Business Computing

Techniques/ICT

Lecture 2
Data Communication &
Computer Networks

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Three Modes of Data
Transmission
Data is transmitted in one of three modes:
1. Simplex (Unidirectional transmission) is a single, one-way transmission.
 Example: The signal sent from a TV station to your TV.
2. Half-duplex allows data to flow in one direction at a time.
 Simultaneous transmission in two directions is not
allowed.
 Example: Two-way radios, police or emergency mobile
radios
3. Full-duplex allows data to flow in both directions at the same time.
 Bandwidth is measured in only one direction. 100 Mbps
full-duplex means a bandwidth of 100 Mbps in each
direction.
 Broadband technologies, such as digital subscriber line
(DSL) and cable, operate in full-duplex mode.

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Two Types of LAN Topologies

Physical topology is
the physical layout of
the components on
the network

Logical topology
determines how the hosts
access the medium to
communicate across the
network
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Mesh Topology
 Connects all devices to each other
 Failure of any cable will not affect the network
 Used in WANs that interconnect LANs
 Expensive and difficult to install
because of the amount of cable
needed
 The Internet is an example of
a mesh topology
 Often used by governments
when data must be available
in the event of a partial network
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Star Topology
Has a central connection point:
a hub, switch, or router
Hosts connect directly to the
central point with a cable
Costs more to implement than
the bus topology because more
cable is used, and a central
device is needed
Easy to troubleshoot, since each host is
connected to the central device with its
own wire.
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Bus Topology
Each computer connects
to a common cable
Cable connects one
computer to the next
Ends of the cable have a terminator installed
to prevent signal reflections and network errors
Only one computer can transmit data at a time
or frames will collide and be destroyed
Bus topology is rarely used today. Possibly
suitable for a home office or small business
with few hosts
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Ring Topology
 Hosts are connected in a physical ring or circle.
 The ring has no beginning or end, so the cable
does not need to be terminated.
 A special frame, a token, travels
around the ring, stopping at each
host.
 The advantage of a ring topology
is that there are no collisions.
 There are two types of ring
topologies:
Single-ring and Dual-ring

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 Internet
What is internet?
• Internet A communication network that is itself a connection of
many other networks

• A Network can consist of two or more computers connected

together by a medium such that they are able to share resources
or information.

• Resources include files, Printers, Hard-drives or CPU(Central

Processing Unit).

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The Web vs. The Internet
 The World Wide Web (WWW): Is a collection of internet resources
(such as FTP, telnet), hyperlinked text, audio, and video files, and
remote sites that can be accessed and searched by browsers based on
standards such as HTTP and TCP/IP.

 It is part of the Internet

 Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) is used to create Web pages
 Hyperlinks connect Web pages to each other
 Hypertext Transfer Protocol-HTTP
is a web’s application layer protocol

 Internet
 Massive network of networks.
 Use various protocols such as
 SMTP: Simple Mail Transfer Protocol
 FTP:File Transfer Protocol
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Peer-to-Peer Networking
Share files, send messages, and print to a
shared printer.
Each computer has similar capabilities and
responsibilities.
Each user decides which data and devices
to share.
No central point of control in the network.
Best if there are ten or fewer computers.

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 Client and Server
Client computer:
Users connect to the Internet
Request data and Web pages

Server computers
Store Web pages and data
Return the requested data to the client
Server

Client

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IP address
Internet Protocol (IP) address: uniquely identifies a computer
on the network.

It is a 32-bit binary number that is divided into 4 groups of 8

bits known as octets.

