COMPUTER SKILLS

CHAPTER 3: COMPUTER NETWORKS

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 Computer Network
is a group of connected computers together using cards, cables and
specific software for the purpose of sharing available resources
(Hardware/Software resources) such as printers and peripheral
equipment to share files and programs.

Example: More than one computer can share single printer instead
of having a printer for each computer. A computer network allows
exchange of data easily. This in turn saves organizations money and
expenses. Almost all types of government and academic institutions
nowadays use computer networks.

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 Computer Network
Advantages of Computer Networks:

• Saving expenses
• Files sharing
• Programs and Apps sharing
• Storage device sharing
• Device sharing
• Prompt connection
• Flexible central data management
• Connecting different Operating Systems together

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 Computer Network
Physical Network Components

 Server
 Workstations or Clients (Terminals)
 Network Interface Cards ( NIC )
 Modem
 Cables and wires
 Switches
 Resources

Windows Server is an example of software network components.

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 Types of Networks

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 Types of networks according to their:
 Geographic Distance
 LAN
 MAN
 WAN
 Working Style
 Client/Server
 Peer to Peer
 Topology
 Star
 Ring
 Bus

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 Types of Networks
Geographic Distance

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 Types of
LAN
Networks

MAN

WAN

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 LAN LAN is an acronym for Local Area Network. LAN is a number of
computers connected to each other using cables in a limited
area.  These computers can be at certain location such as an
office, a lab, building or in a number of buildings. For instance, if
ten people are working together within an office, when
connected to a network, they can share printers, modems,
scanners or files.
 
A Wireless LAN (WLAN) is a network that links two or more
computers or devices using wireless technologies, such as radio
waves, to enable communication between devices in a limited
area.  This gives users the mobility to move around within a
broad coverage area and still be connected to the network.

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 MAN is an acronym for Metropolitan Area Network. MAN
is similar to a local area network (LAN) but spans an
MAN entire city or campus, or some other municipal or
organizational territory. MANs are formed by connecting
multiple LANs. Thus, MANs are larger than LANs, but
smaller than wide area networks (WAN) that cover
dispersed geographical areas, sometimes directly
connecting users around the world.
MANs are typically extremely efficient and can provide
fast communication via high-speed carriers, such as fiber
optic cables.

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 WAN is an acronym for Wide Area Network. WAN is a
number of computers connected with each other while
they are geographically remote from each other.  For
WAN example, the computers of the headquarters of the
company and its branches which are geographically
distant (may be in the same country or in different
countries).  Communication among these computers
uses telephone lines or satellites.  Public Switched
Telephone Networks (PSTN) are used to communicate
with each other over long distances.  Examples of Wide
Area Networks are Banks' ATMs which allow users to
manage their accounts from different locations. The
largest WAN is the Internet.

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 Types of Networks
Working Style

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 Types of Networks according to their working style

Client/Server Network Peer to Peer Network

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 Client/Server Network

• In a Client / Server Network, there is a specific computer called a

server, which saves all common files and documents so that other
computers ( Clients ) can use, access, update and manipulate them
at the same time.

• The client machine sends a service request to the server for

processing. When the server receives the client's request, it
searches for the requested data and sends it back with the reply.

• As all the services are provided by a centralized server, there may

be chances of server getting bottlenecked, slowing down the
efficiency of the system. 

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 Client/Server Network  Kinds of servers are:
 File Servers: Which are high speed computers that store the
programs and files shared by users.  
 Printer Servers: Which are computers that are connected to one
or more printers and to client computers over a network.  
 Communication Servers: Which allow the network user to
connect with other computers.  
 Dedicated Servers: Which are specialized in performing specific
tasks .

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 Peer to Peer (P2P) Network

• A Peer to Peer network is one in which two or more PCs share files
and access to devices such as printers without requiring a separate
server computer or server software.

Peer to Peer Network

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 Types of Networks
Topology

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 Network Topology
It is the structure of the network, i.e., how the computers are
connected. There are various structures of networks: Star
Topology, Ring Topology and Bus Topology.  We might wonder why
there are many different structures of computer networks.  The main
reasons behind such structures lie in that the network structure affects
its performance. Reasons also include network establishment costs
and the connection medium.

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 Network Topology  Star Topology
 Computers are connected to a central computer (server)
device (Hub or a Switch).
 The central device controls communication among the other
terminal computers.
 This type of networks is suitable for organizations that
require controlling and monitoring operations remotely, for
example banks ' networks.

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 Network Topology  Ring Topology
 Computer on this network are connected with each other in a
row (ring) but there is no central device.
 Data can travel in clock-wise or in anti-clockwise directions. 
 An alternative cable is used for cases in which the data cable
is disconnected between two computer terminals.  This type
of computer networks is more costly than a star network

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 Network Topology  Bus Topology
 Computers on this type of network are connected to each
other using a cable that passes through all the computer
terminals of the network.
 It is less costly than a star network.

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 Network Topology

 What would happen if there were a break in the main cable in

Bus Topology? And what would happen if the switch failed in
the Star Topology?

