WEST EAST INSTITUTE

INTRODUCTION TO DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKS

TOPIC: PHYSICAL COMMUNICATION

SUBTOPIC: COMPUTER COMMUNICATION

OBJECTIVES: BY THE END OF THIS SESSION S.S.B.A.T

 Explain the benefits of networking.

INTRODUCTION

BENEFITS OF NETWORKING COMPUTERS

By inter connecting the computers in the form of network; you draw lot of advantages, which
otherwise, in central or decentralized type of setup, are not possible. A list of important
advantages of networking is given below.

1) By networking the computers, you can access the information, available at distant
locations within no time, which otherwise would have not been available so quickly and
effortlessly. By having fast access to the data/information you can react fast to the on-
going problems and take fast decisions and save time, money and energy.
2) You can share costly devices and thus cut upon cost and utilize the resources in much
better and effective way.
3) You can keep the work going, even if one of the computers is not working. If one
computer is down, you can use another computer till the time fault is corrected. Thus by
networking the system you are able to utilize the time and resources in very effective
way.
4) You can design much better applications, which provide great help and services to its
users. For example, only due to networking it has been made possible to book the air or
railway tickets for any destination from any city present on the network.
5) You are able to communicate with other users in much better way. For example, even if
the user is not available on-line, you can send him mail, which gets stored in his mail
box. When he logs on and starts using computer, he is informed of new mail arrivals so if
he wishes he can look into those letters.
 6) An on-line advice can be sought from the experts for solving the current crisis, for which
you do not have ready-made solution with you.

TYPES OF NETWORKS

Computer networks are broadly classified into two categories:

1) Local Area Networks (LAN).

Other networks are variations of these two networks. A detailed, description of both types of
networks is given below.

Local Area Network

Local area networks are the networks that spread within a short distance of a kilometer or so and
are generally confined to a building or a campus. For example, computers of various departments
of an organization that confine within the factory building itself, if connected together, will form
a Local Area Network. The data transfer speed of Local Area Network is generally high i.e. large
amount of data can be transferred from one computer to the other in a very short span of time.
Roughly the data transfer rate in LANs is generally of the order of Megabits per second (MBPS).
In Local Area Networks you connect the computers using dedicated wires of your own which are
only used for transferring the data or information and are not used for any other purpose. Since
these communication lines run, in private, undisturbed area hence LANs are relatively error free.

Wide Area Networks

Wide Area Networks or WAN are the networks, in which computers are spread over long
distances (more than a kilometer). Computer of Wide Area Network could either be in different
countries, cities or localities. Since they spread over wide geographical area hence you cannot
connect them through your own lines. You have to take help of the connections, which already
exist in one form or the other. For example, telephone connection is one type of link that is
already available in ready-made form. It can be used to connect the computers, which are far
apart. Similarly microwave link and satellite link are other types of links that can be used to
connect the computers that are in remote locations or are situated across the countries.

Note that these ready-made links were originally designed for some other purpose not for
connecting computers, so their transfer speeds are not as high as that of dedicated lines (LAN
lines). Roughly their speed is of the order of few Kilobits per second say 32 Kbps or 64 Kbps.

Since these lines run into noisy environment where humidity, heat and electrical signals cannot
be controlled hence Wide Area Networks are more error prone than Local Area Networks.

VARIATIONS OF LAN AND WAN

Campus Area Network (CAN)

When the computer of various departments of an organization, such as factory, college,

Metropolitan Area Networks (MAN)

Metropolitan Area Networks are basically Wide Area Networks, which connect computers of
larger cities. They are generally high-speed networks and work as backbone for connecting other
local area networks (say smaller cities, which are located between two big cities of MAN).

Home Area Network (HAN)

When two or more computers located within a house are networked together, they are given the
name Home Area Network or HAN in short. Obviously HAN falls into the category of Local
Area Network.

NETWORK TOPOLOGIES

Topology is basically the physical arrangement of computers in the network. There are various
topologies, suggested for computer networks. Each topology has its own advantages and
disadvantages. One topology suits well for one set of given conditions while the other doesn't.
Some of the topologies undergo network expansion easily while other may require complete
overhauling. A complete overview of most commonly used topologies is given below.

Bus Topology

In bus topology, all the computers and devices of the network are connected to common medium
(cable). Both the ends of the medium are terminated by a special device called terminates.
Computers are connected to the cable, using other device called T connector.
Functioning

Any computer that wants to communicate with other computer includes its address in the
message and transmits it on the medium. Every computer receives the message. If any computer
finds its own address in the message, it picks up the message else it rejects it. In this way, the
communication takes place between the computers of the network.

Advantages

Following are the advantages of bus topology:

1. It requires shortest length of wire to connect the computers of the network in comparison to
the wire required in other topologies.

2. Adding and removing the computers in the network is easy. It does not affect other computers
of the network.

3. Even if one computer of the network becomes down, it doesn't affect the functioning of other
computers. The network keeps on functioning.

Disadvantages

Following are the disadvantages of bus topology:

1. Terminators often malfunction, due to loose connections.

2. A failure in the cable makes the entire network down.

Ring Topology

In ring topology computers of the network are connected to each other in circular fashion. The
first computer is connected to the second computer, second is connected to the third and so on
and the last computer is connected to the first computer, so as to complete the circle. Computers
of the network are connected to the cable, using a special device called repeater.

Functioning

In this type of topology, a bit pattern, called token, keeps on moving from one computer to
another in circular fashion. Only that computer, which has the token, is allowed to transmit the
message. Transmitting computer introduces destination computer's address in the message and
pushes it on the medium. The message moves forward in one direction, on the medium. When a
computer receives the message it checks the destination address. If the destination address
matches with its own address it picks up the message else it rejects it. After transmitting the
message on the medium, computer passes the token to next computer to communicate.

Advantages

Practically there are no highlights of this topology but there are lots of disadvantages.

Disadvantages

Following are the disadvantages of ring topology:

1. Malfunctioning in any of the repeater or cable makes the entire network down.

2. Addition and removal of computers in or from the network is a difficult task.

3. Long cables are required to connect the computers.

4. This type of network cannot be expanded beyond a limit. Not many computers can be added in
this arrangement.