CHAPTER 5

COMMUNICATION AND NETWORK

Objectives
Discuss the components required for successful communications Identify various sending and receiving devices Discuss different ways to set up a home network Explain the purpose of communications software

Describe uses of computer communications

List advantages of using a network

Identify various physical and wireless transmission media

Differentiate among client/server, peer-to-peer, and P2P networks

Communications
What are computer communications?

Process in which two or more computers or devices transfer data, instructions, and information

Communications
What is needed for successful communications?
Sending device initiates instruction to transmit data, instructions, or information Communications device connects the sending device to the communications channel Communications channel media on which data, instructions, or information travel

Communications device connects the communications channel to the receiving device

Receiving device accepts transmission of data, instructions, or information

Uses of Computer Communications

What are some uses of communications technology?

Uses of Computer Communications

What are wireless messaging services?
Text messaging allows users to send and receive short text messages on a phone or other mobile device Wireless instant messaging allows wireless mobile devices to exchange messages Picture/video
messaging allows users to send graphics, pictures, video clips, sound files, and short text messages

What are wireless Internet access points and cybercafs?

Uses of Computer Communications

Wireless Internet access point allows wireless connection to Internet in public location 3G and 4G networks Cybercaf is a coffee house that provides computers with Internet access
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Uses of Computer Communications

What is a global positioning system (GPS)?
Step 1.
GPS satellites orbit Earth. Every thousandth of a second, each satellite sends a signal that indicates its current position to the GPS receiver.

Step 2.
A GPS receiver (such as in a car, a wearable device, a smart phone, a handheld device, or a collar) determines its location on Earth by analyzing at least 3 separate satellite signals from the 24 satellites in orbit.

Uses of Computer Communications

What are collaboration and groupware?
Collaboration is working with other users connected to a server
Web conference

Groupware is software that allows people work together and share information

Uses of Computer Communications

What are voice mail and web services?
Voice mail is voice message converted to digital form Web services describe standardized software that enables programmers to create applications that communicate with other remote computers over the Internet or on an internal business network

Networks
What is a network?
Collection of computers and devices connected via communications devices and transmission media

Types of Network
What is a local area network (LAN)
Local Area Network (LAN) network connecting information processing devices within a limited physical area. LANs allow end users in a workgroup to communicate electronically; share hardware, software, and data resources; and pool their efforts when working on group projects

Types of Networks
What is a wide area network (WAN)?
Wide Area Network (WAN) network that covers a large geographic area/ to cover great distances, WANs may transmit data over leased high-speed phone lines or wireless links such as satellites.

Types of Networks
What is a client/server network?
Client/Server PCs and workstations, called clients are interconnected by local area networks and share application processing with network servers.

Types of Networks
What is a peer-topeer network?
Simple network that connects fewer than 10 computers Each computer, or peer, has equal capabilities

Types of Network
What is Virtual Private Network?
Virtual Private Network (VPN) secure network that uses the Internet as its main backbone network, but relies on network firewalls, encryption, and other security features of its Internet and intranet connections and those of participating organizations

Types of Network
Network Computing Thin clients provide a browser-based user interface for processing small application programs.

Networks Topology
What is a bus network?
All computers and devices connect to central cable or bus Example of network topology (layout of devices in network)
Popular topologies are bus, ring, and star

Networks
What is a ring network?

Cable forms closed loop (ring), with all computers and devices arranged along ring Data travels from device to device around entire ring, in one direction

Networks
What is a star network?

All devices connect to a central device (hub or switch) All data transferred from one computer to another passes through hub or switch

Network Communications Standards

What are TCP/IP and 802.11 (Wi-Fi)?

TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) technology transmits data by breaking it up into small pieces, or packets
Commonly used for Internet transmissions

802.11 (Wi-Fi) is a family of standards for wireless LANs

Network Communications Standards

What are UWB, IrDA, RFID, WiMAX, and Wireless Applications Protocol (WAP)?
UWB
specification allows data to be transferred wirelessly via short-range radio waves

IrDA
specification allows data to be transferred wirelessly via infrared light waves Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX or 802.16) standard that specifies how wireless devices communicate over the air in a wide area

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)

uses radio signals to communicate with a tag placed in an object

Wireless Applications Protocol (WAP)

allow wireless mobile devices to access Internet

Communications Over the Telephone Network

What is the public switched telephone network (PSTN)?
Worldwide telephone system that handles voice-oriented telephone calls

Communications Over the Telephone Network

What is a dial-up line?

Temporary connection using telephone line for communications
Costs no more than making regular call Computers at any two locations can establish a connection using modems and telephone network

Communications Devices
What are examples of communications devices?
Common types are dial-up modems, ISDN and DSL modems, cable modems, wireless modems, network cards, wireless access points, routers, and hubs

ISDN and DSL modems send and receive data from ISDN and DSL lines

Communications Devices
What is a dial-up modem?

A dial-up modem converts digital signals to analog signals and vice versa Usually in the form of an adapter card

Communications Devices
What are ISDN and DSL modems?
Communications devices that send and receive digital ISDN and DSL signals Usually external devices in which one end connects to a telephone line and the other end connects to a port on the system unit

Communications Devices
What is a cable modem?
Sends and receives data over cable television network Much faster than dial-up modem or ISDN Sometimes called a broadband modem

Communications Devices
What is a wireless modem?
Allows access to the Web wirelessly from a notebook computer, a smart phone, or other mobile device Typically use the same waves used by cellular telephones

Communications Devices
What is a network card?
Adapter card, PC Card, ExpressCard module, USB network adapter, or flash card that enables computer or device to access network Sometimes called network interface card (NIC)

What is a wireless access point?

Central communications device that allows computers and devices to transfer data wirelessly among themselves or wirelessly to a wired network

Communications Devices

Communications Devices
What is a router?
Connects computers and transmits data to correct destination on network Routers forward data on Internet using fastest available path Some routers have a built-in hardware firewall

Communications Devices
What is a hub or switch?
Device that provides central point for cables in network

Home Networks
What is a home network?
Multiple computers connected in home Several types of home networks

Ethernet connect computers via cable Powerline cable use electrical lines in house Phoneline use telephone lines

Communications Channel
What is a communications channel?
Transmission media on which data travels in communications system
Transmission media are materials or substances capable of carrying one or more signals

Bandwidth is amount of data that can travel over a communications channel

Physical Transmission Media

What is physical transmission media?

Wire, cable, and other tangible materials used to send communications signals

What are twisted-pair cable and coaxial cable?

Physical Transmission Media

Twisted-pair cable is used for telephone systems and network cabling

Coaxial cable is often used for cable television wiring

Physical Transmission Media

What is fiber-optic cable?
Capable of carrying significantly more data at faster speeds than wire cables Less susceptible to interference (noise) and, therefore, more secure Smaller size (thinner and lighter)

p. 493 Fig. 9-39

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Wireless Transmission Media

What is wireless transmission media?

Used when inconvenient, impractical, or impossible to install cables Includes Bluetooth and IrDA

Wireless Transmission Media

What are broadcast radio and cellular radio?
Broadcast radio distributes radio signals over long and short distances Cellular radio is form of broadcast radio used for mobile communications

Wireless Transmission Media

What is a microwave station?
Earth-based reflective dish used for microwave communications Must transmit in straight line with no obstructions

Wireless Transmission Media

What is a communications satellite?
Space station that receives microwave signals from earth-based station, amplifies signals, and broadcasts signals back to any number of earthbased stations