CT-174
Fundamentals of
Information
Technology
Lecture
Data Communication &
Computer Networks
Learning Objectives
1. Define a computer network and its purpose.
2. Describe several uses for networks.
3. Understand the various characteristics of a network, such as
topology, architecture, and size.
4. Understand characteristics about data and how it travels
over a network.
5. Name specific types of wired and wireless networking media
and explain how they transmit data.
6. Identify the most common communications protocols and
networking standards used with networks today.
7. List several types of networking hardware and explain the
purpose of each.
Learning Objectives
• This Lecture covers:
– Common networking and communications
applications
– Networking concepts and terminology
– Technical issues related to networks, including
general characteristics of data transmission, and
types of transmission media in use today
– Explanation of the various communications
protocols and networking standards
– Various types of hardware used with a computer
network
What Is a Network?
• Network: A connected system of
objects or people
• Computer network: A collection of
computers and other hardware
devices connected together so users
can share hardware, software, and
data, and electronically communicate
• Computer networks converging with
telephone and other communications
networks
• Networks range from small private
networks to the Internet (largest
network in the world)
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Networking Applications
• The Internet
– Largest computer network in the world
• Telephone Service
– POTS Network
• One of the first networks
• Still used today to provide telephone service to landline
phones
– Mobile Phones (wireless phones)
• Use a wireless network for communications
• Twice as many mobile phones used worldwide than
landline phones
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Networking Applications
• Cellular (cell) Phones
– Must be within range of cell tower to function
• Dual-mode Phones
– Allow users to make telephone calls using more than one
communications network
– Cellular/Wi-Fi dual-mode phones can switch seamlessly
between the Wi-Fi network and a cellular network
• Satellite Phones
– Used where cell service is not available
– Most often used by individuals such as soldiers, journalists,
wilderness guides, and researchers
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Networking Applications
• Television and radio broadcasting
• Global positioning system (GPS): Uses satellites and a
receiver to determine the exact geographic location of
the receiver
• Monitoring systems: Monitor status or location of
individuals, vehicles, assets
• Videoconferencing
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GPS
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Network Characteristics
• Wired vs. wireless networks
– Wired: A network in which computers and other
devices are connected to the network via physical
cables
• Found in homes, schools, businesses, and
government facilities
– Wireless: A network in which computers and other
devices are connected to the network without physical
cables; data is typically sent via radio waves
• Found in homes, schools, and businesses
• Wi-Fi hotspots found in coffeehouses,
businesses, airports, hotels, and libraries
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Network Topologies
• Topology: How the devices in the network (called
nodes) are arranged
– Star networks: A network that uses a host device
connected directly to several other devices
– Bus networks: A network consisting of a central
cable to which all network devices are attached
– Mesh networks: A network in which there are
multiple connections between the devices on the
network so that messages can take any one of
several paths
– Some networks use a combination of topologies
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Network Topologies
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Network Architectures
• Architecture: The way networks are designed to
communicate
• Client-server networks
– Client: Computer or other
device on the network
that requests and
utilizes network
resources
– Server: Computer
dedicated to
processing client
requests
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Network Architectures
• Peer-to-peer (P2P) networks: All computers at the same
level
– Internet P2P computing: Performed via the Internet
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Network Size and Coverage Area
• Personal area network (PAN): Connects
an individual’s personal devices that are
located close together.
