Introduction to Information &

Communication Technology

Lecture 9: Introduction to Networks

Learning Outcome
▷What is a Network
▷Types and Benefits of Network
▷Communication Media
▷How Network are Categorized
○Media
○Topology etc
▷Communication Protocols & Softwares
▷OSI Model
What is a Network?
▷are
A network is simply two or more computers that
linked together.
▷The most common types of networks are:
 Local Area Networks (LANS) and
 Wide Area Networks (WANS).
▷The primary difference between the two is that a
LAN is generally confined to a limited
geographical area, whereas a WAN covers a
large geographical area. Most WANs are
made up of several connected LANs.
Types of Networks
▷Local Area Network (LAN) – a network that
spans a small area such as a building or an
office.
○Software applications and other resources are stored on
a
file server.
○ Print servers enable multiple users to share the same
printer.
▷Wide Area Network (WAN) – a network
that
spans a wide geographical area; there are
several types of WANS
○Metropolitan area network (MAN)
○Public access network (PAN)
○Virtual private network (VPN)
Metropolitan area network (MAN)
A metropolitan area network (MAN) is similar to a local area
network (LAN) but spans an entire city or campus. MANs are
formed by connecting multiple LANs. Thus, MANs are larger
than LANs but smaller than wide area networks (WAN).
Public area network (PAN)
PAN is used to transmit data and information very shorter
distances i-e 10 to 100m.Device in one PAN can
establish connection with another device in another PAN
Example.Bluetooth can be used to create PAN.
Virtual private network (VPN)
virtual private network (VPN) is a network technology that
creates a secure connection over a public network like Internet
or a private network owned by a service provider. Big company,
institutions, and government agencies use VPN technology to
enable remote users to securely connect to a private network.
Types of Networks

▷Intranet – An intranet is a private LAN designed for use by

everyone within an organization. An intranet might consist of
an internal e-mail system, a message board and one or more
Web site portals that contain company news, forms, and
personnel information.
Access to an intranet’s web site is restricted by a firewall.
▷Extranet – a network that connects people within your
company with people who are outside your company--all
within a secure, password-protected network that can be
accessed from anywhere.
Benefits of a Network
▷Information sharing : Authorized users can use other
computers on the network to access and share information and
data. This could include special group projects, databases, etc.
▷Hardware sharing: One device connected to a network,
such as a printer or scanner, can be shared by many users.
▷Software sharing: Instead of purchasing and installing a
software program on each computer, it can be installed on the
server. All of the users can then access the program from a
single location.
▷Collaborative environment: Users can work together
on group projects by combining the power and capabilities of
diverse equipment.
Risks of Network Computing
▷The security of a computer network is
challenged everyday by:
○Equipment malfunctions
○System
○failures
Computer hackers
○Virus attacks

■Note: equipment malfunctions and system failures may be caused

by natural disasters such as floods, storms, or fires, and electrical
disturbances
COMMUNICATIONS MEDIA
▷Communications Channel
○To transfer data from one computer to another
requires some type of link through which the data
can be transmitted. This link is known as the
communications channel.
○To send data through the channel requires some
type of transmission media, which may be either
physical or wireless.
Physical Media
▷Twisted Pair Cable
▷consists of two independently insulated wires twisted
around each other (least expensive type of cable—
the kind that is used in many telephone systems)
Physical Media
Coaxial cable
consists of an insulated center wire grounded by a
shield of braided wire (the primary type of cabling
used by the cable television industry; it is more
expensive than twisted pair)
Physical Media
▷Fiber Optics Cable
▷contains hundreds of clear fiberglass or plastic fibers
(threads) (made from thin, flexible glass tubing;
bandwidth is greater, so it can carry more data; it is
lighter than metal wires and is less susceptible to
interference; it is fragile and expensive)
Physical Media
▷ISDN line (Integrated Services Digital
Network)
A special digital telephone line that transmits
and receives information at very high speeds
Wireless Media
▷Microwave system – transmits data via high-frequency
radio signals through the atmosphere
▷Satellite system – receive transmitted signals, amplify
them, and then transmit the signals to the appropriate
locations
▷Cellular technology – uses antennae resembling
telephone towers to pick up radio signals within a specific
area (cell)
▷Infrared technology – transmits data as infrared light
waves from one device to another, providing wireless
links between PCs and peripherals
Note: The type selected is determined by the type of
network, the size of the network, and the cost.
How Are Networks Categorized?

▷Networks are usually classified

using three properties:

■ Topology
■ Protocol
■ Architecture
Network Topologies
▷A network can be arranged and configured in
several different ways. This arrangement is called
Network Topology.
▷Most common topologies are:
▷Bus Topology
▷Star Topology
▷Ring Topology
▷Hybrid Topology
Network Topologies
▷Bus topology – all computers are linked by
a
– single line of cable
Advantages
• Easy to setup
• Small amount of
wire
– Disadvantages
• Slow
• Easy to crash
 Network Topologies
▷Star topology – multiple computers and peripheral
devices are linked to a central computer, called a
host

