9.

Data Communication &

Computer Network

1
CONTENTS OF THIS CHAPTER

• Communication Media
• Media Speed
• Media Mode
• Network/Network Topologies (LAN, MAN,
WAN, BUS, TREE, STAR & RING)
• Hardware for Managing Communication
Traffic.
2
9.1 DATA COMMUNICATION
• Data communication is the process of
sending data electronically from one location to
another.
• It also makes possible the updating & sharing
of data at different location.
• Computer that are located in the same room
or office building can communicate data
through a direct cable link.
THE COMMUNICATION:

•Physical path between transmitter and

receiver
•The fundamental purpose of
communication is to exchange information
between two agents, links among
computers and communications devices.
•The hardware and software devices that
support data transmission and reception
across a telecommunication system.
•Modems, multiplexes, front-end processors are the
included devices.
Modems:
device which converts the digital output of a computer into
an analog signal & capable of being transmitted over a
conventional telephone line, received the same & convert it
back into a digital form.
Multiplex:
To interleave or simultaneously transmit two or more
messages on a single channel.
Multiplexer:
An electronic device that allows a single communications
channel to carry simultaneous data transmission from many
terminals.
Front-End processor:
Device that is dedicated to handling data communications
5
control functions in a communications network.
A simple communications System

6
Communication Media (CM):
• CM is a physical path between transmitter
& receiver in a data transmission system.
• Various physical media can be used for
the actual transmission, data are
transmitted from one place to another.
• Two hardware units that are distant from
each other transfer messages over same
type of communication medium.
• The hardware units may be a terminal and
a computer, two computers and some
other combination of two devices.
7
• Example:
– When a message is transmitted, one of
the hardware units is designated as the
sender and the other as the receiver.
– There are several ways to send the
message over the medium.

8
– So, data transmission media may be
classified as guided or unguided.
– Guided media: are guided along a physical
path. The examples of guided media are
Twisted Pair Cable, Coaxial Cable & Fiber
Optics cable.
– Unguided media: provide a means for
transmitting electromagnetic waves but do
not guide them any physical path.
Microwave, satellite and Infrared are
wireless (unguided)

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• Basically, there are four important
transmission media: magnetic media,
coaxial cable media, twisted pair cable
media and optical fiber media.
• The following are the total data rate.
Repeater spacing of communication
medium.

10
Point-to-point transmission characteristics of
guided media
Transmission Total Bandwidth Repeater
Medium data (range of frequencies Spacing
rate for the transmission
of signals)
Magnetic - - -
Tape
Twisted Pair 4 Mbps 250 KHz 2 -10 KM
Cable
Coaxial 500 350 KHz 1 -10 KM
Cable Mbps
Optical Fiber 2 Gbps 2 GHz 10 -100
KM11
9. 2 Types of Communication Media:
1. Magnetic Media
2. Coaxial Media
3. Twisted Pair Media
4. Optical Fiber Media
5. Microwave Media
1. Magnetic Media:
– Magnetic media is most common way of
data transport from one computer to
another computer.
– Write data onto magnetic tape or floppy
disks; transport them to the destination
computer then read and write them and 12
back it again.
• This system is not sophisticated but it is
cost effective (expensive).
Example:
– If you have a 1000 tapes capacity box and
7000 Gbs data packets.
– You want to send it anywhere in the Asia
continents by the use of express delivery
service. (takes time, cost effective,
security problem)
– This type of technology applied in early
stage.
13
2. Twisted Pair Cable (Media):
• Twisted-pair cable is the traditional wiring
used by telephone companies.
• Twisted-pair cable is oldest and still most
common data transmission medium.
• Consists of two insulated copper wires
arranged in a regular spiral pattern.
• It acts as a single communication link.
• Data transmission rate is 4 mbps.
• It is used for long distance & its thickness
is 0.016 to 0.036 inch.
14
• Twisted-pair cables come in different
categories. Lower-end categories are used
primarily in homes, and higher-end
categories are used as a cheaper alternative
to coaxial cable in LANs.
• Twisted-pair cables can be bundled inside a
larger cable. This allows for phones,
modems, Ethernet and the like to be wired
using only one cable.
• The smaller twisted pairs are often color-
coded to denote their use.