131.123.35.4. IP address can be either Dynamic/static

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IP Address Configuration
 Manual configuration

Manually configure each device with the proper IP

address and subnet mask.
 Dynamic configuration

A Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server

automatically assigns IP addresses to network hosts.
 Network Interface Card (NIC) is the hardware that enables a
computer to connect to a network and it has two addresses:
The IP address is a logical address that can be changed.
The Media Access Control (MAC) address is
"burned-in" or permanently programmed into the NIC
when manufactured. The MAC address cannot be
changed.
DHCP Process and
Advantages
DHCP process:
1. DHCP server receives a request from a host.
2. Server selects IP address information from a
database.
3. Server offers the addresses to requesting host.
4. If the host accepts the offer, the server leases the IP
address for a specific period of time.
Advantages of DHCP:
 Simplifies the administration of a network
 Reduces the possibility of assigning duplicate or
invalid addresses
Internet Protocols
 A protocol is a set of rules.
 Internet protocols are sets of rules governing
communication within and between computers on a
network.
 Many protocols consist of a suite (or group) of protocols
stacked in layers. These layers depend on the operation of
the other layers in the suite to function properly.
 The main functions of protocols:

Identifying errors
Compressing the data
Deciding how data is to be sent
Addressing data
Deciding how to announce sent and received data
Physical Network
Components
 Network devices:
Computers
Hubs
Switches
Routers
Wireless access points
 Network media:
Twisted-pair copper cabling
Fiber-optic cabling
Radio waves
Hubs

Extend the range of a signal by receiving then

regenerating it and sending it out all other ports
Traffic is sent out all ports of the hub
Allow a lot of collisions on the network
segment and are often not a good solution
Also called concentrators because they serve
as a central connection point for a LAN
Bridges and Switches
 A packet, along with its MAC address
information, is called a frame.
 LANs are often divided into sections called
segments bounded by bridges.
 A bridge has the intelligence to determine if an
incoming frame is to be sent to a different
segment, or dropped. A bridge has two ports.
 A switch (multiport bridge) has
several ports and refers to a
table of MAC addresses to
determine which port to use to
forward the frame.
Routers

Routers are devices that connect entire

networks to each other.
Use IP addresses to forward packets to other
networks.
Can be a computer with special network
software installed.
Can be a device built by network equipment
manufacturers.
Wireless Access Points
Provide network
access to wireless
devices such as
laptops and PDAs.
Use radio waves to
communicate with
radios in computers,
PDAs, and other
wireless access points.
Have limited range of
coverage.
 Internet Service Provider
 ISP (Internet service provider )
◦ Internet service provider is a company that provides the
connections and support to access the internet.
◦ ISP can be National, regional or local companies

 Choosing an ISP - Factors to consider:

Cost, Internet upgrades, Bandwidth and network capacity of
ISP, Customer service, Reliability(How long has it been in
business and how many satisfied clients do they have? ), Local
access numbers,
E-mail options (Do you need more than one E-mail
account?),Trial period

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 Web Sites
Web site:
Collection of related Web pages
First page known as Home or Index page

Web page: Home page

HTML document
 Text and graphics
Unique address
Hyperlinks

Related
pages
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URL
URL:
Uniform Resource Locator
Unique Web page address
HTTP: protocol from server to browser

Protocol Domain name Path identifies the

identifies contains the subdirectories
the means of host and top- within the Web
access level domain site

URL http:// www.nytimes.com/ Pages/cartoons/

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Domains are groups of Computers on the same network
and are a method to isolate communications between
the members in the domain and the other data traffic.

.aero Members of the air transport industry

.biz Businesses
.com Can be used by anyone
.coop Cooperative associations
.edu Degree granting institutions
.gov United States government
.info Information service providers
.mil United States military
.museum Museums
.name Individuals
.net Networking organizations
.org Organizations (often nonprofits)
.pro Credentialed professionals 04/09/2025
Hyperlinks
 Provide access to other Web pages
 Specially coded text or graphics
 Cursor becomes a hand with finger pointing upward

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Search Engines
 Searches for keywords
 Returns a list of Web pages
 Popular search engines:
 Google
 Bing
 Yahoo
 Indexer
 Spider
 Search engine Software
 www.metasearch.com

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Internet search methods
Search methods are used by search tools to increase the
effectiveness and efficiency of Internet searches.

Search methods:
Keyword
Field
Boolean
Miscellaneous

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Types of data networks
Personal Area Network (PAN) Is a computer network
used for communication among computer devices close to
one person. Some examples of devices that may be used
in a PAN are printers, fax machines, telephones, PDAs, or
scanners.

