FNTW201 : Communication &

Network Systems 2B
B. Nleya [ Pr.Eng, ECSA], B.Sc, M.Sc, Ph.D ( Senior Member IEEE /I EEE’s Comms (USA)/ IEICE (Japan

Contact hrs: 36 ( 2 L + 1 T ): Wednesdays

Prerequisite(s): see Departmental/Faculty
Handbooks
Form of assessment: continuous
Theory: 2 tests
Labs:
Recommended book: (one or two of the following)
1. Communication engineering principles-Ifiok Otung- e copy on TEAMs
2. Analog and Digital Communications Schaums Outlines
Basic Communication Theory-John Pearson
3. Jefrey S Beasley & Gary Miller. Modern Electronic Communication,
Theory: 75% of Final Mark
 Test one: covers materials covered in
both LABs and Theory from Week 1
to Week 5: Date: 23rd August.
 Test Two: Covers all materials
covered in class from week 1 to final
week: Last week of Lectures
LAB work (25%)

 All software (MATLAB based).

 Difficulties may arise in scheduling lab groups and
sessions. This include venues
 Thus, weekly Lab assignments to be submitted via
the TEAMS platform.
 All Lab assignments must be assigned. Penalties for
late turns in at 20% off per day, up to a maximum of
4 days
 Two written assessments based on Lab exercises
done: all Lab assignments for each test must have
been turned in to qualify for it (the test).
 ONLY in exceptional circumstances, should you fail
both or one of the two formal Lab assessment tests,
the we MAY consider the submitted weekly Lab
assignments.
Module (Final Mark) pass conditions

 Final Mark= 75% (Theory) + 25%

(Lab)
 Sub minimum achievement (s) as
per departmental rules.
 Overall Pass mark is 50%
 No make up tests.
 Supplementary Test for those with an
overall 45-49% Final Marks
General Rules
 Punctuality for Lectures as well as conduct
is a defiantly assumed.
 Arrange with your Tutors( once available)
for extra help.
 MATLAB based assignments are to be done
individually, and its assumed MATLAB was
adequately introduced prior.
 All communications , via TEAMS chat
channel. No communications via my
dut.ac.za email as this will be ignored.
Brief course rules

 All lectures and practical sessions are

compulsory.
 Students arriving 5 minutes after
commencement of lectures may be
marked as absent.
 All tests are closed book, and the
scope is “all materials covered”
 Course definition

Information
Information
send
receive

source Link (channel in link)

receiver
signal propagating end to end

•sender •receiver
•transmitter •host
•host •terminal
•terminal
Course road map

Signals analog and digital

and systems modulation Source coding
 Job prospects

In IT industry
Avionics
Telkom\Vodacom/MTN/cell c
“ virtually everywhere”
IT security in banks, smart grids, e.tc

Its all about designing and building

platforms for communicating
Communication System

 Basic components:

◼ Transmitter
◼ Channel or medium
◼ Receiver

Transmitter Link or channel or medium receiver

(sender)

 Noise degrades or interferes with

transmitted information.
 Communication System

A general model of all communication systems.

Communication System

Transmitter
◼ The transmitter is a collection of
electronic components and circuits that
converts the electrical signal into a signal
suitable for transmission over a given
medium.
Communication System

Communication Channel
◼ The communication channel is the
medium by which the electronic signal is
sent from one place to another.
◼ Types of media include
 Electrical conductors
 Optical media
 Free space
Communication System

Receivers
◼ A receiver is a collection of electronic
components and circuits that accepts the
transmitted message from the channel
and converts it back into a form
understandable by humans.
Communication System

Transceivers
◼ A transceiver is an electronic unit that
incorporates circuits that both send and
receive signals.
◼ Examples are:
• Telephones
• Fax machines
• Handheld CB radios
• Cell phones
• Computer modems
Communication System

Attenuation
◼ Signal attenuation, or degradation,
exists in all media of wireless
transmission. It is proportional to the
square of the distance between the
transmitter and receiver.
Communication Systems
Noise
◼ Noise is random, undesirable electronic
energy that enters the communication
system via the communicating medium
and interferes with the transmitted
message.
Digital Communications System
Block Diagram example

Information
user
source

source
source
decoder
encoder

channel
channel decoder
encoder

modulator demodulator

channel

18
 Information source
 The source can be analog, or digital to
begin with
◼ Voice
◼ Audio
◼ Video
◼ Data

19
Source encoder

 Source encoder converts analog

information to a binary stream of 1’s
and 0’s

Source encoder 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 ...