15
– It is the communication technology that has
been transmitted in the country and abroad.
– Generally, each twisted-pair wire in a cable can
accommodate a single phone call between two
people or two machines.

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Uses

17
– It is used for both analog and digital data
transmission.
– It is the backbone of the telephone system as
well as the work for intra-building
communications.
– Basically, it is used in telephone system (e.g.
individual telephone sets are connected to the
local telephone exchange).
– Within an office building, telephone service is
often provided by means of a private branch
exchange (PBX).
– It is used for inter-building telephone
exchange system.
– It provides for intra-building calls via extension
number. 18
3. Coaxial Cable (Media):
• Coaxial cable is a cable consisting of a single
conductor, which is surrounded by insulation
and a conductive shield.
• Invented in 1929, coaxial cable was used first
cross-continental transmission system in 1940.
• It is most versatile transmission medium, used
for long-distance telephone & television
transmission.
• It is used for Television distribution and used in
local area network also.
• Coaxial cable can carry over 10000 voice
channels simultaneously.
• Used for TV signals to individual homes called
community antenna television (Cable TV)
• Finally it is commonly used short-range
connection between devices. 19
• For digital signaling, it can be used to provide
high speed I/O channels on Computer System.
• It is used to transmit both analog & digital
signals.
• For long distance transmission of analog
signals, amplifiers are needed every few
kilometer.
• For digital signaling, repeaters are needed every
kilometer.
• 800 mbps data rate have achieved by this cable
with a repeater spacing of 1.6 KM.
• Data transmission rate is 800 mbps.

20
21
4. Optical Fiber Cable (Media):
• It is a thin (2 to 125 µm), flexible medium
capable of conducting on optical ray.
• Various glasses and plastics can be used
to make optical fibers optical rays.
• An optical fiber cable has a cylindrical
shape and consists of three concentric
sections:
– The core
– The cladding
– The jacket
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oSmall size & lighter weight.

23
 –The Core:
- Innermost section & consists of one or more
very thin standards, or fibers, made of glass
or plastic.
»The cladding:
- A glass or plastic coating that has optical
properties different from those of core.
»The jacket:
- Protect against moisture, abrasion and
other environmental dangers.
–This is very new development of practical fiber
optic communication system.
–Greater bandwidth – data rate of medium increase
with frequency. Data rates of 2 Gbps over ten of KM
have been demonstrated. 24
5.Microwave media
• Microwaves media are high frequency radio
signals.
• Text, graphics, voice and video data can all be
converted to microwave impulses by
microwave media.
• Microwave signals can be sent in two ways:
– Via terrestrial stations (placed on top of the
mountain)
– By way of satellite
• Both technologies can transmit data in large
quantities and at much higher speeds than can
twisted-wire.
25
9. 3 Media Mode
• Data transmission may occur in one of the three
modes. They are:
1. Simplex mode
2. Half-duplex mode
3. Full-duplex mode
1. Simplex Mode:
• Data can be transmitted in one direction only.
• A device using the simplex mode of transmission
can either send or receive data, cannot do both
way.
• Simplex transmission is similar to a one-lane, one
Way Bridge. 26
1.Half-duplex Mode:
• Message or data can be carried in either
direction, but only one way at a time.
• Only one person can talk at a time.
• Citizens band radio, walky-talky, etc.
• This mode is also referred to as ‘two-way
alternate’, that means a one-lane and two-
way bridge.
3.Full-duplex Mode:
• Allows a device to receive & send data
simultaneously and is faster. This mode
avoid the delay.
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How Modems Works

28
9.5 Data Transmission Technique

• Used two transmission techniques.

