Networking and

Telecommunications
 NETWORK BASICS
• Network - a communications, data exchange,
and resource-sharing system created by
linking two or more computers and
establishing standards, or protocols, so that
they can work together

• Telecommunication system - enable the

transmission of data over public or private
networks
 NETWORK BASICS
• Networks are differentiated by the
following:
– Architecture - peer-to-peer, client/server
– Topology - bus, star, ring, hybrid, wireless
– Protocols - Ethernet, Transmission Control
Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)
– Media - coaxial, twisted-pair, fiber-optic
 NETWORK TYPES
• The three types of
networks include:
1. Local area
network (LAN)

2. Metropolitan
area network
(MAN)

3. Wide area
network (WAN)
 LANs, MANs, and WANs Illustrated
Commonly connects
separate offices from the
same organization, whether
they are across town or
across the world

Connecting LANs from

multiple buildings

Within the confines of a room or

single building
 ARCHITECTURE
• There are two primary
types of architectures
– Peer-to-peer (P2P)
network
– Client/server network
• Peer-to-peer: is the
simplest type of network;
every computer can
communicate directly with
every other computer
Note: P2P networks do not use a centralized
server
 Advantages & Disadvantages to P2P
Networks
Advantages
• Simple to configure (Most
home networks are P2P)
• Typically less expensive to
setup and maintain than
other types of networks.
Disadvantages
• Not very flexible: as P2P networks grow,
adding or changing significant elements of
the network can be difficult
• Not very secure: data and other resources
shared by network users can be easily
discovered and used by unauthorized users
• Resource Sharing is not practical: each
user is responsible for configuring Shared
Docs and preventing access to other files:
Meaning resource sharing is not controlled
by a central computer or authority
 Client/Server Networks
• Client/Server networks: use
a central computer, known
as a Server to facilitate
communication and
resource sharing between
other computers on a
network, which are known
as Clients.
• In terms of resource
sharing you can compare
the client/server network
to a public library:
Librarians manages the
use of books and other
media by patrons, a
server manages the use
of shared resources by
clients…
 Client/Server Networks
• Client/Server network
 Advantages of a Client/Server Network
• Provide User logon accounts and passwords for user of the network

• Access to multiple shared resources can be centrally granted to a single

user or groups of users

• Problems on the network can be tracked, diagnosed and often fixed from
one location

• Optimized for faster processing time to handle many requests from clients

• Larger disk space means it is more scalable and more clients can be
added as necessary
 TOPOLOGY
• Network topology - refers to the geometric
arrangement of the actual physical
organization of the computers and other
network devices in a network
– Bus
– Star
– Ring
– Hybrid
– Wireless
 Bus/Star/Ring Topologies

Bus Topology All devices are connected to a central cable, called the bus
(linear bus) or backbone. These networks are relatively inexpensive
and easy to install for small networks

Star Topology All devices are connected to a central device, called a hub.
Star networks are relatively easy to install & manage, but
bottlenecks can occur because all data must pass through
the hub

Ring Topology The ring topology connects computers on a single circle of

cable. Signals travel around the loop in one direction and
pass through each computer acting like a repeater to boost
the signal and send it on to the next computer.
 Hybrid / Wireless Topologies

Hybrid Topology Groups of star-configured

workstations are connected to a
linear bus backbone cable,
combining the characteristics of bus
and star topologies

Wireless Devices are connected by a

receiver/transmitter to a special
network interface card that transmits
signals between a computer and a
server---all with an acceptable
transmission range
Networks and telecommunications. Network Classifications. Network devices.
Network topology. Network media

NETWORK TOPOLOGY
 MEDIA
• Network transmission media - refers to the
various types of media used to carry the signal
between computers
– Wire media (guided)
– Wireless media (unguided)
 Wire Media
• Wire media - transmission material
manufactured so that signals will be confined to
a narrow path and will behave predictably

• Three most commonly used types include:

1. Twisted-pair wiring
2. Coaxial cable
3. Fiber optic (or optical fiber)
Wire Media
 Wireless Media
• Wireless media - natural parts of the Earth’s
environment that can be used as physical
paths to carry electrical signals

• Atmosphere and outerspace are examples of

wireless media that commonly carry signals
 Networking Hardware Basics
Hubs Connectivity device that retransmits
incoming data signals to its multiple
ports –Typically used for Star topologies
and use twisted pair cabling

Repeaters A device used to regenerate a signal—

addresses a transmission signal problem
called attenuation
Bridges Allows large networks to be broken up
into segments-segments are connected by
a bridge----manages bandwidth
Switch Also manages bandwidth on a large
network—further divides a network into
smaller domains
Router Routing device that examines each packet
of data it receives and then decides which
way to sent it towards its destination
Home Network or Small
Business
Small to Medium Sized
Business