Tutorial

What is a Computer Network:

A Computer network is a set of devices connected through links. A Node is a device capable of receiving and
sending data. Links connecting the Nodes are called communication channel.

Introduction

National Interface Card (NIC):

Nic is a hardware component used to connect a computer with another computer onto a network

Wireless NIC: A connection is made using an antenna that’s sends radio wave technology

Wired NIC: Cables are used to transfer data

Hub:

Central Device that splits the network connection into multiple devices. A computer can send a request to
the hub when it wants to get Infortmation from the Network

Switches:

A Switch is a Networking Device that groups all the Devices in the network to send data to another device

Cables and Connectors:

Twisted pair Cable: High speed cable that transmits 1Gbps or more

Coaxial Cable: It’s a more expensive twisted pair cable with higher data transmission speed

Fibre Optic Cable: High speed cable that transmits data using light beams. Most expensive cable

Router:

Device that connects the LAN to the internet

Modem:

Connects a computer to the internet using an existing telephone line

Uses of Computer Network:

Resource Sharing: Sharing of Resources such as Files, Printer and data among the users on a Network
without needing to know their Location

Server-Client Model: The Server is a Cental Computer that stores the information which is maintained by the
system operator. Clients are other Machines to access the server remotely.

Communication Medium: A Computer network behaves as a communication medium among the users.

E-Commerce: Doing buisness over the internet, e.g. Amazon.com

Features

Features of a Computer Network:

Communication Speed: A Networks provides us with a fast and efficient communication

File Sharing: Computer Networks provides us to share files with eachother

Back up and Roll back is easy: All Files are saved in the Main server (which is centrally located) so its easy to
back-up those files

Software and Hardware Sharing: Ability to install applications on the main server so that all users can access
that application, so we don’t have to install it on every computer. Same with hardware

Security: Only the right users can access the right files

Scalability: Ability to add new computers to the network, at cost of decreased connection and data
transmission speed, it can also increase errors

Reliability: Computer Network are a good, reliable source to transmit data the hardware fails

Computer Network Architecture

Peer-To-Peer network:

All computers are linked together with equal privilege and responsibilities for processing data

Useful for small environments, normaly up to 10 computers

No dedicated Server

Special permission assigned to each computer for sharing resources, can lead to problem if the computer
with the resource is down

Advantages:

Less costly as it doesn’t contain a dedicted server

If one Computer stops workiing the other ones will still work

Easy to setup and maintain

Disadvantages:

No Centralized system, therefore no backups

Security issue

Client/Server Network:
Network model designed for the end users (called clients), to access the resources from a cental computer
known as a server

Central controller = Server and other computers in the network = clients

The server performs all major operations

A server is responsible for managing all resources

All clients communicate to eachother through the server

Advantages:

Easy data backups due to centralized system

Dedicated server improves overall performance of the system

Better Security due to single server administers the resources

Increases sharing speed

Disadvantages:

Expensive server with large memory and Networks operating system

Requires a dedicated admin network for management

Computer Network Components

NIC:

NIC stands for Network interface card

Hardware component used to connect a computer with another computer through a network

Supports a transfer rate of 10,100 to 1000mb/s

MAC adress is encded on the network card chip

Two types of NIC:

Wired NIC: Present inside the motherboard. Cable and connectors are used to transfer data with wired NIC

Wireless NIC: Antenna to obtain connection over the wireless network

Hub:
A Hub is a hardwaer device devides the network connection among multiple devices. If a computer requests
information it sends the request to the Hub, the hub will broadcast the request into the networks for every
device to check if the request belongs to them. Process used by hub consumes more bandwith and limits the
amount of communication. Nowdays it is replaced by e.g. Switches or Routers.

Switch:

Hardware device that connects multiple devices to a computer network. Switch contains more advanced
features than the Hub, such as if data is transmitted or not. A switch sends the message to the correct
destination based on the physical adress on the incoming message, it does not broadcast the message to the
whole network. Therefore a switch provides a direct connection between source and destination. Also
increases speed of the network.

