Chapter Five

Introduction to Computer Networks

1
 Contents

• Basics of Data Communication

• Data Transmission
• Communication Mode
• Computer Networks and Its Application
• Types of Networks
• Network Models and Topologies
• Transmission Media
• The Internet and Web Concept

2
 Basics of Data communication

• The term telecommunication means communication at a distance.

• The word data refers to information presented in whatever form which
is agreed upon by the parties creating and using the data.
• Data communications are the exchange of data between two devices
via some form of transmission medium such as a wire cable.

3
 Basics of Data communication (Cont.)

The effectiveness of a data communication system depends on four

fundamental characteristics:
1. Delivery: The system must deliver data to the correct destination.

• Data must be received by the intended device or user and only by that
device or user.
2. Accuracy: The system must deliver the data accurately.

4
 Basics of Data communication (Cont.)

3. Timeliness: The system must deliver data in a timely manner.

• Data delivered late are useless.
4. Jitter: Jitter refers to the variation in the packet arrival time.
• It is an uneven delay in the delivery of audio or video packets.
Example: For example, let us assume that video packets are sent every 30
ms. If some of the packets arrive with 30-ms delay and others with 40-ms
delay, an uneven quality in the video is the result.

5
 Data Communication Component

• The following are the basic components for working a communication

system.

1. Transmitter (Sender),
2. Receiver,
3. Medium,
4. Message, and
5. Protocol 6
 Data Communication Component (Cont.)

1. Transmitter (Sender): is the device that sends the message.

• It can be a computer, workstation, telephone handset, video camera,
and so on.
2. Receiver: is the device that receives the message.
• It can be a computer, workstation, telephone handset, television, and
so on.
3. Medium: The transmission medium is the physical path by which a
message travels from sender to receiver.
• It can consist of twisted pair wire, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable, laser
or radio waves (terrestrial or satellite microwave) .
7
 Data Communication Component (Cont.)

4. Message: The message is the transmission (data) to be

communicated.
• It can consist of text, number, pictures, sound, or video or any
combination of these.
5. Protocol: A protocol is a set of rules that governs data
communication.
• It represents an agreement between the communicating devices.
• Without a protocol, two devices may be connected but not
communicating.
• Just as a person speaking German cannot be understood by a person
who speaks only Japanese. 8
 Communication mode

• Communication mode refers to “how the data transfer between two

devices”.
• Communication between two devices can be simplex, half-duplex, or
full-duplex.

9
 i. Simplex

• In this mode the communication is unidirectional, as on a one-way

street.
• Only one of the two devices on a link can transmit; the other can only
receive (see Figure 2 a).
• Keyboards and traditional monitors are examples of simplex devices.
• The keyboard can only introduce input; the monitor can only accept
output.
• The simplex mode can use the entire capacity of the channel to send
data in one direction.

10
 ii. Half-Duplex

• Each station can both transmit and receive, but not at the same time.
• When one device is sending, the other can only receive, and vice versa
(see Figure 2 b).
• The half-duplex mode is like a one-lane road with traffic allowed in
both directions. When cars are traveling in one direction, cars going
the other way must wait.
• The entire capacity of a channel is taken over by whichever of the two
devices transmitting at the time.
• Walkie-talkies and CB (citizens band) radios are both half-duplex
systems.
11
 iii. Full-Duplex

• Both stations can transmit and receive simultaneously.

• Is like a two-way street with traffic flowing in both directions at the
same time.
• Signals going in one direction share the capacity of the link with signals
going in the other direction.
• This sharing can occur in two ways:
i. Either the link must contain two physically separate transmission
paths, one for sending and the other for receiving;
ii. Or the capacity of the channel is divided between signals traveling
in both directions.
12
 iii. Full-Duplex (Cont.)

• One common example of full-duplex communication is the telephone

network.
• When two people are communicating by a telephone line, both can
talk and listen at the same time.

13
 Computer Networks

• A computer network is the interconnection of various computer

systems located at different places.
• In a computer network, two or more computers are linked together
with a medium and data communication devices for the purpose of
communicating data and sharing resources.
• The computer that provides resources to other computers on a
network is known as a server.
• In the network, the individual computers, which access shared
network resources, are known as nodes.

14
 Network Representations
Network diagrams, often called topology
diagrams, use symbols to represent devices
within the network.

Important terms to know include:

• Network Interface Card (NIC)
• Physical Port
• Interface

Note: Often, the terms port and interface are

used interchangeably

15
 Application of Computer Networks

Some application of computer networks

• File sharing
• Printer / peripheral sharing
• Internet connection sharing
• Multi-player games

16
 Types of Computer Networks
Network infrastructures vary greatly in
terms of:
• Size of the area covered
• Number of users connected
• Number and types of services available
• Area of responsibility
From an end user’s point of view there
are three basic types:
i. Local Area Network
ii. Wide Area Network
iii. Metropolitan Area Network
Two most common types of networks:
• Local Area Network (LAN) and Wide Area
Network (WAN).
17
 Types of Computer Networks (Cont.)
• A LAN is a network infrastructure that • A WAN is a network infrastructure that spans
spans a small geographical area. a wide geographical area.