• Local area network (LAN): Connects
devices located in a small geographic
area
• Metropolitan area network (MAN):
Serves a metropolitan area
• Wide area network (WAN)
– Large geographic area
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Network Size and Coverage Area
• Intranet: Private network set up by an organization for
use by its employees
• Extranet: Intranet that is at least partially accessible to
authorized outsiders
• Virtual private network (VPN): Secure path over the
Internet that provides authorized users a secure means
of accessing a private network via the Internet
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Data Transmission Characteristics
• Bandwidth: The amount of data that can be transferred
in a given period of time
– Measured in bits per second (bps)
• Analog vs. digital signals
(waves vs. discrete)
– Most data is sent using digital signals
• Data represented by two discrete states
• 0s and 1s
– Conventional telephone systems
use analog signals
• Represent data with continuous waves
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Data Transmission Characteristics
• Serial vs. parallel transmission
– Serial = 1 bit
• Data sent one bit at a time, one after another,
along a single path
– Parallel = at least 1 byte at a time
• Data sent at least one byte at time with each bit in
the byte taking a different path
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Data Transmission Characteristics
• Transmission timing
– Synchronous transmission (at regular, specified
intervals)
– Asynchronous transmission (sent when ready)
– Isochronous transmission (sent at the same time as
other related data), for example when sending
multimedia data the audio data must be received in
time to be played with video data
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Synchronous Transmission
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Asynchronous & Isochronous Transmission
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Data Transmission Characteristics
• Transmission directions:
– Simplex transmission
• Data travels in a single direction only
– Half-duplex transmission
• Data travels in either direction but only one way at
a time
– Full-duplex transmission
• Data travels in both directions, both ways at the
same time
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Data Transmission Characteristics
• Type of connections:
– Circuit-switched: Dedicated path over a network is
established and all data follows that path
– Packet-switched: Messages are separated into small
units called packets and travel along the network
separately
• Used to send data over the Internet
– Broadcast: Data is sent out to all other nodes on the
network
• Primarily used with LANs
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Type of Connections
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Networking Media
• Wired connections: The computer is physically cabled
to the network
– Twisted-pair cable
• Pairs of wires twisted together
• Used for telephone and network connections
– Coaxial cable
• Thick center wire
• Used for computer networks, short-run telephone
transmissions, cable television delivery
– Fiber-optic cable
• Glass or fiber strands through which light can pass
• Used for high-speed communications
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Wired Networking Media
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Communications Protocols and Networking Standards
• Protocol: A set of rules for a particular situation
– Communications protocol: A set of rules that
determine how devices on a network communicate
• Standard: A set of criteria or requirements approved by a
recognized standards organization
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TCP/IP
• TCP/IP: The most
widely used
communications
protocol
• Used with the
Internet
• TCP responsible
for delivery of data
• IP provides
addresses and
routing information
• Uses packet
switching
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Communications Protocols and Networking Standards
– Other Protocols
• HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) and HTTPS (Secure
Hypertext Transfer Protocol)
– Used to display Web pages
• FTP (File Transfer Protocol
– Used to transfer files over the Internet
• SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol and POP3 (Post Office
Protocol)
– Used to deliver e-mail over the Internet
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Ethernet (802.3)
• Ethernet: Most widely used standard for wired networks
– Continually evolving
– Original (10Base-T) Ethernet networks run at 10
Mbps
– Newer 100 Mbps, 1Gbps, and 10 Gbps versions are
common
– 100 Gbps and Terabit Ethernet are in development
• Power over Ethernet: Allows electrical power to be sent
along with data on an Ethernet network
– Most often used by businesses
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Power over Ethernet
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Wi-Fi (802.11)
– Speed and distance of Wi-Fi networks depends on:
• Standard and hardware being used (continually
evolving)
• Number of solid
objects between
the access point
and the
computer or
device
• Possible
interference
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Cellular Standards
• Cellular standards: Continually evolving
– 1st generation
• Analog and voice only
– 2nd generation
• Digital, both voice and data
– 3rd generation
• Current standard (Multimedia capabilities.)
– 4th generation:
• Emerging standard (mobile WiMAX,….. , etc.)
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Cellular Standards
• Cellular standards: Continually evolving
– Mobile Broadband
• Internet access using a 3G or 4G network
• Today almost all mobile phone providers have a
3G network and are moving to 4G
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Short-Range Wireless Standards
• Bluetooth: Very short range (less than 10 feet (3 m)
– For communication between computers or mobile
devices and peripheral devices
– Bluetooth devices are
automatically
networked with each
other when they are
in range (piconets)
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Networking Hardware
– Network adapter: Used to connect a computer to a
network or the Internet
• Also called network interface card (NIC) when in
the form of an expansion card
• Available in a variety of formats
– Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI)
and PCIe
– USB
– ExpressCard
• Adapter must match the type of network being
used (Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc.)
• Are often built into portable computers
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Network Adapters
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Networking Hardware
– Modem: Device that connects a computer to the
Internet or to another computer
• Term used for Internet connection device, even if
not connecting via a phone line
• Type of modem needed depends on the type of
Internet access being used
– Cable
– Wi-Fi or WiMAX
– DSL
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Networking Hardware for Connecting
Devices and Networks
– Hub: Central device that connects all of the devices
on the network
– Switch: Connects devices in a network like a hub but
only sends data to the device for which the data is
intended
– Wireless access point: Used to grant network access
to wireless client devices
– Wireless router: Typically connects both wired and
wireless devices in a network
– Bridge: Used to connect two LANs together
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Wireless Routers
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Other Networking Hardware
– Repeater: Amplifies signals along a network
– Range extender: Repeater for a wireless network
– Antenna: Used when Wi-Fi networks need to go
further than hardware normally allows
• Higher-gain antennas can be used with routers
• Some network adapters can use an external
antenna
– Multiplexer: Combines transmissions from several
different devices to send them as one message
– Concentrator: Combines messages and sends them
via a single transmission medium in such a way that
all of the messages are active
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Networking Hardware
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