Unit01:

Understanding Networking
Overview
• Network
• Types of Network
• Topologies
• Media Types
• Networking Technologies and
Characteristics
What is Network ?
• A group of computers and other devices that are
connected by some type of transmission media.
– Small as two computers connected by a cable in a home, office
– Large as several thousand computers connected by cable,
satellite or phone line.
Why use Network ?
• Manage or Administer resources on multiple computers
from a central location
• Enable multiple users to share devices and resources
such as:
– Printers
– Faxes
– Programs and Files
• Word Processing
• Data Base
Types of Network
• Peer-to-peer Networks
• Client/Server Networks
Peer to Peer
• Simple to configure
• Don’t need much technical expertise
• Typically less expensive to setup
• Not very flexible
Client/Server Networks
• Servers facilitate communication and resource sharing
between clients.
• Computers on a client/server
network act as a client.
Advantages of Client/Server
• User login accounts and passwords for anyone on a
server-based network can be assigned in one place
• Access to multiple shared resources can be centrally
granted to a single user or groups of users
• Problems on the network can be tracked, diagnosed,
and often fixed from one location.
• Servers are optimized to handle heavy processing loads
and dedicated to handling requests from clients.
• Servers can connect more than a handful of computers
on a network
LAN , MAN and WAN
• LAN – Local Area Network
• MAN – Metropolitan Area Network
• WAN – Wide Are Network
Local Area Network
• A network of computers and other devices that is
confined to a relatively small space, such as one building
or even one office
• Interconnected and rely on several servers running many
different applications and managing resources other than
data.
• Example : A School Network.
Local area Network
Novell Legacy NT
Server Host Server
IPX/SPX SNA TCP/IP

Router

Hub

Node
Metropolitan Area Network
• A network that is larger than a LAN and connects clients
and servers from multiple buildings
• A MAN may use different transmission technology and
media than a LAN because of the distance it covers
• Example : 2 or more Buildings is Connected
Metropolitan Area network
Novell Legacy NT
Novell Legacy NT
Server Host Server
Server Host Server
IPX/SPX SNA TCP/IP
IPX/SPX SNA TCP/IP

Router Router

Hub Hub

Node Node

Novell Legacy NT
Server Host Server
IPX/SPX SNA TCP/IP

Router

Hub

Node
Wide area Network
• A network that connects two or more geographically
distinct LANs or MAN
• WAN carry data over longer distances than LAN
• WANs require slightly different transmission methods
and media and often use a greater variety of
technologies than LAN
• Most MAN can also be described as WAN
• WAN commonly connect separate offices in the same
organization, whether they are across town or across the
world from each other
Wide Area Network
Topologies
• Physical layout of computer network
– Bus
– Star
– Ring
– Hybrid
Bus Topology
• Consists of a single cable connecting all nodes on a
network without intervening connectivity devices
• The single cable is called bus and can only support one
channel for communication
• Uses coaxial cable
• 50 ohm Resistor know as
Terminator
Star Topology
• Every node on the network is connected through a
central device, such as hub , switch etc..
• Uses twisted-pair or fiber-optic cabling

Server

Client
Ring Topology
• In a ring topology, each node is connected to the two
nearest nodes so that the entire network forms a circle
• Data is transmitted clockwise, in one direction
(unidirectional), around the ring
• The fact that all workstations participate in delivery
makes the ring topology an active topology
• A ring topology also differs in that it has no “ends” and
data stops at its destination and, twisted-pair or fiber-
optic cabling is used as the physical medium
Ring Topology
Server

Client
Hybrid
• The hybrid topology uses the physical layout of a star in
conjunction with the ring topology’s data transmission
method
• Data is sent around the star in a circular pattern
• In a hybrid topology, groups of workstations are star-
connected to hubs and then networked via a single bus
• With this design, you can cover longer distances and
easily interconnect or isolate different network segments
Hybrid Topology
Communication

Media and Transmission

What is a signal ?
• Data is communicated by means of a signal, and a
signal is a change in voltage over time
• Distortion of the signal is known as interference
• Networks are generally not resilient to signal interference
• NICs, hubs and other devices generate signals which
travel along the network media
• The signals are converted to data as they travel through
the OSI layers
• Cable testers can be used to check signal quality and
strength
Measuring Signals
1

