Experiment 1: Study of Network

Components

COMPUTER NETWORK
 A collection of computing devices that are connected
in various ways in order to communicate and share
resources. Cambridge Dictionary

 Usually, the connections between computers in a

network are made using physical wires or cables.
 However, some connections are wireless, using
radio waves or infrared signals.
COMPUTER NETWORK
• A computer network is a telecommunications
network that allows computers to exchange data.
 The best-known computer network is the internet.
 Computer network connects two or more
autonomous computers.
 The computers can be geographically located

anywhere.
 Building Blocks of Network
 Nodes
◦ Computers and
other devices in
a network
 Links
◦ Physical
connection
between the
nodes by
coaxial cables
or optical fibers.
TYPES OF NETWORK

 Based on the size and the coverage area, networks are

categorized into the following types

 Personal Area Networks (PANs)

 Local Area Networks (LANs)
 Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs)
 Wide Area Networks (WANs)
PERSONAL AREA NETWORKS (PANs)
 A personal area network handles the interconnection of IT
devices at the surrounding of a single user

 Is a small network established for communication between

different devices, such as laptops, computers, mobiles, and
PDAs.
 A PAN may include wired and wireless devices.
 The reach of a PAN typically extends to 10 meters.
LOCAL AREA NETWORK (LANS)
 A local area network (LAN) is a network that connects
computers and devices in a limited geographical area such as
a home, school, office building, or closely positioned group
of buildings.
 Wired LANs are most likely based on Ethernet
technology.
 LANs are typically faster networks with
 speeds of at least 10 Mbps to 10 Gbps.
 A LAN network is limited to between
100-1000 meters coverage
METROPOLITAN AREA NETWORK (MAN)

 It is relatively larger than LAN and extends

across a city or a metropolitan.

 It is created by connecting two or more LANs

located at different locations in a city.
WIDE AREA NETWORK (WAN)
 A wide area network (WAN) is a computer network that covers a
large geographic area such as a city, country, or spans even
intercontinental distances.
 A WAN uses a communications channel that combines many types
of media such as telephone lines, cables, and air waves.
 A WAN often makes use of transmission facilities

provided by common carriers, such as telephone

companies.
 Examples of the existing WAN is the Internet.
CLASSIFICATION OF NETWORK
ARCHITECTURE
The architecture of a network is a logical design
that determines how the devices in the network
communicate.

The commonly used architectures for computer

networks are:
 Client-server architecture
 Peer-to-peer architecture
 Hybrid architecture
CLIENT-SERVER ARCHITECTURE
 On a network built using the client-server architecture, the
devices communicate to other devices through a central
computer referred to as a server.

 The server is a terminal with high processing power, which

provides services for the other computers on the network.

 The client is a terminal that accesses the resources available

on a server.
PEER-TO-PEER ARCHITECTURE
 On a network built using the peer-to-peer architecture, no
specific distinction exists between a client and a server.
 Any node can provide a service as well as send a request
for a service from another node on the network.
 The peer-to-peer network architecture allows sharing of
resources, data, and users.
 Each node on the network has full control over the
network resources.
HYBRID ARCHITECTURE
 A hybrid, in general, is a composition of two
different types of elements.
 A hybrid network architecture is created to get the
benefits of both, the peer-to-peer and the client-
server architectures, in a network.
NETWORK TOPOLOGY
 The pattern of interconnection of nodes in a network is
called the Topology.
 This layout also determines the manner in which information
is exchanged within the network.
 The different types of network topologies that can be used to
set up a network are:
 Bus Topology
 Star Topology
 Ring Topology
 Mesh Topology
 Tree Topology
 Hybrid Topology
BUS TOPOLOGY
 Popular topology for data network.
 Single transmission medium on which various nodes are
attached.
 This type of structure permits any station on the network
to talk to any other station,
 Rules are required for when two stations attempt to
communicate at the same time.
 Break in the bus affects only network stations on one
side of the break that wish to communicate with stations
on the other side of the break.

If N is the number of nodes,

then the number of links is N+1
STAR TOPOLOGY
 The star topology connects nodes over a network using a
central control network controller.
 You can easily add nodes to a star-based network by
attaching the required nodes to the controller.
 Each station on the network is connected to a network
controller.
 Then access from any one station on the network to any
other station can be accomplished
only through the network controller.
 Failure of the network controller
 will affect the entire network
inoperative.