LAN WAN
Interconnect end devices in a limited area. Interconnect LANs over wide geographical areas.
Administered by a single organization or individual. Typically administered by one or more service providers.
Provide high-speed bandwidth to internal devices. Typically provide slower speed links between LANs.
18
Types of Computer Networks
(Cont.)
MAN
◻ It is in between LAN & WAN technology that c
overs the entire city.
◻ It u s e s similar technology as LAN.
◻ It can be a single network such as cable TV
network, or a measure of connecting a
number of LAN’s on a large network s o
that resources can be shared LAN to LAN a
s well a s device to device.

19
Network Models

The OSI Model

◻ The OSI stands for Open System Interconnection,
which was developed in the 1980s.
◻ It is a conceptual model used for network
communication.
◻ It is not implemented entirely, but it is still
referenced today.
◻ The model consists of seven layers, and each
layer is connected to the other.

20
Network Models (Cont.)

◻ The data moves down the OSI model, and each layer adds additional information.
◻ The data moves down until it reaches the last layer of the OSI model.
◻ When the data is received at the last layer of the OSI model, then the data is
transmitted over the network.
◻ Once the data is reached on the other side, then the process will get reversed.

TCP/IP Model
◻ The TCP model stands for Transmission Control Protocol, whereas IP stands for
Internet Protocol.
◻ A number of protocols that make the internet possibly comes under the TCP/IP
model.
21
TCP/IP Model (Cont.)

◻ Nowadays, we do not hear the name of the TCP/IP model much, we generally hear the
name of the IPv4 or IPv6, but it is still valid.
◻ This model consists of 5 layers. Now, we will look at the diagrammatic representation of
the TCP/IP model.

22
Network Topologies (Cont.)

◻ Computers in a network have to be connected in some logical manner.

◻ The layout pattern of the interconnections between computers in a network is
called Network Topology.
◻ Some of the network topologies are mentioned below.

23
Bus Topology

◻ Uses one main cable to which all nodes are directly connected.
◻ The main cable acts as a backbone for the network.
◻ One of the computers in the network typically acts as the computer server.
◻ It is easy to connect a computer or peripheral device.
◻ The cable requirements are relatively small, resulting in lower costs.
◻ One of the disadvantages is that if the main cable breaks, the entire network goes
down.
◻ This type of network is also difficult to troubleshoot.
◻ For these reasons, this type of topology is not used for large networks.

24
Star Topology

◻ Each computer is connected to a central hub using a point-to-point connection.

◻ The central hub can be a computer server that manages the network.
◻ It is very popular because the startup costs are low.
◻ It is also easy to add new nodes to the network.
◻ The network is robust in the sense that if one connection between a computer and the
hub fails, the other connections remain intact.
◻ If the central hub fails, however, the entire network goes down.
◻ It also requires more cable than bus topology and is, therefore, more expensive.

25
Ring Topology

◻ The computers in the network are connected in a circular fashion, and the data
travels in one direction.
◻ This type of network is easy to install and manage.
◻ If there is a problem in the network, it is easy to pinpoint which connection is
malfunctioning.
◻ It is also good for handling high-volume traffic over long distances since every
computer can act as a booster of the signal.
◻ On the downside, adding computers to this type of network is more bulky, and if one
single computer fails, the entire network goes down.

26
Mesh Topology

◻ In a mesh topology, every node has a direct point-to-point connection to every

other node.
◻ Because all connections are direct, the network can handle very high-volume traffic.
◻ It is also robust because if one connection fails, the others remain intact.
◻ Security is also high since data travels along a dedicated connection.

27
Transmission Media

◻Two main categories:

 Guided ― wires, cables
 Unguided ― wireless transmission, e.g. radio, microwave, infrared,
sound, sonar
◻Guided media Includes:
 Twisted-Pair cables:
⮚ Unshielded Twisted-Pair (UTP) cables
⮚ Shielded Twisted-Pair (STP) cables
 Coaxial cables
 Fiber-optic cables

28
Transmission Media (Cont.)

Twisted-Pair Cables
◻If the pair of wires are not twisted, electromagnetic noises from, e.g., motors,
will affect the closer wire more than the further one, thereby causing errors

29
 Transmission Media (cont.)

Unshielded Twisted-Pair (UTP)

◻ Typically wrapped inside a plastic cover (for mechanical protection)
◻ A sample UTP cable with 5 unshielded twisted pairs of wires

Insulato Metal
r
30
 Transmission Media (Cont.)