0.8

0.6

0.4

Amplitude
0.2

0
1 22 43 64 85 106 127 148 169 190 211 232 253 274 295 316 337 358 379 400 421 442 463 484 505 526 547 568 589 610 631 652 673 694 715

-0.2

-0.4

-0.6

-0.8

-1

Frequency
Definitions
• Voltage – the force which moves an electrical current against
resistance

• Waveform – the shape of the signal (previous slide is a sine wave)

derived from its amplitude and frequency over a fixed time (other
waveform is the square wave)

• Amplitude – the maximum value of a signal, measured from its

average state

• Frequency (pitch) – the number of cycles produced in a second –

Hertz (Hz). Relate this to the speed of a processor eg 1.4GigaHertz
or 1.4 billion cycles per second
Analogue Signals vs Digital signals
• Analogue Signals • Digital signals
– Human Voice – best – Represented by Square
example Wave
– Ear recognises sounds – All data represented by
20KHz or less binary values
– AM Radio – 535KHz to – Single Binary Digit – Bit
1605KHz
– Transmission of contiguous
– FM Radio – 88MHz to group of bits is a bit stream
108MHz
– Not all decimal values can
be represented by binary
Amplitude Modulation vs
Frequency Modulation
AM- same
frequency,
different
amplitudes

FM- Different
frequencies
Digital Signals

1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0
Analogue vs Digital (Advan)
• Analogue Advantages • Digital Advantages
– Best suited for audio – Best for computer data
and video – Can be easily
– Consume less compressed
bandwidth – Can be encrypted
– Available world wide – Equipment is more
– Less susceptible to common and less
noise expensive
– Can provide better
clarity
Asynchronous Transmission
• Uses start and stop bits to delineate pieces of data,
usually characters when used with modems
– Less efficient than synchronous (overhead of bits)
– Best suited for short bursts, such as Internet use
– Less resistant to disruption
Synchronous Transmission
• Does not use stop/start bits – instead devices agree
timing
– Faster than asynchronous (no overheads)
– Transmission is in blocks, not single characters
– Can be slow on poor quality media
How transmissions flow over media
• Simplex – only in one direction
• Half-Duplex – Travels in either direction, but not both
directions at the same time
• Full-Duplex – can travel in either direction
simultaneously
Baseband vs Broadband
Transmission
• In baseband transmission, digital signals are sent
through direct current (DC) pulses applied to the wire
• In broadband transmission, signals are modulated as
radio frequency (RF) analog pulses that use different
frequency ranges
Networking Media
Networking Media
• Electrical Cable
– Coaxial Cable
• Single copper conductor in the center surrounded
by a plastic layer for insulation and a braided metal
outer shield.
– Twisted pair
• Four pairs of wires twisted to certain specifications.
• Available in shielded and unshielded versions.
Networking Media
• Fiber-optic
– A cable, consisting of a center glass core surrounded
by layers of plastic, that transmits data using light
rather than electricity.
• Atmosphere/Wireless
– Uses Electromagnetic waves. whose frequency range
is above that of microwaves, but below that of the
visible spectrum.
Coaxial Cable
• First type of networking
media used
• Available in different
types :
– RG-6 – Cable TV,
– RG58/U – Thin Ethernet,
– RG8 – Thick Ethernet
• Largely replaced by
twisted pair for networks
Coaxial Cable
• Advantages of • Disadvantages of
Coaxial Coaxial
– Easy to Install – Must be grounded to
– Small in diameter prevent interference
– Shielded to reduce – More expensive than
EMI and RFI twisted pair
interference – Does not support high
speed transmissions
– Its base band
transmissions does
not allow for integrated
video and voice
Unshielded Twisted Pair
Unshielded Twisted Pair
• Advantages • Disadvantages
– Inexpensive – Susceptible to
– Widely used interference
– Supports many – Prone to damage
network types during installation
– Distance limitations
Categories of UTP
Category Pair's Transmission Usage
Category 1 2 Pairs Voice Grade Used by telecoms, but not for data

