INTRODUCTION TO

NETWORKING
M.Munyaradzi
 Definitions
• Data Communications refers to the
transmission of digital data btwn 2 or
more computers
• Computer network or data network is a
telecommunications network that
allows computers to exchange data
 Requirements for internet connection
 The Internet is the largest data network on earth.
The Internet consists of a multitude of
interconnected networks both large and small.
At the edge of this giant network is the individual
consumer computer.
Connection to the Internet can be broken down into
the physical connection, the logical connection,
and the application.
Physical connection: made by connecting a specialized
expansion card such as a modem or a network interface card (NIC)
from a computer (PC) to a network. The physical connection is used to
transfer signals between PCs within the local network and to remote
devices on the Internet.
 Requirements for internet connection
 logical connection: uses standards called protocols. A protocol
is a formal description of a set of rules and conventions that govern
how devices on a network communicate. Connections to the
Internet may use multiple protocols.
The Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) suite
is the primary protocol used on the Internet. TCP/IP is a suite of
protocols that work together to transmit data.
The application: interprets the data and displays the information
in an understandable form and is the last part of the connection.
Applications work with protocols to send and receive data
across the Internet. A web browser displays HTML as a web
page. FTP is used to download files and programs from the
Internet.
 PC basics
 Computers are important building blocks in a network,
it is important to be able to recognize and name the
major components of a PC. Many networking devices
are themselves special purpose computers, with many
of the same components as normal PCs.
 In order to use a computer as a reliable means of
obtaining information, such as accessing Web-based
curriculum, it must be in good working order. To keep a
PC in good working order will require occasional
troubleshooting of simple problems with the computer
hardware and software. Therefore it is necessary to be
able to recognize the names and purposes of the
following PC components:
 PC basics
Small, Discrete Components
 Transistor – Device that amplifies a signal or opens and closes
a circuit.
 Integrated circuit (IC) – Device made of semiconductor
material that contains many transistors and performs a specific
task.
 Resistor – Device made of material that opposes the flow of
electric current.
 Capacitor – Electronic component that stores energy in the
form of an electrostatic field that consists of two conducting
metal plates separated by an insulating material.
 Connector – The part of a cable that plugs into a port or
interface.
 Light emitting diode (LED) – Semiconductor device that emits
light when a current passes through it.
 PC basics
Personal Computer Subsystems
 Printed circuit board (PCB) – A thin plate on which chips or integrated circuits and
other electronic components are placed.
 CD-ROM drive – Compact disk read-only memory drive, which is a device that can
read information from a CD-ROM.
 Central processing unit (CPU) – The brains of the computer where most
calculations take place.
 Floppy disk drive – A disk drive that can read and write to floppy disks.
 Hard disk drive – The device that reads and writes data on a hard disk.
 Microprocessor – A silicon chip that contains a CPU.
 Motherboard – The main circuit board of a microcomputer
 Bus – A collection of wires through which data is transmitted from one part of a
computer to another.
 Random-access memory (RAM) – Also known as Read-Write memory, new data
can be written to it and stored data can be read from it. RAM requires electrical
power to maintain data storage. If the computer is turned off or loses power, all data
stored in RAM is lost.
 Read-only memory (ROM) – Computer memory on which data has been
prerecorded. Once data has been written onto a ROM chip, it cannot be removed
and can only be read.
 Power supply – The component that supplies power to a computer.
 PC basics
Backplane Components
 Backplane – The large circuit board that contains sockets for expansion
cards.
 Network interface card (NIC) – An expansion board inserted into a
computer so that the computer can be connected to a network.
 Video card – A board that plugs into a PC to give it display capabilities.
 Audio card – An expansion board that enables a computer to manipulate
and output sounds.
 Parallel port – An interface capable of transferring more than one bit
simultaneously that is used to connect external devices such as printers.
 Serial port – An interface that can be used for serial communication, in
which only 1 bit is transmitted at a time.
 Mouse port – A port designed for connecting a mouse to a PC.
 Power cord – A cord used to connect an electrical device to an electrical
outlet that provides power to the device.
 Think of the internal components of a PC as a network of devices, which
are all attached to the system bus. In a sense, a PC is a small computer
network
 NIC
A NIC is a printed circuit board that provides network communication
capabilities to and from a personal computer. Also called a LAN adapter, it
resides in a slot on the motherboard and provides an interface connection to
the network media. The type of NIC must match the media and protocol used
on the local network.
The NIC communicates with the network through a serial connection and
with the computer through a parallel connection. The NIC uses an Interrupt
Request (IRQ), an I/O address, and upper memory space to work with the
operating system. An IRQ is a signal informing the CPU that an event needing
attention has occurred. An IRQ is sent over a hardware line to the
microprocessor when a key is pressed on the keyboard. Then the CPU enables
transmission of the character from the keyboard to RAM. An I/O address is a
location in the memory used to enter data or retrieve data from a computer by
an auxiliary device. When selecting a NIC, consider the following factors:
 Protocols – Ethernet, Token Ring, or FDDI
 Types of media – Twisted-pair, coaxial, wireless, or fiber-optic
 NIC and modem installation
Connectivity to the Internet requires an adapter card, which may be a modem or NIC.
A modem, or modulator-demodulator, is a device that provides the computer with
connectivity to a telephone line. The modem converts (modulates) the data from
a digital signal to an analog signal that is compatible with a standard phone line.
The modem at the receiving end demodulates the signal, which converts it back
to digital. Modems may be installed internally or attached externally to the
computer using a serial or USB interface.
The installation of a NIC, which provides the interface for a host to the network, is
required for each device on the network. NICs are available in different types
depending on the individual device configuration.
Desktop systems may use an internal or external NIC.
Situations that require NIC installation include the following:
Adding a NIC to a PC that does not already have one
Replacing a bad or damaged NIC
Upgrading from a 10-Mbps NIC to a 10/100-Mbps NIC
 Testing connectivity with PING
 Ping is a utility used to verify Internet connectivity. It is named
after the sonar operation used to locate and determine the
distance to an underwater object.
 The ping command works by sending multiple IP packets to a
specified destination. Each packet sent is a request for a reply.
The output response for a ping contains the success ratio and
round-trip time to the destination. From this information, it is
possible to determine if there is connectivity to a destination.
The ping command is used to test the NIC transmit/receive
function, the TCP/IP configuration, and network connectivity.
The following examples describe the types of ping tests that are
commonly used in a network:
Business Applications of Networks

