Introduction to

Computer
Networks
IT111: Introduction to Computing

Prepared by: Chris Tan

 Objectives
• Appreciate computer networking concepts.
• Identify various networks, topologies, media
types and network hardware
• Define both the physical and logical parts of
computer networks
• Identify network protocols
• Assemble Straight-through and Cross-over
Network Cable
Basic Terminologies of Computer Network

• Network: A network is a collection of computers and

devices that are connected together to enable
communication and data exchange.

• Nodes: Nodes are devices that are connected to a network.

These can include computers, Servers,
Printers, Routers, Switches, and other devices.

• Protocol: A protocol is a set of rules and standards that

govern how data is transmitted over a network. Examples
of protocols include TCP/IP, HTTP, and FTP.
• Topology: Network topology refers to the physical
and logical arrangement of nodes on a network.
The common network topologies include bus, star,
ring, mesh, and tree.

• Service Provider Networks: These types of

Networks give permission to take Network
Capacity and Functionality on lease from the
Provider. Service Provider Networks include
Wireless Communications, Data Carriers, etc.
• IP Address: An IP address is a unique numerical
identifier that is assigned to every device on a
network. IP addresses are used to identify devices
and enable communication between them.

• DNS: The Domain Name System (DNS) is a

protocol that is used to translate human-readable
domain names (such as www.google.com) into IP
addresses that computers can understand.
• Firewall: A firewall is a security device that is
used to monitor and control incoming and
outgoing network traffic. Firewalls are used to
protect networks from unauthorized access
and other security threats.
What is Network and Networking?
• Computer networking is a cornerstone of
modern technology, enabling the
interconnected systems that power the
Internet, business communications, and
everyday digital interactions.
• A computer network is a collection of
interconnected devices that share resources
and information. These devices can include
computers, servers, printers, and other
hardware.
• Networks allow for the efficient exchange of
data, enabling various applications such as
email, file sharing, and internet browsing.
 How Does a Computer Network Work?

• Basics building blocks of a Computer network are

Nodes and Links. A Network Node can be illustrated as
Equipment for Data Communication like a Modem,
Router, etc., or Equipment of a Data Terminal like
connecting two computers or more. Link in Computer
Networks can be defined as wires or cables or free
space of wireless networks.
• The working of Computer Networks can be simply
defined as rules or protocols which help in sending and
receiving data via the links which allow Computer
networks to communicate. Each device has an IP
Address, that helps in identifying a device
 Types of Enterprise Computer Networks
• LAN: A Local Area Network (LAN) is a network that covers a small
area, such as an office or a home. LANs are typically used to
connect computers and other devices within a building or a
campus.

• WAN: A Wide Area Network (WAN) is a network that covers a large

geographic area, such as a city, country, or even the entire world.
WANs are used to connect LANs together and are typically used for
long-distance communication.

• Cloud Networks: Cloud Networks can be visualized with a Wide

Area Network (WAN) as they can be hosted on public or private
cloud service providers and cloud networks are available if there is
a demand. Cloud Networks consist of Virtual Routers, Firewalls, etc.
Types of Computer Network Architecture

• Client-Server Architecture: is a type of

Computer Network Architecture in which
Nodes can be Servers or Clients. Here, the
server node can manage the Client Node
Behaviour.

• Peer-to-Peer Architecture: In P2P, there is not

any concept of a Central Server. Each device is
free for working as either client or server.
 Network Devices
• also known as networking hardware, are
physical devices that allow hardware on a
computer network to communicate and
interact with one another.
 Network Topology
• The Network Topology is the layout
arrangement of the different devices in a
network.
 Physical Topology
• It reflects the physical layout of devices and cables to
form a connected network.
• It is concerned with the essentials of the network
ignoring minute details like transfer of data and
device type. The pattern of arrangement of nodes
(computers) and network cables depends on the
ease of installation and setup of the network.
• It affects cost and bandwidth capacity based on a
solution of devices. It takes into account the
placement of nodes and the distance between them.
 Types of Physical Topology
• Mesh Topology
• Star Topology
• Bus Topology
• Ring Topology
• Hybrid Topology
 Logical Topology
• Reflects the arrangement of devices and their
communication. It is the transmission of data over
physical topology.
• It is independent of physical topology, irrespective of the
arrangements of nodes.
• It is concerned with intricate details of network like type
of devices (switches, routers) chosen and their quality,
which affects rate and speed of data packets delivery.
• The logical topology ensures optimal flow control that
can be regulated within network.
 Types of Logical Topology
• Ethernet
• TCP/IP
• OSI
 OSI Model
• OSI stands for Open Systems Interconnection.
It is a reference model that specifies standards
for communications protocols and also the
functionalities of each layer. The OSI has been
developed by the International Organization
For Standardization and it is 7 layer
architecture. Each layer of OSI has different
functions and each layer has to follow
different protocols
The 7 layers are as follows:
• Physical Layer
• Data link Layer
• Network Layer
• Transport Layer
• Session Layer
• Presentation Layer
• Application Layer
 Network Protocols
• A protocol is a set of rules or algorithms which
define the way how two entities can
communicate across the network and there
exists a different protocol defined at each
layer of the OSI model. A few such protocols
are TCP, IP, UDP, ARP, DHCP, FTP, and so on.
 Transmission Control Protocol/Internet
Protocol (TCP/IP)
Function: The foundational protocol suite of the
internet, enabling reliable communication.

