Lesson 01

Introduction to Computer Network

SE1214
Year 01 Semester 02

W.C.Deshapriya
What is a Computer Network?
• Computer Network is a group of computers connected with each
other through wires, optical or wireless links so that various devices
can interact with each other through a network.
• The aim of the computer network is the sharing of resources among
various devices.
Major components of Computer :

Personal Computer Subsystems

● CD-ROM drive, Floppy disk drive and Hard disk drive
● Central processing unit (CPU)
● Microprocessor
● Motherboard
● Bus
● Random-access memory (RAM)
● Read-only memory (ROM)
● System unit
● Expansion slot
● Power supply
Network Terminology
Network Terminology

Two classifications
● End-user devices (Host)
● Network devices
End-user devices (Host)

NIC(Network interface card)

NIC is a device that helps the computer to communicate with
another device.
The network interface card contains the hardware addresses,
called as Mac address.
There are two types of NIC:
• wireless NIC
• wired NIC
Wireless NIC: All the modern laptops use the wireless NIC. In
Wireless NIC, a connection is made using the antenna that employs
the radio wave technology.

Wired NIC: Cables use in the wired NIC to transfer the data. Cable is
a transmission media that transmits the signals.
Cables and connectors
There are three types of cables:
1. Twisted pair cable
2. Coaxial cable
3. Fiber optic cable
Twisted pair cable:
It is a high-speed cable that transmits the data over 1Gbps or more.

Shielded Twisted Pair(STP) Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP)

• Speed: 0-100Mbps • Speed: 10-100-1000 Mbps*

• Cost: Moderate • Cost: Least Expensive
• Connector size: Medium to large • Connector size: Small
• Maximum cable length: 100m • Maximum cable length: 100m *
Coaxial cable:
Coaxial cable look like a TV installation cable. Coaxial cable is more expensive
than twisted pair cable, but it provides the high data transmission speed.

It can be use for longer distances.

• Speed: 10-1000Mbps
• Cost: Low-cost
• Connector size: Medium
• Maximum cable length: 500m
Fiber optic cable:
Fiber optic cable is a high-speed cable that transmits the data using
light beams.
It provides high data transmission speed as compared to other cables.
Network devices
Repeaters
• A repeater is a network device used to regenerate a signal.
• Repeaters regenerate analog or digital signals that are
distorted by transmission loss due to attenuation.
• A repeater does not make an intelligent decision concerning
forwarding packets.
Modem (Modulator-demodulator)
● A device that provides the computer with connectivity to a
telephone line.
● It converts (modulates) the data from a digital signal to an
analog signal that is compatible with a standard phone line.
● The modem at the receiving end demodulates the signal, which
converts it back to digital.
Hub
Hub is a central device that splits the network connection into
multiple devices.
When computer requests for information from a computer, it sends
the request to the Hub.
Hub distributes this request to all the interconnected computers.
Switches
• Switch is a networking device that groups all the devices over the
network to transfer the data to another device.
• A switch is better than Hub as it does not broadcast the message
over the network,
• i.e., it sends the message to the device for which it belongs to. Therefore, we
can say that switch sends the message directly from source to the
destination.
Router
Router is a device that connects the LAN to the internet.
The router is mainly used to connect the distinct networks or connect
the internet to multiple computers.
Protocols
There are set of protocols or rules developed to allow cooperating
computers to share resources across a network.
• TCP/IP is a set of basic protocols.
• To enable TCP/IP on the workstation, it must be configured.
Testing connectivity
● There is a command called as Ping
● Ping is a function used to verify Internet connectivity.
● The output response for a ping contains the success ratio and
round-trip time to the destination.
Binary Number
● Computers work with and store data using electronic switches that are either
ON (1) or OFF (0).

1 and 0 are referred to as binary digits or bits.

● Binary 0 represented by 0 volts of electricity while binary 1 represented by +5
volts of electricity.

● One byte represents 8 bits. A Byte can represent as a single character of data
in the ASCII code

● 1 kilobyte = 1024 bytes

Binary logic
● Boolean logic is based on digital circuitry that accepts one or two incoming
voltages.

● It allows two numbers to be compared and a choice generated based on the

two numbers.

● These choices are the logical AND, OR and NOT.

● The 32-bit binary addresses used on the Internet are referred to as Internet
Protocol (IP) addresses

10.34.23.134
00001010.00100010.00010111.10000110
Network Topology
● Defines the structure of the network
● Physical topology,
● Logical topology,

Physical Topology
● bus topology
● ring topology
● star topology

● An extended star topology

● A hierarchical topology
● In mesh topology,
Logical Topology
● Broadcast topology

● Token passing

Broadcast topology

● In a broadcast topology, a host

broadcasts a message to all hosts on
the same network.
● There is no order that hosts must
follow to transmit data.
● Messages are sent on a First In, First
Out (FIFO) basis.
Logical Topology
● Broadcast topology
● Token passing

Token passing

● When a host receives the token, that

host can send data on the network.
● If the host has no data to send, it
passes the token to the next host and
the process repeats itself.
● Token Ring and Fiber Distributed Data
Interface (FDDI)
Type of Network

1. Personal Area Network (PAN)

2. Local Area Network (LAN)
3. Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
4. Wide Area Network (WAN)
5. Storage-area networks (SANs)
6. Virtual Private Network (VPN)
7. Client Server Network
8. Peer to Peer Network (P2P)
Personal Area Network (PAN)

• Personal Area Network (PAN) is a computer network used for data

transmission amongst devices such as computers, telephones, printer
and personal digital assistants.
• Also Known as HAN (Home Area Network)
Local Area Network (LAN)

• LAN is a small group of devices connected to each other and sharing a

locally managed network infrastructure.
• An upside of a LAN is fast data transfer with data speed that can reach
up to 10Gbps.
Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)

● A network that spans a metropolitan area such as a city or residential area.

● It usually consists of two or more LANs in a common geographic area.
Wide Area Network (WAN)

● WAN is interconnect LANs

● It provides instant communications across large geographic areas.
● WAN technologies are:
● Modems
● Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN)
● Digital Subscriber Line (DSL)
Storage-area networks (SANs)

● A dedicated, high-performance network

used to move data between servers and
storage resources.
● It allows high-speed server-to-storage,
storage-to-storage, or server-to-server
connectivity.

Virtual private network (VPN)

● A private network that is constructed within a
public network infrastructure such as the
global Internet.
Client Server Network
• In a client/server network, services are
located on a dedicated computer called a
server.
• The server responds to the requests of
clients.
Peer to Peer Network (P2P)
• Two or more computers connected together to share
information and resources in between them as very
small networks.
• Each node has equivalent capabilities and
responsibilities
• Does not require a switch or a hub.
Intranets
● Intranets are designed to permit access by users who have access
privileges to the internal LAN of the organization.
Extranets
● Extranets refer to applications and services that are Intranet based,
and use extended, secure access to external users or enterprises.
● It is the extension of two or more Intranet strategies with a secure
interaction
Bandwidth
● Bandwidth is defined as the amount of information that can flow through a
network connection in a given period of time. (transmission rate)

● Bandwidth is finite and is not free.

● The basic unit of bandwidth is bits per second (bps).
● Transfer time = size of file / bandwidth (T=S/BW)
● The result is an estimate only
● The result is likely to be a best-case transfer time
Thanks!