Category 2 2 Pairs 4 Mbps Can be used for data, no longer

recognised

Category 3 4 Pairs 10 Mbps Used for 10BASE-T and voice

Category 4 4 Pairs 16 Mbps Used in IBM Token Ring

Category 5 4 Pairs 100 Mbps + Ethernet and 100BASE-X

Fiber Optic
• Fiber-Optic Cable
– Contains one or
several glass fibers at
its core
– Cladding is the glass
shield around the core
Fiber Optic Mode
• Single-Mode Fiber
– Carries single
frequency of light to
transmit data
• Multimode Fiber
– Carries many
frequencies of light
over a single or many
fibers
Fiber Optic
• Advantages • Disadvantages
– Can be installed over – Most expensive media
long distances to purchase and install
– Provides large – Rigorous guidelines
amounts of bandwidth for installation
– Not susceptible to EMI
RFI
– Can not be easily
tapped (secure)
Wireless
• Radio transmits at 10KHz to 1KHz
• Microwaves transmit at 1GHz to
500GHz
• Infrared transmits at 500GHz to
1THz
• Radio transmission may include:
– Narrow band
– High-powered
– Frequency hopping spread
spectrum (the hop is controlled by
accurate timing)
– Direct-sequence-modulation
spread spectrum (uses multiple
frequencies at the same time,
transmitting data in ‘chips’ at high
speed)
Connectors

Fibre Optic
RJ45

Thicknet
T-Piece
Connectors
• RJ-11
– common telephone connection interface
• RJ-45
– common type of media connector for Ethernet 10BaseT, 100BaseT, and
1000BaseT networks running on UTP
• AUI
– Used for both ThickNet and ThinNet coaxial cables
• BNC
– connect devices to a ThinNet 10Base2 Ethernet network
(Bayonet Neill-Concelman connector)
• ST
– fiber optic connector used for duplex communications (Straight Tip)
• SC
– Fiber optic used for simplex communications (Subscriber Connector)
• RS-232
– This is the serial interface with either 9 or 25 pins found on every PC
Network Technologies
Ethernet (802.3)
• Ethernet is the most widely used local area network
(LAN) technology.
• An Ethernet LAN may use coaxial cable, special grades
of twisted pair wiring, or fiber optic cable. "Bus" and
"Star" wiring configurations are supported.
• Ethernet devices compete for access to the network
using a protocol called Carrier Sense Multiple Access
with Collision Detection (CSMA/CD).
Ethernet Implementations
• Particularly important Ethernet implementations include:
– Fast Ethernet (e.g. 100BaseT and 100BaseFX)
• The IEEE 802.3u specification covers Fast
Ethernet
– Gigabit Ethernet (e.g. 1000BaseT, 1000BaseSX, and
1000BaseLX)
• The IEEE 802.3z specification addresses Gigabit
Ethernet
– Iso-Ethernet enables Ethernet LANs at different
geographic locations to be connected over ISDN
Ethernet Standards
Token Ring (802.5)
• Physically, token ring LANs resemble star topologies, but
technically they are rings
– Ring is physically implemented in MAUs
– UTP is the most common cabling
• Speed is typically 16 mbps, however, 4 mbps and 100
mbps token ring networks exist
Wireless (802.11x)
• Wireless protocols are described under IEEE 802.11
• Transmit data to the WAP that acts as a hub
• Infrastructure mode
• Ad-hoc mode
• Data throughput of up to 11 Mbps
• The 802.11b protocol runs half-duplex
• 2.4 GHz range
FDDI
• A network technology whose standard was originally
specified by ANSI in the mid-1980s and later refined by
ISO
• FDDI (Fiber Distributed Data Interface) (pronounced
“fiddy”) uses a double ring of multimode or single mode
fiber to transmit data at speeds of 100 Mbps
• FDDI is more reliable and more secure than
transmission methods that depend on copper wiring
• FDDI technology has a high cost relative to Fast
Ethernet
Summary
• By understanding how networks are shaped, or their
physical topologies, you will be able to better understand
the installation and configuration of a network
• Networking Media and Connectors
• Networking Technologies and Standards