Components:
TCP: Ensures data is delivered reliably and in
order.
IP: Routes data packets to their destination
based on IP addresses.
 Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) and
HTTPS
Function: The protocols used for transmitting
web pages.
HTTP: Unsecured communication.
HTTPS: Secured communication using SSL/TLS
encryption.
 Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP)

Function: Protocol for sending email.

Components: Works with other protocols like

POP3 and IMAP for email retrieval.
 File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
Function: Protocol for transferring files between
computers.

Components: Includes commands for uploading,

downloading, and managing files on a remote
server.
 Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol
(DHCP)
Function: Automatically assigns IP addresses to
devices on a network.

Components: Reduces manual configuration

and IP address conflicts.
 Domain Name System (DNS)
Function: Translates human-friendly domain
names into IP addresses.

Components: Ensures seamless navigation on

the internet.
 Unique Identifiers of Network
Hostname: Each device in the network is
associated with a unique device name known as
Hostname. Type “hostname” in the command
prompt(Administrator Mode) and press ‘Enter’,
this displays the hostname of your machine.
IP Address (Internet Protocol address):
• Also known as the Logical Address, the IP Address
is the network address of the system across the
network.
• To identify each device in the world-wide-web, the
Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA)
assigns an IPV4 (Version 4) address as a unique
identifier to each device on the Internet. The
length of an IPv4 address is 32 bits, hence, we
have 232 IP addresses available. The length of an
IPv6 address is 128 bits.
 What is Ethernet?
• Ethernet is the most widely used LAN technology and
is defined under IEEE standards 802.3. The reason
behind its wide usability is that Ethernet is easy to
understand, implement, and maintain, and allows
low-cost network implementation.
• Also, Ethernet offers flexibility in terms of the
topologies that are allowed.
• Ethernet generally uses a bus topology.
• Ethernet operates in two layers of the OSI model, the
physical layer and the data link layer.
 Ethernet Cable
• Ethernet cable is the backbone of the
network cabling, connecting various devices
such as computers, routers, TVs, tablets, or
even PlayStations.
Ethernet Cable Structure
 Ethernet Cable Categories
• When you look for the specific Ethernet cable
on the market, you’ll notice that Ethernet
cables labeled with different “Cat”
designations. Do you know the meaning of
“Cat”? “Cat” stands for Category, often
followed by a number. In general, a higher
number indicates better performance for the
Ethernet cable.
Ethernet Cable Categories
• CAT3: is the third category of Ethernet cable, composed
of 3 twisted pairs of copper wires. CAT3 cables were
used in the computer network in the 1990s, supporting
10-BaseT Ethernet. The maximum bandwidth of the
CAT3 cable is 16 MHz, and it is compatible with RJ11 or
RJ12 connectors.

• CAT4: is also named as Category 4 cable, which consists

of 8 copper wires twisted into four pairs. CAT4 cable was
the first Ethernet cable to use the RJ45 connector. The
frequency of the CAT4 cable is up to 20 MHz.
Ethernet Cable Categories
• CAT5: As the fifth category of Ethernet cable, CAT5 cable
also features four twisted pairs of copper wires. Most
CAT5 cables are unshielded on the market. CAT5 cables
were once widely used in the home network, but it has
been gradually replaced by CAT5E cables.

• CAT5E: The CAT5E cable is an augmented version of the

CAT5 cable. Invented in 2001, the CAT5E cable was the
first Ethernet cable to reach 1000BASE-T (Gigabit
Ethernet) speeds. CAT5E cables also use RJ45 connectors,
and they have been prevalent in the past years.
Ethernet Cable Categories
• CAT6: Category 6 cable was published by
Telecommunications Industry Association in 2002, and it
did the most obvious structure. It features a spline in the
center to reduce crosstalk from each pair of copper wires.
The maximum bandwidth of CAT6 cable can reach 250
MHz, and the top speed can be 10 Gbps within 55 meters.
CAT6 can be shielded or unshielded, and you can choose
one according to your own needs.

CAT6 stands out as the most prevalent cable category in

most modern houses and offices for its versatility and cost-
effectiveness
Ethernet Cable Categories
• CAT6A: CAT6A cable was introduced in 2008, which is an
augmented standard of CAT6 cable. The maximum
bandwidth of CAT6A cable can reach 500 MHz, and the
maximum data rate is up to 10 Gbps. CAT6A cables are
generally used for large business networks or data centers.

• CAT7: CAT7 is not recognized by TIA or ANSI and is a

specification defined by ISO/IEC. The CAT7 cable was
designed to be compatible with ARJ45 and GG45, but it
can also be used with RJ45 connectors.CAT7 Ethernet
cables are used primarily in data centers.
Ethernet Cable Categories
• CAT8: CAT8 cable is the latest standard of
Ethernet cable. CAT8.1 was introduced in 2016
and can reach a maximum speed of up to 25
Gbps. CAT8.2 was made for 40GBase-T
Ethernet. CAT8 cables are also mainly used for
data centers and other professional
applications.
 Ethernet Cable Wiring
• It is known to all that there are two common
wiring standards used by RJ45 connectors:
T568A and T568B (also known as TIA/EIA568A
and TIA/EIA568B). The main difference
between T568A and T568B is the color order
of green and orange pairs.
 Ethernet cables also come in two forms according to
different wiring standards. Crossover cable has T568A at
one end and T568B at the other end, while Straight-
through cable has a single wiring standard with T568A or
T568B on both ends.
References:
• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/basics-
computer-networking/
• https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/difference-
between-physical-and-logical-topology/
• https://www.vcelink.com/blogs/focus/
ethernet-cable-101?
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