Router:

Hardware device to connect a device to a LAN. Used to receive, analyze and forward incoming packets to
another network

Works in a Layer 3 of the OSI reference model (Network Layer | Layer 3 | The OSI-Model)

Forwards packets based on the information availible in the routing cable

Determines best path from availible path for the transmition

Advantages of a Router:

Security: Information transmited will traverse the entire cable, but only the specified device adressed can
read the data

Reliability: If the servers stops working, the networks go down, but no other networks are affected

Performance: Router enhances overall performance, e.g. if there are 24 networks sending data, the router
will split the network into 12 workstations each to reduce the traffic load by half

Netwok range: High network range

Modem:

Hardware device that allows the computer to connecet to the internet using a existing telephone line

Not intergrated into the motherboard, it can be installed on the PCI slot on the motherboard

Stands for Modulator/demodulator. Converts the digital data into analog signals for the telephone lines

3 Types of Modems: Standart PC modem or Dial-up modem, Cellular Modem, Cable Modem

Cable and Connectors:

Transmission Media used to transmit a signal

3 Types of cable: Twisted Pair Cable, Coaxial Cable, Firbe (Explained earlier in more detail)

Computer Network Types:

LAN (Local Area Network):

Group of computers connected to eachother in a small area

LAN is used for connecting two or more personal commputers through a communication medium such as a
coaxial cable, etc

Less costly as its built with inexpensive hardware

Data Transferred at an extremely fast rate in LAN

LAN provides higher Security

PAN (Personal Area Network):

Arranged with an individual person, typically within a range of 10 meters

Used for connecting the computer devices of personal use

Thomas Zimmerman was the first research scientist to bring the idea of the PAN

Personal Computer Devices are used to develop the PAN

Wireless Personal Area Network: Deveoped by simply using wireless techonlogies such as WiFi, Blootooth,
etc. It’s a low range network

Wired Personal Area Network: Wired PAN is created by using USD

Examples:

Body Area Network: Network that moves with a person, e.g. Mobile Network

Offline Network: Home network, designed to intergrate the devices such as printers, computers, etc

Small Home Office: Used to connet a variety of devices to the internet and to a corporate newtorking using a
VPN

MAN (Matropolitan Area Network):

Used to cover a larger geographic areas by interconnectiong a differnet LAN form

Government agencies use MAN to connect to the citizens and private industries

In MAN, various LANs are connected to eachother through a telephone exchange line

Widely used protocols in MAN are RS-232, Frame Delay, ATM, ISDN, OC-3, ADSL, etc 1

Higher range than a LAN

Uses Of MAN:

MAN is used in communications between the banks in a city

Can be used in an Airline Reservation

Can be used in a college within a city

Used for communication in the military

WAN (Wide Area Network):

Networks that extends over a large geographical area such as states or countries

Quite bigger than a LAN

Not limited to a single location, spans over a large geographical area through telephone lines, fibre optic
cable or satellite links

The internet is one of the biggest WAN in the world

A WAN is widely used in the field of buisness, government and education

1
RS-232 - Wikipedia, How does Frame Relay Work? - GeeksforGeeks, Asynchronous Transfer Mode - Wikipedia,
Integrated Services Digital Network - Wikipedia, What Is OC3 Technology? (chron.com), Asymmetric Digital Subscriber
Line – Wikipedia
Examples of WAN:

Mobile Broadband: A 4G network is widely used across regions

Last mile: Telecom company

Private network: A bank provides private networks to connect offices

Advantages of WAN:

Geographical Area: Connecion between cities

Centralized data: Data is centralized so no need for back up servers

Get updated files: Software companies work on live servers

Exchange messages: Messages are transmitted fast, e.g. facebook, whatsapp, etc

Sharing of software and resources: Easy sharing of files

Global buisnesses: Buisness over the internet globally

High bandwith: High bandwith increases the data transfer rate which increases the productivity of a
company

Disadvanages of WAN:

Security Issue: More security issues compared to LAN or MAN, as all these combined create the security
problem

Needs Firewall + antivirus software: Firewall against Hackers and antivirus against Viruses

High setup cost: Expensive since it involves buying routers and switches

Troubleshooting problems: Covers a large area so fixing is difficult

Internetwork:

Internetwork is defined as two or more computer network LANs or WAN or computer network segments are
connected using devices. These are configuered locally. Known as Internetworking

A interconnection between public, private, commercial, industrial or government computers can also be
called internetworking

Internetworking uses the internet protocol

Reference model used for itnernetworking is the Open System interconnection (OSI)

Types of Internetwork:

Extranet: Communication network so it is used for informatio sharing. It can only be accessed by using with
login credentials. Lowest level of internetworking.