If N is the number of nodes,

then the number of links is N
RING TOPOLOGY
 The ring topology connects the nodes on a network through a
point-to-point connection.
 When a device sends data, it must travel through each device
on the ring until it reaches its destination
 A ring topology can thus be considered to be a looped bus.
 If one of the nodes on the network stops, the entire network
stops functioning.

If N is the number of nodes,

then the number of links is N
MESH TOPOLOGY
 The mesh network topology employs either of two
schemes, called
 Full mesh topology: each workstation is connected directly
to each of the others.
 Partial mesh topology, some workstations are connected to
all the others, and some are connected only to those other
nodes with which they exchange the most data.
 This provide an alternate route mechanism.
 Excellent for long distance networking.
 Supports back-up and rerouting.
 The number of connections grows
with the number of nodes.
If N is the number of nodes,
then the number of links is N(N-
TREE TOPOLOGY
 The tree topology is created where the nodes are
connected in a hierarchical manner.
 In tree topology, the device at the root is referred to
as the parent for all the other nodes or devices in
the network.
 The nodes below a parent node are referred
to as child nodes.
HYBRID TOPOLOGY

 The hybrid topology can be a combination of two

or more basic topologies, such as bus, ring, star,
mesh, or tree.
 Hybrid networks combine more than two
topologies, which, in turn, enable you to get
advantages of the constituent topologies.
Networking Components
The following are some of the computer
components in a computer network.

◦ Node
◦ Host
◦ Repeater
◦ Client/Server
◦ Hub
◦ Network
Transmission Medium ◦ Switch
◦ Ports ◦ Bridge
◦ Network Interface- ◦ Router
NIC ◦ Gateway
◦ Access Point ◦ Modem
 Node
Any entity
connected to a
network and
capable of both
creating and
using network
data.
Example:
A printer with a
network interface
is called as node
Host
 Any node that
supports users and
runs application
software.
 Host and node are
often used
interchangeably.
 Host is any node
that supports one or
more users and runs
network application
software.
Client & Server
Client Server
◦ A network entity ◦ A network entity
that requests that fulfills
some network requests from
service from a clients.
server.
Access Point

