DATA TRANSMISSION

Packets
Before a file is sent across the internet it must be broken down and split into a series of packets
Structure: Header, payload, trailer

Header: Contains info that allows the packet to reach its destination - key pieces of info:
- IP address of recipient
- IP address of sender
- Number of packets being sent
- Packet sequence number
Payload: Section of the packet that holds the actual data from the file segment that is being
transmitted
Trailer: Footer identifies end of packet

Packet Switching: Breakdown of large files into smaller pieces

- Data broken down into packets
- Each packet is sent to recipient, and they all take different routes
- A router controls the route a packet takes
- Packets may arrive out of order
- When receiving all the packets the recipient has to reorder them
Serial transmission
● Bits sent on signal at a time over a single wire - very high data transfer rates possible

Advantages Disadvantages

Cost effective b/c less wires Slower

Has lower interference

Appropriate for long distance Throughput relies on bit rate

communication

More reliable - simpler - no skew

Parallel transmission
● Single bits are sent simultaneously over a number of parallel wires

Advantages Disadvantages

Higher speed Costly - more wires

Better for short distance communication For longer ranges wire has to be thicker

Set of bits transferred simultaneously Multiple communication channels required

Simplex transmission
● Data travels in one direction only
● Sender can use full capacity of medium to transfer data
● More data transferred at a time
● One way connection - no inter communication btw devices
● E.g. mouse & keyboard
Half-Duplex Transmission
● Data can travel in both directions along a single cable but not simultaneously
● Both devices can send and receive data
● When one device is sending other must wait
● E.g. walkie talkies, CB radios
Full Duplex Transmission
● Data travels in both directions simultaneously using 2 cables
● Both parties can send and receive at the same time
● Capacity divided in 2
● E.g. telephone, cellphone networks

USB
● Universal Serial Bus
● Type of cable and connector commonly used for half-duplex or full-duplex serial data
transmission between a computer and attached devices.
● A USB cable consists of a shielded casing containing four wires.
● Two wires are used for power and earth, and the other two wires are used for data
transmission.
● Typical cables can reach up to 5 metres.
● Automatic Detection: When a USB is plugged in it is automatically detected by the
computer
● Automatic Recognition and Setup: When plugged in computer will automatically
determine what type of device it is and load correct driver software

Advantages Disadvantages

Industry standard - universally accepted - Cable length limited to 5m

large amount of available support - Still
supports older devices

Automatically detected by computer Extra devices e.g. hubs required to extend

cables

Drivers automatically searched for and loaded Transmission rate is less than 500 mb/sec

Can’t be connected incorrectly - only one right

way to fit them in

External power source not needed - supplies 5V

Error Checking

Parity Checking
● Used to check wether data has been changed or corrupted following transmission from
one device to another
● A byte of data is allocated a parity bit
● Even parity - even no. of 1 bits
● Odd parity - odd no. of 1 bits
● If different parity after transmission then error detected

Checksum
● Data sent in blocks and an additional value sent at the end of the block
● Value is calculated from the data and sent with the data - no of bytes in piece of data
● Receiving computer recalculates sum of data received and compares with checksum
received e.g. credit cards

Check Digits
● An additional digit that is added to then end of a string of numbers
● The check digit is calculated by processing each number in the string through an
algorithm, the result is then simply added to the end
● Multiplication, Add all the numbers, find the remainder when divided by 10, subtract
result from 10

Automatic Repeat Request

● It uses acknowledgements - message sent by the receiver indicating that data has been
received correctly
● It uses timeouts
● Request is sent requiring acknowledgement
● If no response within certain timeout then data is resent

Echo Check
1) The sender will send the data to the recipient
2) The data received by the recipient is automatically sent back to the sender
3) The sender will compare the data that they sent with the data that was returned to them
4) If the two sets of data do not match than an error in transmission has been identified.
● Not reliable - If an error is detected, the sender will not know if the error occurred during
the original transmission or if it occurred during the transmission of the returned copy.

Encryption

● Encryption is the conversion of data (plain text) into a form that is unreadable
(ciphertext)
● Encryption allows us to protect data during transmission and make it meaningless if
hacked from a server.
 ● The process of encryption involves secret encryption/decryption keys and an encryption
algorithm.
● The longer the key, the harder it is to figure out, e.g. a 256 bit key is more secure than a
128 bit key.

Symmetric Encryption
● Symmetric encryption uses the same secret key to encrypt and decrypt the data.
● Plain text is the name of data before it is encrypted
● Ciphertext is name for data after encrypted
● However:
● Using the same key to encrypt and decrypt creates a problem known as the key
distribution problem.
● In order to decrypt your ciphertext data, the receiver will need a copy of your secret key.
● Sending the secret key over the internet causes a serious security risk since a hacker
could intercept the key and decrypt the ciphertext data too
● Symmetric encryption keys r shorter than asymmetric encryption keys so data is faster to
encrypt/decrypt
● Shorter key also = smaller file size
Asymmetric Encryption
● One key used to encrypt a message and another key is used to decrypt it

Public key: Provided by the recipient - It can be given to anyone who wishes to send encrypted
data to the recipient - Safe to share as all it can do is encrypt data
Private key: Remains private on the computer, never sent or shared - Only this key can decrypt
the data encrypted using the public key

Example process:
● A symmetric key is encrypted by the sending computer using the public key sent by the
receiving computer (usually via SSL certificate)
● The encrypted symmetric key is sent to the receiving computer (unreadable if
intercepted)
● Using the stored private key, the receiving computer decrypts the symmetric key
● Now, both computers have the same symmetric key ready for secure encrypted data
transmission

Why use hashed encryption key

● A hashing algorithm is a non reversible mathematical algorithm that converts a given
input into an output
● Once output has been generated it is unable to be converted back to original input
● This means hacker has to first unhash the key if they get it since many input values or
keys can produce the same hash output
● Since they are non reversible this is extremely difficult