Information and Communication Technology

(ICT 100)

Communication Networks
Presented By:
Michael R Chinguwo
Department of Foundation Year
College Of Medicine

:265 (0) 993 195 721 :[email protected]

Introduction
▪ Computer communications describes a process in which two or more
computers or devices transfer data, instructions, and information.
▪ Uses of Computer Communications
- Internet
- Web
- Instant Messaging
- E-Mail
- Global Positioning System (GPS)
- Groupware
 Introduction (Cont’d)
▪ What is needed for successful communications
- A sending device that initiates an instruction to transmit data, instructions, or
information
- A communications device that connects the sending device to a
communications channel.
- A communications channel, or transmission media on which the data,
instructions, or information travel
- A communications device that connects the communications channel to a
receiving device
- A receiving device that accepts the transmission of data, instructions, or
information
Computer Network
Computer network is comprised of at least two, connected, by wire or
wireless, computers that can exchange data i.e. communicate.
Reasons for connecting computers
- Exchange of data between users that have network access
- Access to shared devices, such as network printers, network disks
- Enables user communication and socializing
- Centralized Administration:- One administrator can control data, devices and
permissions of users on the network.
Elements of a Network
1. Rules (protocols)
- Protocols that govern how messages are sent, directed, received
and interpreted.
2. Packets(messages)
- Electronic messages are sent as packets. Units of information
travelling from one device to another.
3. Medium
- Means of interconnecting network devices. A medium transports
the messages from one device to another
Elements of a Network (Cont’d)
4. Devices ( host and nodes)
- Devices on the network exchange messages with each other
Basic Network Components
▪ There are many components that can be part of a network.
▪ For example PCs, Servers, Networking Devices and Cabling.
▪ These components can be grouped into four main categories:
- Hosts
- Shared Peripherals
- Networking Devices
- Networking Media
i. Hosts
- Devices that send and receive messages directly across the network
- Examples are: - PCs, Server, Laptop, Network Printer
Basic Network Components (Cont’d)
ii. Shared Peripherals
- Devices that are connected to hosts, not directly connected to the network.
- Examples are Printer, Scanner, Webcam
iii. Networking Devices
- Used to interconnect hosts
- Examples are Hub, Switch, Router etc.
iv. Networking Media
- Used to interconnect hosts
- Examples are cables.
Basic Network Components (Cont’d)
Note:
▪ Some devices can play more than one role, depending on how they are
connected.
▪ For Example
- A printer directly connected to a host (local printer) is a peripheral.
- A printer directly connected to a network device and participates directly in
network communications is a hosts
▪ The physical components of a network are needed to move data
between devices. The common media used on networks include:
- Cables (Twisted pair and Fiber Optic)
- Radio Waves
Network Devices
▪ Devices which are used to send data between devices. Some of them include:
i. Repeater
- Is a network device that is used to retransmit the weaker
signals in a network.
- Used to amplify the signals in the big network.
ii. Hubs
- Devices that is used to extend the range of a network by receiving data on one port
and then regenerate the data and sending it to all other ports.
- They serve as central connection point for LAN,
hence also called concentrators
- Used to connect two segments of wired network.
Network Devices (Cont’d)
iii. Bridges
- Device used to filter network traffic between LAN segments.
- It keeps record of all the devices on each segment
to which the bridge is connected.
- A typical bridge may have just two points, linking two segments of the same
network
iv. Switches
- Sometimes called multi-port bridges because it has several ports depending on
how many network segments are to be linked
- Is used to forward packets within a network
by using MAC addresses
Network Devices (Cont’d)
v. Routers
- Devices that connect entire networks to each other.
- It uses IP addresses to forward packets to
other networks.
- Used in WAN to connect LANs that are separated by great distances.
vi. LAN Card
- Network Interface Card (NIC) is used to join the computers in a network.
- A NIC is installed in PCI port inside the computer.
- A Unique Media Control Access (MAC) address
is assigned to LAN Card.
Network Devices (Cont’d)
vii. Gateway
- Can be hardware or software and it acts as a bridge between two networks.
- It is an entrance point of a network.
- It connects a LAN with Internet.
- A router acts as a gateway device in
a network.
Categories of Computer Networks
▪ Different types of networks are given different descriptive names.
▪ A computer network is identified by the following specific
characteristics:
- The area it serves
- How data is stored
- How the resources are managed
- How the network is organized
- The type of network devices used
- The type of media used to connect the devices.
 Categories of Computer Networks
(Cont’d)
Networks can be categorized based on many factors. Some of factors
used to categorize networks include:
i. Coverage Area:- Personal Area Networks, Local Area Networks,
Metropolitan Area Network, Wide Area Network.
ii. Transmission Media Used:- Cable/Wire or Wireless Networks
iii. Architecture:- Client-Server or Peer to Peer
iv. Topology:- Bus, Ring, Star, Mesh, Tree and Hybrid Topology
 Classification of Computer Networks by
Scale – Coverage Area
i. Personal Area Network (PAN)
- Is a computer network that will be useful in communicating
computerizes devices such as telephones and PDAs
- Is communicated through wireless
network technologies such as Wireless USB,
Bluetooth, Z-Wave, and IrDA
- Use PANs to communicate among
the personal devices
 Classification of Computer Networks by
Scale (Cont’d)
ii. Local Area Network (LAN)
▪ Is a computer network covering a
small geographic area, like a home,
office, or group of buildings.
▪ Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN)
➢This is Local Area Network that uses
wireless devices to transmit and receive data using radio waves.
➢On WLAN you can share resources such as:
✓ Files
✓ Printers
✓ Access to internet
 Classification of Computer Networks by
Scale (Cont’d)
iii. Wide Area Network (WAN)
- A network that covers a relatively large geographical area i.e. state or
country - it connects a greater number of computers and local networks.
- Connects together remote computers
through dedicated communications
channels or the Internet
- The largest WAN in existence
is the Internet
 Classification of Computer Networks by
Scale (Cont’d)
iv. Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
- MAN is a network that interconnect users with computer resources in a
geographic area or region larger than that covered by a local area
network (LAN) but smaller than the area covered by wide area network
(WAN).
- MAN is a network that connects two or more Local Area Networks or
Campus Area Networks together but does not extend beyond the
boundaries of the immediate town, city, or metropolitan area
 Classification of Computer Networks by
Architecture
i. Peer to Peer Network (P2P)
- Are more commonly implemented where less then ten computers are involved
and where strict security is not necessary
- All computers have the same status, hence the term ‘peer’
- All computers are clients and servers at the same time
- All computers can share responsibility of Processing, storage, printing and
communication tasks
 Classification of Computer Networks by
Architecture (Cont’d)
Characteristics of peer to peer Network
₋ Easy to set up
₋ Less expensive to install
₋ Can be implemented on a wide range of operating systems
₋ More time consuming to maintain the software being used
₋ Very low levels of security supported or none at all.
₋ Ideal for networks with less than 10 computers
₋ Does not require a server
₋ Demands a moderate level of skill to administer the network
 Classification of Computer Networks by
Architecture (Cont’d)
ii. Client-Server Network
- A computer network model where data resources and software are
located on special high-performance computers called servers.
- Service requesters, referred to as clients,
connect to the server through the
network and use these resources
 Classification of Computer Networks by
Architecture (Cont’d)
Characteristics of Server Based Network
₋ More difficult to set up
₋ More expensive to install
₋ A variety of operating systems can be supported on the client computers,
but the server needs to run an operating system that supports
networking.
₋ No limit to the number of computers that can be supported
₋ High level of IT skills is required
₋ High levels of security are supported
 Classification of Computer Networks by
Topology
▪ A network Topology is the physical layout of computers, cables and
other components on a network
▪ There are a number of different network topologies, and a network
may be built using multiple topologies.
▪ The different types of network layouts are:
- Bus
- Ring
- Star
- Mesh
- Tree
- Hybrid Topology
 Classification of Computer Networks by
Topology (Cont’d)
1. Bus Topology
- This topology uses one cable as a main trunk to connect devices
together.
- Is very easy to set up and requires no additional hardware such as
hub
- The cable is called a trunk, a backbone or a segment
 Classification of Computer Networks by
Topology (Cont’d)
Advantages of Bus Topology
- It is cheaper:- it uses less cable than star or mesh topology and no need
for additional device like hubs.
- It is easy to install:- simply connect the workstation to the cable segment
or backbone.
- If a computer fails, the network stays functional
Disadvantages of Bus Topology
- Difficult to troubleshoot, due to break in cable segments, this problem
can be tough to isolate in large network.
- Is not scalable:-its not easy to make changes within the size and layout
of bus topology.
 Classification of Computer Networks by
Topology (Cont’d)
2. Star Topology
▪ All computers are connected through one central device known as a
hub or a switch.
▪ Breaks in the cable causes only the workstation that is connected to the
cable to go down, not the entire network as with bus topology.
 Classification of Computer Networks by
Topology (Cont’d)
Advantages of Star Topology
i. Scalability and ease of adding another system to the network, simply
connect the system to an unused port on the hub.
ii. Break in the cable, affects only the system that is connected to that cable.
iii. It is easy to add or change configurations because all of the connections
come to a central point.
Disadvantages of Star Topology
i. If Central Device (Hub) fails, the entire network comes down, but this is
much easier to find than finding cable break in bus topology.
ii. It is costly:-to connect workstation, there is a need of a hub with an
available port and a cable from the workstation to the hub.
 Classification of Computer Networks by
Topology (Cont’d)
3. Mesh Topology
▪ In Mesh Topology, every workstation has a connection to every other
component of the network.
 Classification of Computer Networks by
Topology (Cont’d)
Advantages of Mesh Topology
- It is fault tolerance:-when there is a break in a cable segment, traffic can
be routed through a different pathway because there are multiple
pathways to send data from one system to another.
Disadvantages of Mesh Topology
- It is costly:- there is a need of additional cabling and network interfaces
to create the multiple pathways between each system.
- It is very hard to administer and manage because of numerous
connections.
 Classification of Computer Networks by
Topology (Cont’d)
4. Ring Topology
▪ All computers are connected via a cable that loops in a ring or circle.
▪ The circle has no start and no end, hence terminators are not necessary
in a ring topology.
▪ Signals travel in one direction on a ring while they are passed from
one computer to the next.
▪ Each computer regenerate the signal so that it may travel the distance
required.
 Classification of Computer Networks by
Topology (Cont’d)

