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Computer Networks

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19 views

Computer Networks

Uploaded by

ctrueba2010
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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COMPUTER NETWORKS

DEFINITION OF NETWORK

A network is created when more than one device is


connected together.

A network can be a small collection of computers connected


within a building (eg a school, business or home) or it can be a
wide collection of computers connected around the world.
DATA PACKETS

The main purpose of networking is to share data between


computers. A file has to be broken up into small chunks of data
known as data packets in order to be transmitted over a
network. The data is then re-built once it reaches the
destination computer.

Networking hardware is required to connect computers and


manage how data packets are communicated.
Protocols are used to control how data is transmitted across
networks.
Advantages and disadvantages to using networks.
DIFFERENT KINDS OF NETWORKS
LANs AND WANs
A network can be anything from two computers connected
together, to millions of computers connected on the internet.
There are many different types of networks such as:
LAN, WAN, VPN, WPAN and PAN.
LAN
A LAN (local area network) is a network of computers
within the same building, such as a school, home or business. A
LAN is not necessarily connected to the internet.
WAN
A WAN (wide area network) is created when LANs are
connected. This requires media such as broadband cables, and
can connect up organisations based in different geographical
places. The internet is a WAN.
VPN
A VPN (virtual private network) is often used when working
on secure information held by a company or school.

WPAN and PAN


A WPAN (wireless personal area network) allows an
individual to connect devices (such as a smartphone) to a
desktop machine, or to form a Bluetooth connection with
devices in a car.
PAN do the same but connecting it by cables
TOPOLOGIES OF LAN NETWORKS
There are different ways of setting up a LAN (different ways
to connect devices), each with different benefits in terms of
network speed and cost.
Three of the main topologies include bus, star and ring.
Bus network
In a bus network all the
workstations, servers and
printers are joined to one
cable - 'the bus’.

There is an equipment limit


depending on the signal
quality. Due to the length
of the connections, signal
degradation may occur.
Ring network
In a ring network, each device (eg workstation, server,
printer) is connected in a ring so each one is connected to two
other devices. Each data packet on the network travels in one
direction. Each device receives each packet in turn until the
destination device receives it.

The information travels in


only one direction, therefore,
if a node stops working, the
network falls or stops
supplying information to the
other computers within the
ring, therefore it is not very
efficient.
Star network
In a star network, each device on the network has its own
cable that connects to a switch or hub. This is the most popular
way of setting up a LAN. You may find a star network in a small
network of five or six computers where speed is a priority.

If the central hub or switch


fails, the entire network
stops transmitting.

It is expensive, as it
requires more cables than
other topologies.
WIRED AND WIRELESS CONNECTIONS
Wired connection
Computers can be connected through Ethernet cables
which connect to the Ethernet port.
Wireless connection
A wireless router provides a connection with the physical
network. Also uses radio signals to send data across networks.
The wireless adapter converts the data into a radio signal and
the wireless receiver decodes it so that the computer can
understand it.
Wireless transmissions can be intercepted by anyone within
range of the router. Access can also be restricted to specific
MAC addresses, and transmissions are usually encrypted using
a key that works with WPA (wi-fi protected access).
NETWORKING HARDWARE
Computers need networking hardware in order to connect to
each other.

Connectting to the internet with a router


Routers
A router can form a LAN by connecting devices within a
building. It also makes it possible to connect different networks
together. Homes and businesses use a router to connect to the
internet. A router can often incorporate a modem within the
hardware.

Modems
A modem enables a computer to connect to the internet
over a telephone line. A modem converts digital signals from a
computer to analogue signals that are then sent down the
telephone line. A modem on the other end converts the
analogue signal back to a digital signal which another computer
can understand.
Hubs, bridges and switches
Hubs, bridges and switches allow multiple devices to connect to
the router and they transfer data to all devices on a network.

HUBS
A hub sends data to all devices on a network. This can use a lot of
bandwidth as it results in unnecessary data being sent - not all
computers might need to receive the data.

BRIDGES
A bridge is used to connect two separate LAN networks. A computer
can act as a bridge through the operating system.

