Computer

networks
Classes of transmission media
 Computer Network
• Any system of interconnected computers, computer
peripheral equipments used for transmit and receive
of information.
 Applications of Networks
• Resource Sharing
– Hardware (computing resources, disks, printers)
– Software (application software)

• Information Sharing
– Easy accessibility from anywhere (files, databases)
– Search Capability (WWW)

• Communication
– Email
– Message broadcasting
Components
of a Computer
Network
 Components of a Network

A computer network typically includes four things:

1. Network interface cards (NICs)

2. Networking Software
3. Networking Media
4. Networking Devices
 1) Network interface cards (NICs):
• Plugs into the back of your computers
and lets them send and receive
messages from other computers

• The MAC address is a 48 bit long

unique value associated with a
network adapter.

• MAC addresses are also known as

hardware addresses or physical
addresses.
 IP Address
• Every machine on the Internet has a unique identifying
number, called an IP Address.

• A typical IP address looks like this:

216.27.61.137

• Computers communicate in binary form. Look at the

same IP address in binary:

11011000.00011011.00111101.10001001
 2) Networking Software
TCP/IP
• The basic communication
language or protocol of the
Internet.
• The TCP/IP model has four
layers.
• Each layer performs a certain
role or task.

• Each layer a packet of

information travels through
adds what is called a header.
 TCP/IP
Data Communication Example
E-mail message

Data Data

Segment Segment
Data
Header
Network Segment Packet
Data
Header Header
Frame Network Segment Frame Frame
Data (medium dependent)
Header Header Header Trailer
0111111010101100010101101010110001 Bits
 3) Networking Devices
All networks are made up of basic hardware
building blocks to interconnect network
nodes, such as:

• Hubs
• Switches
• Routers
Building a Networking using Hub

Hub
Building a Networking using Switch
Segmentation with Switching

Switches
 Building an Internetworking using
Router
• An Internetwork is a collection of individual networks,
connected by intermediate networking devices, that
function as a single large network.

• A router is needed to connect individual networks.

• Router maintains routing table to keep track of individual

networks.

Routers
 Networking Media
• Networking media can be defined simply as the means
by which signals (data) are sent from one computer to
another (either wired or wireless means).
 Networking Media
Physical communications Channels
• Twisted Pair
– uses copper wire, twisted together in pairs
to form a telephone wire.
– Maximum segment length of 100 meters

• Coaxial Cable/Co-ax
– uses one or more central wire conductors
surrounded by an insulator and encased in
metal sheathing.
 Networking Media
• thin coaxial cable is able to transport a signal up to
around 185 meters without line loss.

• thick coaxial cable is able to carry signals over long

distances: up to 500 meters without line loss

• Fiber-optic Cable
– A physical communications channel that uses light and
glass fibers.
– It is light-weight and tolerates data rates on the order
of 100Mbps up to 60km.
 Networking Media
Wireless Channels
Wireless channels transmit data through air or space
• Radio Waves
– RF frequency ranges from roughly 30 kilohertz to 100
gigahertz
– A radio wave is an electromagnetic wave propagated by an
antenna.
– All FM radio stations transmit in a band of frequencies
between 88 megahertz and 108 megahertz.

• Microwave
– Microwaves frequency ranges between 1 GH(109 Hz) to 1 TH
(1012 Hz).
 Networking Media
• They are the principal carriers of television, telephone, and
data transmissions between stations on Earth and between the
Earth and satellites.

• Radar beams are short pulses of microwaves used to locate

ships and planes etc.

• Infrared
– Transmits data and information by means of an infrared
light. The signal cannot travel through objects.
– commonly used in remote control of TVs, VCRs and CD
players