Intranet: Private network. Belongs to an organization which is only accessible by the organizatins employee
or members. Intranet shared information or resources among the organization employees

Intranet Advantages:

Communication: Provides cheap and easy communication

Types of Computer Network - javatpoint

Models:

Networking Concept devided into several layers, every layer is assigned a particular task, we can say
networking tasks depends upen the layers

Layered Architechture:

Main aim is to divide degisn into small pieces

Each lower layer adds its services to a higher layer to provide a full set of services

Provides modularity and clear interfaces

Ensures Independence between layers. Therefore any modification in a layer will not affect other layers

Number of layers vary from Network to Network

Basic Elements of layered Architechture are services, protocols and Interfaces:

Service: Set of actions that a layer provides to a higher layer

Protocol: Defines a set of rules a layer uses to exchange information with peer entity

Interface: Way the messages are sent from one layer to another layer

In a n-layer architechture, a n-layer from one machine has communication with a n-layer from another
machine, rules used in this communication are called n-layer protocol

In case of layered Architechture, if no data is transferred using n-layers, every layer passes the data down
until it reaches the lower layer

Below layer 1 is the physical medium, where communication actually takes place

Unimanagable tasks are divided into smaller, managable tasks

Layered Architechture provides a clean-cut interface so that minimum of information is shared between
layers. Ensures that one layer can easily be replaced by implimentation

Set of layers and protocol is known as network architechture

Why do we require Network Architechture?

Divide and Conquer approach: Makes that a unmanagable design process is broken down into smaller,
managable tasks

Modularity: Layered architechture is more modular, Modularity provides independence of layers, which is
easier to understand and impliment

Easy to Modify: Ensures Independence of layers so that implimentation of one layer can be changed without
affecting other layers

Easy to test: Each layer can be analyzed and tested individually

OSI Model:

OSI stands for Open System Interconnection, it’s a reference model that discribes how information moves
from a software, through a physical medium, onto another software on another computer

OSI consists of seven layers, each layer performs a particular network function

Developed by International Organizazion for Standartization in 1984

OSI model divides a task into 7 managable tasks. Each layer is designed one specific task

Each layer is self-contained, tasks assigned can be perfomed independently

Characteristics of ISO Model:

The OSI Model is divided into two layers: upper layer and lower layer

The upper layer deals with applicatin related issues, they are implimented into the Software. An upper layer
refers to the layer above another layer

The lower layer deals with transportation issues, its implimented in hardware and software. The physical
Layer is mainly responsible for placing communication on the physical medium

7 Layers of ISO Model:

1-Physical Layer:

Main functionality of Physical Layer is to transmit the individual bits from one node to another node

Lowest Layer of the OSI Model

Establishes, Manages and deactivate the physical connection

Specifies the mechanical, electrical and procedular network interface specifications

Functions: Line configuration, Data transmition, Topology and Signals

2-Data link layer:

Responsible for Error free transmitions

Defines the format of the data

Reliable and efficient communication

Unique identification

Two Sub Layers:

Logical Link Control Layer:

Responsible for transferring packets

Identifies the adress of the protocol layer

Provide Flowcontroll

Media access Controll Layer:

Controll Layer between Logical Link Control Layer and the networks physical layer

Used for transferring the packets over Newtorks

Functions of Data-Link layer

 Framing: Translates the physical bit stream into packets known as Frames

Physical Adressing: Contains the destination address

Flow control: Technique which there is a constant data rate without intorruption

Error control: Checking the message Frames before its sent to the Physical Layer

Access control: To determine which device has control over the link at a given time

3-Network Layer:

TCP/IP Model: