Topic: Networking concepts and communication

1
A
Presentation
on
Network Concepts
and Communication
In this chapter:
o What can be done online?
o How are computers connected?
o What are the physical properties of networks?
o How does a computer know how to communicate with a network?
o Can all computers talk to each other?

Introduction: Everything is
Connected to Everything
Going online: Connecting to a collection of
interconnected computers on a network.
o Do banking.
o Pay bills.
o Buy groceries.
o Book vacation travel.
o Send messages.
o Participate in discussions.
o Do research.
o Play games.
Network: A collection of computers, display terminals, printers,
and other devices linked either by physical or wireless means.


Introduction: Everything is
Connected to Everything
Evolution of Networking
o 1966: ARPA (Advanced Research Projects Agency) State Defense
Departments research organization.
Focused major development effort on computer networking.
ARPAs Goal: To promote research in advanced future technologies
by funding university and industry research proposals.
Result: Thousands of databases became available to the public.

Introduction: Everything is
Connected to Everything
Computer Networking
o Internet: A world-wide network connecting millions of computer networks
for the purpose of exchanging data and communications using special
rules of communication.
o internet: (lower case i) Any network connecting two or more computer
networks.

o The human need to communicate has motivated mankinds creativity:
Cave dwellers drew pictures on walls.
Smoke signals, drum rhythms passed messages.
American pioneers: Pony express, Wells Fargo.
Alexander Graham Bell: invented the telephone.
Communication Basics
of Networks
Types of connections of computers into networks:
Physical versus Wireless connections
o The first type: The Physical Connection.
Physically connect computers together.
o Use of wires or optical cables.
o The connections are called network links.
Three most common physical links:
o Twisted pair
o Coaxial cable
o Fiber-optic cable
Communication Basics
of Networks
Twisted pair
o Two wires twisted together.
Makes them less susceptible to acting like an antenna and
picking up radio frequency information or appliance noise.
o Telephone company uses twisted-pair copper wires to link
telephones.

Communication Basics
of Networks
Coaxial cable
o Also two wires:
One of the wires is woven of fine strands of copper forming a
tube.
The wire mesh surrounds a solid copper wire that runs down
the center.
Space between has a non-conducting material.
Makes them more impervious to outside noise.


Communication Basics
of Networks
Fiber-optic cable
Light is electromagnetic.
Can transmit more
information down a single
strand.
It can send a wider set of
frequencies.
Each cable can send several
thousand phone
conversations or computer
communications.

Communication Basics
of Networks
Second type of connections of computers into
networks: Wireless connections
o The link is made using electromagnetic energy that goes through space
instead of along wires or cables.
o Three types of wireless communications commonly used in networking:
Infrared
Radio frequency
Microwave

Communication Basics
of Networks
Infrared
o Commonly used in TV and VCR remote controls.
o Use infrared frequencies of electromagnetic radiation that
behave much like visible light.
o Must be in the line of sight.
o Often used to connect keyboards,
mice, and printers.

Communication Basics
of Networks
Radio frequency
o Uses radio frequencies.
Function even though line of
sight is interrupted.
o Not commonly used because of
the possible interference from
other sources of
electromagnetic radiation such
as old electric drills and furnace
motors.


Communication Basics
of Networks
Microwave
o Often used to communicate
with distant locations.
o Must be line of sight.
o Satellite communications use
microwaves.

Communication Basics
of Networks
Properties of Transmission
Five basic properties of both the physical and wireless links:
1. Type of signal communicated (analog or digital).
2. The speed at which the signal is transmitted (how fast the data travels).
3. The type of data movement allowed on the channel (one-way, two-way
taking turns, two-way simultaneously).
4. The method used to transport the data (asynchronous or synchronous
transmission).
5. Single channel (baseband) and multichannel (broadband) transmission.
Communication Basics
of Networks
1. Type of signal communicated (analog or digital).
o Analog: Those signals that vary with smooth continuous changes.
A continuously changing signal similar to that found on the speaker
wires of a high-fidelity stereo system.
o Digital: Those signals that vary in steps or jumps from value to value. They
are usually in the form of pulses of electrical energy (represent 0s or 1s).


Communication Basics
of Networks
2. The speed at which the signal is transmitted (how
fast the data travels).
o In digital systems: Speed is measured in...
Bits per second (bps).
o The number of bits (0s and 1s) that travel down the channel per
second.
Baud rate
o The number of bits that travel down the channel in a given
interval.
o The number is given in signal changes per second, not
necessarily bits per second.

Communication Basics
of Networks
MODEM - MOdulator
DEModulator

Outgoing: Converts binary data from
computer (digital) into telephone
compatible signals (analog).
Incoming: Converts telephone signal
(analog) into binary data for the
computer (digital).
Can be an external or internal device
(usually a card).

Communication Basics
of Networks
Speed of Signal: Sample bps and baud rate
speeds.

300 bps (=300 baud) Painfully slow to the college-level reader
1200 bps (=1200 baud) Good reader can keep up
2400 bps (=2400 baud) A speed reader would get the general idea
9600 bps (=9600 baud) Impossible to read
14.4 K bps (not measured in baud) 14,400 bps - 10 to 20 sec. wait for graphics
28.8 K bps Minimum desired for WWW
(5 to 10 sec. wait for graphics)
56 K bps Efficient speed for WWW.

