NETWORKS

A network is group of computers and associated devices connected by communications

facilities (both hardware and software) to share information and peripheral devices, such as
printers and modems.
There are a variety of networks available to facilitate the need of different organizations.
However, there are some factors that need to be considered when selecting a network. These
factors are cost, security, management, expandability and interconnectivity.
Assignment: research on the advantages and the disadvantages of networks.

Types of Networks
Internet
A worldwide network of computer networks. It is an interconnection of large and small networks
around the globe. The Internet began in 1962 as a computer network for the U.S. military and
over time has grown into a global communication tool of many thousands of computer networks
that share a common addressing scheme. Unlike online services, which are centrally controlled,
the Internet is decentralized by design. Each Internet computer, called a host, is independent. Its
operators can choose which Internet services to use and which local services to make available to
the global Internet community. Remarkably, this anarchy by design works exceedingly well.
There are a variety of ways to access the Internet. Most users gain access through an Internet
Service Provider (ISP).

Extranet
An Extranet is a private network that uses the Internet protocols and the public
telecommunication system to share part of business information with suppliers, vendors,
customers, or other businesses. An extranet can be viewed as part of a company's Intranet that is
extended to users outside the company.

Intranet
A private network inside a company or organization, which uses software like that used
on the Internet, but is for internal use only, and is not accessible to the public. Companies use
Intranets to manage projects, provide employee information, distribute data and information, etc.
A private network inside a company or organization that uses the same kinds of software
that you would find on the public Internet, but that is for internal use only. Firewalls keep
unauthorized Internet traffic off an intranet. As the Internet has become more popular, many of
the tools used on the Internet are being used in private networks. For example, many companies
have web servers that are available only to employees. Note that an intranet may not actually be
an internet; it may simply be a network.

LAN – Local Area Network

A non-public data communications network confined to a limited geographic area (usually
within a few miles), used to provide communication between computers and peripherals. The
area served may consist of a single building, a cluster of buildings, or a campus-type
arrangement.
A geographically limited data communications system for a specific user group consisting of a
group of interconnected computers, sharing applications, data and peripheral devices such as
printers and CD-ROM drives intended for the local transport of data, video, and voice.

Local area networks are made up of several components.

 Workstations, or Personal Computers with network interface cards
 Cabling or connection system, which may be wired (wire or cable) ore wireless.
 Network operating system, the software to manage the activities of the network.
Examples of network operating systems are Novell’s Netware, SCO, UNIX, and IBM PC
LAN. Windows 95 and Windows NT are examples of peer-to-peer networking software.
 Other shared devices, for example printers, scanners and storage devices.
 Bridges, routers, and gateways: to connect a LAN to other networks.
Assignment: Define Bridges, Routers and Gateways and state their function in a network.

Categories of LANs
 Peer- to – peer network –
 Client/server network
 Enterprise network – consist mainly of many traditional file servers, interconnected to
provide a total network solution for a large company. This type of network involves
connecting across widely dispersed geographical locations.
Assignment: research on peer-to-peer network and client/server. Define them and state at least
3 advantages and 3 disadvantages of each.

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MAN - Metropolitan Area Network
A group of LANs with high-speed, seamless interconnection within a 'metropolitan' area. The
latter is not necessarily a city; it normally means any area which is spread out but in some sense
a single entity: for instance, two company buildings on opposite sides of the road or on a large
site.

WAN – Wide Area Network

A network which covers a larger geographical area than a LAN or a MAN and where
telecommunications links are implemented, normally leased from the appropriate Private
Telephone Operator(s).

VAN – Value Added Network

A secure electronic repository for electronic commerce. A VAN provides you with an
Interchange ID that is unique and that ID is assigned to a mailbox. When you dial into your
VAN, you send transactions to your mailbox and the VAN in turn routes those transactions to the
appropriate Trading Partner. The VAN also receives transactions that are to be routed to you,
they are sent to your mailbox and your EDI Translator downloads them when you call in to
receive mail. VAN's also provide information about any transactions that may not have been sent
or received properly, and reset your document if there was an error in downloading.

A company that acts as a pipe or an electronic mailbox for the transmission of data and provides
communications services such as line speed conversion and protocol matching.

VPN – Virtual Private Network

Private network built atop a public network. Hosts within the private network use
encryption to talk to other hosts; the encryption excludes hosts from outside the private network
even if they are on the public network.
A private network within a public network, usually on the Internet. Privacy for the virtual
network is achieved through encryption and provides a less expensive option than using
dedicated lines.
A private network that is configured within a public network. VPNs enjoy the security of
a private network via access control and encryption, while taking advantage of the economies of
scale and built-in management facilities of large public networks.
A virtual private network is what it says-a private network of computers that's partially
connected over public phone lines. Encryption and secure protocols permit VPN users to
transmit data secure in the knowledge that the data will be difficult, if not impossible, to intercept
by unauthorized third parties. This technology allows VPN users to communicate with the
assurance of total privacy and safety of data and information while cutting the cost of traditional
leased telephones lines by 90-95%.

Campus-area networks (CANs):

The computers are within a limited geographic area, such as a campus or military base.

Home-area networks (HANs):

A network contained within a user's home that connects a person's digital devices.
Assignment: research on the advantages and the disadvantages of each type of networks

Network Topologies
The configuration or design of a network is called a topology (Layout). There are three designs
star, bus and ring topology.

Examples

The above diagrams are examples of the layout of each network

topology.

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Star Topologies
All the nodes are connected to a central hub. This means that each computer has its own
connection to the network and that a break in a cable will not affect the working of other
computers. If the hub breaks down, then all the computers on the hub will not work. However,
star networks although more expensive to install than other types, are the quickest.

