ITT300

Introduction To Data Communication

and Networking

Chapter 10
Connecting Devices, Backbone
Networks and Virtual LANs

Mazlan Osman, FSKM, UiTM (Terengganu) 2012

 9-1 CONNECTING DEVICES

In this section, we divide connecting

devices into five different categories based
on the layer in which they operate in a
network.

9.2
 Figure 9.1 Five categories of connecting devices

9.3
 Note

A passive hub is just a connector.

It connects the wires coming from
different stations.

9.4
 Note

A repeater connects segments of a

LAN; it does not connect two LANs.
A repeater forwards every frame;
it has no filtering capability.
A repeater is a regenerator,
not an amplifier.

9.5
 Figure 9.2 A repeater connecting two segments of a LAN

9.6
 Figure 9.3 Function of a repeater

9.7
 Note

An active hub is a multiport repeater.

It also can be used to create multiple
levels of hierarchy.

9.8
 Figure 9.4 A hierarchy of hubs

9.9
 Note

A bridge operates in both the physical

and data link layer.
A bridge has a table used in
filtering decisions.
A bridge does not change the physical
(MAC) addresses in a frame.

9.10
 Figure 9.5 A bridge connecting two LANs

9.11
 Note

A learning bridge is the bridge that

gradually learns from the frame
movements to make a table become
dynamic.

9.12
 Figure 9.6 A learning bridge and the process of learning

9.13
 Note

In certain scenario, redundant bridges

needed to make the system more
reliable.
One of the problem in redundant
bridges is it can creates a loop.

9.14
 Figure 9.7 Loop problem in a learning bridge

9.15
 Note

A loop problem could be solved using

spanning tree algorithm.
A spanning tree is a graph in which
there is no loop.

9.16
 Figure 9.8 An example of actual system and spanning tree representation

9.17
 Note

The process to find the spanning tree:

 Select the root bridge.
 Select the shortest path from root
bridge to other bridge.
 The combination of the shortest paths
creates the spanning tree.

9.18
 Figure 9.9 Finding the shortest paths and the spanning
tree in a system of bridges

9.19
 Figure 9.10 Forwarding and blocking ports after using spanning
tree algorithm

9.20
 Note

A two-layer switch is a bridge with

many ports that allow better
performance.
It performs at the physical and data
link layer.

9.21
 Note

A router connects LANs and WANs in

the Internet.
A router routes packets based on
logical addresses.
It performs at the network layer.
A three-layer switch is a kind of router
but faster and more sophisticated.

9.22
 Figure 9.11 Routers connecting independent LANs and WANs

9.23
 9-2 BACKBONE NETWORKS

A backbone network allows several LANs

to be connected. In a backbone network,
no station is directly connected to the
backbone; the stations are part of a LAN,
and the backbone connects the LANs.

9.24
 Note

In a bus backbone, the topology

of the backbone is a bus.

15.25
 Figure 9.12 Bus backbone

9.26
 Note

In a star backbone, the topology of the

backbone is a star; the backbone is just
one switch.

15.27
 Figure 9.13 Star backbone

9.28
 Note

A common application for a backbone

network is to connect remote LANs.
It is useful when a company has a
several offices with LANs and need to
connect them.
The connection can be done through
bridges.

9.29
 Figure 9.14 Connecting remote LANs with bridges

9.30
 9-3 VIRTUAL LANs

We can roughly define a virtual local area

network (VLAN) as a local area network
configured by software, not by physical
wiring.

15.31
 Figure 9.15 A switch connecting three LANs

9.32
 Figure 9.16 A switch using VLAN software

9.33
 Figure 9.17 Two switches in a backbone using VLAN software

9.34
 Note

VLANs create broadcast domains.

9.35