Advantages of Ring Topology

i. Signal Degeneration is low because each workstation is responsible
for generating or boosting the signals. Hence strong signal when
reaching its destination and seldom needs to be retransmitted.
 Classification of Computer Networks by
Topology (Cont’d)
Disadvantages of Ring Topology
i. If one computer fails or the cable link is broken, the entire network
could go down.
ii. Isolating a problem can be difficult in some ring configurations.
iii. Brief disconnection can interrupt or bring down the entire network
i.e. making cabling change to the network or move a workstation.
 Classification of Computer Networks by
Topology (Cont’d)
5. Hybrid Topology
▪ This is mixture of topologies to form a hybrid topology
▪ For example, a star-bus topology, a number of star topologies
connected by a central bus. This is popular topology because the bus
will connect hubs that are spread over distance.
▪ Another popular hybrid topology is the star-ring topology. It looks as a
star but acts as a ring.
Classification of Computer Networks by
Topology (Cont’d)
Star-bus Topology
Communications Channel
▪ Transmission media on which data travels in communications system.
Transmission media
- Are materials capable of carrying one or more signals
Bandwidth
- Is amount of data that can travel over channel
Communications Channel (Cont’d)
Physical transmission media
▪ Wire, cable, and other tangible materials used to send communications
signals.
i. Twisted-pair cable
- Is used for telephone systems and network cabling
- Twisted-pair cable consists of one or more twisted-pair wires bundled together
Communications Channel (Cont’d)
ii. Coaxial cable
- Is often used for cable television wiring
- Consists of a single copper wire surrounded by at least three layers:
i. An insulating material,
ii. a woven or braided metal
iii. A plastic outer coating
Communications Channel (Cont’d)
iii. Fiber-optic Cable
- Uses either glass or plastic fibers to guide light impulses from source to
destination.
- Capable of carrying significantly more data at
faster speeds than wire cables
- Less susceptible to interference
(noise) and, therefore, more secure
- Smaller size (thinner and lighter
Communications Channel (Cont’d)
Wireless Transmission Media
▪ Used when inconvenient, impractical, or impossible to install cables
i. Infrared
- Sends signals using infrared light waves
- 115 Kbps to 4 Mbps – transfer rate
ii. Broadcast Radio
- Distributes radio signals through the air over long distances
- Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, WiMAX, etc
Communications Channel (Cont’d)
iii. Cellular Radio
- Is a form of broadcast radio that is used widely for mobile communications,
specifically wireless modems and cell phones.
iv. Microwaves
- Are radio waves that provide a high-speed signal transmission.
v. Communications Satellite
- Is a space station that receives microwave signals from an earth-based station,
amplifies (strengthens) the signals, and broadcasts the signals back over a wide
area to any number of earth-based stations