UNIT-II

NETWORKING AND LOCAL AREA NETWORKS:

Syllabus: Network fundamentals, LAN hardware, Ethernet, LANs, Token Ring LAN
Network Fundamentals:
Network: A network is a group of devices (computers, servers, printers, etc.) connected
together to share resources such as files, internet access, and printers.

Types of Networks

 LAN (Local Area Network): A small, local network, usually within a building or campus.
 WAN (Wide Area Network): A larger network that covers broader areas, like cities,
countries, or even continents.
 MAN (Metropolitan Area Network): A network that spans a city or large campus.
 PAN (Personal Area Network): A very small network, typically between personal devices
like smartphones and laptops.

 A Local area network (LAN) is a network that is used to link devices in a single office,
building, or campus of up to a short distance. LAN is restricted in size. In LAN networks
internet speed is from 10 Mbps to 100 Mbps (But now much higher speeds can be achieved).
The most common topologies used in LAN networks are bus, ring, and star.
 Imagine your home Wi-Fi network. All the devices connected to it, like your computer,
phone, or smart TV, form a LAN. They can share files, printers, and internet access, making it
easy to work and play together.
 LANs are usually built using Ethernet or Wi-Fi technology.
o Ethernet uses a system of cables and devices called hubs or switches to connect
computers and other devices to the network.
o Wi-Fi uses wireless technologies such as infrared light or radio waves to connect
devices without cables.

Advantages of LAN

1. Increased productivity: With a LAN in place, employees can share files and printers, which
can lead to increased productivity.
2. Cost-effective: A LAN is usually less expensive to implement and maintain than a wide area
network (WAN).
3. Scalability: A LAN can be easily expanded as needed by adding more devices and
components.
4. Flexibility: LANs can be configured to meet the specific needs of an organization.
5. Security: Since LANs are typically located within a single building, they are easier to secure
than WANs.
Disadvantages of LAN
Limited geographic range: The main disadvantage of a LAN is its limited
geographic range which is typically restricted to a single building or campus.
Performance issues: If too many devices are connected to the LAN, it can slow down
the network speed for all users.
WAN or Wide Area Network is a computer network that extends over a large geographical area,
although it might be confined within the bounds of a state or country. WAN has a range of above 50
km. A WAN could be a connection of LAN connecting to other LANs via telephone lines and radio
waves and may be limited to an enterprise (a corporation or an organization) or accessible to the
public. The technology is high-speed and relatively expensive.

Advantages:
 Covers large geographical areas and can connect remote locations.
 Provides connectivity to the internet.
 Offers remote access to resources and applications.
 Can be used to support multiple users and applications simultaneously.
Disadvantages:
 Can be expensive to set up and maintain.
 Offers slower data transfer rates than LAN or MAN.
 May experience higher latency and longer propagation delays due to longer distances and
multiple network hops.
 May have lower fault tolerance and security compared to LANs

MAN or Metropolitan area Network covers a larger area than that covered by a LAN and a smaller
area as compared to WAN. MAN has a range of 5-50km. It connects two or more computers that are
apart but reside in the same or different cities. It covers a large geographical area and may serve as an
ISP (Internet Service Provider). MAN is designed for customers who need high-speed connectivity.
Speeds of MAN range in terms of Mbps. It’s hard to design and maintain a Metropolitan Area
Network.

The fault tolerance of a MAN is less and also there is more congestion in the network. It is costly and
may or may not be owned by a single organization. The data transfer rate and the propagation delay
of MAN are moderate. Devices used for transmission of data through MAN are Modem and
Wire/Cable. Examples of a MAN are part of the telephone company network that can provide a high-
speed DSL line to the customer or the cable TV network in a city.
Advantages:
 Provides high-speed connectivity over a larger geographical area than LAN.
 Can be used as an ISP for multiple customers.
 Offers higher data transfer rates than WAN in some cases.
Disadvantages:
 Can be expensive to set up and maintain.
 May experience congestion and network performance issues with increased usage.
 May have limited fault tolerance and security compared to LANs.

PAN is a personal area network having an interconnection of personal technology devices to

communicate over a short distance. It covers only less than 10 meters or 33 feet of area. PAN has
fewer users as compared to other networks such as LAN, WAN, etc. PAN typically uses some form
of wireless technology. PAN involves the transmission of data between information devices such as
smartphones, personal computers, tablet computers, etc.
Advantages:
 Allows for easy communication between personal devices in close proximity.
 Can be set up easily and quickly.
 Uses wireless technology, which eliminates the need for wires and cables.
 PANs are designed to be energy efficient, which means that devices can communicate with each
other without draining their batteries quickly.
 PANs are typically secured using encryption and authentication protocols, which helps to prevent
unauthorized access to data and resources.
Disadvantages:
 Limited coverage area.
 May not be suitable for large-scale data transfer or communication. PANs typically have limited
bandwidth, which means that they may not be able to handle large amounts of data or high-speed
communication.
 May experience interference from other wireless devices.

