CN Unit 1
CN Unit 1
CN Unit 1
The first working network, called ARPANET, was created in the late 1960s and
was funded by the U.S. Department of Defense. Government researchers used to
share information at a time when computers were large and difficult to move. We
have come a long way today from that basic kind of network. Today’s world
revolves around the internet, which is a network of networks that connects
billions of devices across the world. Organizations of all sizes use networks to
connect their employees’ devices and shared resources such as printers.
Computer networking is the branch of computer science that deals with the
ideation, architecture, creation, maintenance, and security of computer
networks. It is a combination of computer science, computer engineering, and
telecommunication.
NIC
o NIC stands for network interface card.
o NIC is a hardware component used to connect a computer with another computer onto a
network
o It can support a transfer rate of 10,100 to 1000 Mb/s.
o The MAC address or physical address is encoded on the network card chip which is assigned
by the IEEE to identify a network card uniquely. The MAC address is stored in the PROM
(Programmable read-only memory).
1. Wired NIC
2. Wireless NIC
Wired NIC: The Wired NIC is present inside the motherboard. Cables and connectors are used with
wired NIC to transfer data.
Wireless NIC: The wireless NIC contains the antenna to obtain the connection over the wireless
network. For example, laptop computer contains the wireless NIC.
Hub
A Hub is a hardware device that divides the network connection among multiple devices. When
computer requests for some information from a network, it first sends the request to the Hub through
cable. Hub will broadcast this request to the entire network. All the devices will check whether the
request belongs to them or not. If not, the request will be dropped.
The process used by the Hub consumes more bandwidth and limits the amount of communication.
Nowadays, the use of hub is obsolete, and it is replaced by more advanced computer network
components such as Switches, Routers.
Switch
A switch is a hardware device that connects multiple devices on a computer network. A Switch
contains more advanced features than Hub. The Switch contains the updated table that decides where
the data is transmitted or not. Switch delivers the message to the correct destination based on the
physical address present in the incoming message. A Switch does not broadcast the message to the
entire network like the Hub. It determines the device to whom the message is to be transmitted.
Therefore, we can say that switch provides a direct connection between the source and destination. It
increases the speed of the network.
Router
o A router is a hardware device which is used to connect a LAN with an internet connection. It is
used to receive, analyze and forward the incoming packets to another network.
o A router works in a Layer 3 (Network layer) of the OSI Reference model.
o A router forwards the packet based on the information available in the routing table.
o It determines the best path from the available paths for the transmission of the packet.
Advantages Of Router:
o Security: The information which is transmitted to the network will traverse the entire cable,
but the only specified device which has been addressed can read the data.
o Reliability: If the server has stopped functioning, the network goes down, but no other
networks are affected that are served by the router.
o Performance: Router enhances the overall performance of the network. Suppose there are 24
workstations in a network generates a same amount of traffic. This increases the traffic load
on the network. Router splits the single network into two networks of 12 workstations each,
reduces the traffic load by half.
o Network range
Modem
o A modem is a hardware device that allows the computer to connect to the internet over the
existing telephone line.
o A modem is not integrated with the motherboard rather than it is installed on the PCI slot
found on the motherboard.
o It stands for Modulator/Demodulator. It converts the digital data into an analog signal over
the telephone lines.
Based on the differences in speed and transmission rate, a modem can be classified in the following
categories:
Wireless Networks
Computer networks that are not connected by cables are called wireless networks. They
generally use radio waves for communication between the network nodes. They allow devices
to be connected to the network while roaming around within the network coverage.
Types of Wireless Networks
• Wireless LANs − Connects two or more network devices using wireless distribution techniques.
• Wireless MANs − Connects two or more wireless LANs spreading over a metropolitan area.
• Wireless WANs − Connects large areas comprising LANs, MANs and personal networks.
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