Networks Concepts
Networks Concepts
Key notes
Introduction
Computer Network is a collection of autonomous computers interconnected by a single
technology.
Two computers are said to be interconnected if they are able to exchange information.
A computer network is a system that connects independent computers in order to share
information and resources
Data Flow
Simplex – In this mode of communication, data is transmitted in one direction only. e.g., Keyboard, monitor.
It uses entire capacity of channel to send the data.
Half Duplex – Communication is bi-directional but not at the same time. i.e., Walkie-Talkie. It uses entire
capacity of channel is utilized for each direction.
Full Duplex – Communications is bi-directionalsimultaneously i.e., both sender and receiver can send data at
the same time.
Network Terminology
Node- The device connected to a network.
Client – The device that requests for a service
Server – The Device that renders the services
Client-Server - In this model, the data are stored on powerful computers called Server that can be accessed
by a much simpler computer called Client that are connected by a network.
Network Interface Card or Unit (Network Adapter or LAN card) - It is hardware that allows a computer (or
device) to connect to network.
MAC (Media Access Control) address – Each NIC is assigned a unique 12-digit hexadecimal number, known
a MAC address, is used as network address in communication. The format for the MAC address is
MM : MM : MM : SS : SS : SS Manufacturer ID Card Id
IP Address: Every device on network has unique identifier called IP address. It consists of 4 bytes (IPv4)
decimal number (between 0 to 255) separated by ‘.’ (Period).
Channel – It is communication path through which data is actually transmitted.
Communication Media- It allows data or signal to be communicated across the devices. It is means of
communication.
Data – Information stored within the computer system in form of ‘0’ and ‘1’
Signal- It is electric or electromagnetic encoding of data to be transmitted. It can be categorized into
following two types:
o Analog Signal – that has infinitely many levels of intensity over a period of time.
o Digital Signal – that can have only a limited number of defined values.
Bit rate – It defines the amount of data transferred. It is defined as number of bits per second (bps). [Bps –
Bytes per Second]
Baud – The number of changes in signal per second.
Bandwidth – It is difference between the highest and the lowest frequencies contained in the signal.
Switching Technique
A switched network consists of a series of interlinked nodes called switches capable
of creating temporary connections between two or more liked devices.
There are three basic switching technique
Circuit Switching: In circuit switching a dedicated path is established before
sending data from sender to receiver and entire communication is carried out
the same path.
Network Devices
Modem
It stands for modulator and demodulator
It a computer hardware device that converts data from a digital format into a format
suitable for an analog.
A modem transmits data by modulating one or more carrier wave signals to encode
digital information, while the receiver demodulates the signal to recreate the
original digital information.
Repeater
Repeaters are network devices that amplify or regenerate an incoming signal before
retransmitting it.
It operates at physical layer of the OSI model.
The repeater allows to transfer the data through large area distance
Hub
Types of Hubs
Active Hub –
It strengthens the signal and may boost noise too.
It is relatively costlier than passive hub.
Passive Hub –
It repeat/copy signals.
It is relatively cheaper than active hub.
Switch
Network Switch or switch is also a network multiport device that allow multiple
computers to connect together.
Network switch inspects the packet, determine source and destination address and
route the packet accordingly.
It operates at Data Link Layer (layer 2) of OSI model.
Bridge
Router
Gateway
It is simply a device or hardware that acts as a "gate" between the networks.
It connects two networks with different transmission protocols together.
It converts information, data or other communications from one protocol or format
to another.
It operates on layer 5 of OSI model
RJ45
Ethernet Card
Wi-Fi card
A network switch forwards data packets between groups of devices in the same
network, whereas a router forwards data between different networks.
Difference between a Router and a Modem
Gateway
*To connect two networks of different protocols as a translator
Type of Network
PAN
It stands for Personal Area Network.
It is a computer network formed around a person.
It generally consists of a computer, mobile, or personal digital assistant.
Appliances use for PAN: cordless mice, keyboards, and Bluetooth systems.
PAN includes mobile devices, tablet, and laptop.
LAN
It is a group of computer and peripheral devices which are connected in a limited
area such as room, building & campus.
Higher Data Speed.
LANs are in a narrower geographic scope (up to 1 Km).
It is a private network.
MAN
A Metropolitan Area Network or MAN is consisting of a computer network that
span across a city.
It mostly covers towns and cities in a maximum 50 km range.
