Chapter One

Introduction to Networking

Shemeles h.
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Outline
• Definition of Computer Network
• Communication Components
• Communication Model
• Network Topology
• Internetworking
• Mode of Transmission
• Types of Connection
• Application of Computer Network

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Definition of Computer Networks

• Computer Network is a collection of autonomous

computers interconnected by a single technology.

• Two computers are said to be interconnected if they are

able to exchange information.
– The connection can be via a copper wire; fiber optics, microwaves,
infrared, and communication satellites.

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Communication Components
• Data communication is the exchange of information
between two agents.
• For exchange of information the information should be
transmitted from one point to another through a
transmission media called Channel.
• There are five components in data communication system.
– Message
– Sender
– Receiver
– Medium and
– protocol

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1.Message: the information to be communicated
(text, numbers, pictures, sound, video - or combinations)
2. Sender: the device that sends the message
computer, video camera, …
3. Receiver: the device that receives the message.
4. Medium: the physical path by which a message travels from
sender to receiver.
5. Protocol: a set of rules that coordinates the exchange of
information. Both the sender and the receiver should
follow the same protocol to communicate data.

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Communication Model
• Purpose is to exchange data between two parties
• The key elements of the model are:
• Source:- a device that generates the data to be transmitted;
– examples are telephones and personal computers.

• Transmitter:- Transforms and Encodes the information in such a way as to

produce electromagnetic signals that can be transmitted across some sort of
transmission system.

• Transmission System:- a single transmission line or a complex network

connecting source and destination

• Receiver:- accepts the signal from the transmission system and converts it
into a form that can be handled by the destination device

• Destination:- Takes the incoming data from the receiver.

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Different components of data communication

Source System Destination System

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 Some of Key Communications Tasks
• Transmission System Utilization

– The need to make efficient use of transmission facilities that are typically shared
among a number of communicating devices.
• Multiplexing :- are used to allocate the total capacity of a transmission
medium among a number of users.

It is a technique to mix and send multiple data streams over a single medium. This technique
requires system hardware called multiplexer (MUX) for multiplexing the streams and
sending them on a medium, and de-multiplexer (DMUX) which takes information from the
medium and distributes to different destinations.

• Congestion control techniques :- may be required to assure that the system is not
overwhelmed [degraded] by excessive demand for
transmission services.

• Signal Generation: required for communication

– The properties of the signal, such as form and intensity, must be
• capable of being propagated or spread through the transmission system
• Interpretable as data at the receiver 8
Some of Key Communications Tasks
• Error detection and correction
– In all communications systems, there is a potential for error that
should be detected and corrected before reaching their destination.
eg. Sending file from one computer to another
• Addressing and routing
– a source system must somehow indicate the identity of the intended
destination.
– A specific route must be chosen from many alternative routes.
• Flow control
– required to assure that the source does not overwhelm the
destination by sending data faster than they can be processed and
absorbed.

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Some of Key Communications Tasks

• Message formatting
– An agreement between two parties as to the form of the data to be
exchanged or transmitted.
– Both sides must use the same binary code for characters
• Security
– Authentication
– Message integrity
• Recovery
– Recovery techniques are needed in situations in which an
information exchange,
• When a database transaction or file transfer, is
interrupted due to a fault somewhere in the system.

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Types of Network
• Networks may be classified according to a wide
variety of characteristics.
– such as size, architecture, topology, etc.
• Based on size, there are Four types of network: -
 Local Area Network (LAN):
o Its smaller in size usually privately owned and links devices in a
single office, building or campus.
o LAN works under its own local domain and controlled centrally.

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 Wide Area Network (WAN):
o Spans huge geographic area which may span across provinces and
even a whole country, continent
o Covering large geographic area; may utilize public, leased [rented],
or private communications equipment.

