CHAPTER 5

NETWORKS

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NETWORK
 It is a large number of separate but interconnected
computers are linked together to provide communication and
share resources like a printer.
 The computers on a network may be linked through cables,
telephone lines, radio waves, satellites, or infrared light
beams.
 Networks come in different sizes, shapes and forms.
 There are different types of networks.

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Types of Networks
 Local Area Networks
 Wide Area Networks
 Metropolitan Area Network
 Personal Area Network

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Local Area Network
 This is a privately owned network that operates within and nearby a
single building e.g. home, office or factory.
 OR computers connected together within a building. On a single LAN,
computers and servers may be connected by cables or wirelessly.
Wireless access to a wired network is made possible by wireless access
points (WAPs). These WAP devices provide a bridge between computers
and networks.
 A computer connected to a LAN is called a workstation, terminal or
client.
 There is one central controlling computer called a File Server.
 LAN is used for connecting two or more personal computers through a
communication medium such as twisted pair, coaxial cable, etc.
 It is less costly as it is built with inexpensive hardware such as hubs,
network adapters, and Ethernet cables.
 The data is transferred at an extremely faster rate in Local Area
Network.
 Local Area Network provides higher security.

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Diagram for a LAN

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COMPONENTS OF A LAN
 Workstation: this is a microcomputer which has high communication
facilities. It can exchange information with other workstations or
fileserver. These can be either user workstation or server
workstation.
 File Server: it provides service to the client and allows the client
access to the files on the server. The term is loosely applied to mean
computer that runs file server software and it is a powerful computer
with special software to serve files to other workstations.
 Gateway:
 Network Card:
 Hub:
 Network Cable:
 Network Operating System:
 Application Software:
 Protocols:

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METROPOLITAN AREA NETWORK
 A metropolitan area network is a network that
covers a larger geographic area by interconnecting
a different LAN to form a larger network.
 Government agencies use MAN to connect to the
citizens and private industries.
 In MAN, various LANs are connected to each other
through a telephone exchange line.
 The most widely used protocols in MAN are RS-
232, Frame Relay, ATM, ISDN, OC-3, ADSL, etc.
 It has a higher range than Local Area
Network(LAN).

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Uses Of Metropolitan Area Network:
 MAN is used in communication between the
banks in a city.
 It can be used in an Airline Reservation.
 It can be used in a college within a city.
 It can also be used for communication in the

military.

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MAN DIAGRAM

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Wide Area Network
 It is when computers are spread over a wide geographical area
e.g. country or town or continent.
 The computers in WAN are not permanently connected to each
other with data cables, they communicate with each other using
telephone lines, radio transmitter or satellite links. The
INTERNET is an example.
 A Wide Area Network is a network that extends over a large
geographical area such as states or countries.
 A Wide Area Network is quite bigger network than the LAN.
 A Wide Area Network is not limited to a single location, but it
spans over a large geographical area through a telephone line,
fiber optic cable or satellite links.
 The internet is one of the biggest WAN in the world.
 A Wide Area Network is widely used in the field of Business,
government, and education.

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Examples Of Wide Area Network:

 Mobile Broadband: A 4G network is widely

used across a region or country.
 Last mile: A telecom company is used to

provide the internet services to the customers

in hundreds of cities by connecting their
home with fiber.
 Private network: A bank provides a private

network that connects the 44 offices. This

network is made by using the telephone
leased line provided by the telecom company.

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WAN DIAGRAM

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Advantages of wan
• WAN allows access to database at remote
sites, enabling exchange of data.
• Nodes on the network can still exchange data
even if one node on the network fails.
• There is quickly retrieval of data from the
database since the data used on daily basis
resides on the local site.
• The local offices can maintain the data more
effectively. The corporate head office can
access the data as needed.