• Parallel transmission technique & Serial
transmission technique.

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Parallel & Serial Transmission

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9. 6 Communication Channel
Bandwidth

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Media Speed
• The speed of a communications medium,
generally measured in terms of the number of
bits that can be transmitted per second (bit
per second/BPS)
• The speed of transmission is proportional to
the width of the frequency band. That band
are:
• Narrowband transmission:
– Data-carrying capacity in the range of 45 to 150
bps; this rate are suitable only for very low-speed
operations, such as telegraph & teletype
communication.
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• Voice-grade band transmission:
– Data-carrying capacity (rate) are 300 to 9600
bps, used for telephone spoken messages.
Telephone line are the example of this band.
• Wideband (Broadband) transmission:
– Data transmission rates are 19200 to 500,000 or
more bps, using fiber optic cable.
– Microwave, fiber-optic & communication satellites
are the examples of broadband.

33
Media Signals
• There are two possible ways to classify the
signal sent along a medium.
1. Analog Signal:
The phone system, established many years
ago to handle voice traffic, carries signals
in an analog fashion, communicate data in
continuous wave.
2. Digital Signal:
Digital data transmission is the
transmission of data using distinct
‘on’ and ‘off’ electrical state.
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Analog & Digital Transmission

35
Data Communication
• Data communication is the active process of
transporting data from one point to another.
• Network are communication systems
designed to convey information from a point
of origin to a point of destination.
• The operative word is communication, the
transfer of information from one person or
device to another.

36
Network Concept:
• Gathering & sharing of information has
always been a major part of commercial and
human activity.
• Computers are used gathering & sharing of
information.
• A users start to share data and resources
locally the next stage is to share information
and resources between different company
departments, sites & then between
organizations.
37
Computer Network
• A computer network is a collection of computers &
peripheral devices connected by communication links
that allow the network components to work together.
• A computer created when several computers and
terminals devices are connected together by data
communication system.
• During 20th century, the basic concept was become in
real world, like information gathering, processing &
distribution.
• A computer network is a group of interconnected
computers, including the H/W and S/W used to
communicate & provide users with access to shared
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resources.
• A computer network consists of
communications media, devices & software
needed to connect two or more computer
systems and/or devices.
• So, Computer networks are essential to
modern business for many reasons.
• A computer network is a number of computers
interconnected by one or more transmission
paths.
• The network exists to meet one goal: the
transfer & exchange of data between the
computers & terminals.
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Components of a network
• Components network is made up of both H/W
& S/W components.
• Computer networks have the following
components. (Server, Workstations, NIC &
Cable Media
– Server:
– The server is the computer that acts as the central
authority on a several based network.
– The server runs the network operating system &
provides network services to user at their individual
workstations.
40
– Workstations:
– A computer that access another computer,
typically one in the network.
– Network Interface Card (NIC):
– Includes physical and logical connections
between computer and transmission medium.
– Cable Media:
– is used to connect to the server and
workstations together.

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9. 8 Type of Computer Networks
1. Local Area Network (LAN)
2. Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
3. Wide Area Network (WAN)
1. Local Area Network (LAN):
• A LAN is two or more computers directly linked within a
small, well defined area with the help of cable.
• Involves the linking of several computers within a limited
geographical area (e.g. a university, a campus, a hospital
complex)
• The Institute of Electrical & Electronic Engineering (IEEE)
defines a LAN.
• Main benefit of a LAN is the reduction of H/W & S/W costs
because user can share several computers, peripheral
devices (modems, printer etc.)
• LAN is easy communication system between the various 42
users of the system with the help of mailbox.
A Local Area Network (LAN)