Shielded Twisted-Pair (STP)

◻ STP cables are similar to UTP cables, except there is a metal foil or braided-metal-mesh
cover that covers each pair of insulated wires

31
Transmission Media (Cont.)
Coaxial Cables
◻ In general, coaxial cables, or coax, carry signals of higher freq (100KHz–500MHz) than
UTP cables.
◻ Outer metallic wrapping serves both as a shield against noise and as the second
conductor that completes the circuit.

32
 Transmission Media (Cont.)

Fiber-Optic Cables
◻ Light travels at 3x108 ms-1 in free space and is the fastest possible speed in the Universe
◻ Light slows down in denser media, e.g. glass
◻ Refraction occurs at interface, with light bending away
from the normal when it enters a less dense medium

◻ Beyond the critical angle ⇒ total internal reflection 33

 Transmission Media (Cont.)

Fiber-Optic Cables
◻ An optical fiber consists of a core (denser material) and a cladding (less dense
material)
◻ Simplest one is a multimode step-index optical fiber
◻ Multimode = multiple paths, whereas step-index = refractive index follows a
step-function profile (i.e. an abrupt change of refractive index between the core
and the cladding)
◻ Light bounces back and forth along the core
◻ Common light sources: LEDs and lasers

34
 Transmission Media (Cont.)

Unbounded/Unguided Transmission Media

• Unguided or wireless media sends the data through the air (or water), which is
available to anyone who has a device capable of receiving them.

• Types of unguided/ unbounded media are

◻ Radio Transmission
◻ Microwave Transmission

35
 The Internet

The internet is a worldwide collection of

interconnected LANs and WANs.
• LANs are connected to each other using
WANs.
• WANs may use copper wires, fiber optic
cables, and wireless transmissions.
• The internet is not owned by any
individual or group.

36
The Internet-Based Service
Some of the basic services available to Internet users are −
• Email − a fast, easy, and inexpensive way to communicate with other Internet
users around the world.
• Telnet − allows a user to log into a remote computer as though it were a local
system.
• FTP − allows a user to transfer virtually every kind of file that can be stored on
a computer from one Internet-connected computer to another.
• World Wide Web (WWW) − A hypertext interface to Internet information
resources.
37
Limitation of Internet

• Theft of Personal information

• Negative effects on family communication
• Internet addiction
• Children using the Internet
• Virus threat
• Spamming

38
The Web Concept
• Each page available on the website is called a web page.
• The first page of any website is called the home page for that site.
What is WWW?
• WWW stands for World Wide Web.
• A technical definition of the World Wide Web is − All the resources and users
on the Internet that are using the Hypertext Transfer Protocol HTTP.
• The World Wide Web is a way of exchanging information between computers
on the Internet, tying them together into a vast collection of interactive
multimedia resources.
39
The Web Concept (Cont.)
What is HTTP?
• HTTP stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol.
• This is the protocol being used to transfer hypertext documents that make the
World Wide Web possible.
• A standard web address such as Yahoo.com is called a URL and the prefix
HTTP indicates its protocol.
What is a URL?
• URL stands for Uniform Resource Locator.
• Used to specify addresses on the World Wide Web.
• A URL is the fundamental network identification for any resource connected to
the web.

40
The Web Concept (Cont.)
A URL will have the following format

• The protocol specifies how information is transferred from a link.

• The protocol used for web resources is HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP)
• Other protocols compatible with most web browsers include FTP, telnet,
newsgroups, and Gopher.
• The protocol is followed by a colon, two slashes, and then the domain name.
• The domain name is the computer on which the resource is located.
• Links to particular files or subdirectories may be further specified after the
domain name.
• The directory names are separated by single forward slashes.

41
The Web Concept (Cont.)
What is a Web Server?
• Every Website sits on a computer known as a Web Server.
• This server is always connected to the Internet.
• Every Web server that is connected to the Internet is given a unique address
made up of a series of four numbers between 0 and 256 separated by
periods (IP address).
• For example, 68.178.157.132 or 68.122.35.127.
What is a Web Browser?
• Web Browsers are software installed on your PC.
• To access the Web you need web browsers, such as Chrome, Microsoft
Internet Explorer, or Mozilla Firefox.

42
The Web Concept (Cont.)
What is SMTP Server?
• SMTP stands for Simple Mail Transfer Protocol Server.
• This server takes care of delivering emails from one server to another
server.
• When you send an email to an email address, it is delivered to its recipient
by an SMTP Server.
What is ISP?
• ISP stands for Internet Service Provider.
• They are the companies who provide service in terms of internet connection
to connect to the internet.
• You will buy space on a Web Server from any Internet Service Provider.
• This space will be used to host your Website.

43