1/11/2023

CHAPTER : 01 -- Introduction

Dr. H. K. Salinda Premadasa

Data communication and Networks

 Data communication
Data communications are the exchange of data
between two devices via some form of transmission
medium

Communication devices made up of a combination of

hardware (physical equipments) and software
(programs) to occur data communications

 Networking
Topology & architecture used to interconnect devices

2 © Dr. H. K. Salinda Premadasa

Communication systems

 Communication systems process and transfer of

information/data/instructions between one or
more systems through some media

 Digital or analog signals can be passing through

the communication channel in the
communication systems
 Analog signals: continuous electrical waves
 Digital signals: individual electrical pulses (bits)

• Communication systems remain receivers

and transmitters:
– desktop computers, mainframe computers, etc

3 © Dr. H. K. Salinda Premadasa

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Communication systems

4 © Dr. H. K. Salinda Premadasa

Digital and analog transmission

 Digital transmission sends data as distinct pulses, either

on or off, in much the same way that data travels through
the computer

5 © Dr. H. K. Salinda Premadasa

Digital and analog transmission

 Analog transmission, a continuous electrical signal in the

form of a wave

6 © Dr. H. K. Salinda Premadasa

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Digital and analog transmission

 Frequency: It is the rate (cycles/sec or HZ) at

which the signals repeat
 Bandwidth: It is the range of frequencies that is
available for the transmission of data
 Channel: A channel is a portion of the
communications medium allocated to the
sender and receiver for conveying information
between them
 Modems: A modem is a device that converts a
digital signal to an analog signal and vice versa

7 © Dr. H. K. Salinda Premadasa

Digital and analog transmission

8 © Dr. H. K. Salinda Premadasa

Data transmission modes

 Simplex: If transmission is simplex,

communication can take place in only one
direction. For example, radio & T.V. etc
 Half-Duplex: A half-duplex system can transmit
data in both directions, but only in one direction
at a time. For example, wireless etc
 Full-Duplex: A full-duplex system is used that
allows information to flow simultaneously in
both directions on the transmission path. For
example, telephone etc

9 © Dr. H. K. Salinda Premadasa

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Data transmission modes

• Simplex
One way communication only

10 © Dr. H. K. Salinda Premadasa

Data transmission modes

• Half-duplex
One way at a time

11 © Dr. H. K. Salinda Premadasa

Data transmission modes

• Full-duplex
Communication in both directions
simultaneously

12 © Dr. H. K. Salinda Premadasa

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Building blocks of a computer network

 Terminals, Workstations, Computers, and
other devices (end nodes)
 Transmission Media ( for transmitting data
and control signals)
 Network electronics ( intermediate devices
for routing data from source to
destination)
 Software to control data transmission
• Network Architecture Standards
(different equipments made by different
vendors)

13 © Dr. H. K. Salinda Premadasa

Building blocks of a computer network

-- Terminals and workstations

 These devices are the data sources and

destinations in a network (i.e. end nodes where
data originates or is received)

• Examples
– Personal computers
– Terminals
– Workstations
– Computers
– Point of sale cash registers
– Automatic teller machines
14 © Dr. H. K. Salinda Premadasa

Building blocks of a computer network

-- Transmission media

 These transmit electronic or light signals

and consist of different media
 Transmission media may be bounded or
unbounded

15 © Dr. H. K. Salinda Premadasa

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Building blocks of a computer network

-- Transmission media

 Bounded Media • Unbounded Media (air or a

vacuum)
- Twisted pair wire - AM and FM radio
- Co-axial cable - TV broadcasting
- Fiber optic cables - Satellite communication
- Microwave radio
- Infrared signals

16 © Dr. H. K. Salinda Premadasa

Building blocks of a computer network

-- Transmission media
 Bounded Media (Wired)

Twisted-pair cable:
 One or more twisted wires bundled together (why?)
 Made of copper
Coaxial-Cable:
 Consists of single copper wire surrounded by three layers of
insulating and metal materials
 Typically used for cable TV
Fiber-optics:
– Strands of glass or plastic used to transmit
light
– Very high capacity, low noise, small size, less
suitable to natural disturbances © Dr. H. K. Salinda Premadasa
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Building blocks of a computer network

-- Transmission media
 Bounded Media (Wired)

twisted-pair cable twisted-pair wire

woven or
braided metal copper wire

plastic outer insulating optical fiber

coating material
core

glass cladding

protective
18 © Dr. H. K. Salinda Premadasa
coating

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Building blocks of a computer network

-- Transmission media
 Un-bounded Media (Wireless)

AM / FM Radio
 Distribute signals through the air over long distance
 Uses an antenna
 Typically for stationary locations
 Can be short range

Cellular Radio
– A form of broadcast radio used for mobile
communication
– High frequency radio waves to transmit voice or
data
– Utilizes frequency-reuse

19 © Dr. H. K. Salinda Premadasa

Building blocks of a computer network

-- Transmission media

 Un-bounded Media (Wireless)

Microwaves
 Radio waves providing high speed transmission
 They are point-to-point (can’t be obstructed)
 Used for satellite communication

Infrared (IR)
 Wireless transmission media that sends signals using
infrared light- waves

20 © Dr. H. K. Salinda Premadasa

Building blocks of a computer network

-- Transmission media
 Data transfer rates in bounded and un-bounded media

Bounded

Un-bounded

21 © Dr. H. K. Salinda Premadasa

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Building blocks of a computer network

-- Network electronics

 Network electronic devices serve a variety of

functions including routing or switching data
from source to destination or for providing the
interface between different transmission media
or different communication protocols.
 Examples
- Bridges - Concentrators
- Routers - Gateways
- Switches & hubs
- Multiplexers
- Front End Processors
22 © Dr. H. K. Salinda Premadasa

Building blocks of a computer network

-- Network architecture standards

 Interface: the point of interaction between two

devices such as a printer and a PC.

 Interconnection standards: specification of the

methods of interfacing two devices, making it
unnecessary for vendors to know the insides of
each other’s equipment as long as the
specifications at the boundryare met.

23 © Dr. H. K. Salinda Premadasa

Building blocks of a computer network

-- Network architecture standards

 Architecture: blueprint of standards for a

network consisting of items such as choice of
media, media interfaces, encoding methods,
transmission protocols, routing protocols, etc.
- Needed to ensure interoperability between various
devices and equipment made by different vendors.

24 © Dr. H. K. Salinda Premadasa