Wide Area Network
Allows computers in different organizations to be networked
o Covers thousands of kilometers
Benefits include executing tasks on a distant computer, retrieving data from a remote
computer, and electronically sending information to a remote computer
o Characteristics:
Leased from a public switch telephone network company
Uses fiber optic cable for rapid data transmission
Communication happens between switches
No end system directly connected to the WAN
Local Area Network (LAN)
Benefits include minimizing the cost of installing application server software,
facilitating file sharing, and utilizing electronic mail for communication within an
organization
o Characteristics:
Owned by the organization
Utilizes twisted pair cables or Wi-Fi as the transmission medium
Each LAN has a device to link to another network
Internet
Formed by connecting LANs and WANs
Allows people around the world to communicate with one another
Client-Server Model
Architecture where a client runs an application provided by a server on a network
o Thin Client: Does not perform processing before letting the server do it
o Thick Client: Performs processing tasks before and after sending the request to
the server
Suitable for managing file downloading and utilization, and safeguarding files against
malware
Peer-to-Peer Model
Each peer serves as a client and a server, helping each other
Prevents network congestion and allows file segments to be downloaded individually
and accessible for multiple hosts
Network Topologies
Point to Point connection
Bus topology
Mesh topology
Star topology
Data transmission modes:
o Simplex: Data flows in one direction
o Half Duplex: Data can flow in two ways but not at the same time
o Full Duplex: Data flows in two ways at the same time
Transmission Methods
Data can be sent using broadcast, multicast, or point-to-point transmission modes
o Topologies differ based on their arrangement and data transmission methods
Point-to-point topology involves two computers connecting with each other
o Transmission mode can be Simplex or Duplex
o Method can only be unicast, not broadcast
Bus Topology
Connects multiple devices using a single cable
o Utilizes broadcast communication method
o Network redundancy is evident, as a malfunction in one device or connecting
link doesn't affect the network usability for other devices
Mesh Topology
Uses multiple cables to connect devices
o Each device is connected to every other device
o Transmission modes are duplex, allowing unicast, multicast, or broadcast
methods
Star Topology
All computers are connected to a central device
o Duplex transmission modes with three methods
o If the central device fails, communication will not work
Hybrid Network
Combines different network topologies to achieve specific performance, scalability,
or redundancy goals
Transmission Media
Categorized into cable and wireless communication media
o Cable communication uses copper wire or fiber optic
o Wireless communication utilizes electromagnetic spectrum with choices such
as infrared, microwave, and radio wave
Cable Communication
Uses twisted pair for telephone handset connection and high-speed LAN
o Coaxial cable used extensively by cable television companies and in
metropolitan area networks
o Fiber optic technology suitable for long-distance cabling with higher data rates
and lower interference
Wireless Communication
Utilizes electromagnetic waves such as infrared, microwave, and radio wave
o Each type of wave has its own advantages and disadvantages related to
frequency, data rate, and penetration
Satellite Communication
Satellites function as components within the network, establishing direct connections
with components on the ground
o Types of satellites include low earth orbit, medium earth orbit, and
geostationary earth orbit
Local Area Network (LAN) Hardware
Terminator ensures data continuity by preventing signal reflection
Repeater accepts an input signal and generates a new signal at full strength
Bridge connects segments of LANs together
o Bridge is used to connect two LANs together
Network Components
Each device in a network needs a network interface card.
o This card provides a unique address for the device.
Bridge
Connects two segments of a local area network.
o Directs messages to the appropriate segment based on MAC address.
Switch
Sometimes used as a central device, especially in the star topology.
o Enables devices to connect and communicate within a network.
Wireless LAN Hardware
Central device is usually a wireless access point.
o Capable of establishing communication with equipped end systems.
Internet
Not a physical thing, but rather a combination of protocols, ports, cables, and
computer chips.
o Also known as "I," with a data speed capability of gbits.
Collision Handling
Internet has a protocol to handle collisions.
o Uses a Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection (CSMA/CD) to
detect and resolve collisions.
Internet Infrastructure
Internet Service Provider (ISP) offers access to the internet for individuals and
organizations.
o ISPs are connected through regional ISPs and backbone ISPs.
Router
Responsible for determining the optimal transmission path.
o Uses mesh connections to ensure rapid data transmission.
Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN)
Initially designed for voice communication but now supports internet connectivity.
o Uses fiber optic cables and digital technologies to enhance data transmission.
Cell Phone Network
Mobile companies can serve as ISPs for internet access.
o Cell phones can access the internet through regular cell towers.
Internet Applications
Worldwide web is an application that stores web pages accessible on the internet.
o Cloud computing provides on-demand access to a shared pool of computing
resources.
Includes private and public cloud computing environments.
Cloud Computing
Public Cloud services like Amazon EC2 provide infrastructure provision, platform
provision, and software provision.
o Users can access computing power and storage resources provided by
companies like Amazon by paying for usage.
Advantages of public Cloud include improved software performance, expanded
storage capacity, and cost savings for companies.
o Users do not need technical expertise for using Cloud services.
Disadvantages include potential data privacy issues due to shared usage of apps.
Media Streaming
Bitstream is a sequential series of binary bits representing digital data, including
video, transmitted over the internet.
o Media storage allows access to the same videos across the world through the
internet.
Three ways to stream media: on-demand (download and watch later), real-time
(simultaneous transmission), and buffered streaming.
o Buffer size determines the amount of data transmitted and plays a crucial role
in streaming quality.
o Bit rate, determined by the Internet Service Provider (ISP), is crucial for a
good viewing experience.
IP Addressing
IP addressing is essential for transmitting data between computers over the internet.
o IPv4 addresses use 32 bits and allow for around 4.3 billion addresses.
Class-based IP addressing (Class A, B, C) allocated bits for network and host IDs,
leading to address shortage issues.
Classless Interdomain Routing (CIDR) and subnetting are solutions to address
shortage issues and improve IP address utilization.
o CIDR allows for flexible allocation of addresses to different networks,
preventing address exhaustion.
o Subnetting is the process of dividing a large network into smaller, more
manageable subnetworks.
o Both CIDR and subnetting improve overall IP address utilization.
Addressing Method for Schools (40:08 - 48:16)
The school has 8 departments, each needing its own Classful Net ID.
o Using 8 individual Classful Net IDs for each department would lead to a lot of
wasted addresses.
o Subnetting allows all departments to share a single Net ID, reducing wasted
addresses.
Subnetting method: using 3 bits to represent each department and 5 bits for devices
within each department.
o This results in a much lower number of addresses needed for each department.
Network Address Translation (NAT)
NAT allows multiple devices in a private network to access the internet using a single
public IP address.
o NAT enables multiple devices to share a private IP address, enhancing the
availability of IP addresses.
Static and Dynamic IP Addresses
Dynamic IP address: changes periodically as devices connect and disconnect,
allowing more IP addresses to be used.
o Static IP address: a fixed address used for consistent hosting and management
purposes.
Future of IP Addressing
Use of more bits to represent one address, allowing for more possible addresses.
Domain Name System (DNS)
DNS is a decentralized naming system that translates human-readable domain names
into IP addresses.
o Domain name servers are structured hierarchically, resembling an upside-
down tree.
o Name resolution is the process DNS servers use to look up a domain name to
find an IP address.