MAN
LAN (Local WAN (Wide Area PAN (Personal
Aspect (Metropolitan
Area Network) Network) Area Network)
Area Network)
Geographic Small area, Large area, spans Medium area, Very small area,
Coverage typically within a cities, countries, or typically covers a typically a few
single building or even continents city or meters (personal
campus metropolitan area use)
Ownership Owned by a Often owned by Can be owned by Owned by
single telecommunications private individual users
organization or companies or ISPs organizations or
individual governments
Speed High speed (up to Lower speed Fiber optics, Bluetooth, USB,
10 Gbps or more compared to LANs, wireless, or high- Wi-Fi, Zigbee,
in modern but can vary widely speed leased lines infrared
 networks) (up to 1 Gbps or
higher)
Connection Ethernet cables Leased lines, fiber Fiber optics, Bluetooth, USB,
Medium (Cat5e, Cat6, optic cables, wireless, or high- Wi-Fi, Zigbee,
Fiber optics, Wi- satellite links, etc. speed leased lines infrared
Fi)
Communicati Private Public or private Communication Personal
on Type communication communication within a city, often communication
between devices between devices for businesses, between personal
in a local area over large distances schools, etc. devices
Data Ethernet frames, Data sent over long Similar to LAN, Wireless
Transmission Wi-Fi packets distances via but over longer communication,
Method routers and distances with e.g., Bluetooth,
satellites higher speeds Wi-Fi
Scalability Limited to a small Scalable to millions Can support Scalable only to
number of of devices over vast hundreds of devices within a
devices distances devices across a very short range
(hundreds) city (usually under
100m)
Cost Relatively low High setup and Moderate cost, Low cost,
cost, easy to set maintenance costs depending on primarily for
up due to the vast location and type individual or
infrastructure of connection small-scale use
Reliability High reliability, Lower reliability, Moderate Very reliable
less prone to more prone to reliability, over short
failure due to failures or delays designed to handle distances due to
fewer devices over long distances city-wide traffic low interference
Security High security due Security is a Moderate security, Very secure, as
to controlled concern due to the but less secure the network is
access wide reach than LAN limited to
personal devices
Examples Office network, internet, enterprise Citywide Wi-Fi Bluetooth-
home Wifi, networks across networks, connected
school network cities/countries university campus devices (phones,
networks, Cable laptops, printers)
TV

Network Topologies:

Network topology is the arrangement of different elements like nodes, links, or devices in a
computer network. Various topologies are

 Bus Topology: All devices are connected to a single central cable, or bus.
 Star Topology: All devices are connected to a central device, such as a switch or hub.
 Ring Topology: Devices are connected in a circular manner.
  Mesh Topology: Devices are interconnected in a web-like fashion.
 Hybrid Topology: Combines elements from different topologies.

Bus Topology

In a bus topology, all devices are connected to a single central cable or backbone. Bus
topology is a type of network topology where all devices (nodes) are connected to a single central
cable, called the bus or backbone. This cable acts as a shared communication medium. Devices
transmit data over the bus, and each device checks whether the data is addressed to it. If it is, the
device processes the data; otherwise, it ignores it. Bus topology is less commonly used today, as
modern networks typically favor topologies like star, mesh, or hybrid for better performance and
reliability.

Advantages:

 Simple and easy to implement.

 Cost-effective for small networks.
 Requires less cable compared to other topologies.

Disadvantages:

 If the backbone cable fails, the entire network goes down.

 Performance degrades as more devices are added.
 Difficult to troubleshoot due to the shared medium.

Star Topology
In a star topology, all devices are connected to a central device, usually a switch or a hub. This central
device acts as the mediator, routing data between the connected devices. When a device sends data,
the central hub or switch forwards it to the intended recipient device. Star topology can be easily
expanded by adding new devices to the central hub without affecting the rest of the network. If a
device fails, only that device is affected, and the rest of the network continues to function. However,
if the central hub fails, the entire network can go down. star topology is commonly used in local area
networks (LANs) and is the most widely used topology today, especially for home and office
networks. It's preferred because of its scalability and ease of maintenance.

Advantages:

 Easy to install and manage.

 Failure of a single device does not affect the entire network.
 Centralized management and troubleshooting.

Disadvantages:

 If the central hub or switch fails, the entire network is affected.