43
• A LAN generally consists of the following:
– Two or more computers
– S/W to control the operation of the computers.
– Peripheral devices such as modems, printers etc.
– Cables used to connect the computers.
• Example:
• Users A can send a message to user B by typing his
message to the system mailbox.
• The S/W will then route the message to user B.
• If B is using the system at the time the message is
sent, he can receive it immediately.
• Otherwise, it will be stored in his mailbox because;
• B can receive the message the next time when he use
44
the system.
2.Metropolitan Area Network (MAN):
• MAN is a bigger version of a LAN, it normally
covers the area of a city, greater area than
LAN.
• Different H/W and transmission media are
often used in MANs because they must
efficiently cover these (tens to 100 KMs).
• It can support both data & voice.
• MAN is a network that is larger than a LAN.
• It is called metropolitan since it normally covers
the area of a city; used bus cable.
• Each bus has a head-end. For example Cable
TV. 45
 WS1 WS2 WS3
Junction Box

WS1 WS2 WS3

Head End

WS1 WS2 WS3

SE
RV
ER Bus Cable

46
3.Wide Area Network (WAN):
• A WAN is two or more geographically
dispersed computers, linked by communication
facilities such as telecommunication &
microwave relays.
• Spans a large geographical area often country
or continent.
• Contains a collection of machine intended for
running user (sending host, receiving host).
• Chief communication link is telephone.
• When data arrive on an incoming line, the
switching channel must choose an outgoing
line to forward them. (called packet switching
47
node)
• When a packet is sent from one router to
another router via one or more intermediate
routers, and stored there until the required
line is free and them forward. (is called a
point-to-point, store & forward or packet
switched subnet).
Router:
• A router transfers or routes data between
networks through shortest path.
• A computer can send a packet destined for
another network to a router. Router transfer the
packets of data to the other network.
Hub: centralized distribution point for all traffic on
48
a single leg of the actual network.
 Subnet
C C C C C C
Router
R R
Host
C C C R R
C C C

R R
LAN

Relation between hosts on LANs and subnet

49
 Subnet

RouterRouter
B D
Sending host
Sending host
Receiving
Receiving A Host
Packet E
Host
Receiving process
Sending process
C
C

Router C makes a choice to forward

packets to E and not to D

• A stream of packets from sender to receiver

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9. 9 NETWORK TOPOLOGY
• Each computer or device in a network is called
a node.
• The geometrical arrangement of computer
resources, remote device, communication
facilities is known as network topology.
• The structure, consisting of path and switches,
that provides the communications
interconnection among nodes of a network.
• The common network topologies are:
1. BUS topology
2. RING topology
3. STAR topology
4. TREE topology
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5. MESH topology
1. BUS network topology:

• In a BUS network, each computer is

connected to a single communication cable
via an interface.
• Every computer can directly communicate
with every other computer or device in the
network.
• In a BUS topology all the computers are
connected to each other through a common
backbone cable or a bus (single
communication cable).
• This topology is commonly used along with
the local area network.
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A Bus Network (Topology)

