Computers Are Your Future
Twelfth Edition
Chapter 7: Networks: Communicating
and Sharing Resources
Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 1
Networks: Communicating
and Sharing Resources
Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 2
Objectives
• Understand basic networking concepts.
• Distinguish between a WAN, LAN, MAN,
CAN, HAN, and PAN.
• Discuss the advantages and
disadvantages of networks.
• Distinguish between peer-to-peer,
client/server, and virtual private local
area networks (LANs).
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Objectives
• Define topology and understand how
the three LAN topologies differ.
• Explain the importance of network
protocols.
• Name the most widely used LAN
protocol and their versions.
• Identify the special components of a
wide area network (WAN) that
differentiate it from a LAN.
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Objectives
• Contrast circuit-switching and packet-
switching networks and explain their
respective strengths and weaknesses.
• Identify the options, components,
configuration, and maintenance of a
home area network (HAN).
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Network Fundamentals
• Networks
o Links multiple computer systems and enables them to
share data and resources
o Types of computer networks:
• Local area network (LAN)
• Wide area network (WAN)
• Metropolitan area network (MAN)
• Campus area network (CAN)
• Personal area network (PAN
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Network Fundamentals
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Network Fundamentals
• LAN
o Uses cables, radio waves, or infrared signals
o Links computers in a limited geographic area
• WAN
o Uses long-distance transmission media
o Links computer systems a few miles or thousands of miles
o Internet is the largest WAN
• MAN
o Designed for a city
o Larger than a LAN, smaller than a WAN
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Network Fundamentals
• CAN
o Several LANs located in various locations on a college
or business campus
o Smaller than a WAN
o Use devices such as switches, hubs, and routers
• PAN
o Network of an individual’s own personal devices
o Usually within a range of 32 feet
o Usually use wireless technology
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Network Fundamentals
• Communication devices
o Convert data into signals to travel over a medium
• Computers
• Modems
• Routers
• Switches
• Hubs
• Wireless access points
• Network interface cards (NICs)
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Network Fundamentals
• Node
o Any device connected to a network
• Logical address
o Unique name assigned to each node on the network
• Physical address
o Unique numeric that identifies each node on the network built
into the hardware
• Network interface card (NIC)
o Expansion board or adapter that provides a connection
between the computer and the network
o Notebook computers have wireless NICs
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Network Fundamentals
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Network Fundamentals
• USB wireless network adapter
o Plugs into a USB port
o Usually provides an intuitive graphical user interface (GUI) for easy
configuration
• USB dongle
o Device inserted into a USB port that adds additional features to the
base system
o Examples: enabling network connectivity and increasing RAM
• Wireless PC card adapter
o About the size of a credit card
o Inserted into a slot on the side of most notebooks and netbooks
o Has built-in WiFi antenna that provides wireless capability
o LED lights that indicate whether the computer is connected
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Network Fundamentals
• Hub
o Joins multiple computers together in a single network
o Does not manage traffic between the connections
• Switches
o Filter and forward data between nodes
o Are similar to routers but work within a single network
• Routers
o Connect two or more networks
o Inspect the source and target of a data package
o Determine the best route to transmit data
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Network Fundamentals
• Wireless access
point (WAP)
o Receives and transmits
radio signals
o Joins wireless nodes to a
wired network
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Network Fundamentals
• Server
o Computer or device with software that manages network
resources, such as files, e-mails, printers, databases
• File server
o Most common type of server
o High-speed computer that provides program and data files to
network users
o Contains the network operating system (NOS)
• File directories for file and resource location on the LAN
• Automated distribution of software updates to desktop
computers on the WAN
• Internet services support
• Protection of services and data
• Access to connected hardware by authorized users
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Network Fundamentals
• Network
administrator
o Also called network
engineer
o Installs, maintains,
supports computer
networks
o Interact with users
o Handle security
o Troubleshoot problems
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Advantages and
Disadvantages of Networking
• Networking
o Advantages
• Reduced hardware costs
• Application sharing
• Sharing information resources
• Data management centralization
• Connecting people
o Disadvantages
• Loss of autonomy
• Lack of privacy
• Security threats
• Loss of productivity
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Local Area Networks
• Peer-to-peer (P2P) networks
o Share files without a file server
o Easy to set up
o Best used for home or small offices with no more
than 10 computers
o Do not require a network operating system
o Can be slow if there are too many users
o Security not strong
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Local Area Networks
• Peer-to-peer (P2P) networks
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Local Area Networks
• Wireless LAN
o Connects users through radio waves instead of wires
o Use includes networks in:
• Homes
• Hospitals
• Colleges
o Secured with a radio transmission technique that
spreads signals over a seemingly random series of
frequencies.
