HOW NETWORK ARE STRUCTURED:

Client-server network .A client-server network is a central computer, also

known as a server, which hosts data and other forms of resources. Clients such as
laptops and desktop computers contact the server and request to use data or share
its other resources with it.

also
–Nodes and servers share data roles
–Nodes are called clients
–Servers are used to control access
–Database software
•Access to data controlled by server
–Server is the most important computer

Peer-to-peer network .A network of computers configured to allow certain files

and folders to be shared with everyone or with selected users. Peer-to-peer
networks are quite common in small offices that do not use a dedicated file server.

There's a huge difference between client/server and peer-to-peer networks. For

instance, a peer-to-peer network has no central server. Each workstation on the
network shares its files equally with the others. There's no central storage or
authentication of users.

Packets
–Pieces of data transmitted over a network
•Packets are created by sending node
•Data is reassembled by receiving node
–Packet header
•Sending and receiving address
–Packet payload
•Number and size of data
NETWORK MEDIA:
Network media is the actual path over which an electrical signal travels as it
moves from one component to another. This chapter describes the common types
of network media, including twisted-pair cable, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable,
and wireless.
•Choice impacts
–Speed
–Security
–Size

Twisted pair cable:A type of cable that consists of two independently insulated
wires twisted around one another. The use of two wires twisted together helps to
reduce crosstalk and electromagnetic induction. While twisted-pair cable is used by
older telephone networks and is the least expensive type of local-area network
(LAN) cable, most networks contain some twisted-pair cabling at some point along
the network.

 Most common LAN cable

 Called Cat5 or 100BaseT
 Four pairs of copper cable twisted
 May be shielded from interference
 Speeds range from 1 Mbps to 1,000 Mbps

Coaxial cable: A type of wire that consists of a center wire surrounded by

insulation and then a grounded shield of braided wire. The shield minimizes
electrical and radio frequency interference.

Coaxial cabling is the primary type of cabling used by the cable television industry
and is also widely used for computer networks, such as Ethernet. Although more
expensive than standard telephone wire, it is much less susceptible to interference
and can carry much more data.

 Similar to cable TV wire

 One wire runs through cable
 Shielded from interference
 Speeds up to 10 Mbps
 Nearly obsolete
Fiber-optic cable: A technology that uses glass (or plastic) threads (fibers) to
transmit data. A fiber optic cable consists of a bundle of glass threads, each of
which is capable of transmitting messages modulated onto light waves.

or

fiber optic cable is a high-speed data transmission medium. It contains tiny glass or
plastic filaments that carry light beams. Digital data is transmitted through the
cable via rapid pulses of light. The receiving end of a fiber optic transmission
translates the light pulses into binary values, which can be read by a computer.
Because fiber optic cables transmit data via light waves, they can transfer
information at the speed of light. Not surprisingly, fiber optic cables provide the
fastest data transfer rates of any data transmission medium. They are also less
susceptible to noise and interference compared to copper wires or telephone lines.
Since fiber optic cables provide fast transfer speeds and large bandwidth, they are
used for a large part of the Internet backbone. For example, most
telecommunications cables between the U.S. and Europe are fiber optic. In recent
years, fiber optic technology has become increasingly popular for local Internet
connections as well. For example, some ISPs now offer "fiber Internet," which
provides Internet access via a fiber optic line. Fiber connections can provide homes
and businesses with data transfer speeds of 1 Gbps.

 Data is transmitted with light pulses

 Glass strand instead of cable
 Immune to interference
 Very secure
 Hard to work with
 Speeds up to100 Gbps

Wireless media:Data transmitted through the air

 LANs use radio waves
 WANs use microwave signals
 Easy to setup
 Difficult to secure