SECTION 62 Network Fundamentals ETE smaller WANS) connect. The LANs are called embedded LANs because they connect to the backbone WAN before you go on... Adfh 414 What ae the primary business reasons for using networks? 2, What isthe diference between LANs and WANS? 3, Describe an enterprise network. Network Fundamentals 6.2 In this section, you will learn the basics of how networks actually operate, You will then dis. tinguish between analog and digital signals and understand how modems enable computer networks to “translate” among ther. You follow by studying wireline communications media, which enable computers in a network to transmit and receive data. You conclude this section by looking at network protocols and types of network processing Analog and Digital Signals Networks transmit information with two basie ypes of signals, analog and digital. Analog sig- nals are continous waves that transmit information by altering the characteristics of the waves Analog signals have two parameters, amplitude and frequency. For example, all sounds— including the human voiee—are analog, traveling to human cars in the form of waves. The higher the waves (or amplitude), the louder the sound; the more closely packed the waves, the higher the frequency or pitch. In contrast, digital signals are discrete pulses that are either ‘on or off, representing a series of bits (0s and Is). This quality allows digital signals to convey information ina binary form that can be interpreted by computers, Figure 6.3 illustrates both analog and digital signals The function of a modem is to convert digital signals to analog signals—a process called modulation—and analog signal to digital signals—a process called demodulation. (The name FIGURE 6.3 Analog and igi signals ae Fenayilnage Source Unio Source Unio Analog Signal (Wave Signals) ms 7 Digital Signal (Sveam of Bits) a Mesia Bakery (© ZoonarDiny RuhitAge Foosiek Amerie, neCHAPTER 6 Telecommunications and Networking modem is a contraction of mochilator demodulator) Modems are used in pairs. The modem atthe sending end converts a computer's digital information into analog signals for tansmis- sion over analog ines, such as telephone lines. At the receiving end, anather modem converts the analog signal back into digital signals for the receiving computer. There are three types of modems: dialup modems, cable modems, and DSL modems The US. public telephone system was originally designed as an analog network to carry voice signals or sounds in an analog wave format. In order for this type of circuit to cany digi tal information, that information must be converted into an analog wave pattern by a dialup 1odem. Dialup modems have transmission speeds of upto 36 kilobytes per second (Kbps) and are almost extinet in most parts ofthe developed world Cable modems are modems that operate over coaxial cable—for example, cable TV. They offer broadband access to the Intemet or comporate intranets. Cable modem speeds vary widely. Most providers offer bandwidth between land 6 million bits per second (Mls) for dowloads {from the Internet to computer) and between 128 and 768 thousand bits per second (Khps) for uploads. Cable modem services share bandwidth among subscribers in a locality. That is, the same cable line connects to many householis. Therefore, when lage numbers of neighbors access the Internet atthe same time, cable speeds can decrease significantly during those times DSL (discussed later in this chapter) modems operate on the same lines as voice telephones and dialup modems. DSL, modems always maintain a connection, so an Internet connection isimmediately available Communications Media and Channels ‘Communicating data from one locaton to another requires some form of pathway or medi, A communications channel is such 2 pathway. Its comprised of two types of media: cable (twisted-pir wire, cable, or fberaptic cable) and broadeast (microwave, satellite, radio, or infrared) Cable media or wireline media use physical wires or cables to transmit data and informae tion. ‘Twisted pair wire and coaxial cables ate made of copper, and fiberoptic cable is made ‘of glass. The alternative is communication over broadcast media or wiseless media. The key to mobile communications in today’s rapidly moving society is data tansmisions over electeo- magnetic media—the “airwaves” In this section you will stud the three wireline channel ‘Table 6.1 summatizes the advantages and disadvantages of each ofthese channels. You will become familiar wih wireless media in Chapter 8 ‘Twisted-Pair Wire. Twisted-pair wire is the most prevalent form of communications wiring, its used for almost all business telephone wiring. As the name suggest, it consists of strands of copper wire twisted in pairs (see Figure 6.4) Twisted-pair wire is relatively inexpen- sive to purchase, widely available, and easy to work with. However, italso has some significant disadvantages, Specialy, its relatively slow for transriting data, itis subject to interference Table 6.1 Advantages and Disadvantages of Wireline Communications Channels Channel Advantages Disadvantages ‘Twisted-pair wire Inexpensive. Slow (low bandwidth). Widely available. ‘Subject to interference. Easy to work with, Easily tapped (low security). Coaxial cable Higher bandwiath Relatively expensive and inflexible, ‘han twisted-pair Easily tapped (low-to-medium Less susceptible to securty). electromagnetic interference. Somewhat dificult to work with Fiber-ootic cable Very high bandwidth. Difficult to work with (ficult to Relatively inexpensive. splice). Diffcut to tap (good securty).SECTION 62 Network Fundamentats EE from other electrical sources, and it can be easily tapped by unin- tended receivers to gain unauthorized access to data Coaxial Cable, Coaxial eable (Figure 6.5) consists of insulated copper ste. Compared to twised-pais wie, itis much less suscep- {ible to electrical interference, and itean carry mich more data, For these reasons, itis commonly used to can high-speed data tafe as ‘well as television signals (thus the term eable TV). However, coaxial cable is more expensive and more dificult to work with than twisted- pair wit, Itis also somewhat inflesble Fiber Optics, beroptie eable (Figure 6.6} consists of thousands ‘of very thin filaments of glas fibers that transmit information via light pulkes generated by lasers. The fiber-optic eable is surrounded by cad ding, a coating that prevents the light from leaking out ofthe fiber. Fiberoptic cables ate significantly smaller and lighter than tradi- ©O8¥id Schlleppiistockphoto tional cable media. They also ean transmit far more data, and they FIGURE 6.4 Twisted pair wie. provide greater security from interference and tapping. As of mid-2013, optical iber had reached data transmision rates of more than 50 tllion bits (erabit) per second in laboratory ‘experiments. Fiber-optic cable is typically used as the backbone fora network, whereas twisted- pair wire and coaxial cable connect the backbone to individual devices on the network FIGURE 6.5 Two views of coasial cable (lPhaleStok/Scianoe Source SPotrnarenyesicephato Cross-section view How coaxial cable looks to us FIGURE 6.6 Two view of fiberoptic cable, S ‘hrs Koapton/Sconee Source (Cross-section view How fber-optic cable looks to us Philp HatsoniScience Source