explain the function of some network devices.
13 What is network topology? Explain bus, ring and star topology.
14 List some merits and demerits of each topology.
15 Draw a hybrid topology diagram.
16 What is network architecture? Explain the concept of ISO’s OSI model.
17 Explain TCP/IP protocol.
18 Why OSI model is broken up in layers?
19 What are standards? Explain the purpose of standard organization.
20 Write briefly about following standard organization.  ISO  IEEE  IETF  ITU  ANSI
21 What is a computer network? What are its types?
23 What do you understand by network addressing?
24 Differentiate between physical and logical address.
25 What is an IP address? Explain in detail.

Multiple Choice Questions

1 guided media 5 star 9 32
2 five components 6 distortion 10 attenuation
3 different 7 optimal
4 IEEE 8 modulation