The dual bus in MAN network provides support to transmit data in both directions
concurrently.
WAN
It connects device across globe.
It uses public network
Internet
BSNL
Network Media
Guided or Wired
Telephone (T1) cable
Twisted pair cable
STP (Shielded Twisted Pair)
UTP (Unshielded Twisted Pair)
Co-axial cable
Optical Fiber/Fibre
Unguided or Wireless
Infrared
Radio Wave
Microwave
Bluetooth
Satellite
Co-axial Cable
Coaxial cabling has a single copper conductor at its center, and a plastic layer that
provides insulation between the center conductor and a braided metal shield.
Connector: BNC (Bayonet Neill-Concelman)
Optical Fibre
An optical fiber is a flexible, transparent fiber made by drawing glass or plastic to a
diameter slightly thicker than that of a human hair.
It uses light for data transmission using total internal reflection.
Radio Wave
Frequency – 3KHz – 1GHz
Omni-Directional
Penetrate obstacle
Antenna of sender and receiver should not be aligned
Infrared
300GHz to 400THz
Line of sight- antenna of sender and receiver must be aligned
Short distance communication
It cannot penetrate obstacle – best suited for indoor
Secure
Support high data rate
TV Remote
Microwave
1GHz to 300 GHz
Line of sight- antenna of sender and receiver must be aligned
Cannot penetrate obstacles
Rain or other disturbance cause issue with Microwave
Types of microwave propagation
Terrestrial Microwave propagation
Satellite Microwave propagation
Bluetooth
It also uses radio waves
2.4 GHz
Range 10mtr
Short distance
Topology
Physical and Logical arrangement of nodes in the network is called Network Topology.
Types of Topologies
Bus
Ring
Star
Bus Topology
Tree
Mess
Hybrid
In Bus Topology all the nodes are connected to single cable or backbone
Both the end has terminators.
Ring Topology
In Ring Topology all the nodes are connected to each-other to form a loop.
Each workstation is connected to two other components on either side
It communicates with these two adjacent neighbors.
Data is sent and received using Token.
Star Topology
In Star Topology all the nodes are connected to a central device called Hub/Switch.
All communication is controlled by the central Device (Hub/Switch)
Tree Topology
In Tree Topology, the devices are arranged in a tree fashion similar to the branches of a tree.
It has multilayer architecture.
Protocol
It is set of rules or standard that governs communication.
Types of Protocol (Broadly can be kept in two suites of Protocols vis. TCP/IP or OSI)
FTP
HTTP/HTTPS
IMAP
POP3
SMTP
PPP
TELNET
VoIP
Internet Protocol.
TCP ensures reliable transmission or delivery of packets on the network.
Web 3.0
It refers to the 3rd Generation of web where user will interact by using artificial intelligence and with 3-D
portals.
Web 3.0 supports semantic web which improves web technologies to create, connect and share content
through the intelligent search and the analysis based on the meaning of the words, instead of on the keywords
and numbers.
Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML):
HTML stands for Hyper Text Markup Language
HTML is the standard markup language for creating Web pages
HTML describes the structure of a Web page
Various Tags are
o <html> represents the root of an HTML document
o <head> element is a container for metadata (data about data) and is placed
between the <html> tag and the <body> tag.
o <title> tag defines the title of the document
o <body> defines the document's body.
o </ br> Line Break Tags
o <h1> <h2> ……</h6> - Heading Tags - tags are used to define HTML
headings.
o <font> - defines font face, font size, and color of text etc.
Domain names
A domain name is a website's address on the Internet.
Domain names are used in URLs to identify to which server belong a specific webpage.
The domain name consists of a hierarchical sequence of names (labels) separated by
periods (dots) and ending with an extension.
URL
Uniform Resource Locator (URL) is a text string that specifies where a resource (such
as a web page, image, or video) can be found on the Internet.
Website
Website is a group of web pages, containing text, images and all types of multi-media
files.
Web browser-
A web browser, or simply "browser," is an application used to access and view
websites. Common web browsers include Microsoft Internet Explorer, Google
Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Apple Safari.
Web servers:
A web server is a computer that stores web server software and a website's component
files (e.g. HTML documents, images, CSS style sheets, and JavaScript files).
Web hosting:
Web hosting is an online service that enables you to publish your website or web application
on the internet. When you sign up for a hosting service, you basically rent some space on a
server on which you can store all the files and data necessary for your website to work
properly.