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CONT…D
 Geographical area: A Wide Area Network provides a large geographical
area. Suppose if the branch of our office is in a different city then we
can connect with them through WAN. The internet provides a leased
line through which we can connect with another branch.
 Centralized data: In case of WAN network, data is centralized.
Therefore, we do not need to buy the emails, files or back up servers.
 Get updated files: Software companies work on the live server.
Therefore, the programmers get the updated files within seconds.
 Exchange messages: In a WAN network, messages are transmitted fast.
The web application like Facebook, Whatsapp, Skype allows you to
communicate with friends.
 Sharing of software and resources: In WAN network, we can share the
software and other resources like a hard drive, RAM.
 Global business: We can do the business over the internet globally.
 High bandwidth: If we use the leased lines for our company then this
gives the high bandwidth. The high bandwidth increases the data
transfer rate which in turn increases the productivity of our company.

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Disadvantages of Wide Area Network
 Security issue: A WAN network has more security issues
as compared to LAN and MAN network as all the
technologies are combined together that creates the
security problem.
 Needs Firewall & antivirus software: The data is
transferred on the internet which can be changed or
hacked by the hackers, so the firewall needs to be used.
Some people can inject the virus in our system so
antivirus is needed to protect from such a virus.
 High Setup cost: An installation cost of the WAN network
is high as it involves the purchasing of routers, switches.
 Troubleshooting problems: It covers a large area so fixing
the problem is difficult.

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ADVANTAGES OF NETWORKING
• Hardware
• Sharing of Database
• Sharing of Software
• Communication between users
• Decentralized data processing
• Security of data

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DISADVANTAGES OF NETWORKING
• Security Concerns
• Virus and Malware
• Lack of robustness
• Needs experts
• Lack of Independence
• Slow service
• Network costs

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Internetwork

 An internetwork is defined as two or more

computer network LANs or WAN or computer
network segments are connected using devices,
and they are configured by a local addressing
scheme. This process is known
as internetworking.
 An interconnection between public, private,
commercial, industrial, or government computer
networks can also be defined as internetworking.
 An internetworking uses the internet protocol.
 The reference model used for internetworking
is Open System Interconnection(OSI).

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Types Of Internetwork:
 1. Extranet: An extranet is a communication network based on
the internet protocol such as Transmission Control
protocol and internet protocol. It is used for information
sharing. The access to the extranet is restricted to only those
users who have login credentials. An extranet is the lowest level
of internetworking. It can be categorized as MAN, WAN or other
computer networks. An extranet cannot have a single LAN,
atleast it must have one connection to the external network.
 2. Intranet: An intranet is a private network based on the
internet protocol such as Transmission Control
protocol and internet protocol. An intranet belongs to an
organization which is only accessible by the organization's
employee or members. The main aim of the intranet is to share
the information and resources among the organization
employees. An intranet provides the facility to work in groups
and for teleconferences.

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Intranet advantages
 Communication: It provides a cheap and easy communication. An
employee of the organization can communicate with another
employee through email, chat.
 Time-saving: Information on the intranet is shared in real time, so
it is time-saving.
 Collaboration: Collaboration is one of the most important
advantage of the intranet. The information is distributed among the
employees of the organization and can only be accessed by the
authorized user.
 Platform independency: It is a neutral architecture as the computer
can be connected to another device with different architecture.
 Cost effective: People can see the data and documents by using the
browser and distributes the duplicate copies over the intranet. This
leads to a reduction in the cost.

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Network TOPOLOGY
 This is the logical and physical arrangement
of nodes on a network.
 There are five main types of network

topologies:
• Ring topology
• Star topology
• Bus topology
• Mesh topology
• Hybrid topology

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BUS/LINE TOPOLOGY
 is a network setup in which each computer and network device are connected
to a single cable or backbone. Depending on the type of network card used in
each computer of the bus topology, a coaxial cable or a RJ-45 network cable is
used to connect computers together.
 Advantages of bus topology
 It works well when you have a small network.
 It's the easiest network topology for connecting computers or peripherals in a
linear fashion.
 It requires less cable length than a star topology.
 Disadvantages of bus topology
 It can be difficult to identify the problems if the whole network goes down.
 It can be hard to troubleshoot individual device issues.
 Bus topology is not great for large networks.
 Terminators are required for both ends of the main cable.
 Additional devices slow the network down.
 If a main cable is damaged, the network fails or splits into two.