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 OSI TCP/IP
Modules

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 OSI and TCP/IP

Application
Mail, Web, etc.
Presentation Application
Session
Transport Transport TCP/UDP – end to end reliability

Network Network IP - Forwarding (best-effort)

Data Link Data Link & Framing, delivery

Physical Physical Raw signal

OSI TCP/IP
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 OSI and TCP/IP

Layer7: Application Layer

 Provides different services to the applications.
 Uses the underlying layers to carry out work.
 Examples: SMTP (mail), HTTP (web), Telnet, FTP, DNS
Layer6: Presentation Layer
 Converts data from applications into common format
and vice versa
Layer5: Session Layer
 organizes and synchronizes the exchange of data
between application processes.
Layer4: Transport Layer
 Provides end to end transportation of segments.

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 OSI and TCP/IP
Layer3: Network Layer
 Routes the information in the network.
 Defines addresses in such a way that route selection
can be determined.
Layer2: Data Link Layer
 Provides reliable transit of data across a physical
network link.
 Bundles bits into frames and moves frames between
hosts on the same link.
Layer1: Physical Layer
 moves bits using voltage, light, radio, etc. This layer is
not concerned with the meaning of the bits and deals
with the setup of physical connection to the network
and with transmission and reception of signals.
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 OSI and TCP/IP

Application Application

Presentation Presentation

Session Session

Transport Transport

Network Network Network Network

Link Link Link Link Link Link

Physical Physical Physical

Host Router Router Host

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 The Internet

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 Internet
The Internet emerged in the 1960s.  It started as a project
implemented by the American Department of Defense.  Internet
continued to be used for military purposes and by the research centers
at the American universities until the 1990s.  It was then made
available to individuals and companies all over the world.  It represents
an information revolution.  Access to the internet and searching for
information was made easy using search engines such as (Google)
and/or (Yahoo).  

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 The Difference Between the Internet and the World
Wide Web
 Many people believe that the terms " Internet and " World Wide
Web " are the same thing but in fact the two terms are not
synonymous. The internet is actually a huge network that is
accessible to everyone & everywhere across the world. It is a
network of networks (whether local, regional or other independent
networks) which are interconnected so that any computer on a
network can connect and share data with any other computer on
that network.

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 The Difference Between the Internet and the World
Wide Web
 The World Wide Web (Or the Web, for short), which first came to
existence in 1989, is the system we use to access the Internet. It is
a way to link and access information (texts, images, multimedia)
which the user can browse using hyperlinks.
 Therefore, it can be said that the World Wide Web uses the internet
as means of transport to allow millions of internet users access to
search for products, keep up with current events, get medical and
health tips, check weather conditions and so on. In other words, the
internet is considered to be the supporting tool to the World Wide
Web.

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 The Main Services of the Internet

There are different services provided by the Internet as it

witnessed a dramatic and fast evolution over the recent years.
These services include:
 World Wide Web (www)
 Email Services
 File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
 Internet Relay Chatting Service

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 The Main Services of the Internet
World Wide Web
World Wide Web (WWW) is a collection of Web pages and
related resources which are linked together across the Internet.
It is the most common service provided by the internet.  Various
types of data can be shared over it (text, audio, video…etc)
using electronic pages that computers can view.

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 The Main Services of the Internet
Email Services
Email service is one of the electronic communication services that
can be used to exchange electronic messages. Users use it for
correspondence. It is the most widely used service for exchanging
messages among users using email addresses. For example
(cpit100.fcit@gmail.com ). This service saves time, efforts and
money. Using this service, users can instantly send electronic
messages to other users or a number of users at the same time.
One of the challenges or disadvantages of this service is the spam
or unsolicited bulk messages. Some of the companies that provide
free email services are Google (Gmail) and Microsoft (Hotmail).
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 The Main Services of the Internet
File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
FTP is a standard network protocol used to fetch files and various
data types from the Internet through FTP servers. Files on FTP
servers can be protected from unauthorized access by setting
passwords. Files on FTP servers can be made available for anyone
to download, Space can be made available for users to upload files
from their computers too.

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 The Main Services of the Internet
Internet Relay Chatting Service
This service allows users to chat or communicate in text or in audio/
video formats using video conferencing. It is one of the most widely
used services that can be effectively used for distance learning
purposes.

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 Intranets and Extranets

 Unlike the Internet, an intranet is a

private collection of LANs and WANs
internal to an organization that is meant
to be accessible only to the organizations
members or others with authorization.
 An organization might use an extranet to
provide secure access to their network for
individuals who work for a different
organization that need access to their
data on their network.

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 Communication Lines

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 Communication Lines
 Data Transfer Rate

 Digital and Analogue Signals

 Data Transmission Media

 Types of Communication Lines

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 Data Transfer Rate
Data Transferee Rate is the volume of data that can be traveled via a
transmission media in one second. It is measured by bits per second.
The abbreviations used are:  
 bps: The number of bits transmitted in one second.  
 Kbps: The number of kilobits transmitted in one second.  
 Mbps: The number of megabits transmitted in one second. 