 Used to interconnect
wireless devices and
provide a connection to the
wired LAN.
 The data transfer speeds for
access points is dictated by
the choice of wireless
technology for the clients.
BASIC HARDWARE COMPONENTS
 All networks are made up of basic hardware building blocks to
interconnect network nodes, such as Network Interface Cards
(NICs), Bridges, Hubs, Switches, and Routers.
 Components required for interconnecting the network nodes:
 NETWORK INTERFACE CARD
 REPEATERS
 NETWORK HUB
 NETWORK BRIDGE
 NETWORK SWITCH
 ROUTER
 GATEWAY
 MODEM
 NETWORK INTERFACE CARD
 A network card, network adapter or NIC is a piece of computer
hardware designed to allow computers to communicate over a
computer network.
 It provides physical access to a networking medium and often
provides a low-level addressing system through the use of MAC
(Media Access Control) addresses.
 Network Interfaces convert a node’s data into electronic signals for
transmission over a metal wire or into signals appropriate for
optical cable for wireless radio transmission or for any other mode
of communication.
REPEATER
 A repeater is an electronic device that receives a signal
and retransmits it at a higher power level to the other
side of an obstruction, so that the signal can cover
longer distances without degradation.
 It is also called data regenerator.
 In most twisted pair Ethernet configurations, repeaters
are required for cable runs longer than 100 meters.
Hub
 A Hub is the simplest of the
networking devices.
 A hub takes an input
(frame’s bits) and
retransmits the input on the
hub’s outgoing ports.
 It basically broadcasts
(transmission to all
connected devices) the data
it receives to all devices
connected to its ports.
 This leads to inefficiencies
and wastage.
 Hubs are used on small
networks where data
transmission is not very
high.
Switch
 Forwards a frame
(sequence of bits) it
received directly out of the
port associated with the
destination address.
 It can be used to reduce
unnecessary traffic and
isolate sections of
networks.
 A switch stores hardware
physical address for each
device connected to its
ports.
 Switch directly connect two
communicating devices.
NETWORK BRIDGE
 A bridge is a networking device that uses the MAC address to forward data
and it interconnects two LANs.
 Once the bridge associates a port and an address, it will send traffic for that
address only to that port.
 Bridges do send broadcasts to all ports except the one on which the
broadcast was received.
 Networks running the same type of protocol(eg.Ethernet) is called a
transparent bridge.
 The bridge that interconnects two LANs operating two different protocols
(eg.Ethernet, token ring) is called a translation bridge.
 The use of wireless bridges in LANs is a popular choice for
interconnecting the LANs due to its less cost.
Router
 A router is a system that
applies intelligence to the
movement of network data.
 Usually, routers use the IP
address to forward packets,
which allows the network to
go across different protocols.
 The most common home
use for routers is to share a
broadband internet
connection.
 As the router has a public IP
address which is shared with
the network, when data
comes through the router, it
is forwarded to the correct
computer.
Gateway
It is used to
describe the
networking
device that
enables hosts in
a LAN to connect
to network and
hosts outside the
LAN.
 It provides a
variety of
translating or
Modem
 Modem is a contraction of
the compound term
modulator-demodulator.
 It is an electronic device
used to convert digital
signals generated by
computers and terminal
devices into analog signals
for transmission over
telephone network.
 At the receiving end, a
similar device accepts the
transmitted signals,
reconverts them to digital
signals and delivers them
to the connected device.
 Port
The
physical
input/outp
ut
interfaces
on a
networkin
g
device/har
dware.
Network Transmission
Medium
The physical
thing(s) over or
through which
network signals are
carried.
The term link is
often used to refer
to the shared
medium and the set
of rules governing
transmissions on
that medium.
TRANSFORMATION MEDIUM
 Wired Transmission Media
 Guided media, are those that
provide a conduit from one
device to another.
 Eg: twisted-pair cable, coaxial
cable, and fiber-optic cable.
 A signal traveling along any of
these media is directed and
contained by the physical limits
of the medium.
 Twisted-pair and coaxial cable
use metallic (copper)
conductors that accept and
transport signals in the form of
electric current.
 Optical fiber is a cable that
accepts and transports signals
in the form of light.
Twisted Pair Cable

 A twisted pair consists of two conductors (normally copper),

each with its own plastic insulation, twisted together.

 One of the wires is used to carry signals to the receiver, and the

other is used only as a ground reference.

 Most commonly used and is cheaper than others.

 lightweight, can be installed easily.

 Twisted Pair is of two types :

◦ Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP)

◦ Shielded Twisted Pair (STP)

 STP Vs UTP
 STP cable has a metal foil or
braided mesh-covering that
encases each pair of insulated
conductors while
 UTP does not.
 metal casing improves the
quality of cable by preventing
the penetration of noise or
crosstalk, but it is bulkier and
more expensive
Twisted Pair Connector
 Themost common UTP
connector is RJ45 (RJ
stands for registered jack

 The RJ45 is a keyed

connector, meaning the
connector can be inserted
in only one way.
Twisted Pair
Applications
 Twisted-pair cables are used in telephone lines to provide voice and
data channels.
 The local loop-the line that connects subscribers to the central
telephone office-commonly consists of unshielded twisted-pair
cables.
 The DSL lines that are used by the telephone companies to provide
high-data-rate connections also use the high-bandwidth capability of
unshielded twisted-pair cables.
 Local-area networks, such as l0Base-T and l00Base-T, also use
twisted-pair cables.
 Coaxial Cable
 Coaxial cable (or coax) carries
signals of higher frequency ranges
than those in twisted-pair cable.
 coax has a central core conductor of
solid or stranded wire (usually
copper) enclosed in an insulating
sheath, which is, in turn, encased in
an outer conductor of metal foil,
braid, or a combination of the two.
 The outer metallic wrapping serves
both as a shield against noise.
 This outer conductor is also enclosed
in an insulating sheath, and the whole
cable is protected by a plastic cover
 Types
◦ Baseband
◦ Broadband
 Baseband Vs Broadband
 Baseband
◦ This is a 50 ohm (Ω) coaxial
cable which is used for digital
transmission.
◦ It is mostly used for LAN’s.
Baseband transmits a single
signal at a time with very high
speed.
 Broadband
◦ This uses analog transmission
on standard cable television
cabling. It transmits several
simultaneous signal using
different frequencies.
◦ It covers large area when
compared with baseband coaxial
cable.
Coaxial Cable Connector
 The most common type of
connector used today is the
Bayone-Neill-Concelman
(BNC), connector.
 Three popular types of
connectors:
◦ BNC connector,
◦ BNC T connector,
◦ BNC terminator.
 The BNC connector is used
to connect the end of the
cable to a device, such as a
TV set.
 The BNC T connector is
used in Ethernet networks
to branch out to a
Coaxial Cable
 Applications
 In the traditional cable TV network, the entire network used coaxial cable.

 hybrid networks use coaxial cable only at the network boundaries, near the

consumer premises.