PCM, DM, DPCM, LPC

20
Channel encoder

 The binary stream must be converted

to real pulses

polar
10110 channel
encoder
on-off

21
 Modulator
 Signals need to be “modulated” for
effective transmission

1 01 1 0
Modulator

22
Channel

 Channel is the “medium” through

which signals propagate. Examples
are:
◼ Copper
◼ Coax
◼ Optical fiber
◼ wireless

23
 Modern communication system example

These transmit all information in data(digital) form

1.24
Modes of Communication

 Electronic communications are

classified according to whether they
are
1. One-way (simplex)
2. Two way (half duplex)
3. two-way (full duplex)
Types of Communication modes

Simplex
◼ The simplest method of electronic
communication is referred to as
simplex.
◼ This type of communication is one-way.
Examples are:
 Radio
 TV broadcasting
 Beeper (personal receiver)
Types of Communication modes

Full Duplex
◼ Most electronic communication is two-
way and is referred to as duplex.
◼ When people can talk and listen
simultaneously, it is called full duplex.
The telephone is an example of this type
of communication.
Types of Electronic Communication
modes
Half Duplex
◼ The form of two-way communication in
which only one party transmits at a time
is known as half duplex. Examples are:
 Police, military, etc. radio transmissions
 Citizen band (CB)
 Family radio
 Amateur radio
1.29
 A Communication Network

A network is the interconnection of a set of

devices capable of communication.
These devices are called hosts
Examples of hosts:
•large computer
•Desktop
•Laptop
• workstation
• cellular phone
1.30
•Router switch.
 Types of network connections

1.31
Network topologies

 This refers to the way the devices are

connected on the network

 Mesh topology
 Bus topology,
 Star topology
 mesh topology

1.33
 star topology

1.34
 A bus topology

1.35
 A ring topology

1.36
Analog Communication signal
examples

Analog Signals
◼ An analog signal is a smoothly and
continuously varying voltage or current.
Examples are:
 Sine wave
 Voice
 Video (TV)
 Analog Communication signal
examples

Analog signals (a) Sine wave “tone.” (b) Voice. (c) Video (TV) signal.
Digital Communication signal
examples

Digital Signals
◼ Digital signals change in steps or in
discrete increments.
◼ Most digital signals use binary or two-
state codes.
 A Modern communications system
has five components

Information today comes in different forms such as text,

numbers, images, audio, and video
1.40
 STANDARDS AND ADMINISTRATION

To promote harmonious interoperability among

various communications entities (devices,
and networks), we need some form of
standdards: Examples of standardisation
bodies:
1. ITU-T International Telecommunications Union-Telephony
standardisation sector.
2. IETF-internet Engineering Task Force
3. ISO-International standards organisation
4. IEEE – (Institution of electrical and electronic engineers

1.41
 PROTOCOL LAYERING

A protocol defines the rules that both the sender

and receiver and all intermediate devices need to
follow to be able to communicate effectively. When
communication is simple, we may need only one
simple protocol; when the communication is
complex, we need a protocol at each layer, or
protocol layering.

2.42
 Objectives of standards bodies

 To allow open systems

interconnection.
 This is an implementation in software.
 The protocol(s) should be understood
by both sender and receiver
 TCP/IP vs OSI

 Explicit Presentation and

Application
session layers missing in
Presentation Application Internet Protocols
 Data Link and Network
Session
Layers redesigned
Transport TCP

Network IP

Data Link Network Interface

Physical Hardware
Host to Network
(Physical layer)
The FNTW201 course

 will attempt to built underlying

principles of communication
engineering.
 All the information carrying signals
traverse via the PHYSICAL Layer
hence we will focus on it id detail.
 Other layers will be discussed in other
modules or higher layers e.g Hons,
Masters e.tc