Local Area Network (LAN) A network covering a small

geographic area, like a home, office, or building. Current
LANs are most likely to be based on Ethernet technology.
For example, a library will have a LAN for users to connect
to the internet.

Campus Area Networks (CAN) A network that

connects two or more LANs but that is limited to a specific
and contiguous geographical area such as a college
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 Types of data networks cont’d
• Metropolitan Area Network (MAN).
Network 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. Multiple routers, switches &
hubs are connected to create a MAN.

• Wide Area Network is a data

communications network that covers a relatively
broad geographic area (i.e. one city to another
and one country to another country) and that
often uses transmission facilities provided by
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common carriers, such as telephone companies.
Intranet – An intranet is a private LAN designed for
use by everyone within an organization. An intranet
might consist of an internal e-mail system, a message
board and one or more Web site portals that contain
company news, forms, and personnel information.

Access to an intranet’s web site is restricted by a

firewall.

Extranet – a network that connects people within

your company with people who are outside your
company--all within a secure, password-protected
network that can be accessed from anywhere.

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Network channels
Communications Channels
Communications
Channel/Communications Medium: The
physical or cableless media that link the
different components of a network.
Physical channels – Physical channels are
wires or cables along which data and
information are transmitted. There are 3
types of physical channel:
- Twisted pair
- Coaxial cable
- Optical cable
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Physical communication channels
 Twisted-pair wire: most prevalent
form of communications wiring;
consists of strands of copper
wire twisted in pairs.
• Coaxial cable: Insulated copper wire
used to carry high-speed data
traffic and television signals.

Fiber optics: Thin filaments of glass

fibers that transmit information via
light pulses generated by lasers.
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Twisted-Pair Cabling
A pair of twisted wires forms a circuit that
transmits data.
The twisted wires provide protection against
crosstalk (electrical noise) because
Pairs of copper of encased
wires are the
cancellation effect. in color-coded plastic insulation
and twisted together.
An outer jacket, called poly-vinyl
chloride (PVC), protects the
bundles of twisted pairs.
Two Basic Types of Twisted-Pair Cables
 Unshielded twisted-pair (UTP)

Has two or four pairs of wires

Relies on the cancellation effect for reduction of
interference caused by electromagnetic interface (EMI)
and radio frequency interference (RFI)
Most commonly used cabling in networks
Has a range of 328 ft (100 meters)
 Shielded twisted-pair (STP)

Each pair is wrapped in metallic foil to better shield the

wires from electrical noise and then the four pairs of
wires are then wrapped in an overall metallic braid or
foil.
Reduces electrical noise from within the cable.
Reduces EMI and RFI from outside the cable.
Coaxial Cable
 A copper-cored network cable surrounded by a heavy
shielding

 Types of coaxial cable:

Thicknet or 10Base5 - Coax cable that was used in

networks and operated at 10 megabits per second
with a maximum length of 500 m
Thinnet or 10Base2 - Coax cable that was used in
networks and operated at 10 megabits per second
with a maximum length of 185 m
RG-59 - Most commonly used for cable television in
the US
RG-6 - Higher quality cable than RG-59 with more
bandwidth and less susceptibility to interference
Fiber-Optic Cable
 A glass or plastic strand that transmits
information using light and is made up
of one or more optical fibers enclosed
together in a sheath or jacket.
 Not affected by electromagnetic or
radio frequency interference.
 Signals are clearer, can go farther, and
have greater bandwidth than with
copper cable.
 Usually more expensive than copper
cabling and the connectors are more
costly and harder to assemble.
 Two types of glass fiber-optic cable:
Physical communication channels

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Capabilities of the Internet
Three Main Functions
Communicate

Retrieve

Shop, Buy, and Sell

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Capabilities of the Internet
Communications Capabilities
E-mail or Electronic Mail: A service that transports text
messages from a sender to one or more receivers via
computer.

Primary means of communication

E-mail accounts
Client-based
Web-based
Spam
Prevention

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 What is spam?
Spam also known as junk e-mail refers to unsolicited message
received in your inbox.

 Junk e‑mail might include advertisements, fraudulent schemes,

pornography, flyers, advertisements and catalogs or legitimate
offers. Because it's very inexpensive for marketers to send junk
e‑mail, it's not uncommon for people to receive a large amount
of it.