Bus network
This is the simplest type of topology, where the network nodes (computers) are in a line. Bus
network are cheap and reliable, but if the cable breaks the network split in two unconnected
parts. Bus network are slower than star networks, with the speed of the network limited to 10 Mb
per second.

Ring network
This type of network has no end to the line. The last node (computer) is connected to the first
node, forming a ring loop. If the cable breaks it will affect all the computers on the network.
Ring networks are slower than star.

Communication Channel
This is the path through which information passes between two devices. It can also be defined as
the method or medium used for transmitting data. Characteristics of communication channel
include transmission mode, direction of data flow, communication channel (media) and
transmission speed.

Transmission Mode (rates)

This determines the number of characters that can be transmitted in one second. Types of
transmission modes include:
 Asynchronous
 Synchronous
Research on Asynchronous, Synchronous

Direction of data flow

These include simplex, half duplex and full duplex.
Research on simplex, half duplex and full duplex.

Transmission speed (rate)

This is the amount of information that a channel can comfortably ‘handle’ at any one time. It is
usually measured in bps (bits per second) and is referred to as baud rate.

Bandwidth
This is the width of the communication channel. The higher the bandwidth the more data and
information the channel can transmit. Different types of bandwidth include: base band, narrow
band, broadband and voice band.
Research on base band, narrow band, broadband and voice band.

Transmission Media
In communication there are two main types of transmission media. These are wireless and
physical transmission media.

Physical transmission media

Use wire, cables and other tangible materials to send communication signals. These include
twisted cable, coaxial cable and fiber optic.
 Twisted pair cable – these cables consists of one or more twisted-pair wires bundled
together. Each twisted pair wires consist of two separate insulated copper wires that are twisted
together. The wires are twisted together to reduce noise. Noise is an electrical disturbance that
can degrade communication. Often used for telephone system.
Research on shielded and unshielded twisted pair cables

 Coaxial cables – often refer to as coax; consist of a single copper wire surrounded by at least
three layers: (1) an insulating material, (2) a woven or braided metal, and (3) a plastic outer
coating. Cable television wiring often use coaxial cable.

 Fiber- optic cable - this consist of dozens or hundreds of strands of glass or plastic that use
light to transmit signal. Each strand is called an optical fiber (this is as thin as the human hair).
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 Inside the fiber optic cable, an insulating glass cladding and a protective coating surround each
optical fiber.
Assignment: find at least 3 advantages and 3 disadvantages of the different types of
transmission media. Find pictures of each.

Wireless Transmission Media

Sends communication signals though air or space using radio, microwave and infrared.
Research on broadcast radio, Bluetooth, cellular radio, microwaves, communication satellites
and infrared.
Uses of Communication Technologies
Communication technologies use is all around you. In the course of the day, for example, you
might use, or use information generated by, one or more of the following communication
technologies: voice mail, fax, e-mail, instant messaging, chat rooms, newsgroups (threaded
discussion), telephony, videoconferencing, collaboration, groupware and global positioning
system (GPS).

Assignment: research on the following terms: voice mail, fax, e-mail, instant messaging, chat
rooms, newsgroups, telephony, videoconferencing, collaboration, groupware and global
positioning system (GPS).

Network communication Technologies

Today’s networks connect terminals, devices and computers from many different manufacturers
across many types of networks, such as WAN, LAN and wireless. For the different devices on
several types of networks to be able to communicate, the network must use a specific
combination of hardware and software. A variety of communication technologies exist for this
purpose. These include Ethernet, token ring, TCP/IP (transaction control protocol/ internet
protocol, wireless application protocol (WAP), intranets and firewalls

Assignment: Ethernet, token ring, TCP/IP (transaction control protocol/ internet protocol,
wireless application protocol (WAP), intranets and firewalls

The telephone network

The public switched telephone network (PSTN) is the worldwide telephone system that
handles voice oriented telephone calls. Nearly the entire telephone network today uses digital
technology, with the final link from the telephone company to the home, which is often analog.
The telephone network plays an essential role in computer communication. data,
instruction and information can be sent over the telephone network using dial-up lines, dedicated
lines, Integrated Services Provider network (ISBN), digital subscriber line (DSL), cable TV lines
and T-carrier lines.

Assignment: research on the following terms: dial-up lines, dedicated lines, Integrated
Services Provider network (ISBN), digital subscriber line (DSL), cable TV lines, leased lines
and T-carrier lines.

Communication devices
This is any type of hardware capable of transmitting data, instruction and information between a
sending device and a receiving device, via a communication channel. Sometimes the
communication device also must convert the data, instructions, and information from analog to
digital or vice versa depending on the services involves. Some of the more common types off
communication devices are dial-up modem, ISBN and DSL modems, cable modems and NIC
(network interface card).

Research on the following terms: modems, dial-up modem, ISBN and DSL modems, cable
modems and NIC (network interface card).

Define the following terms:

1. Hypertext Markup Language (HTML)

2. file transfer protocol (FTP)
3. telnet
4. Teleconferencing
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5. Telecommuting
6. World Wide Web (WWW)
7. Videoconferencing
8. Internet
9. Internet Relay Chat (IRC)
10. Extensible Markup Language (XML)
11. newsgroup
12. Electronic mail
13. Intranet
14. Telemarketing
15. Internet Service Provider (ISP)
16. Website
17. Online Service Provider (OSP)
18. Web Page
19. Search Engine
20. Web Browser
21. Hyperlink
22. Home Page
23. Uniform Resource Locator(URL)
24. download
25. Upload
26. Domain name
27. Internet Protocol (IP) Address
28. Logon Name
29. Inbox
30. Attachment
31. Internet
32. Modem
33. Virtual Private Network (VPN)
34. bandwidth
35. modulation/demodulation
36. Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP)
37. Transfer Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)
38. protocols
39. hotspots