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• Metropolitan Area Network (MAN): designed to extend
over an entire city; it may be a single network or
interconnected LANs. covers large geographic area like city

• Personal Area Network (PAN): meant for one person;

oe.g. a wireless network connecting a computer with
its mouse, keyboard and printer
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The following table summarizes the above classification

Inter-Processor Processors Located in

Distance same
1m Square meter
Personal Area Network
10m Room
100m Building Local Area Network
1km Campus
10km City Metropolitan Area Network
100km Country
1000km Continent Wide Area Network

10000km Planet The Internet

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 Network Types
• Based on the type of computer in a network (configuration or architecture),
are divided into two broad categories.
– Peer-to-peer
– Client/Server
• Peer-to-peer
– There are no dedicated servers, and there is no hierarchy among the
computers.
– Each node considered as equal in terms of resource sharing and
responsibilities
pros
• Easy to set up
• Less expensive
• Demands moderate level of skill to administer
• User is able to control their own resources
Cons
• Only < 10 nodes
• Very low level security
• Performance suffers when a computer is accessed
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• Peer-to-peer networks are good choices for environments where:
o There are 10 users or fewer
o Users share resources, such as printers, but no specialised servers
exist
o Security is not an issue
o The organization and the network will experience only limited
growth within the foreseeable future

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• Client Server Model
– Consists of a group clients connected to a server.
– Server with more RAM, larger hard disk, more
processing power…

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Client Server Model . . .

Some of the specialized servers in networking.

 File and Print Servers

• File and print servers manage user access and use of file and
printer resources.

 Application Servers
• Application servers make the server side of client/server
applications, as well as the data, available to clients.
• an application server differs from a file and print server.
• With a file and print server, the data or file is downloaded to the
computer making the request.
• With an application server, the database stays on the server and
only the results of a request are downloaded to the computer
making the request.
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 Mail Servers
• operate like application servers in that there are
separate server and client applications, with data
selectively downloaded from the server to the
client.

 Fax Servers
• manage fax traffic into and out of the network by
sharing one or more fax modem boards.

 Directory Services Servers

• enable users to locate, store, and secure information
on the network.

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Advantages of client/server architecture
– Sharing Resources
– Security
– Number of Users - A server-based network can
support thousands of users
Disadvantage of client/server architecture
– more complex to install, configure, and manage
– Expensive

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Network Topology
 Topology refers to the way in which multiple devices are
interconnected via communication links.
 There are two types of topology: physical and logical.
o Physical Topology
 Refers to the arrangement or physical layout of computers,
cables, and other components on the network
 Can be referred as Physical layout, Design, Diagram, Map
o Logical topology
 is bound to network protocols and describe how data is
moved across the network

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• The choice of one topology over another will have an impact on the
o Types of equipment that the network needs
o Growth of the network – scalability
o The Way the network managed
 There are five main network topologies;
A. Bus Topology
B. Ring Topology
C. Mesh Topology
D. Star Topology
E. Hybrid Topology

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A. Bus Topology
• consists of a main run of cable with a terminator
at each end.
• All nodes (file server, workstations, and
peripherals) are connected to the linear cable.

Terminator

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Advantages of Linear Bus Topology

• Easy to connect a computer or peripheral to a

linear bus.
• Requires less cable length than a star topology.
• Failure of a single node does not terminate the
network
• If a cable that connect the nodes with the
backbone fails, the network does not fail

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Disadvantage of linear bus topology

• Entire network shuts down if there is a break in

the main cable (backbone).
• Terminators are required at both ends of the
backbone cable.
• Difficult to identify the problem if the entire
network shuts down.

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B. Star Topology

• designed with each node connected directly to a

central network hub or concentrator .
• Data passes through the hub or concentrator
before continuing to its destination.
• The hub or concentrator manages and controls all
functions of the network.
• It also acts as a repeater for the data flow.

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Advantages of star topology

• Easy to install and wire.

• No disruptions to the network when
connecting or removing devices.
• Easy to detect faults and to remove parts.
• Easily scalable, i.e., you can add a node easily
• Failure of a single computer/cable does not
affect the rest of the network

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Disadvantages of star topology

• Requires more cable length than a linear

topology.
• If the hub or concentrator fails, all nodes
attached are disabled.
• More expensive than linear bus topologies
because of the cost of the concentrators and
extra cost of the hub.

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C. Ring Topology

• all microcomputers and other communication

devices are connected in a continuous loop.
• Electronic messages are passed around the ring
in one direction, with each node serving as the
repeater, until they reach the right destination.
• Since, all messages are flowing in only one
direction; failure of a single node can
compromise the entire network.
computer

computer computer

computer computer 29
Advantages of a Ring Topology

• There is less signal attenuation because each

computer in the network is used as a repeater.
• More than one computer can send data at a time.

Disadvantages of a Ring Topology

• Difficult to setup
• If any computer/cable in the ring fails, the whole
network goes down.