These speeds are restricted to the maximum speed of the modem at the
other end of the connection.
Communication Basics
of Networks
3. The type of data movement allowed on the
channel.
Simplex transmission - One way transmission.
Half-duplex transmission - Flows only one way at a time.
Full-duplex transmission - Two-way transmission at the same time.

Communication Basics
of Networks
How is it possible to measure the capacity of
communications links?
o Bandwidth: Digital
Number of bits per second (bps) that can be sent over a link.
The wider the bandwidth, the more diverse kinds of information can
be sent.
Simplest is voice, most sophisticated is moving videos.
o Bandwidth: Analog
The difference between the highest and lowest frequencies that can
be sent over an analog link (like phone lines).
Measurement is given in hertz (Hz).
o For both: The wider the bandwidth, the more information can flow
over the channel.

Communication Basics
of Networks
Mbps = megabytes per sec. (millions) Gbps=Gigabytes per sec. (billions)

Typical cable bandwidths used in local area networks.
Cable: Typical Bandwidth:
Twisted Pair 10 to 100 Mbps
Coaxial Cable 10 to 100 Mbps
Fiber-optic cable 100 to 200 Mbps

The bandwidths of different services offered by a telephone company:
Service: Bandwidth
ISDN 64 Kbps/channel
T1 1.544 Mbps
T3 44.736 Mbps
STS-1 51.840 Mbps
STS-3 155.250 Mbps
STS-12 622.080 Mbps
STS-24 1.244160 Gbps
STS-48 2.488320 Gbps
The Physical Organization
of Networks
The bus network -
A continuous coaxial
cable to which all the
devices are attached.
All nodes can detect all
messages sent along
the bus.
The ring network -
Nodes linked together
to form a circle.
A message sent out
from one node is passed
along to each node in
between until the target
node receives the
message.


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Linking nodes:
The Physical Organization
of Networks
The star network -
Each node is linked to a
central node.
All messages are routed
through the central
node, who delivers it to
the proper node.
The tree network -
(hierarchical network)
Looks like an upside-
down tree where end
nodes are linked to
interior nodes that allow
linking through to
another end node.

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Linking nodes:
The Physical Organization
of Networks
The fully connected
network -
o All nodes are
connected to all other
nodes.


Internetworking -
o Connecting together
any number of direct-
connected networks.
o The largest: Internet.

7-24
Linking nodes:
The Physical Organization
of Networks
Categorizing networks according to size:

o DAN (Desk Area Network)
o LAN (Local Area Network)
o MAN (Metropolitan Area Network)
o WAN (Wide Area Network)
The Physical Organization
of Networks
DAN (Desk Area Network)
o Making all components of a desktop computer available to other
computers on the network.
CPU - Unused computing power can be used by other computers on
the network.
Hard Disk - Items stored can be accessed by others or items may be
placed on the hard drive from other computers.
Video Display - Alert messages can be sent to the computers display.
Other items - Other devices connected to the computer might be
needed by others connected to the network.

The Physical Organization
of Networks
LAN (Local Area Network)
o A collection of nodes within a small area.
o The nodes are linked in a bus, ring, star, tree, or fully connected topology
network configuration.

o Benefits of LANs:
Sharing of hardware resources.
Sharing of software and data.
Consolidated wiring/cabling.
Simultaneous distribution of information.
More efficient person-to-person communication.

The Physical Organization
of Networks
MAN (Metropolitan Area Network)
o Consists of many local area networks linked together.
o Span the distance of just a few miles.

WAN (Wide Area Network)
o Consists of a number of computer networks including LANs.
o Connected by many types of links.

Software Architecture
of Networks
The Architecture of the Internet
Four-layer architecture:
FTP HTTP NV TFTP
TCP UDP
IP
Network #1
Network N
Network #2
Software Architecture
of Networks
The Internet is referred to as a packet-switching network.
Packet: A unit of information created by the Transfer Control Protocol (TCP)
software for transmission over the Internet.
Once a file is requested, it is split into packets.
Each packet is assigned a number.
Each packet contains information regarding content, where it came
from, where it is supposed to go.
As the packet travels through the Internet from network to network:
Each packet may not travel through the same path through the
Internet to its destination.
Each network has its own packet-limiting size.
Packets are often packaged and repackaged.
They are reconstructed in order when they reach the destination.

Software Architecture
of Networks
Types of nodes important to networks.

Hub A device that repeats or broadcasts the network stream of information to
individual nodes ( usually personal computers)

Switch A device that receives packets from its input link, and then sorts them and
transmits them over the proper link that connects to the node addressed.

Bridge A link between two networks that have identical rules of communication.

Gateway A link between two different networks that have different rules of
communication.

Router A node that sends network packets in one of many possible directions to
get them to their destination.
The Physical Organization
of Networks
Security of a Network
o Enterprise and intranet networks: Corporations, government agencies,
and other organizations have created their own internal networks.
Firewall: A set of programs that monitor all communication passing
into and out of a corporations intranet.
o Helps prevent, but doesnt eliminate, unauthorized access.