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BUS TOPOLOGY DIAGRAM

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STAR TOPOLOGY
 is one of the most common network setups. In this configuration, every node connects
to a central network device, like a hub, switch, or computer. The central network device
acts as a server and the peripheral devices act as clients. Depending on the type of 
network card used in each computer of the star topology, a coaxial cable or a RJ-45
 network cable is used to connect computers together.
 Advantages of star topology

• Centralized management of the network, through the use of the central computer, hub,

or switch.
• Easy to add another computer to the network.
• If one computer on the network fails, the rest of the network continues to function

normally.
 Disadvantages of star topology

• Can have a higher cost to implement, especially when using a switch or router as the

central network device.

• The central network device determines the performance and number of nodes the

network can handle.

• If the central computer, hub, or switch fails, the entire network goes down and all

computers are disconnected from the network.

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STAR TOPOLOGY DIAGRAM

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RING NETWORK
 In ring topology, the computers in the network are connected in a circular
fashion, and the data travels in one direction. Each computer is directly
connected to the next computer, forming a single pathway for signals
through the network. This type of network is easy to install and manage.
 If there's a problem in the network, it is easy to pinpoint which connection is
defective. It is also good for handling high-volume traffic over long
distances since every computer can act as a booster of the signal. On the
downside, adding computers to this type of network is more cumbersome,
and if one single computer fails, the entire network goes down.
  A ring topology is a network configuration in which device connections
create a circular data path. Each networked device is connected to two
others, like points on a circle. Together, devices in a ring topology are
referred to as a ring network.
 In a ring network, packets of data travel from one device to the next until
they reach their destination. Most ring topologies allow packets to travel
only in one direction, called a unidirectional ring network. Others permit
data to move in either direction, called bidirectional.


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Advantages and Disadvantages
 Advantages of ring topology
 All data flows in one direction, reducing the chance of packet collisions.
 A network server is not needed to control network connectivity between each
workstation.
 Data can transfer between workstations at high speeds.
 Additional workstations can be added without impacting performance of the
network.
 Disadvantages of ring topology
 All data being transferred over the network must pass through each
workstation on the network, which can make it slower than a star topology.
 The entire network will be impacted if one workstation shuts down.
 The hardware needed to connect each workstation to the network is more

expensive than Ethernet cards and hubs/switches.

 The major disadvantage of a ring topology is that if any individual
connection in the ring is broken, the entire network is affected.
NB
 Ring topologies may be used in either LANs (local area networks) or WANs

 (wide area networks). Depending on the type of network card used in each

computer of the ring topology, a coaxial cable or an RJ-45 network cable is
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used to connect computers together.
RING TOPOLOGY DIAGRAM

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Tree topology
 Tree topology combines the characteristics of bus topology and star topology.
 A tree topology is a type of structure in which all the computers are connected with each other in
hierarchical fashion.
 The top-most node in tree topology is known as a root node, and all other nodes are the descendants of
the root node.
 There is only one path exists between two nodes for the data transmission. Thus, it forms a parent-child
hierarchy.
 Advantages of Tree topology
 Support for broadband transmission: Tree topology is mainly used to provide broadband transmission,
i.e., signals are sent over long distances without being attenuated.
 Easily expandable: We can add the new device to the existing network. Therefore, we can say that tree
topology is easily expandable.
 Easily manageable: In tree topology, the whole network is divided into segments known as star networks
which can be easily managed and maintained.
 Error detection: Error detection and error correction are very easy in a tree topology.
 Limited failure: The breakdown in one station does not affect the entire network.
 Point-to-point wiring: It has point-to-point wiring for individual segments.
 Disadvantages of Tree topology
 Difficult troubleshooting: If any fault occurs in the node, then it becomes difficult to troubleshoot the
problem.
 High cost: Devices required for broadband transmission are very costly.
 Failure: A tree topology mainly relies on main bus cable and failure in main bus cable will damage the
overall network.
 Reconfiguration difficult: If new devices are added, then it becomes difficult to reconfigure.

