Chapter 1: Computer Network

Fundamentals
Guide to Computer Network Security
 Computer communication networks
A Computer network is a distributed
system consisting of loosely coupled
computers and other devices.
To form a network, there are
communicating rules or protocols
each device in the network must
follow to communicate with another.
Laptop computer Workstation IBM Compatible

Ethernet

Laser printer
Laptop computer
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Internetworking technology enables multiple,
diverse underlying hardware technologies, and
different software regimes to interconnect
heterogeneous networks and bring them to
communicate smoothly
The network elements (computing elements),
network software(operating systems and
browsers), and users all work together
exchanging information and utilizing the
resources in the network
The network elements may be of diverse
technologies and software may be as different
as possible but the whole combo works in
unison.

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 Computer Networks Types
There are several types of
networks:
LAN – Local Area networks
WAN – Wide Area networks
MAN – Metropolitan Area Network

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 Data Communication Media
Technology
Data movement in computer networks is
either analog or digital
– In analog format data is sent as a continuous
electromagnetic wave with a constant
frequency signal called a carrier.
– The carrier signal has three characteristics:
Amplitude modulation –each bit is represented by
a different amplitude of the carrier wave.
Frequency modulation- each bit is represented by a
different frequency of the carrier wave
Phase Shift modulation – shifts in the wave encode
binary information.
– In digital encoding binary data is represented
as electrical voltage.
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 Transmission Media
This is a physical medium between two
transmitting elements
The quality, dependability, and overall
performance of a computer network
depends on the transmission medium
These media fall into the following
types:
– Wired Transmission consisting of:
Copper wire – insulated copper wires.
Traditionally used because copper has low
resistance to electrical currents.
Twisted pair - a pair of wires of insulated copper
wires each wrapped around the other.
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 Coaxial cables – insulated dual conductor cables
with inner conductor in the core.
Optical fiber – small medium made of glass and
plastics and conducts optical rays
– Wireless networks fall one of the following
three categories depending on distance as
follows:
Restricted proximity network: this network
involves local area networks (LANs) with a
mixture of fixed and wireless devices.
Intermediate/Extended network: this
wireless network is actually made up of two fixed
LANS components joined together by a wireless
component. The bridge may be connecting LANS
in two nearby buildings or even further.
Mobile network. This is a fully wireless
network connecting two network elements. One
of these elements is usually a mobile unit which
connects to the home network (fixed) using
cellular or satellite technology.
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– The three types of wireless
communication are connected using the
following basic technologies:
Infrared - uses pulses of infrared light to
carry coded instructions to the receiving
network element.
High-Frequency Radio – using
electromagnetic radio waves or radio
frequencies (RF transmission)
Microwave – This is a higher frequency
version of radio communication. It is
capable of being focused in a single direction
Others include Laser waves

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 Network Topologies
Computer networks, whether LANs, MANs, or
WANs are constructed based on a topology.
There are several topologies including:
– (i ) Mesh – allows multiple access links to a
network element
– (ii) Tree – except the root, every element in
the network can only be accessed through
its predecessors
– (iii) Bus – all elements are on a shared line
– (iv) Star – communication between any
two elements in the network must go
through central node
– (v) Ring – each element in the network is
directly connected to two neighbors forming
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 Network Connectivity and Protocols

These are operational

modalities/procedures for moving packets
between network transmitting elements
There are two widely used of protocol
suites:
– OSI – open systems interconnection of the
international standards organization (ISO)
– TCP/IP – most widely used.
Both of these proposed suites are based
on layered tacks of services

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 Network Services

Network work effectively when network

services move data in the network. These
services fall into two categories:
– Connection services to facilitate the exchange of
data between the two network communicating end-
systems with as little data loss as possible and in
as little time as possible.
– Switching services to facilitate the movement of data
from host to host across the length and width of
the network mesh of hosts, hubs, bridges, routers
and gateways

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Two connection services are provided by most digital
networks:
– connected oriented services – offer prior connection
controls in a form of three-way handshake
– Connectionless service – no handshake is needed no
prior information and no warnings.
Two switching services are provided :
– Circuit switching – The network must reserve all
resources needed for the communication session before
any communication begins. Example:
telecommunications sessions.
– Packet switching networks are referred to as
Packet networks. There are two types of these
networks.
– Virtual circuit networks – logical connection is needed
before a packet is sent
– Datagram and networks -

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 Network Connecting devices
The computing elements in a network
(LAN, WAN) are interconnected using
connecting devices commonly referred
to as nodes
There are several types:
– Hub – the simplest connecting devices. It
takes in inputs and retransmits them
verbatim.
– Bridge – it is similar to the hub, however,
bridges filter incoming data packets for
addresses before the packets/ frames are
re-transmitted
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– Switch - this a newer version of a bridge with
high a performance capacity and can
accommodate higher numbers of interfaces
– Router – general purpose nodes that
interconnect two or more heterogeneous
networks. They are dedicated special purpose
computers with their own Address Resolution
Protocol (ARP) and IP addresses
– Gateway – this is a more versatile device that
can provide translation of and between
networking technologies such as OSI and
TCP/IP.
Because of this, Gateways can connect two or more
autonomous networks.
They perform all functions of a router and more.
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 Network Technologies
Network technologies in each network
category.
– LAN Technologies
Star-based Ethernet (IEEE 802.3) LAN
Token Ring/IEEE 805.2
Other LAN technologies
– Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) with the goal to
transport real time voice, video, text, email, and
graphic data. ATM offers a full array of network
services that make it a rival of the Internet network.
– Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI) is a dual-ring
network which uses a token ring scheme with many
similarities to the original token ring technology.
– AppleTalk, the popular Mac users’ LAN.
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– WAN Technologies:
Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN)
X.25
Other WAN Technologies
– Frame Relay is a packet switched network with the ability to
multiplex many logical data conversions over a single
connection. It provides flexible efficient channel bandwidth
using digital and fiber optics transmission. It has many similar
characteristics to X.25 network except in format and
functionality.
– Point-to-point Protocol (PPP) is the Internet Standard for
transmission of IP packets over serial lines. The point-to-point
link provides a single, pre-established communications path
from the ending element through a carrier network, such as
a telephone company, to a remote network. These links can
carry datagram or data-stream transmissions.
– xDirect Service Line (xDSL) is a technology that provides an
inexpensive, yet very fast connection to the Internet.
– Switched Multi-megabit Data Service (SMDS) is a
connectionless service operating in the range of 1.5-100Mbps;
any SMDS station can send a frame to any other station on
the same network.
– Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) is already discussed as a
LAN technology.
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