Module 2 – COMPUTER NETWORKS

Introduction:

This module will allow you understand the role of layered tasks, the internet model, and
the OSI model in understanding how computer networks work.

Module Learning Outcomes:

In this module, you should be able to:

1. identify layered tasks;

2. elucidate the internet model;
3. identify OSI model.

I. Pre – Assessment:

Direction. Write TRUE if the statement is correct and FALSE if it is wrong. Write your answers
on a separate sheet of paper.

_______ 1. A computer network is a group of computers that use a set of common

communication protocols over digital interconnections for the purpose of sharing
resources located on or provided by the network nodes.

_______2. Hostnames serve as memorable labels for the nodes, rarely changed after
initial assignment.

_______3. Computer networks may be classified by many criteria, for example, the
transmission medium used to carry signals, bandwidth, and communication protocols to
organize network traffic, the network size, the topology, traffic control mechanism, and
organizational intent.

_______4. The service that we expect from a Computer Network are much more
complex than just sending a signal from one device to another.

_______5. In other words each level is responsible to solve a more focused problem of
the original problem is a called layer in network terminology.

_______6. Each layer uses the service of the layer below below it and each layer
provides service to its upper layer.

_______7. There exists an interface between each pair of adjacent layers that defines
the information and services a layer must provide to the adjacent layer.
 _______8. The layered protocol stack that is used in practice is a five ordered layer
Internet model, also called TCP/IP protocol suite.

_______9. Each end user device engaged in communication must have these layers in it

(in form of HW or SW)

_______10. The processes on each machine that communicate at a given layer are
called peer-to-peer processes.

II. Lesson Map:

The map above simply shows the focus of this lesson.

III. Core Content:

Engage: Illustrate or draw your “understanding” of a computer network.

Explore:

A computer network is a group of computers that use a set of common

communication protocols over digital interconnections for the purpose of sharing
resources located on or provided by the network nodes. The interconnections between
nodes are formed from a broad spectrum of telecommunication network technologies,
based on physically wired, optical, and wireless radio-frequency methods that may be
arranged in a variety of network topologies.

The nodes of a computer network may include personal computers, servers, networking
hardware, or other specialized or general-purpose hosts. They are identified by
hostnames and network addresses. Hostnames serve as memorable labels for the
nodes, rarely changed after initial assignment. Network addresses serve for locating and
identifying the nodes by communication protocols such as the Internet Protocol.

Computer networks may be classified by many criteria, for example, the transmission
medium used to carry signals, bandwidth, and communication protocols to organize
network traffic, the network size, the topology, traffic control mechanism, and
organizational intent.

Computer networks support many applications and services, such as access to the
World Wide Web, digital video, digital audio, shared use of application and storage
servers, printers, and fax machines, and use of email and instant messaging
applications.

Layered Tasks

 The service that we expect from a Computer Network is much more complex than just
sending a signal from one device to another.
 To solve a complex problem we apply the strategy “Divide and Rule”. i.e. the main
problem is divided into some small tasks/ levels of reduced complexity and then handled
individually.
 In other words Each level is responsible to solve a more focused problem of the original
problem is a called layer in network terminology.
 Each layer observes a different level of abstraction and performs some well defined
functions.
 Each layer uses the service of the layer below below it and each layer provides service
to its upper layer.
  There exists an interface between each pair of adjacent layers that defines the
information and services a layer must provide to the adjacent layer.

EXAMPLE: Sending a letter

Example: The philosopher-translator-secretary architecture.

The Internet model

 The layered protocol stack that is used in practice is a five ordered layer Internet model,
also called TCP/IP protocol suite
 The responsibility of each layer is well defined and focused
 Each end user device engaged in communication must have these layers in it
 (in form of HW or SW)
 An intermediate device may not have all the layers but at least first three layers
 Layer x on one device communicates with layer x of other device.
 The processes on each machine that communicate at a given layer are called peer-to-
peer processes.

Peer-to-peer processes
 An exchange using the Internet model

Physical layer

 The responsibility of physical layer is to coordinate the functions required to transmit a

bit stream over a physical medium
 The duties are
o Defines the characteristics of the interface between devices and transmission
medium
 Type of transmission medium, topology, etc…
o Representation of bits
 Encoding, voltage level, duration etc…
o Data rate
o Synchronization of bits
 Sender‟s and receiver‟s clock shynchronization

Data link layer

 is responsible for transmitting frames from one node to the next

 The duties are
o Framing
  Stream of bits received from upper layer is divided into manageable data
units(?) called frame.
o Physical addressing
 Adds the address of sender and receiver in the header
o Flow control
 This mechanism helps to prevents overflow at receiving side
o Error control
 Mechanism to detect/correct errors in transmission
o Access Control
 Which device has the control over the link at a given time
 Physical addressing and hop-hop delivery can be done in one network only
 If the message is to be passed across the network then network layer functionality is
required.

