Networking

Unit 6
 Definition for Networking

• Network – A collection of computers and devices connected together

via communications devices and transmission media, allowing
computers to share resources. The purpose of a network is that of
routing, managing, and storing rapidly changing data.

• Communication - this describes a process in which one computer

transfers data, instructions, information to another computer. (also
known as data communication/transmission). This is done by means of
a communication channel or medium .

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 Advantages and Disadvantages of Networking
Advantages
• Faster and easier access to information and the sharing of information
• Facilitates Better communication
• Ability to have a worldwide audience (able to advertise and market your
product)
• E-commerce /E-business

Disadvantages
• Children have access to pornography, harmful information, paedophiles etc.
• Easier to plagiarise information by copying and paste.

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 Types of Network
• Computer Networks are classified according to the distance between
individual computers that are attached to the network. The classification
includes the following:
• Local Area Network (LAN)
• Wide Area Network (WAN)
• Metropolitan Network (MAN)

Local Area Network (LAN)

• A Local Area Network (LAN) is a network that connects computers and
devices in a limited geographical area such as a house, school laboratory or
an office building.
• Each computer or device on the network is called a node, often shares
resources such as printers, large hard disks, and programs.
• Generally LANs use wires (physical cables) for connectivity between the
devices.
• It is however possible to connect the devices via wireless means giving rise to
what is known as a WLAN (wireless LAN) .

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 Types of Network
Metropolitan Network (MAN)
• A Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) is a network that spans a whole
metropolitan area.
• It is referred to as a high speed-network that covers a city.
• MANs use similar technology to LANs but cover a much wider geographic
region.
• A consortium of users or a single network provider that sells the service to
the other users usually manages a MAN.
Wide Area Network (WAN)
• A Wide Area Network (WAN) is a network that covers a large geographic
area such as a city, country or the world.
• The WAN uses communication channels that combines many types of media
such as telephone lines, cables, and radio waves.
• A WAN can be one large network or can consist of two or more LANs
connected together.
• For example, the campus spanning network that connects different
departments in any University or larger company is called a WAN.
• The Internet is the world’s largest WAN.
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 Local Area Network
Intranet
• An Intranet is a network based on the internet TCP/IP open standard.
• An intranet belongs to an organization, and is designed to be accessible
only by the organization's members, employees, or others with
authorization.
• An intranet's Web site looks and act just like other Web sites, but has a
firewall surrounding it to fend off unauthorized users.
• Intranets are used to share information within the organization.
• Secure intranets are much less expensive to build and manage than
private, proprietary-standard networks.

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 Local Area Network
Extranet
• An extranet is a private network that uses Internet technology and the
public telecommunication system to securely share part of a business's
information or operations with suppliers, vendors, partners, customers,
or other businesses.
• It is a portion of a company’s network that allows customers or suppliers
to access parts of an enterprise’s intranet.
• An extranet can be viewed as part of a company's intranet that is
extended to users outside the company.
• It has also been described as a "state of mind" in which the Internet is
perceived as a way to do business with other companies as well as to
sell products to customers.

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 Network Implications
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• XXXX

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Hardware and Software Requirements for establishing a Network
Hardware components (Cabling/Wiring Connections)
• Twisted Pair - One of the oldest and still most common transmission media is
twisted pair.
• A twisted pair consists of two insulated copper wires, typically about 1 mm thick.
• The most common application of the twisted pair is the telephone system.
• Twisted pair cabling comes in several varieties, two of which are important for
computer networks.
• Category 3 twisted pairs consist of two insulated wires gently twisted together.
• Starting around 1988, the more advanced category 5 twisted pairs were
introduced.
• They are similar to category 3 pairs, but with more twists per centimeter, which
results in less crosstalk and a better-quality signal over longer distances, making
them more suitable for high-speed computer communication.
• Up-and-coming categories are 6 and 7, which are capable of handling signals
with bandwidths of 250 MHz and 600 MHz
• All of these wiring types are often referred to as UTP (Unshielded Twisted Pair),
to contrast them with the bulky, expensive, STP (Shielded Twisted Pair) cables
IBM introduced in the early 1980s, but which have not proven popular outside of
IBM installations.

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 Hardware and Software Requirements for establishing a Network

• Coaxial - Another common

transmission medium is the
coaxial cable.
• It has better shielding than twisted
pairs, so it can span longer
distances at higher speeds.
• A coaxial cable consists of a stiff
copper wire as the core,
surrounded by an insulating
material.
• The insulator is encased by a
cylindrical conductor, often as a
closely-woven braided mesh.
• The outer conductor is covered in
a protective plastic sheath.

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 Hardware and Software Requirements for establishing a Network
• Fiber Optic Cable - Fiber optic cables
are similar to coax, except without the
braid.
• At the center is the glass core through
which the light propagates.
• The core is surrounded by a glass
cladding with a lower index of
refraction than the core, to keep all the
light in the core.
• Next comes a thin plastic jacket to
protect the cladding.
• Fibers are typically grouped in
bundles, protected by an outer sheath.
• Terrestrial fiber sheaths are normally
laid in the ground within a meter of the
surface, where they are occasionally
subject to attacks by backhoes.
• Transoceanic fiber sheaths are buried
in trenches by a kind of sea-plow.

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Hardware and Software Requirements for establishing a Network
Hardware components (Servers/Hubs)
• Networking hardware includes all computers, peripherals, interface cards and other
equipment needed to perform data-processing and communications within the network.
Below are descriptions of some of the commonly used networking hardware.
Network interface card (NIC)
• Integrated or expansion card that is inserted into the computer to connect it to a network.
• Also called LAN adapter.
• Most are designed for a particular type of network, protocol and media, although some can
serve multiple networks.
Hub
• Concentrator, multi-station access unit (MAU)) is a device that provides a central point for
cables in a network.
• It usually has ports for 8 –12 devices and is a common connection point for devices in a
network.
• When a packet arrives at a port, it is copied to the other ports so that all segments of the
LAN can see all packets.
• Passive hub serves simply as a conduit for the data, enabling it to go from one device or
segment to another.
• Intelligent hubs include additional features that enable an administrator to monitor the
traffic passing through the hub and to configure each port in the hub.
• Switching hubs read the destination address of each packet and then forwards the packet
to the correct port.

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Hardware and Software Requirements for establishing a Network
Hardware components (Servers/Hubs)
Client
• The client is the requesting machine, in other words, the client requests
services.
• Clients rely on the server for resources such as files, processing power,
storage.
• Client software generally runs on common PCs or workstations.
Server
• The server is the supplying machine that provides service to the client.
• The server controls access to the hardware and software on the network
and provides a centralized storage area for data.
• Server software generally runs on powerful computers dedicated for
exclusive use to running the business application.

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Hardware and Software Requirements for establishing a Network
Software components (Servers/Hubs)
Network Operating Systems
• The client is the requesting machine, in other words, the client requests
services.

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