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Avoiding spam
 Don’t volunteer to receive email
 Don’t give email to anyone unless you know them
 Don’t publish email on website
 Keep multiple email addresses
 Don’t respond to unsolicited email
 Never ask to be removed from a spammer’s list
 Never buy anything from spammer
 Using a second email when posting newsgroups
 Use spam filter
 etc

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Capabilities of the Internet
Communications Capabilities
Mailing Lists: Each mailing list has subscribers who receive
messages as part of an ongoing discussion of the list’s topic.

Moderated: A mailing list in which the messages are first

screened by an individual to determine their suitability given the
purpose of the list.

Newsgroups: Worldwide discussion areas where notices can

be posted for anyone to view.

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Capabilities of the Internet
Communications Capabilities
 Usenet or User’s Network: A system of worldwide discussion
groups, not an actual physical network.

 Netiquette: A list of simple newsgroup guidelines that keep

people from making mistakes.

 Chat Session or Internet Relay Chat (IRC): A live interactive

discussion in which parties on the network exchange ideas and
observation electronically.

Portal: A gateway or hub site, such as Yahoo!, that provides

chat rooms
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 Capabilities of the Internet
Communications Capabilities (Continued)
 Instant Messages: A combination of real-time chat and e-mail by
which short text messages are rapidly exchanged over the Internet,
with messages appearing on recipient’s display screen
immediately upon arrival.

 Internet Telephony or Voice Over the Internet or Voice over

IP: Real-time voice conversations transmitted between computers
on the Internet.

 Telnet: A network capability that permits remote sign-on to any

computer on the Internet from the computer an individual is using
at that time.

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Capabilities of the Internet
Retrieval Capabilities
 FTP (File Transfer Protocol): Used for transferring files
containing documents or software between computers on the
Internet.

 Web Directory: A listing of Web sites and their URLs,

categorized by topic.
Keyword: A string of letters or words that indicates the subject
to be searched.

 Search Engines: Software programs that look through the Web

to locate sites matching a keyword entered by the user.

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Capabilities of the Internet
Retrieval Capabilities (Continued)
 Portal: A gateway or hub on the Internet from which other sites can
be visited.

Vertical Portal or Vortal: A Web site that specializes in providing

information related to a particular industry such as automobiles,
healthcare, or investments.

Horizontal Portal: Provides services and links to Web sites of

interest to a wide variety of users.

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Capabilities of the Internet
Retrieval Capabilities (Continued)
 Webcasting: The prearranged delivery, or push, of information of
interest to a user’s desktop automatically.

Pull: To get something from a Web site by clicking on a link or

entering a URL.

Push: The capability of a Web site for automatic Internet delivery of

information, including software updates, to a user’s desktop.

Channel: A Web site designed to push information to a user’s

desktop.

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Capabilities of the Internet
Shop, Buy, and Sell
Electronic Commerce/e-commerce:
Conducting commercial activities on the
Internet.

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 Cookies
Text files stored on client computers when visiting Web sites
Used on return visits to Web sites
Unique ID number
Personal information remembered
Privacy risk
Selling information

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Web Entertainment
Multimedia:
Involves forms of media and text graphics, Audio, and
Video.
Streaming audio and video
Plug-in
Games

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What is a plug-in?
A plug-in is a set of software components that adds
specific abilities to a larger software application.

If supported, plug-ins enable customizing the

functionality of an application. Additional plug-ins can
be downloaded from the Internet.

To add a plug-in, you must be logged on as an

administrator.

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Popular plug-ins

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 Review Questions
1. Why is Internet referred to as a network of networks?
2. What is the origin of the Internet?
3. How does data travel on the Internet?
4. Differentiate between a static and dynamic IP address
5. What are my options for connecting to the Internet?
6. How do I choose an Internet service provider?
7. What is a Web browser?
8. What is a URL and what are its parts?
9. How can I use hyperlinks and other tools to get around the Web
10. Discuss internet crimes that are commonly committed by users
over the internet and how they can be solved.
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