 Requires more cable than bus topology.
 Central hub/switch can be costly

Ring Topology

In a ring topology, devices are connected in a circular fashion, with each device having two neighbors
for communication purposes. In this setup, data travels in one direction (unidirectional) or sometimes
in both directions (bi-directional) around the ring until it reaches the intended recipient. In many ring
networks, a token (a special data packet) is passed around the ring. A device must capture the token to
send data. This helps to prevent data collisions and ensures orderly communication.
Advantages:

 Data travels in a unidirectional or bidirectional manner, reducing the chance of collisions.

 Easy to install and reconfigure.

Disadvantages:

 If one device or connection breaks, the entire network is affected.

 Performance decreases with the addition of more devices.
 Difficult to troubleshoot and maintain.

Mesh Topology

In a mesh topology, each device is connected to every other device in the network. In a full mesh
topology, each device has a direct point-to-point link with every other device. In a partial mesh
topology, only some devices are connected to each other, while others may be connected through
intermediaries.

Advantages:

 High fault tolerance; even if one device fails, the network remains operational.
 Provides multiple paths for data transmission, ensuring reliability.
 Ideal for mission-critical applications.
Disadvantages:

 Expensive due to the large amount of cabling required.

 Complex to set up and maintain.
 Difficult to scale as the number of devices grows.

Tree Topology (Hierarchical)

A tree topology is a hybrid of star and bus topologies, where groups of devices are connected in a star
configuration, and these groups are connected to a central bus.

Advantages:

 Scalable and hierarchical in nature, which helps in managing large networks.

 Failure in one segment doesn’t affect the entire network.

Disadvantages:

 If the backbone (central bus) fails, it affects the entire network.

 Complex to install and maintain.
 Requires more cable compared to bus and star topologies
Bus Star
 Feature Ring Topology Mesh Topology Tree Topology
Topology Topology
Hierarchical
Every device
Single structure with
All devices connected to every
backbone Devices star-configured
connected to other device (full
Structure cable connected in a networks
a central mesh), or partially
connecting closed loop connected to a
hub/switch interconnected
all devices central
(partial mesh)
backbone
Data Data sent Data passes Data flows in one Direct point-to-point Data flows
Transmission over a single through the or both directions communication between star-
shared central hub around the ring configured
medium segments via
 Bus Star
 Feature Ring Topology Mesh Topology Tree Topology
Topology Topology
the backbone
Difficult to scale;
Limited Easily Scalable, but
network
scalability; scalable by Highly scalable adding new
performance
Scalability performance adding new (especially in partial branches may
degrades as the
degrades with devices to the mesh) require careful
number of
more devices hub planning
devices increases
High fault
Low fault tolerance for Moderate fault
Low fault
tolerance; a device High fault tolerance; tolerance;
tolerance; if a
Fault break in the failure; if hub alternate paths failure in the
device or
Tolerance bus affects fails, the ensure network backbone
connection fails,
the entire whole continues to function affects the
the ring is broken
network network is entire network
down
Low cost for
High cost due
small
Higher cost Moderate cost; to central
networks, but High cost due to
due to requires cables backbone and
Installation cost increases multiple connections
additional for each device additional
Cost with cable and devices for full
cables and and a network hubs/switches
length and mesh
hub/switch card for each star
number of
network
devices
Moderate
Difficult to Easy to Troubleshooting complexity;
Complex to maintain
troubleshoot manage and can be complex; easy to manage
due to the number of
and manage troubleshoot the entire individual star
Maintenance connections,
as the due to network can be segments, but
especially in full
network centralized impacted by a backbone
mesh
grows hub single failure failure impacts
larger sections
High
performance
in small to Good for small Good
Can suffer
medium-sized networks but High performance performance,
from traffic
networks; performance due to dedicated as individual
Performance congestion
performance decreases with paths between segments can
with many
decreases more devices or devices operate
devices
with large traffic independently
numbers of
devices
Use Cases Small Home and Small, isolated High-availability Large
networks, office networks, networks, data networks,
 Bus Star
 Feature Ring Topology Mesh Topology Tree Topology
Topology Topology
legacy networks, specialized enterprise
systems, local area applications (e.g., centers, networks,
temporary networks token ring telecommunications campus
networks (LANs) networks) networks

LAN Hardware refers to the physical devices and equipment that are used to create and manage a
Local Area Network (LAN). These hardware components are essential for connecting devices,
enabling communication, and managing traffic within the network. Here’s a breakdown of common
LAN hardware:

1. Router

A router is a networking device that forwards data packets between different networks. In a
typical LAN setup, the router connects the local network to external networks like the internet.
It also handles tasks like assigning IP addresses to devices (via DHCP) and managing network
traffic. In home networks, it allows multiple devices to share one internet connection using
Network Address Translation (NAT). It also provides Wi-Fi for wireless devices and helps
protect the network with built-in security features like firewalls.