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D. Mesh Topology

• each of the network node, computer and other

devices, are interconnected with one another.
• Every node not only sends its own signals but also
relays data from other nodes.
• This type of topology is very expensive as there
are many redundant connections, thus it is not
mostly used in computer networks. It is
commonly used in wireless networks. Flooding or
routing technique is used in mesh topology.

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Advantages of Mesh topology
• Data can be transmitted from different devices
simultaneously.
• This topology can withstand high traffic.
• Even if one of the components fails there is always
an alternative present. So data transfer doesn’t
get affected.
Disadvantages of Mesh topology
• high chances of redundancy
• Costly
• Set-up and maintenance of this topology is very
difficult.
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E. Hybrid/Tree Topology
• A tree topology combines characteristics of linear bus
and star topologies.
• It consists of groups of star-configured workstations
connected to a linear bus backbone cable.
• Tree topologies allow for the expansion of an existing
network.
• Enable schools to configure a network to meet their
needs.

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Group discussion [7”]

• If computer Science department asks you to

configure network to all the offices and laboratory
class
– which topology do you prefer and why?

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Internetworking
Internetworking
• Interconnection among or between public, private, commercial, industrial,
or governmental networks
• Also called internet
• Three variants
• Intranet
• a set of networks that is under the control of a single administrative
entity
• a network where employees can create content, communicate,
collaborate, get stuff done, and develop the company culture.
• Internet
• worldwide interconnection of networks
• Extranet: is a network or internetwork that is limited in
scope to a single organization or entity
– like an intranet, but also provides controlled access to authorized
customers, vendors, partners, or others outside the company.
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Internet vs Extranet vs Intranet

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 Mode of Transmission
• In a network, there is always a sender and a receiver for
communication to occur.
• we have three types of transmission
– Simplex:
• data is transmitted only in one direction, i.e., from source to
destination. E.g., Television transmission
– Half-duplex:
• data can be transmitted in both direction but not simultaneously,
• i.e., either from sender to receiver or from the reverse at a time.
E.g., walkie talkie
– Full-duplex:
• data can be transmitted in both directions simultaneously.
• E.g., telephone
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Transmission media

• Is a physical media that carries a signal from the transmitter to the

receiver.
• The information or signal transmitted from one device to another is
through electromagnetic signals.
• Electromagnetic signals include power, voice, radio, waves, infrared
light, visible light, ultraviolet light, X-rays, and gamma rays.
• The measurement of the quantity of data that can be passed down in a
given time is done in terms of bandwidth.
• In digital circuits, bandwidth is measured in bits per second (bps).

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Categories of transmission media
• Two basic categories of transmission Media:
– Guided
– Unguided
Guided – uses a cabling system that guides the signals along
a specific path.
– Also known as bound media
• E.g. Fiber Optics, Twisted Pair, Coaxial Cable etc…

Unguided – consists of a means for the data signals to travel

but nothing to guide them along a specific path - wireless
– Also called unbound media
• Example: Radio wave, Satellite, etc.
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Types of connection
 Point-to-point: provides a dedicated link between two
devices
 First, it provides a direct link between two devices
 Second, those are the only two devices sharing the
medium

 Multipoint: more than two devices share (spatially -

simultaneously - or temporally by taking turns) a single
link

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Direct link: signals propagate directly from transmitter to
receiver
 No intermediate devices other than amplifiers or
repeaters
 This can apply to both guided and unguided medium
In Direct link
 Systems connected through a switched communication
network

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Application of Computer Networks
Business applications
 for resource sharing including programs, equipment,
data (mostly databases on central servers), …
 a communication medium – e-mail, writing a report
together by making changes on an online document
 videoconferencing – to hold meetings by hearing and
seeing each other
 electronic business
 business to business - placing orders, …
 business with consumers, usually called e-commerce
– home shopping

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Home applications
 Access to remote information – newspapers, radio, on-line digital
libraries (ACM, IEEE, …), …
 Person-to-person communication
 e-mail (audio, video, pictures, …)
 newsgroups (not in real time)
 instant messaging (between two people in real time, e.g., Yahoo
Messenger),
 chat room (for a group of people in real time)
 using Internet to carry telephone calls, video phone, and Internet
radio
 Interactive entertainment: video on demand, interactive television,
games (virtual reality – with photographic-quality moving images)
 Electronic commerce – with online manuals
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Mobile Users:
 using mobile computers - Laptop (notebook), Palmtop
(PDAs), and handheld computers - and wireless networks
in cars and airplanes

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Thank You

?
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