Chapter 1

Introduction
By Lec. Alaa baban

1.1 Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.
 1-1 DATA COMMUNICATIONS
The term telecommunication means communication at a
distance. The word data refers to information presented
in whatever form 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.
Topics discussed in this section:
Components
Data Representation
Data Flow

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 Figure 1.1 Five components of data communication

Message :The information(data) to be communicated, such as text, number, audio, video

Sender: The device that sends the data message.
Receiver: The device that receives the data message.
Transmission Medium: The physical path by which a message travels from sender and
receiver ex: twisted pair wire ,fiber –optic cable…
Protocol: A set of rule that govern data communication

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 Communication can be
Figure 1.2 Data flow (simplex, half-duplex, and full-duplex)

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 1-2 NETWORKS

A network is a set of devices (often referred to as nodes)

connected by communication links.
A node can be a computer, printer, or any other device
capable of sending and/or receiving data generated by
other nodes on the network.

Topics discussed in this section:

Network Criteria
Physical Structures
Network Models
Categories of Networks
Interconnection of Networks: Internetwork

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Delay , Response Time Time it takes a link to  Viruses
and
recover Failure Un Authorized Access
Throughput
actual data received bit/sec

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 Figure 1.3 Types of connections: point-to-point and multipoint

One to one One to many

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1.8
 Local Area Network

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 Local Area Networks
LAN
1- Small scope
2-Typically single building can be up to several
kilometers long
3-A LAN can be as simple as two PCs and a printer in
someone’s home office.
4-Typically High speed and cheaper.
■ Most common are switched LANs and wireless LANs:

Ethernet:
IEEE 802.3: Bus based broadcast network with
decentralized control at 10 or 100 Mbps.
■ WiFi (802.11)

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 Figure 1.4 Categories of
topology

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 Figure 1.5 A fully connected mesh topology (five devices)

More cost ,more cable , more secure (direct connection)

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 Figure 1.6 A star topology connecting four stations

Computer are connected to center hub ,single point failure

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 Figure 1.7 A bus topology connecting three stations

All computer are connect to single cable

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 Figure 1.8 A ring topology connecting six stations

Single point failure, difficult to add

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 Figure 1.9 A hybrid topology:
A star with three bus networks

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 Figure 1.10 An isolated LAN connecting 12 computers to a hub in a
closet

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 Metropolitan Area Network

A network with a size between a LAN and a MAN

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 Metropolitan Area Networks
MAN
■ A network with a size Between LANs and
WANs
■ Traditional point-to-point and switched networks
in WANs inadequate (not enough) for growing
needs of organizations
■ Requirement for high capacity private and public
networks at low costs over a large area
■ E.g. Wireless networks, metropolitan
extensions to Ethernet

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 Wide Area Network

--Slower
– Costly hardware, routers, dedicated leased lines and
complicated implementation procedures.
--Long distance transmission of data ,image ,audio, video.

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 Figure 1.11 WANs: a switched WAN and a point-to-point WAN

internet

Only two Pcs at long distance

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 Figure 1.12 A heterogeneous network made of 4WANs and 2 LANs

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 1-3 THE INTERNET

The Internet has developed many aspects of our daily

lives. It has affected the way we do business as well as the
way we spend our fun time.

The Internet is a communication system that has brought

a lot of information to our fingertips and organized it for
our use.

Topics discussed in this section:

A Brief History
The Internet Today (ISPs)

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 The Internet (WAN)

An Internet: is a two or more networks that can commutation

with each other.

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 The Internet History (1) -
Background
■ Evolved from ARPANET, 1969 Advanced Research
Projects Agency (ARPA),U.S. Department of Defense
■ Began in four locations: UCLA, University of Santa Barbara, the University
of Utah, and SRI (Stanford Research Institute)

■ Today tens of millions of hosts

■ Hundreds of millions of users
■ Nearly 200 countries

■ Allowed devices from different manufacturers and with different data rates
to communicate

■ Used adaptive routing

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 The Internet History (2)
The software called (NCP) network control protocol provide
communication between the hosts

The Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) is one of the main 

protocols of the  Internet protocol suite, authorize split TCP in two protocol:

1- TCP
2-IP ( internetworking protocol)

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 Figure 1.13 Hierarchical organization of the Internet
user

Taren net(local)

Newroz telecom

Network Access point

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 The Internet Today
•ISPs (Internet service provider )National ISPs
Use NAPs (Network Access point)

•Regional ISPs :connected two or more ISPs

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 1-4 PROTOCOLS AND STANDARDS

In this section, we define two widely used terms: protocols

and standards. First, we define protocol, which is
synonymous with rule. Then we discuss standards, which
are agreed-upon rules.

