Introduction to Computer

Networks and Telecommunications

Carnegie Mellon University

The Practical Software Engineering Series

LAN Technologies And Network Topologies

Jun 2008 © 2008, Shawn A. Butler, Ph.D. 1

Objectives

† Understand how computers send packets over shared

networks

† Be able to identify commonly used network topologies

† Understand Medium Access Control protocols – A sub layer

of the data link layer

Jun 2008 © 2008, Shawn A. Butler, Ph.D. 2

 Point-to-Point Networks

Direct connections
A C
(N2 – N)/ 2

Jun 2008 © 2008, Shawn A. Butler, Ph.D. 3

Advantages of Point-to-Point

† Appropriate hardware can be installed for each connection

installed

† Exclusive access means that the protocols could be

specialized for optimization

† Security and privacy are easily enforced

Jun 2008 © 2008, Shawn A. Butler, Ph.D. 4

 Disadvantages of Point-to-Point

† A new connection for each computer connected

† Expense is high, although many connections follow a similar

path

† Potentially wasted bandwidth if computers have idle time

between transmission

Networks that allow multiple computers to share a communication

medium are used for local communication. Point-to-point connections
are used for long-distance networks and a few other applications.

Jun 2008 © 2008, Shawn A. Butler, Ph.D. 5

Why not use shared networks long distance?

† Local computers coordinate use of the network

† Geographical separation introduces long delays in the

network causing coordination problems

† High bandwidth over long distances is more expensive than

shorter distances

Jun 2008 © 2008, Shawn A. Butler, Ph.D. 6

 Locality of Reference Patterns

† Communication among computers is not random

† Temporal locality - If a pair of computers communicates

once, the pair is likely to communicate again in the near
future and periodically

† Physicality of Reference - A computer tends to communicate

most often with other computers that are nearby

Jun 2008 © 2008, Shawn A. Butler, Ph.D. 7

Topologies

These are logical layouts–

not physical

Jun 2008 © 2008, Shawn A. Butler, Ph.D. 8

 Advantages and Disadvantages
† Star Topology –

„ More robust if a single cable is

damaged

„ Access coordination is more difficult

† Ring Topology

„ Easy to coordinate access

„ Less robust if a cable is cut

† Bus Topology

„ Fewer wires

„ Less robust if a cable is cut

Jun 2008 © 2008, Shawn A. Butler, Ph.D. 9

Ethernet

† Single coaxial cable

† Limit is 500 meters

† Minimum separation of 3 meters between each pair of connections

† Bandwidth is 10 Megabits/second (Fast Ethernet is 100Mb/sec)

† Bus topology – Computers take turns transmitting frames

Jun 2008 © 2008, Shawn A. Butler, Ph.D. 10

 Carrier Sense on Multi-Access Networks (CSMA)

† How does a computer know when it can transmit a frame?

† There isn’t any centralized controller

† All computers participate in CSMA

„ When there isn’t any electrical activity - no other computer is

sending a frame – the sender can transmit

„ If there is electrical activity, i.e. a carrier signal, then a

computer must wait

„ Checking for a carrier wave is called carrier sense

„ Using the presence of a signal to determine when to transmit

is called Carrier Sense with Multiple Access

Jun 2008 © 2008, Shawn A. Butler, Ph.D. 11

Collisions

† Two computers can still send at the same time

† The electrical signals will interfere with one another – this is

called collision

† Computers on an Ethernet must monitor for this

interference (Collision Detect (CD))

† If a sending computer detects a collision, it must stop

transmitting immediately

„ A computer must select a random delay time < d, then re-

transmit

Jun 2008 © 2008, Shawn A. Butler, Ph.D. 12

 How does a computer recover from the collisions?

† Maximum delay time before a computer is required to re-

transmit is D

† Each computer selects a random delay d, d < D

† Each computer will wait until their selected time to re-

transmit

† What happens if two computers select the same d?

† Each computer will select another d1, 0 < d1 < 2d

† Another collision, then select d2, 0 < d2 < 4d (Binary

exponential back off)

Jun 2008 © 2008, Shawn A. Butler, Ph.D. 13

Token Ring

† Computers use a short message called a token

† One token exists on the network at any time

† A computer waits for the token before transmitting 1 frame

† The sending computer then passes the token to the next

computer

Jun 2008 © 2008, Shawn A. Butler, Ph.D. 14

 FDDI

† Fiber Distributed Data Interconnect is a 100 million

bits/second token ring network

† Uses redundancy to overcome failure

† The counter rotating data flows enable stations to be

disconnected

Jun 2008 © 2008, Shawn A. Butler, Ph.D. 15

Star Network

† ATM Network

„ Cell relay, packet switching network

† Cells are fixed length (53 bytes)

„ Connection-oriented

„ Very high speed data rates (100 Mbps) which often use optical
fibers

Jun 2008 © 2008, Shawn A. Butler, Ph.D. 16

 Wireless Contention

† CSMA/CD does not work in wireless

„ A receiver within range of two active transmitters will receive

garbled messages when both are transmitting simultaneously

„ Range limitation of wireless network prevents all stations from

hearing whether the receiving station is busy

„ Not all stations are within range of each other

„ Therefore, a station can not always sense that the intended

receiver is already receiving a signal

Jun 2008 © 2008, Shawn A. Butler, Ph.D. 17

Wireless Contention Example

A D

B C
Radio range

Jun 2008 © 2008, Shawn A. Butler, Ph.D. 18

 Wireless Contention Example (Hidden Station)

A D

C
Radio range

C can’t hear that A is transmitting

Jun 2008 © 2008, Shawn A. Butler, Ph.D. 19

Wireless Contention Example (Exposed Station)

X
C
Radio range

Jun 2008 © 2008, Shawn A. Butler, Ph.D. 20

 Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance

Range of A’s transmitter

Range of B’s transmitter

RTS
C A B D

Jun 2008 © 2008, Shawn A. Butler, Ph.D. 21

B Sends and CTS to A

Range of A’s transmitter

Range of B’s transmitter

CTS
C A B D

Jun 2008 © 2008, Shawn A. Butler, Ph.D. 22

 CSMA Problems with Wireless

† CSMA/CD does not work in

wireless
RTS
C A B D
„ C is within range of A, but not B
E
„ C hears the RTS from A, but not
the CTS from B, it is free to
transmit to another station

„ D and E can hear the CTS, so

they must remain silent
CTS
C A B D
„ E can also hear the RTS
E

Jun 2008 © 2008, Shawn A. Butler, Ph.D. 23

Summary

† Point to point connections works well in some

circumstances, but doesn’t scale well
† Three types of network topologies:
„ Star
„ Ring
„ Bus
† Carrier Sense with Multiple Access lets multiple computers
on a LAN share the same physical medium with minimum
interference
† Works poorly for Wireless because of the:
„ Hidden Node problem
„ Exposed Station Problem

Jun 2008 © 2008, Shawn A. Butler, Ph.D. 24