SWITCHES
A switch performs a similar role to a hub and a bridge but is more
powerful. It stores the MAC addresses of devices on a network and
filters data packets to see which devices have asked for them.
Diagram showing a networking hub requiring servers
TYPES OF NETWORK
The most widely-used models are client-server or peer-to-peer (P2P)

Client-server
The client-server model is the relationship between two
computers in which one, the client, makes a service request
from another, the server.
For example, websites are stored on web servers. A web
browser is the client which makes a request to the server, and
the server sends the website to the browser.
Popular websites need powerful servers to serve thousands
or millions of clients, all making requests at the same time. The
client side of a web application is often referred to as the front
end. The server side is referred to as the back end.
Diagram illustrating the Client-Server agreement model
Peer-to-peer (P2P)
In a P2P network, no single provider is responsible for being
the server. Each computer stores files and acts as a server. Each
computer has equal responsibility for providing data.

Diagram showing peer-peer networking


THE INTERNET
The internet is a global network of computers that any
computer can join, conforming a WAN network (a large
number of LANs connected).

On the internet, there are different technologies and services


available, as:

● Web pages (HTML documents)


● Web applications (web software)
● Native apps (in smartphones)
● Email
● File sharing (cloud, for example)
● Voice calls
● Streaming audio and video (spotify and youtube)
Web Browser

A web browser is a piece of software that enables the user to


access web pages and web apps.
Examples: Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, Microsoft
Edge, ...

Connecting to the internet

To connect a device to the internet is necessary:


● An ISP (Internet Service Provider) like Vodafone,
Movistar, Orange, …
● A modem or router (wired or wireless)
● A web browser or app
● A connection to the network (coaxial or fibre optic cable)
Broadband connections

Broadband internet is transmitted on physical wires that run


underground and under the oceans. These cables arrive to our
country and an ISP provides us an internet connection.

There are two speeds: download and upload speeds.

Dowload tend to be faster than upload because there is a


higher demand for downloads and it is measured in Mbps, I
mean, how many megabits of data they can download per
second. (Remember, 1 megabit is nearly one million of bites)

Broadband can be provided over an ADSL or cable connection.


TCP / IP protocol
Establish how two devices send and receive data (message,
file, …). Data packets travel between source and destination
from one router to the next and this protocol organises how
data packets are communicated with this information:
● Source (origin)
● Destination
● Packet sequence (order of data to be reassembled)
● Data
● Error check
IP address
Every device on the internet has a unique IP address. This
address are made up into a four 8-bit numbers (octet) and
each octet can represent a number between 0 and 255 and is
separated by a full stop, like 192.168.0.12. When you connect
your device to the Internet, your router assigns an IP address
to your devices on the network.
Web Addresses
Every computer connected to the Internet has an uniquely IP. If you want
to see a web page you can search on a web browser their IP, but it is
difficult to remember each IP address of the webpages you like.
Due to this, each website has an URL (Uniform Resource Locator) like
http://www.cambridgehouse.es that contains:
http(s)://
The domain name
A folder or directory in the website
The web page name (actual page you are seeing)
For example, this web site
https://elpais.com/tecnologia/2017/10/24/actualidad/1508859078_531552.html
Indicates:
Is a web page because it contains the protocol HTTP
The domain is elpais.com
tecnologia/2017/10/24/actualidad is the folder structure where we
can found the resource (in this case a webpage with a new)
1508859078_531552, the name of the resource
Html, the type of resource. In this case, a webpage.
Streaming. How works??
Streaming high-quality images, music and video requires a lot
of data. Compression reduces file sizes whilst keeping the high
quality of the original media.

Music and Video


Streaming allows data to be used immediately but the whole
file is not downloaded. Data is streamed by the service to the
client which needs to use HTML5 or a plugin to decode the
audio or video.

Buffering
A buffer is a temporary storage space where data can be held
and processed. The buffer holds the data that is required to
listen or watch the media. As data for a file is downloaded, it is
held in the buffer temporarily. As soon as enough data is in the
buffer the file will start playing.

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