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 Digital and Analogue Signals
 Many computer communications take place over telephone
lines.  However, because the telephone was originally designed for
voice transmission, the telephones typically send and receive
Analogue Signals, which are continuous electronic waves.

Computers, in contrast, send and receive Digital Signals . 

  

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 Digital and Analogue Signals … continued
 To convert the digital signals to analogue signals and vice versa,
you need a Modem.  
 The Modem enables digital computers to communicate across
analogue telephone lines. This communication includes both voice
and data communications.
 The speed with which modems transmit data varies. This speed is
called the Transfer Speed and is typically measured in bits per
second (bps).  The higher the speed is, the faster you can send and
receive information.

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 Data Transmission Media
Data transfers between computers through media networks.  Media
could either be wired or wireless. 
 Wired Media: Wires and cables connect computers to form a
network. Data transfers through these cables in the form of
electronic pulses.  
 Wireless Media: Are used when we cannot connect computers in a
wire network.  Information transfer between network computers in
the form of wireless signals, like radio waves, infrared rays,
microwaves and satellite.  

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 Data Transmission Medi … continued
The wired media are: 
 A Twisted Paris Cable is made up of four
a twisted pair, each of which is twisted and
Twisted Pair Cable
separated from the other, such as telephone
lines.
  A Coaxial Cable is a cable which consists of a
single wire in the center of the cable, surrounded
by a group of very thin wires connected to each
other. These cables are used to connect the
television with the video. Coaxial Cable

 Fiber Optic Cables consist of a group of very thin

glass or plastic threads or optic fibers.  They are
used in WAN because of their speed. 

44 Fiber Optical Cable

 Types of Communication Lines
1- Dial-up Internet Access
It is a form of Internet access that utilizes the public telephone network
to establish a dial-up connection to an Internet service provider (ISP) via
telephone lines using a Modem.  The modem is a device that sends and
receives information over telephone cables. Since computers and other
terminal units use digital signals (1s and 0s), and the telephone lines
use analog signals therefore, modem is used to modulate analog signals
into digital information and vice versa. This type of connection is very
slow where speeds can reach only up to (56 Kbps ) .

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 Types of Communication Lines … continued
2- Integrated Service Digital Network (ISDN) Internet Access
This type of networks transmits data in a digital form (1s and 0s).
Therefore, it is faster and more reliable than the dial-up connection.
Speeds can range  from 64 to 128 Kbps.  

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 Types of Communication Lines … continued
3- Digital Service Line (DSL) Internet Access
The DSL allows accessing the Internet at high speeds. Speeds range
from 256 Kbps to 40 Mbps.  In comparison to the first two types of
connections, has a high speed. Furthermore, this type of connection
allows the use of a telephone line and the internet at the same time.  

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 Types of Communication Lines … continued
4- Satellite Internet Access
This type of connection requires special equipment. It is also considered
one of the high-speed connections. Satellite internet comes with
download speeds from 12 Mbps to 100 Mbps. Being expensive is a
drawback of Satellite of internet access.

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 Types of Communication Lines … continued
5- Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi ) Internet Access
Wi-fi is a high-speed wireless broadband connection that allows
connecting to the internet without using cables. It uses radio waves to
exchange data. Speeds in wireless networks can reach up to 54 Mbps.

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 Network Hardware
Networking Devices

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 Networking Devices

Access
Hub Switch Repeater
Point

Router Gateway Modem Bridge

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 Networking Devices

Hub

Hubs used in LANs to connects LAN components with identical

protocols. It can be considered a multiport repeater. Hubs
forwards any traffic to all of the ports, so that they are not smart
devices.

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 Networking Devices

Switch

Switch connects multiple devices such as computers, wireless access

points, printers in a small business network. Switches work in Layer 2
(Data Link Layer). It is a smart device because it switches the traffic
according to the Mac address. Switches have many ports they expand
the network through endpoints.

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 Networking Devices
Router

Router connects multiple switches (i.e. different networks), and

hence their respective networks to form larger network, these
networks may be in a single location or across multiple locations.
Router allows networked devices and multiple users to access the
Internet. Router works on Layer 3. It calculates the routes according
to its routing algorithms and then makes the route decision. Routers
are smart devices, it forward traffic based on the IP address.

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 Networking Devices

Repeater

Repeater repeats signals that travel via long distances

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 Networking Devices
Gateway

Gateway as router is used to regulate network traffic between two or

more separate networks but Gateways regulate traffic between two
different networks, while routers regulate traffic between similar
networks. So that, Gateways converts packets from one protocol to
another.

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 Networking Devices

Modem

The Modem enables digital computers to communicate across

analogue telephone lines. This communication includes both voice
and data communications.

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 Networking Devices

Access Point

An access point is a device that creates a wireless local area

network, or WLAN, usually in an office or large building. An access
point connects to a wired router, switch, or hub via an Ethernet cable,
and projects a Wi-Fi signal to a designated area.

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 Networking Devices

Bridge

A Bridge connects different Local Area Networks (LANs) that work

on the same protocol. It has single incoming port and single outgoing
port. Bridges works at Layer 2, Data-Link Layer. It can filter content
by reading the MAC addresses of source and destination of the
messages.

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 Thank you

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