Chapter 9

Communications
and Networks
 Communications

What is computer communications?

 A process in which one computer transfers data,
instructions, and information to another computer(s)

b f a
c
c

a a
Next
e d
p.9.2 Fig. 9-1 a
 Uses of Communications
Technologies
 Voice mail  Newsgroup
 Fax  Telephony
 E-mail  Videoconference
 Chatroom  Groupware
 Instant Message  Global Positioning
 FTP System (GPS)
 Networks

What is a network?
share data and
 A collection of information
computers and
devices
connected by
communications facilitate
channels communications
 Facilitates
communications
among users share
 Allows users to hardware
share resources

Next share software

p.9.11
 Networks
What is a local area
network (LAN)?
 Network that
connects
computers and
devices in a
limited
geographical
area.
 Often uses
Ethernet
Click to view protocol
Web Link
then click LAN
Next

p.9.12 Fig. 9-9

 Networks

What is a node ?
 Each computer or device on a network
node
node
often the nodes are
connected to the
LAN via cables

a wireless LAN
(WLAN) is a LAN node
that uses no node
physical wires
Next

p.9.12

node
 Networks

What is a network operating system?

 The system Administration
software that Adding, deleting, and organizing users
organizes and and performing maintenance tasks
coordinates the
activities on LAN File management
 Also called a Locating and transferring files
network OS or NOS
Printer management
Prioritizing print jobs and reports sent to
specific printers on the network

Security
Next

p.9.12 Monitoring and, when necessary,

restricting access to network resources
 Networks

What are servers and clients?

 Server
• Controls access to the file server stores and
hardware and software on the manages files
network
• Provides a centralized storage
are for programs print server manages
• Dedicated servers perform a printers and print jobs
specific task
 Clients
• Other computers on the database server stores and
network
provides access to a database
• Rely on the server for
resources

Next network server

p.9.14 manages network traffic
 Networks

What is an Internet use of peer-to-peer (P2P)?

 An Internet network
that enables users
with the same
networking software
to connect to each
other’s hard disks
and exchange files
directly
 Napster and
Gnutella are two
Next
examples of P2P
p.9.16 Fig. 9-14
 Networks

What is a network topology?

 The configuration, or physical arrangement, of the
devices in a communications network
 Networks usually use combinations of three topologies

bus

ring
star

Next

p.9.16
 Networks

What is a bus network?

 Consists of a single
central cable, to personal personal personal
which all computers computer computer computer
and other devices
connect
 The bus is the
physical cable
 The bus is also
called the backbone
 Inexpensive and
easy to install

Next

p.9.17 Fig. 9-15

personal personal
computer computer
 Networks

What is a ring network?

 A cable forms a
closed ring, or loop,
with all computers
and devices
arranged along the
ring
 Data travels from
device to device
around the entire
ring
Next

p.9.16 Fig. 9-16

 Networks

What is a star network?

 All of the devices
connect to a
central personal computer
computer/hub
 All data that
personal computer
transfers from
one computer to
another passes
through the hub personal computer
host
personal computer computer

Next

p.9.17 Fig. 9-17

printer
file server
 Networks

What is an intranet? has a Web server

 An internal network
that uses Internet
technologies
uses TCP/IP
 Generally make technologies
company
information
accessible to accessible via a
employees and Web browser
facilitate working in
groups supports multimedia
 Typically also Web pages coded in
includes a HTML
connection to the
Internet users can post and update
information on the intranet
Next
by creating and posting a
p.9.20 Web page
 Networks

What is an extranet?
 Allows customers
or suppliers to
access part of a
company’s intranet

Next

p.9.20 Fig. 9-18

 Networks

What is a firewall?
 Hardware and/or software that restricts access to data
and information on a network

personal computer printer

personal computer corporate personal computer

network Internet

firewall
personal computer personal computer

Next

p.9.20 Fig. 9-19

personal computer personal computer
 Networks

What is a home network?

 Multiple computers connected together in
a home or home office
 All computers in the
house can
• connect to the
Internet at the
same time
• Access files
and programs
on the other
computers in
the home
Click to view • Share
Web Link
then click
peripherals
Home Networks
Next

p.9.22 Fig. 9-20

 Networks

What is an intelligent home network?

 Extends the
basic home
network to
include features
such as lighting
control,
thermostat
adjustment, and
a security
system

Next

p.9.23
 Communications
Software
What is communications software?
 Consists of programs that help you establish a
connection to another computer or network
 Manages the transmission of
data, instructions, and
information

Next

p.9.23
 The Telephone Network

What is a dial-up line?

 A temporary connection that uses one or more analog
telephone lines for communications
 A modem at the sending end dials the telephone
number of a modem at the receiving end

Advantages Disadvantage
Costs no more than Cannot control the quality of
making a regular call the connection because the
Computers at any two telephone company’s
locations can establish a switching office randomly
connection using selects the line
Next
modems and the
p.9.25 telephone network
 The Telephone Network

What is a dedicated line?

