Chapter 6

Connecting LANs, Backbone Networks

,Satellite Network Wireless WANs, Cellular
Telephone and Satellite Networks

15.1
 Objectives

 The basic objective of this chapter are as under:-

1. To make students understand the Connecting Devices i.e Passive
Hubs, Active Hubs, Bridges, Two-Layer Switches, Routers, Three-
Layer Switches, Gateways
2. To understand the concept of Cellular Network and Satellite
Communication.

3.2
 15-1 CONNECTING DEVICES

In this section, we divide connecting devices into five

different categories based on the layer in which they
operate in a network.

Topics discussed in this section:

Passive Hubs
Active Hubs
Bridges
Two-Layer Switches
Routers
Three-Layer Switches
Gateways
15.3
 Figure 15.1 Five categories of connecting devices

15.4
 Figure 15.2 A repeater connecting two segments of a LAN

15.5
 Note

A repeater connects segments of a LAN.

15.6
 Note

A repeater forwards every frame;

it has no filtering capability.

15.7
 Note

A repeater is a regenerator,
not an amplifier.

15.8
 Figure 15.3 Function of a repeater

15.9
 Note

A bridge has a table used in

filtering decisions.

15.10
 Figure 15.5 A bridge connecting two LANs

15.11
 Note

A bridge does not change the physical

(MAC) addresses in a frame.

15.12
 15-2 BACKBONE NETWORKS

A backbone network allows several LANs to be

connected. In a backbone network, no station is
directly connected to the backbone; the stations are
part of a LAN, and the backbone connects the LANs.

Topics discussed in this section:

Bus Backbone
Star Backbone
Connecting Remote LANs

15.13
 Note

In a bus backbone, the topology

of the backbone is a bus.

15.14
 Note

In a star backbone, the topology of the

backbone is a star;
the backbone is just one switch.

15.15
 15-3 VIRTUAL LANs

We can roughly define a virtual local area network

(VLAN) as a local area network configured by
software, not by physical wiring.

Topics discussed in this section:

Membership
Configuration
Communication between Switches
IEEE Standard
Advantages
15.16
 Figure 15.15 A switch connecting three LANs

15.17
 Figure 15.16 A switch using VLAN software

15.18
 Note

VLANs create broadcast domains.

15.19
 16-1 CELLULAR TELEPHONY

Cellular telephony is designed to provide

communications between two moving units, called
mobile stations (MSs), or between one mobile unit and
one stationary unit, often called a land unit.
Topics discussed in this section:
Frequency-Reuse Principle
Transmitting
Receiving
Roaming
First Generation
Second Generation
Third Generation
16.20
 Figure 16.1 Cellular system

16.21
 Note

AMPS is an analog cellular phone

system using FDMA.

16.22
 Figure 16.3 Cellular bands for AMPS

16.23
 16-2 SATELLITE NETWORKS

A satellite network is a combination of nodes, some of

which are satellites, that provides communication from
one point on the Earth to another. A node in the
network can be a satellite, an Earth station, or an end-
user terminal or telephone.
Topics discussed in this section:
Orbits
Footprint
Three Categories of Satellites
GEO Satellites
MEO Satellites
LEO Satellites
16.24
 Figure 16.13 Satellite orbits

16.25
 Figure 16.14 Satellite categories

16.26
 Figure 16.15 Satellite orbit altitudes

16.27
 Figure 16.16 Satellites in geostationary orbit

16.28
 Figure 16.17 Orbits for global positioning system (GPS) satellites

16.29
 Figure 16.18 Trilateration

16.30
 Figure 16.19 LEO satellite system

16.31
 Figure 16.20 Iridium constellation

16.32
 Note

The Iridium system has 66 satellites in

six LEO orbits, each at an
altitude of 750 km.

16.33
 Note

Iridium is designed to provide direct

worldwide voice and data
communication using
handheld terminals, a service similar to
cellular telephony but on a global scale.

16.34
 Figure 16.20 Teledesic

16.35
 Note

Teledesic has 288 satellites in 12 LEO

orbits, each at an altitude of 1350 km.

16.36