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TREE DIAGRAM

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MESH TOPOLOGY
 In mesh topology, every node has a direct point-to-
point connection to every other node. Because all
connections are direct, the network can handle very
high-volume traffic. It is also robust because if one
connection fails, the others remain intact. Security is
also high since data travels along a dedicated
connection.
 A network setup where each computer and network
device is interconnected with one another, allowing
for most transmissions to be distributed even if one
of the connections go down. It is a topology
commonly used for wireless networks. 

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CONT…D
 A mesh topology can be a full mesh topology or a
partially-connected mesh topology.
 In a full mesh topology, every computer in the network
has a connection to each of the other computers in that
network. The number of connections in this network can
be calculated using the following formula ( n is the number
of computers in the network): n(n-1)/2
 In a partially-connected mesh topology, at least two of the
computers in the network have connections to multiple
other computers in that network. It is an inexpensive way
to implement redundancy in a network. If one of the
primary computers or connections in the network fails, the
rest of the network continues to operate normally.

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ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
 Advantages of a mesh topology
 Manages high amounts of traffic, because multiple devices can
transmit data simultaneously.
 A failure of one device does not cause a break in the network or
transmission of data.
 Adding additional devices does not disrupt data transmission
between other devices.
 Disadvantages of a mesh topology
 The cost to implement is higher than other network topologies,
making it a less desirable option.
 Building and maintaining the topology is difficult and time
consuming.
 The chance of redundant connections is high, which adds to the
high costs and potential for reduced efficiency.

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HYBRID TOPOLOGY
 Hybrid topology is an interconnection of two
or more basic network topologies, each of
which contains its own nodes. The resulting
interconnection allows the nodes in a given
basic topology to communicate with other
nodes in the same basic topology as well as
those in other basic topologies within the
hybrid topology.

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Types of Hybrid Network Topologies
 Star-wired ring hybrid topology, a set of star topologies
are connected by a ring topology as the adjoining
topology. Joining each star topology to the ring
topology is a wired connection. n Figure 1, individual
nodes of a given star topology like Star Topology 1 are
interconnected by a central switch which in turn provide
an external connection to other star topologies through
a node A in the main ring topology.
 Information from a given star topology reaching a
connecting node in the main ring topology like A flows
either in a bidirectional or unidirectional manner. A
bidirectional flow will ensure that a failure in one node
of the main ring topology doesn't lead to the complete
breakdown of information flow in the main ring
topology.

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Star-wired ring hybrid topology

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TYPE 2
 star-wired bus topology is made up of a set
of star topologies interconnected by a central
bus topology. Joining each star topology to
the bus topology is a wired connection.
 In this setup, the main bus topology provides

a backbone connection that interconnects the

individual star topologies. The backbone in
this case is a wired connection.

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star-wired bus topology

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Advantages of Hybrid Topology
 Reliable: If a fault occurs in any part of the network will not affect the
functioning of the rest of the network.
 Scalable: Size of the network can be easily expanded by adding new
devices without affecting the functionality of the existing network.
 Flexible: This topology is very flexible as it can be designed according
to the requirements of the organization.
 Effective: Hybrid topology is very effective as it can be designed in
such a way that the strength of the network is maximized and
weakness of the network is minimized.
 Disadvantages of Hybrid topology
 Complex design: The major drawback of the Hybrid topology is the
design of the Hybrid network. It is very difficult to design the
architecture of the Hybrid network.
 Costly Hub: The Hubs used in the Hybrid topology are very expensive
as these hubs are different from usual Hubs used in other topologies.
 Costly infrastructure: The infrastructure cost is very high as a hybrid
network requires a lot of cabling, network devices, etc.

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