Topics discussed in this section:

Protocols
Standards
Standards Organizations
Internet Standards

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Protocols
In computer networks, communication occurs between entities in different
systems..
For communication to occur, the entities must agree on a protocol. A protocol
is a set of rules that controls data communications. A protocol defines
what is communicated, how it is communicated, and when it is communicated

. The key elements of a protocol are syntax, semantics, and timing.

o Syntax. The term syntax refers to the structure or format of the data,
meaning the order in which they are presented.

o Semantics. The word semantics refers to the meaning of each section of

bits.

o Timing. The term timing refers to two characteristics: when data should be
sent and how fast they can be sent.
For example, if a sender produces data at 100 Mbps but the receiver can
process data at only 1 Mbps, the transmission will overload the receiver and
some data will be lost.

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 Standards
Standards provide guidelines to manufacturers, vendors,
government agencies, and other service providers to ensure the kind of
interconnectivity necessary in today's marketplace and in international
communications.

Data communication standards fall into two categories: de facto (meaning "by
fact" or "by convention") and de jure (meaning "by law" or "by regulation").

o De facto. De facto standards are often established originally

by manufacturers who seek to define the functionality of a new
product or technology.

o De jure. Those standards that have been legislated by an

officially recognized body are de jure standards.

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 Standards Organizations

International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

American National Standards Institute (ANSI)

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

Electronic Industries Association (EIA).

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 IEEE and Networking standards
Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) developed
a series of networking standards

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 Summery
o Data communications are the transfer of data from one device to another via some form of
transmission medium.
o A data communications system must transmit data to the correct destination in an accurate and
timely manner.
o The five components that make up a data communications system are the message, sender,
receiver, medium, and protocol.
o Text, numbers, images, audio, and video are different forms of information.
o Data flow between two devices can occur in one of three ways: simplex, half-duplex, or full-duplex.
o A network is a set of communication devices connected by media links.
o In a point-to-point connection, two and only two devices are connected by a dedicated link. In a
multipoint connection, three or more devices share a link.
o Topology refers to the physical or logical arrangement of a network. Devices may be arranged in a
mesh, star, bus, or ring topology.
o A network can be categorized as a local area network or a wide area network.
o A LAN is a data communication system within a building, plant, or campus, or between nearby
buildings.
o A WAN is a data communication system spanning states, countries, or the whole world.
o An internet is a network of networks.
o The Internet is a collection of many separate networks.
o There are local, regional, national, and international Internet service providers.
o A protocol is a set of rules that govern data communication; the key elements of a protocol are
syntax, semantics, and timing.
o Standards are necessary to ensure that products from different manufacturers can work together as
expected.
o The ISO, ITD-T, ANSI, IEEE, and EIA are some of the organizations involved in standards creation.
o Forums are special-interest groups that quickly evaluate and standardize new technologies.
o A Request for Comment is an idea or concept that is a precursor to an Internet standard.
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 PRACTICE SET
Review Questions
1. Identify the five components of a data communications system.
2. What are the advantages of distributed processing?
3. What are the three criteria necessary for an effective and efficient
network?
4. What are the advantages of a multipoint connection over a point-to-point
connection?
5. What are the two types of line configuration?
6. Categorize the four basic topologies in terms of line configuration.
7. What is the difference between half-duplex and full-duplex transmission
modes?
8. Name the four basic network topologies, and cite an advantage of each
type.
9. For n devices in a network, what is the number of cable links required for a
mesh, ring, bus, and star topology?
10. What are some of the factors that determine whether a communication
system is a
LAN or WAN?
1I. What is an internet? What is the Internet?
12. Why are protocols needed?
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13. Why are standards needed?
Exercises
14. What is the maximum number of characters or symbols that can be represented by Unicode?
15. A color image uses 16 bits to represent a pixel. What is the maximum number of different
colors that can be represented?
16. Assume six devices are arranged in a mesh topology. How many cables are needed? How
many ports are needed for each device?
17. For each of the following four networks, discuss the consequences if a connection fails.
a. Five devices arranged in a mesh topology
b. Five devices arranged in a star topology (not counting the hub)
c. Five devices arranged in a bus topology
d. Five devices arranged in a ring topology

SECTION 1.8 PRACTICE SET 25

18. You have two computers connected by an Ethernet hub at home. Is this a LAN, a MAN, or a
WAN? Explain your reason.
19. In the ring topology in Figure 1.8, what happens if one of the stations is unplugged?
20. In the bus topology in Figure 1.7, what happens if one ofthe stations is unplugged?
21. Draw a hybrid topology with a star backbone and three ring networks.
22. Draw a hybrid topology with a ring backbone and two bus networks.
23. Performance is inversely related to delay. When you use the Internet, which of the
following applications are more sensitive to delay?
a. Sending an e-mail
b. Copying a file
c. Surfing the Internet
24. When a party makes a local telephone call to another party, is this a point-to-point
or multipoint connection? Explain your answer.
25. Compare the telephone network and the Internet. What are the similarities? What
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are the differences?