o Effective inside range of between 125 and 300 feet
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Local Area Networks
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Local Area Networks
• Client/server networks
o Made up of one or more file servers and clients
(any type of computer)
o Client software enables requests to be sent to the
server
o Wired or wireless connections
o Do not slow down with heavy use
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Local Area Networks
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Local Area Networks
• Intranet
o Password-protected network
controlled by the company
o Accessed only by employees
• Virtual private
network
o Operates over the Internet
o Accessible by authorized users
for quick access to corporate
information
o Uses secure, encrypted
connections and special software
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Local Area Networks
• LAN topologies
o Network topology
• Physical design of a LAN
o Topology resolves contention—conflict that occurs
when two or more computers on the network attempt
to transmit at the same time
o Contention sometimes results in collisions—
corruption of network data caused when two
computers transmit at the same time
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Local Area Networks
• LAN topologies
o Bus topology
• Practical for home or small office
• One node transmits at a time
• Terminators signify the end of the circuit
• Uses contention management—technique that specifies
what happens when a collision occurs
o Star topology
• For office buildings, computer labs, and WANs
• Easy to add users
o Ring topology
• For a division of a company or one floor
• Not in common use today
• Node can transmit only when it has the token—special unit
of data that travels around the ring
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Local Area Networks
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Local Area Networks
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Local Area Networks
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Local Area Networks
• LAN protocols
o Protocols—standards used by networks to permit
communication between network-connected devices
o Modulation protocols—ensure that the modem can
communicate with another modem, even if by a
different manufacturer
o Protocol suite—contains the protocols of the network
and specifies its network architecture, or how the
network works
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Local Area Networks
• LAN protocols (con’t.)
o Network layers—divide network architecture for
separate treatment
• Each network layer can operate and be governed by
its own protocols.
• Protocol stack—vertical arrangement of network
layers
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Local Area Networks
• LAN technologies
o Ethernet—most-used LAN protocol
• Ethernet star networks
o Most popular versions—use twisted-pair wiring
and switches
• Sends data in a fixed-size unit called a packet
o WiFi
• Uses radio waves to provide a wireless LAN
standard at Ethernet speeds
• Needs a central access point—could be a wireless
router
• Hot spots—public wireless access locations
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Wide Area Networks
• Point of presence (POP)
o WAN connection point used to obtain access to the
WAN
o Wired or wireless
• Backbones
o High-capacity WAN transmission lines
o gigaPoP (gigabits per second point of presence)
—transfers data exceeding 1 Gbps (1 billion bits per
second)
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Wide Area Networks
• WAN protocols
o Internet protocols
• Transmission Control Protocol/Internet
Protocol (TCP/IP)
o Protocols that define how the Internet works
• Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)
o Defines how Internet-connected computers can
exchange, control, and confirm messages
• Internet Protocol (IP)
o Provides a distinct identification to any computer
connected to the Internet: the IP address or
Internet address
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Wide Area Networks
• WAN protocols (con’t.)
o Circuit switching
• Used by the public switched telephone network
to send data over a physical end-to-end circuit
• Provides a direct connection between devices
o Packet switching
• Used for computer communication
• Divides and sends outgoing messages as packets,
which are reassembled on receipt
• More efficient and less expensive than circuit switching
o Latency—delay introduced when a given packet is
examined by many routers
o Congestion—occurs when the network is overloaded,
causing some packets to be further delayed
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Wide Area Networks
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Wide Area Networks
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Wide Area Networks
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Wide Area Networks
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Wide Area Networks
• WAN applications
o E-mail, conferencing, document exchange, remote
database access
o LAN to LAN connections connect two or more
geographically separate locations
o Transaction acquisition—the instant relay of
transaction information from a point-of-purchase
sale.
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Home Networks
• Home Area Networks (HANs)
o Wired home networks
o Wireless home networks
o Hybrid networks
• Combination of wired and wireless technology
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Home Networks
• A Wired Home Network
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Home Networks
• A Wireless Home Network
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Home Networks
• Setting up a home network
o Planning
• Select technology
• Purchase equipment and firewall software
o Configuring a wired network
• Connect each computer to the router
• Plug printer, scanner, etc., into a computer
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Home Networks
• Setting up a home network (con’t.)
o Configuring a wireless network
• Connect each node to wireless router with a wireless
adapter
• Connect DSL or cable modem to wireless router
o Maintenance and support
• Minimal maintenance required
• Unplug power source from router and other
peripherals and restart computer to correct problems
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Home Networks
• Future of home networking
o Convergence will allow you to use home networks to
• Control household appliances
• Protect homes with security systems
• Manage home network events through central
control units in new homes
• Utilize wireless systems
• Control entertainment, temperature regulation,
and lighting
Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 47
Summary
• Understand basic networking concepts.
• Distinguish between a WAN, LAN,
MAN, CAN, HAN, and PAN.
• Discuss the advantages and
disadvantages of networks.
• Distinguish between peer-to-peer,
client/server, and virtual private local
area networks (LANs).
Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 48
Summary
• Define topology and understand how the
three LAN topologies differ.
• Explain the importance of network
protocols.
• Name the most widely used LAN protocol
and their versions.
• Identify the special components of a
wide area network (WAN) that
differentiate it from a LAN.
Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 49
Summary
• Contrast circuit-switching and packet-
switching networks and explain their
respective strengths and weaknesses.
• Identify the options, components,
configuration, and maintenance of a
home area network (HAN).
Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 50
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permission of the publisher. Printed in the United States of America.
Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc.
Publishing as Prentice Hall
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