 Another common application of coaxial cable is in traditional Ethernet LANs.

Because of its high bandwidth, and consequently high data rate, coaxial cable

was chosen for digital transmission in early Ethernet LANs.

 The 10Base-2, or Thin Ethernet, uses RG-58 coaxial cable with BNC

connectors to transmit data at 10 Mbps with a range of 185 m.

 The 10Base5, or Thick Ethernet, uses RG-11 (thick coaxial cable) to transmit

10 Mbps with a range of 500 m. Thick Ethernet has specialized connectors

 Fiber-Optic Cable
 A fiber-optic cable is made of
glass or plastic and transmits
signals in the form of light.
 Optical fibers use reflection to
guide light through a channel.
 A glass or plastic core is
surrounded by a cladding of
less dense glass or plastic.
 The difference in density of
the two materials must be such
that a beam of light moving
through the core is reflected
off the cladding instead of
being refracted into it.
 Fiber-Optic Cable
Connector
Common three types:
◦ The subscriber channel
(SC) connector is used for
cable TV. It uses a
push/pull locking system.
◦ The straight-tip (ST)
connector is used for
connecting cable to
networking devices. It uses
a bayonet locking system
and is more reliable than
SC.
◦ MT-RJ is a connector that
is the same size as RJ45.
Fiber-Optic Cable
 Applications
 Fiber-optic cable is often found in backbone networks because its wide
bandwidth is cost-effective
 Some cable TV companies use a combination of optical fiber and
coaxial cable, thus creating a hybrid network. Optical fiber provides
the backbone structure while coaxial cable provides the connection to
the user premises.
 This is a cost-effective configuration since the narrow bandwidth
requirement at the user end does not justify the use of optical fiber.
 Local-area networks such as 100Base-FX network (Fast Ethernet) and
1000Base-X also use fiber-optic cable.
 Wireless Transmission
Media
 Unguided media transport
electromagnetic waves
without using a physical
conductor.
 Signals are normally
broadcast through free
space and thus are available
to anyone who has a device
capable of receiving them.
 Unguided signals can travel
from the source to
destination in several ways:
◦ Ground propagation,
◦ sky propagation,
◦ line-of-sight
propagation,
 Wireless Transmission Media
 In ground propagation, radio
waves travel through the
lowest portion of the
atmosphere, hugging the
earth.
 In sky propagation, higher-
frequency radio waves
radiate upward into the
ionosphere (the layer of
atmosphere where particles
exist as ions) where they are
reflected back to earth.
 In line-or-sight propagation,
very high-frequency signals
are transmitted in straight
lines directly from antenna
to antenna
Radio Waves
 Electromagnetic waves
ranging in frequencies
between 3 kHz and 1 GHz
are normally called radio
waves.
 Radio waves, particularly
those waves that propagate
in the sky mode
 radio waves a good
candidate for long-distance
broadcasting.
 Radio waves use
omnidirectional antennas
that send out signals in all
directions.
 Applications:
◦ multicasting-in which there is
one sender but many receivers.
 AM and FM radio, television,
cordless phones, and paging
 Microwaves
 Electromagnetic waves having
frequencies between 1 and 300
GHz are called microwaves.
 Microwaves are unidirectional.
 Microwave propagation is
line-of-sight.
 Applications:

◦ Unicast - one-to-one
communication is needed
between the sender and the
receiver.
◦ cellular phones, satellite
networks and wireless
LANs
Infrared

 Infrared waves, with

frequencies from 300 GHz
to 400 THz (wavelengths
from 1 mm to 770 nm).
 used for short-range
communication.
 line-of-sight propagation.
 Applications:

◦ used to transmit digital

data with a very high data
rate.