– Advantages
• Time to send data is
known
• No data collisions
– Disadvantages
• Slow
• Lots of cable
Network Topologies
▷Ring topology – each computer or workstation is
connected to two other computers, with the
entire network forming a circle
– Advantages
• Time to send data is
known
• No data collisions
– Disadvantages
• Slow
• Lots of cable
Network Topologies
▷Hybrid topology – combine network
layout types to meet their needs
Mesh Topology
– All computers connected together
– Internet is a mesh network
– Advantage
• Data will always be delivered
– Disadvantages
• Lots of cable
• Hard to setup
Network/Communication Protocols

▷A protocol is simply an agreed-on set of rules

and procedures for transmitting data between
two or more devices.
▷Features determined by the protocol are:
○How the sending device indicates it
has
○finished
How the receiving
sending device
the message. it has
indicates
received the message.
○The type of error checking to be used.
Network/Comm. Protocols

▷On the Internet, the major protocol is

TCP/IP (an acronym for
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet
Protocol).
Example of an Ethernet Bus

▷Ethernet LANs use a bus

topology.
▷All stations are connected to a
single long cable.
▷Any station can send a signal
along the cable, which all
other will
stations
receive. Unlike ring
topologies, the cable doesn't
close a loop.
NETWORKING HARDWARE
AND SOFTWARE

▷Hub – electronic device (with a number of ports) used

in a LAN to link groups of computers
▷Repeaters (also called amplifiers) – electronic devices
that receive signals and amplify and send them along
the network
▷Routers - electronic devices used to ensure
messages are sent to their intended destinations
▷Gateway – consists of hardware and/or software that
allows communications between dissimilar networks
▷Bridge – consists of hardware and/or software
that allows communication between two
similar networks
Networking Hardware And Software

HUBS: Electronic device (with a number of ports)

used in a LAN to link groups of computers
The major function of hub's is to replicate data it
receives from one device attached to it to all others.
Networking Hardware And Software
 Repeaters: Also called amplifiers– electronic
devices that receive signals and amplify and send them
along the network
 A common problem in the networking world is that of
weakening electrical signals.
 A repeater is connected to two cable segments. Any
electrical signal reaching the repeater from one
segment, will be amplified and retransmitted to the
other segment.

An illustration of a repeater at work

The electrical signal entering the repeater at one end is weakened.
The repeater amplifies the electrical signals and resends the
data.
Networking Hardware And Software

▷Routers: Electronic devices used to ensure

messages are sent to their intended destinations

▷Routers connect two or more networks and forward

data packets between them.
Networking Hardware And Software
▷Gateway: consists of hardware and/or software
that allows communications between dissimilar
networks
▷The term gateway now refers to
purpose devices, special-
that perform
conversions.
protocol Gateways implement
application layer conversions of information
received from various protocols.
Networking Hardware And Software

▷Bridge – consists of hardware and/or software

that allows communication between two
similar networks
NETWORK ARCHITECTURE
▷Network architecture – refers to the way a network is
designed and built. The two major types are:
○Peer-to-peer architecture – Computers
connect with each other in a workgroup to
share files, printers, and Internet access. This
is used to connect a small number of
computers.
○Client/server architecture – sends information
from a client computer to server, which then
relays the information back to client computer,
or to other computers on the network
NETWORK ADDRESSES

▷Hostname A unique identification

that specifies a particular computer on
the Internet
For example
google.com.pk
condor.develocorp.com
NETWORK ADDRESSES

▷Network software translates

a hostname into its
corresponding IP address
For example
205.39.145.18
DOMAIN NAME SYSTEM
▷The domain name system (DNS) is mainly
used to translate hostnames into numeric IP
addresses
○If that server can resolve the hostname, it
does so
○If not, that server asks another
domain
name server
OSI Model

The Open Systems Interconnection model (OSI model) is

a conceptual model that characterizes and standardizes
the communication functions of a telecommunication or
computing system without regard to its underlying internal
structure and technology. The model partitions a
communication system into abstraction layers.
 OSI Model
OSI Layers TCP/IP Suit Activities

Application Application To allow access to network resources

Telnet, FTP, SMTP, HTTP, DNS, SNMP, Specific address etc…

To Translate, encrypt, and compress

Presentation Presentation data

Session To establish, manage, and terminate

Session session

Transport To Provide reliable process-to-process

Transport SCTP, TCP, UDP, Sockets and Ports address Message delivery and error recovery

Network To move packets from source to

Network IP, ARP/RARP, ICMP, IGMP, Logical address 37
destination; to provide internetworking

Data Link To organize bits into frames; to provide

Data Link IEEE 802 Standards, TR, FDDI, PPP, Physical address Hop-to-hop delivery

Physical To Transmit bits over a medium; to provide

Physical Medium, Coax, Fiber, 10base, Wireless Mechanical and electrical specifications
OSI Model's 7
Layers
Application to Application

R
APPLICATION APPLICATION

YE
A
RL
Application to Application
PRESENTATION PRESENTATION

HE
SESSION
HIG Application to Application
SESSION

MIDDLE
TRANSPORT Process to Process TRANSPORT

NETWORK
LAYER
Source to Destination NETWORK
Router
Source to Destination

38
Hop to Hop
DATA LINK

R LAY ER Switch
Hop to Hop
DATA LINK

PHYSICAL
LO WE Hub and Repeater
PHYSICAL
Physical Medium