2. Switch

 A switch is a device that connects multiple devices (computers, printers, etc.) within a LAN.
It operates at the Data Link Layer (Layer 2) and uses MAC addresses to forward data frames
between devices in the same network. Switches are more efficient than hubs because they
only send data to the specific device that needs it.

3. Hub

 A hub is an older and less intelligent device that connects multiple devices in a network.
Unlike switches, hubs broadcast data to all connected devices, which can result in unnecessary
network traffic. Hubs operate at the Physical Layer (Layer 1). Today, switches have largely
replaced hubs due to their efficiency.

4. Network Interface Card (NIC)

 A NIC is a hardware component inside a device (such as a computer, printer, or server) that
allows it to connect to a network. NICs can be wired (Ethernet) or wireless (Wi-Fi), and they
manage the sending and receiving of data over the networkIt converts data from the device
into a format suitable for transmission over the network and vice versa. Each NIC has a
unique MAC address that identifies the device on the network. NICs come in different
speeds, like 10/100/1000 Mbps, affecting data transfer rates. In a wired setup, the NIC
connects to a router or switch for communication with other devices. It is essential for any
device to communicate over a network.
5. Access Point (AP)

 An Access Point allows wireless devices to connect to a wired network. It acts as a bridge
between the wired LAN and wireless devices (e.g., laptops, smartphones). An AP typically
transmits data over Wi-Fi, enabling mobility and wireless communication within the network.

6. Modem

 A modem (short for Modulator-Demodulator) is used to convert digital data from a computer
into an analog signal that can be transmitted over telephone or cable lines (for DSL or cable
internet). The modem also converts incoming analog signals back into digital data. In some
cases, a modem and router are combined into a single device.

7. Firewall

 A firewall is a security device that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network
traffic based on predefined security rules. It helps protect the LAN from unauthorized access
and attacks, either as a hardware appliance or as software running on a device like a router.

8. Cabling and Connectors

 Ethernet Cables (Cat5e, Cat6, Cat6a, etc.): These cables are used to connect devices within
a wired LAN. They carry the data signals between devices like computers, printers, and
switches. Different categories (Cat5e, Cat6) have varying speeds and bandwidth capacities.
 Fiber Optic Cables: In high-performance or long-distance LANs, fiber optics may be used to
achieve higher data transfer speeds and greater distances without signal degradation.
 Patch Panels: These are used to organize and manage network cabling in a structured way.

9. Bridge

 A bridge is a device that connects two or more network segments and helps manage traffic
between them. It operates at the Data Link Layer (Layer 2) and can be used to reduce network
traffic by segmenting larger networks into smaller, more manageable ones.

10. Gateway

 A gateway is a device that connects different types of networks (e.g., LAN to WAN or
between two different network protocols). It often performs translation functions between
different communication protocols and may include firewall features for added security.

11. Repeater

 A repeater is used to extend the range of a network. It amplifies or regenerates data signals to
ensure they can travel longer distances without degradation. Repeaters are especially useful in
large LANs or networks that span multiple floors or buildings.
12. Power over Ethernet (PoE) Devices

 PoE technology allows network cables to carry electrical power, in addition to data, to
powered devices (e.g., IP cameras, phones, and wireless access points) using the same
Ethernet cable. This eliminates the need for separate power supplies.

13. Load Balancer

 A load balancer is used in a network to distribute incoming network traffic across multiple
servers or resources to ensure that no single server becomes overwhelmed. It is often used in
enterprise-level LANs that require high availability and redundancy.

14. Storage Area Network (SAN) Hardware

 SAN hardware is used to manage and store large amounts of data. It includes devices like
storage servers, network switches, and storage arrays. SANs are typically used in large
organizations for centralizing storage and providing fast access to data.

15. Networked Printers and Devices

 Networked printers and other devices (e.g., networked cameras, IP phones) are connected
directly to the LAN, allowing users to access and control them remotely via the network.

Elaborate Ethernet LANs ( Self Study)

Explain Token Ring LAN( Self Study)

Question Bank

BT
Q. Question Marks CO
Level
1 Explain Local Area Network with advantage and Disadvantage 06 2 CO2
2 Explain Wide Area Network with advantage and Disadvantage 06 2 CO2
3 Explain Metropolitan Area Network with advantage and Disadvantage 06 2 CO2
4 Compare LAN,WAN,MAN,PAN 04 5 CO2
5 Classify various Topologies 06 4 CO2
6 Compare Bus, mesh, star ,ring and tree topology( any 2) 04 5 CO2
7 Explain LAN Hardware ( any 4) 04 2 CO2
8 Paraphrase Ethernet LANs 04 2 CO2
9 Explain Token Ring LAN 04 2 CO2