 Network edge: hosts, access

network, physical media

A closer look at Internet structure
mobile network

Network edge: national or global ISP

 hosts: clients and servers

 servers often in data centers
local or
regional ISP

home network content

provider
network datacenter
network

enterprise
network
A closer look at Internet structure
mobile network

Network edge: national or global ISP

 hosts: clients and servers

 servers often in data centers
local or
Access networks, physical media: regional ISP

 wired, wireless communication links home network content

provider
network datacenter
network

enterprise
network
A closer look at Internet structure
mobile network

Network edge: national or global ISP

 hosts: clients and servers

 servers often in data centers
local or
Access networks, physical media: regional ISP

 wired, wireless communication links home network content

provider
network datacenter

Network core:
network

 interconnected routers
 network of networks enterprise
network
Access networks and physical media
Q: How to connect end systems mobile network

to edge router?
national or global ISP

 residential access nets

 institutional access networks (school,
company)
local or
 mobile access networks (WiFi, 4G/5G) regional ISP

home network content

provider
network datacenter
network

enterprise
network
Access networks: cable-based access
cable headend

cable splitter
modem

C
O
V V V V V V N
I I I I I I D D T
D D D D D D A A R
E E E E E E T T O
O O O O O O A A L

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Channels

frequency division multiplexing (FDM): different channels transmitted in

different frequency bands
Access networks: cable-based access
cable headend

cable splitter cable modem

modem CMTS termination system
data, TV transmitted at different
frequencies over shared cable ISP
distribution network

 HFC: hybrid fiber coax

• asymmetric: up to 40 Mbps – 1.2 Gbps downstream transmission rate, 30-100 Mbps
upstream transmission rate
 network of cable, fiber attaches homes to ISP router
• homes share access network to cable headend
Access networks: digital subscriber line (DSL)

central office telephone

network

DSL splitter
modem DSLAM

voice, data transmitted ISP

at different frequencies over DSL access
dedicated line to central office multiplexer

 use existing telephone line to central office DSLAM

• data over DSL phone line goes to Internet
• voice over DSL phone line goes to telephone net
 24-52 Mbps dedicated downstream transmission rate
 3.5-16 Mbps dedicated upstream transmission rate
Access networks: home networks
Wireless and wired
devices

to/from headend or
central office
often combined
in single box

cable or DSL modem

WiFi wireless access router, firewall, NAT

point (54, 450 Mbps)
wired Ethernet (1 Gbps)
Wireless access networks
Shared wireless access network connects end system to router
 via base station aka “access point”

Wireless local area networks Wide-area cellular access networks

(WLANs)  provided by mobile, cellular network
 typically within or around operator (10’s km)
building (~100 ft)  10’s Mbps
 802.11b/g/n (WiFi): 11, 54, 450  4G/5G cellular networks
Mbps transmission rate

to Internet
to Internet
Access networks: enterprise networks

Enterprise link to
ISP (Internet)
institutional router
Ethernet institutional mail,
switch web servers

 companies, universities, etc.

 mix of wired, wireless link technologies, connecting a mix of switches
and routers (we’ll cover differences shortly)
 Ethernet: wired access at 100Mbps, 1Gbps, 10Gbps
 WiFi: wireless access points at 11, 54, 450 Mbps
 Access networks: data center networks
mobile network
 high-bandwidth links (10s to 100s Gbps) national or global ISP
connect hundreds to thousands of
servers together, and to Internet

local or
regional ISP

home network content

provider
network datacenter
network

Courtesy: Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing enterprise

Center (mghpcc.org) network
Host: sends packets of data
host sending function:
 takes application message
 breaks into smaller chunks, known two packets,
as packets, of length L bits L bits each
 transmits packet into access
network at transmission rate R 2 1

• link transmission rate, aka link host

capacity, aka link bandwidth R: link transmission rate

packet time needed to L (bits)

transmission = transmit L-bit =
delay packet into link R (bits/sec)
Links: physical media
 bit: propagates between Twisted pair (TP)
transmitter/receiver pairs  two insulated copper wires
 physical link: what lies • Category 5: 100 Mbps, 1 Gbps Ethernet
between transmitter & • Category 6: 10Gbps Ethernet
receiver
 guided media:
• signals propagate in solid
media: copper, fiber, coax
 unguided media:
• signals propagate freely,
e.g., radio
Links: physical media
Coaxial cable: Fiber optic cable:
 two concentric copper conductors  glass fiber carrying light pulses, each
pulse a bit
 bidirectional  high-speed operation:
 broadband: • high-speed point-to-point
• multiple frequency channels on cable transmission (10’s-100’s Gbps)
• 100’s Mbps per channel  low error rate:
• repeaters spaced far apart
• immune to electromagnetic noise
Links: physical media
Wireless radio Radio link types:
 signal carried in various  Wireless LAN (WiFi)
“bands” in electromagnetic • 10-100’s Mbps; 10’s of meters
spectrum  wide-area (e.g., 4G/5G cellular)
 no physical “wire” • 10’s Mbps (4G) over ~10 Km
 broadcast, “half-duplex” (sender  Bluetooth: cable replacement
to receiver) • short distances, limited rates
 propagation environment  terrestrial microwave
effects: • point-to-point; 45 Mbps channels
• reflection  satellite
• obstruction by objects • up to < 100 Mbps (Starlink) downlink
• Interference/noise • 270 msec end-end delay (geostationary)