53
Advantages:
• Low traffic network; only small amount of
device are allowed in this network; use
short length cable which decrease the
installation cost; simple & easy to
maintain.
Disadvantages:
•If problem occurs on the backbone cable,
the entire network will go down.
•Troubleshooting could be difficult.
•Limited to future addition of other devices.
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2. RING network topology:
• In a RING network Several devices or computers
(nodes) are connected to each other in a closed
loop by a single communication cable.
• RING network is a LAN architecture that consists
of a series of devices connected to one another by
unidirectional (data moves one direction)
transmission link.
• In the RING network, data must travel around the
ring to each station in turn until they arrive at the
required station.
• Data transfer in one direction, from one node to
another around the ring.
55
• It is known as loop network.
56
Advantages:
• Only one cable connection between the
devices or nodes.
• Short cable connection which cause an
increase in network reliability.
Disadvantages:
• Any node failure causes network failure.
• Difficult to diagnose faults.
• Network reconfiguration is difficult.
• Can not shut down some device in the ring
while keeping other devices in the same ring57
active.
3. STAR network topology:
• In a STAR network, several devices or nodes
are connected to one centralized computer or
connected to a common central hub or switch,
by dedicated links.
• Each node is usually connected by Ethernet
cables.
• Each device has a dedicated point-to-point
link only to central controller “Hub”.
• If the central computer or device breaks down,
all connected computers are failed.
• is used basically, in banking sector for
centralized record keeping in an on-line
branch office environment.
58
59
Advantages:
• Less expensive. (low installation cost)
• Only need one link and one input/output port.
• All other links stay active even if one link fails
to work.
• Easy to find the failure link.
Disadvantages:
• Long cable length, since each device is directly
connected to the central hub.
• Difficult to expand.
• The entire network becomes inoperable if the
central hub fails to work. 60
4. TREE network topology:
• In TREE network topology, several devices or
computers are linked in a hierarchical fashion, is
called hierarchical network..
• Each node is connected to its own port or hub.
• Kind of STAR of STAR topology interconnects
hubs in hierarchical fashion.
• One hub or switch at the top, will be connected
to many other hubs, which will break off to
device or even more hubs.
• This type of distribution system is commonly
used in the organization where headquarter
communicate with regional office & regional
office communicate with district offices and so
61
on.
Tree Network (Topology)

62
Advantages
• Easy to extend, because the TREE topology is
divided into many sub units.
• It is easier to add new nodes or branches to it.
• Fault isolation – is possible to disconnect whole
branches of the network from the main structure. This
makes it easier to isolate a defective node.
• In case of a hub or device failure, the network
continuous to operate, which makes it easy to find the
default hub or device.
Disadvantages
• The entire network depend on the root. If the main
root fails to operate, then the entire network will fail
to operate. 63
5. MESH Topology:
• MESH Network has point-to-point connections
between every device or node in the network.
• A router which is used to search multiple path &
determine the best path for the data transmission.

Transmission Computer
media

Computer

Computer Computer
64
• Each device requires an interface for every
other device on the network.
• Mesh networks are not usually considered
practical.
• Multiple connections are included into this
network system with media.

65
Advantages
• Stability for single application server, The redundant
connection make the mesh network very reliable, even in a
high volume traffic situation.
• If one device fails, then with the multiple connection, data
will still be sent to its destination.
• Ease to installation: relatively difficult to install because
each device must be linked directly to all other devices.
• Mesh topology are easy to troubleshoot because each
medium link is independent of all others. You can easily
identify faults & can isolate affected link.
Disadvantages
• The amount of cable needed for mesh topology exceeds
the amount of any other topology.
• Require many I/O ports which could be really expensive.
66
REPEATER
• is a physical layer device, used to interconnect the
media segments of an extended network.
• receive signals from one network segment & amplify,
retime & retransmit those signals to another network
segments.
• Repeaters are incapable of performing complex filtering
and other traffic processing.
• In addition, all electrical signals, including electrical
disturbances and other errors, are repeated & amplified.
Computer Computer

Repeater
Media cable

Computer Computer
67
 BASIC ELEMENTS OF NETWORKING
• All networks require following three elements:
1. Network Services – At least two
individuals who have something to
share. (Server – service provider,
Clients – service requestors.)
2. Transmission Media – A method of
pathway for contacting each other.
(Cable & Wireless technologies)
3. Protocol – Rules so that two or more
individual can communicate. (allow
different devices to hold conversations).
So, it is a set of rules which governs the
interchange of data between two
communicating computers.
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COMMON NETWORK SERVICES

• All networks available following network services:

1. File Services – File transfer, File Storage, File
update synchronization & File archiving (backup
critical data)
2. Print Services – Place printers wherever
most convenient, Handle simultaneous
request, Share the specialized equipments,
Network fax service.
3. Message Services – Electronic mail,
Integrated electronic mail & voice mail etc.

69
4. Application Services – This network
services run software for network
clients.
5. Database Services – Optimize the
computer which store, search, and retrieve
database records, provide server base
database.

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The End

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