A network with two clients and one server.

Business Applications of Networks (2)

The client-server model involves requests and replies.

Business Applications of Networks (2)
The other goal of setting up a computer network has to do with the
people rather than information or even computers.
A computer network can provide a powerful communication medium
among employees, email.
With a network, it is easy for two or more people who work far apart to
write a report together
Another form computer assisted communication is videoconferencing.

A third goal for increasingly many companies is doing business

electronically with other companies, especially suppliers and
customers
 Home (Internet) Applications
• Why do people buy computers for home
use?
• a) Initially For word Processing & games
• b) Recently For internet access
Below are some of the more popular uses of the internet for home use:

• Access to remote information

• Person-to-person communication
• Interactive entertainment
• Electronic commerce
Home Network Applications (2)
Another form of Person to Person Comms
Individuals who form a loose grp can communicate with others in the grp as shown below

In peer-to-peer system there are no fixed clients and servers.

Everyone can in principle, communicate with one or more other people
There is no fixed division into clients & servers
 Network Hardware
-Look at Transmission Technology & Scale
• Local Area Networks
• Metropolitan Area Networks
• Wide Area Networks
• Wireless Networks
• Home Networks
• Internetworks
Broadcast Networks
Two Criterion for classifying networks:
a) Transmission technology
b) Their Scale

Types of transmission technology

• Broadcast links
• Point-to-point links Point to Point transmission
with one sender & one receiver is called Unicasting
• Broadcasting
• 1) Broadcast systems generally also allow the possibility of addressing
a packet to all destinations by using a spread code in the address field.
When a packet with this code is transmitted, it is received & processed by
every machine on the network
This mode of operation is referred to as broadcasting
• 2) Some broadcast systems also support transmission to a subset of the
machines Multicasting
 Broadcast Networks (2)

Classification of interconnected processors by scale.

 LANs, WANs

Networks are classified according to their geographical coverage and

size. The two most common network classifications are local
area networks (LANs) and wide area networks (WANs).

A LAN is a data network that is restricted to a single geographical

location and typically encompasses a relatively small area such
as an office building or school. The function of the LAN is to
interconnect workstation computers for the purposes of sharing
files and resources. Because of its localized nature, the LAN is
typically high speed and cheaper to set up than a WAN.
 LANs, WANs

A WAN is a network that spans more than one geographical location

often connecting separated LANs. WANs are slower than LANs and
often require additional and costly hardware such as routers,
dedicated leased lines, and complicated implementation procedures.
Connection-Oriented and Connectionless
Services

Six different types of service.

Reference Models
Reference Models (2)

The TCP/IP reference model.

 Reference Models (3)

Protocols and networks in the TCP/IP model initially.

 Ethernet

Architecture of the original Ethernet.

 Wireless LANs

(a) Wireless networking with a base station.

(b) Ad hoc networking.