Network Layer

 The network layer is responsible for the delivery of packets from the original source to
the final destination possibly across multiple networks.
 The Duties are
o Logical addressing
 It adds logical addresses into the packet header
o Routing
 Forwarding the packet towards the destination

Source-to-Destination
 An Example

sending from a node with network address A and physical address 10 to a node with a
network address P and physical address 95

Because the two devices are located on different

networks, we cannot use physical addresses only;

as the physical addresses only have local jurisdiction.

What we need here are universal addresses that can

pass through the LAN boundaries. The network (logical)

addresses have this characteristic.

Transport layer

 The transport layer is responsible for delivery of a message from one process to
another.
 The Duties
o Port addressing
 Actual transmission occurs from a specific process on one device to a
process of another.
 Port address (an integer) defines the process/application in a device
o Segmentation and reassembly
 Message received from application layer is divided in to transmittable
segments containing sequence nos
 Connection control
o Two types of connection service is allowed
 Connection oriented: establish the connection, use the connection,
release the connection. (guarantee of delivery)
 Example: telephone
o Connection less: each message carries the destination address and routed
through the system
 Example: postal service
 Flow Control
o Responsible for end-to-end flow control as well as intermediate flow control
(congestion)
 Error Control
o End-to-end error control

Application layer

 The application layer is responsible for providing services to the user.

o It provides user interfaces and support services such as email, remote file
transfer, remote logins etc…

Summary of duties
 OSI model

 Session Layer is the network dialog controller, It establishes maintains and synchronizes
the interaction between communicating systems
 Duties are
o Dialog control
o Synchronization at data level
 Presentation layer is concerned with syntax and semantics of the information exchanged
between two systems
 Duties are
o Translation: converting to bit streams
o Encryption: to ensure privacy
o Compression: increases virtual BW

Explain:

1. Give the meaning of each of the 5 basic “summary of duties”.

2. How would you interpret the responsibility of the physical layer?

Extend:

Direction: Provide a photo of a Peer-to-peer connection of devices and upload it here.

Evaluate:

Direction: Multiple choices: Circle the correct answer.

1. The letter is written, put in an envelope, and dropped in mailbox.

A. Higher Layers B. Lower Layers

C. Middle Layers D. None of the above

2. The letter is picked removed from the envelope, and read.

A. Higher Layers B. Lower Layers

C. Middle Layers D. None of the above

3. The letter is carried from the mailbox to a post office.

A. Middle Layers B. Lower Layers

C. Higher Layers D. All of the above

4. The letter is delivered to a carrier by the post office.

A. Lower Layers B. Middle Layers

C. Higher Layers D. All of the above

5. The letter is delivered from the carrier to the post office.

A. Lower Layers B. Middle Layers

C. Higher Layers D. All of the above
6. Stream of bits received from upper layer is divided into manageable data units(?)
called frame.

A. Framing B. Flow control

C. Physical addressing D. Error control

7. Adds the address of sender and receiver in the header

A. Physical addressing B. Flow control

C. Access Control D. Error control

8. This mechanism helps to prevents overflow at receiving side

A. Flow control B. Framing

C. Access Control D. Error control

9. Mechanism to detect/correct errors in transmission

A. Error control B. Framing

C. Access Control D. Flow control

10. Which device has the control over the link at a given time.

A. Access Control B. Framing

C. Error control D. Flow control
IV. Post - Assessment:

Direction. Write TRUE if the statement is correct and FALSE if it is wrong. Write your
answers in a separate sheet of paper.

_______ 1. A computer network is a group of computers that use a set of common

communication protocols over digital interconnections for the purpose of sharing resources
located on or provided by the network nodes.

_______2. Hostnames serve as memorable labels for the nodes, rarely changed after initial
assignment.

_______3. Computer networks may be classified by many criteria, for example, the
transmission medium used to carry signals, bandwidth, and communication protocols to
organize network traffic, the network size, the topology, traffic control mechanism, and
organizational intent.

_______4. The service that we expect from a Computer Network are much more complex
than just sending a signal from one device to another.

_______5. In other words each level is responsible to solve a more focused problem of the
original problem is a called layer in network terminology.

_______6. Each layer uses the service of the layer below below it and each layer provides
service to its upper layer.

_______7. There exists an interface between each pair of adjacent layers that defines the
information and services a layer must provide to the adjacent layer.

_______8. The layered protocol stack that is used in practice is a five ordered layer Internet
model, also called TCP/IP protocol suite.

_______9. Each end user device engaged in communication must have these layers in it

(in form of HW or SW)

_______10. The processes on each machine that communicate at a given layer are called
peer-to-peer processes.
V. Topic Summary:
 A computer network is a group of computers that use a set of common
communication protocols over digital interconnections for the purpose of sharing
resources located on or provided by the network nodes. The interconnections
between nodes are formed from a broad spectrum of telecommunication network
technologies, based on physically wired, optical, and wireless radio-frequency
methods that may be arranged in a variety of network topologies.

 Computer networks may be classified by many criteria, for example, the transmission
medium used to carry signals, bandwidth, and communication protocols to organize
network traffic, the network size, the topology, traffic control mechanism, and
organizational intent.

 The networks may be categorized according to its size, ownership, distance it covers
and its physical architecture.