Second lecture

Basic components
Lecture outlines
-Type of connections
-Network topologies
-Network categories
Before discussing networks, we need to define
some network attributes.

Type of Connection
A network is two or more devices connected
through links. A link is a communications
pathway that transfers data from one device to
another. There are two possible types of
connections: point-to-point and multipoint.
Point-to-Point
A point-to-point connection provides a
dedicated link between two devices. The
entire capacity of the link is reserved for
transmission between those two devices.
Most point-to-point connections use an
actual length of wire or cable to connect the
two ends, but other options, such as
microwave or satellite links, are also possible
(see Figure 1.3a). When you change television
channels by infrared remote control, you are
establishing a point-to-point connection
between the remote control and the
television's control system.
Multipoint
A multipoint (also called multi drop)
connection is one in which more than two
specific devices share a single link (see
Figure 1.3b).In a multipoint environment, the
capacity of the channel is shared, either
spatially or temporally. If several devices can
use the link simultaneously, it is a spatially
shared connection. If users must take turns,
it is a timeshared connection.
Physical Topology
The term physical topology refers to the way in
which a network is laid out physically.
two or more devices connect to a link; two
more links form a topology. The topology of a
network is the geometric representation of
the relationship of all the links and linking
devices (usually called nodes) to one another.
There are four basic topologies
possible: mesh, star, bus, and ring
Mesh topology
In a mesh topology, every device has a dedicated point-to-
point link to every other device. The term dedicated
means that the link carries traffic only between the two
devices it connects. To find the number of physical links
in a fully connected mesh network with n nodes, we first
consider that each node must be connected to every
other node. Node 1 must be connected to n - I nodes,
node 2 must be connected to n – 1 nodes, and finally
node n must be connected to n - 1 nodes. We need n(n -
1) physical links. However, if each physical link allows
communication in both directions (duplex mode), we
can divide the number of links by 2.
A mesh offers several advantages over other
network topologies. First, the use of
dedicated links guarantees that each
connection can carry its own data load, thus
eliminating the traffic problems that can
occur when links must be shared by multiple
devices. Second, a mesh topology is robust.
If one link becomes unusable, it does not
incapacitate the entire system. Third, there is
the advantage of privacy or security. When
every message travels along a dedicated line,
Star Topology
In a star topology, each device has a dedicated
point-to-point link only to a central controller,
usually called a hub. The devices are not
directly linked to one another. Unlike a mesh
topology, a star topology does not allow
direct traffic between devices. The controller
acts as an exchange: If one device wants to
send data to
another, it sends the data to the controller,
which then relays the data to the other
connected
device
A star topology is less expensive than a mesh
topology. In a star, each device needs only
one link and one I/O port to connect it to any
number of others. This factor also makes it
easy to install and reconfigure. Far less
cabling needs to be housed, and additions,
moves, and deletions involve only one
connection: between that device and the hub.
Other advantages include robustness. If one
link fails, only that link is affected. All other
links remain active.
One big disadvantage of a star topology is the
dependency of the whole topology
on one single point, the hub. If the hub goes
down, the whole system is dead.
Bus Topology
The preceding examples all describe point-to-
point connections. A bus topology, on the
other hand, is multipoint. One long cable acts
as a backbone to link all the devices in a
Nodes are connected to the bus cable by
drop lines and taps. A drop line is a
connection Nodes are connected to the bus
cable by drop lines and taps. A drop line is a
connection running between the device and
the main cable. A tap is a connector that
either
splices into the main cable or punctures the
sheathing of a cable to create a contact with
the metallic core.
As a signal travels along the backbone, some
of its energy is transformed into heat.
Therefore, it becomes weaker and weaker as
it travels farther and farther. For this reason
there is a limit on the number of taps a bus
can support and on the distance between
those taps. Advantages of a bus topology
include ease of installation. Backbone cable
can be laid along the most efficient path,
then connected to the nodes by drop lines of
various lengths
Disadvantages include difficult reconnection and
fault isolation. A bus is usually designed to be
optimally efficient at installation. It can
therefore be difficult to add new devices.
Signal reflection at the taps can cause
degradation in quality. This degradation can be
controlled by limiting the number and spacing
of devices connected to a given length of cable.
Adding new devices may therefore require
modification or replacement
of the backbone. In addition, a fault or break in
the bus cable stops all transmission,
Ring Topology

In a ring topology, each device has a dedicated

point-to-point connection with only the two
devices on either side of it. A signal is passed
along the ring in one direction, from device to
device, until it reaches its destination. Each
device in the ring incorporates a repeater.
When a device receives a signal intended for
another
device, its repeater regenerates the bits and
passes them along
A ring is relatively easy to install and
reconfigure. Each device is linked to only its
immediate neighbors , Generally in a ring, a
signal is circulating at all times. If one device
does not receive a signal within a specified
period, it can issue an alarm. The alarm
alerts the network operator to the problem
and its However, unidirectional traffic can be
a disadvantage. In a simple ring, a break in
the ring (such as a disabled station) can
disable the entire network. This weakness
can be solved by using a dual ring location.
Hybrid Topology A network can be hybrid. For
example, we can have a main star topology
with each branch connecting several stations
in a bus topology as shown in Figure
Network categories :
Local Area Network
A local area network (LAN) is usually privately
owned and links the devices in a single
office, building, or campus Depending on the
needs of an organization and the type of
technology used, a LAN can be as simple as
two PCs and a printer in someone's home
office; or it can extend throughout a
company and include audio and video
peripherals. Currently, LAN size is limited to a
few kilometers.
LANs are designed to allow resources to be
shared between personal computers or
workstations. The resources to be shared can
include hardware (e.g., a printer),
software(e.g., an application program), or
data. Early LANs had data rates in the 4 to 16
megabits per second (Mbps) range. Today,
however, speeds are normally 100 or 1000
Mbps.
Wide Area Network
A wide area network (WAN) provides long-
distance transmission of data, image, audio,
and video information over large geographic
areas that may comprise a country, a
continent, A WAN can be as complex as the
backbones that connect the Internet or as
simple as a dial-up line that connects a home
computer to the Internet.
Metropolitan Area Networks
A metropolitan area network (MAN) is a network
with a size between a LAN and a
WAN. It normally covers the area inside a town
or a city. It is designed for customers
who need a high-speed connectivity, normally to
the Internet, and have endpoints
spread over a city or part of city. A good example
of a MAN is the part of the telephone
company network that can provide a high-speed
DSL line to the customer.
References :