 A connection that always is
established between two
communications devices
Can be analog or
 The quality and consistency digital
of the connection is better
because dedicated lines
provide a consistent
connection
Digital lines transfer
data and information
at faster rates than
analog lines
Next

p.9.25
 The Telephone Network

What is transfer rate?

 The speed with which a line carries data and information
 The faster the transfer rate the faster you can send and
receive data and information
 Usually are expressed as bits per second (bps)

bits per second

(bps)

kilobits per second

(Kbps)
megabits per second
(Mbps)
Next
gigabits per second
p.9.26
(Gbps)
 The Telephone Network

What are popular types of digital dedicated lines?

 ISDN
 DSL
 T-carrier
 CATV
 ATM

Next

p.9.26 Fig. 9-25

 Communications
Devices
What is a communications device?
 Any type of hardware capable of transmitting data,
instructions, and information between a sending
device and a receiving device
 Sometimes the device must convert the data,
instructions, and information from analog to digital
signals or vice versa

cable
dial-up modems modems

ISDN and DSL network

Next modems interface cards
p.9.27
 Communications
Devices
What is a modem?
 A communications device that converts a computer's
digital signals to analog signals before they are
transmitted over standard telephone lines
 Sometimes called a dial-up modem

mo + dem
modulate demodulate
Click to view To change into To convert an
Web Link an analog signal analog signal into a
then click
Modems digital signal
Next

p.9.28
 Communications
Devices
What is a digital modem?
 One that sends and receives data and information to
and from a digital telephone line such as ISDN or
DSL
ISDN modem
Also called an ISDN adapter
Sends and receives digital data to
an ISDN line

DSL modem
Sends and receives
digital data to a DSL line
Next

p.9.28
 Communications
Devices
What is a cable modem?
 A modem that sends and receives data over the cable
television (CATV) network
 Currently much
faster than a
dial-up modem
or ISDN
 Usually attaches
to a USB port or
a port on a
network interface
card
Click to view Web Link
then click Cable Modems
Next

p.9.29 Fig. 9-28

 Communications
Devices
What is a network interface card (NIC)?
 A card you insert into
an expansion slot of a NIC for desktop
computer
personal computer or
other device, enabling
the device to connect
to a network

Click to view Web Link

then click Network Interface Cards
Next

p.9.29 Fig. 9-29 NIC for notebook

computer
 Communications
Channel
What is a channel?
 The communications path between two devices

Click to view Web Link

then click Bandwidth
Next

p.9.31
 Physical Transmission
Media
What is twisted-pair cable?
 Consists of one or more twisted pair wires bundled together
 Each twisted pair
wire consists of
two separate
insulated copper
wires
 Twisted together
to reduce noise
 Noise is an twisted pair cable
electrical twisted pair cable twisted pair wire
disturbance that
can degrade
communications

Next

p.9.33 Fig. 9-33

 Physical Transmission
Media
What is coaxial cable?
 Consists of a single copper wire surrounded by at least
three layers
 Often called
coax
 Often used
for cable
television coaxial cable
wiring
woven or
copper wire
braided wire

Next

p.9.33 Fig. 9-34 plastic outer insulating

coating material
 Physical Transmission
Media
What is fiber-optic cable?
 Contains a core of dozens or hundreds of thin strands of
glass or plastic
 Uses light to transmit signals
 Each strand optical
fiber core
is called an
optical fiber cable
contains
• Thin as many optical
a human fibers
hair glass
cladding

outer
Next covering
protective
p.9.34 Fig. 9-35 coating
fiber-optic jacket
cable between
floors of a building
 Wireless Transmission
Media
What is broadcast radio?
 A wireless transmission medium that distributes
radio signals through the air over long distances
such as between cities, regions, and countries and
short distances such as within an office or home
 Slower and more susceptible to noise than physical
transmission media

transmitter receiver

sends the accepts the broadcast

broadcast radio radio signal
signal transceiver
must have an antenna that
is located in the range of both sends and receives
the signal signals from wireless
Next
devices
p.9.35
 Wireless Transmission
Media
What is cellular radio?
 A form of broadcast radio that is used widely for mobile
communications, specifically wireless modems and
cellular telephones
 A cellular telephone
mobile telephone
is a telephone switching office calling party
in auto
device that uses (MTSO)

radio signals to
transmit voice and
cell
digital data
public switched
messages cell telephone
cell
network
base station
(microwave
Next cell station)
p.9.36 Fig. 9-39
called
party
 Wireless Transmission
Media
What is a microwave station?
 An earth-based
reflective dish that
contains the equipment
necessary for
microwave
communications
 Microwaves are
extremely high-speed
signals
 Line-of-sight towers
• Must transmit in a
straight line

Next

p.9.38 Fig. 9-40

 Wireless Transmission
Media
What is a communications satellite?
 A space station that receives
microwave signals from an
earth-based station, amplifies
the signals, and broadcasts
the signals back over a wide
area to any number of earth-
based stations
 Transmission to a
satellite is an uplink
 Transmission from a
satellite to an
Click to earth-based station
view video
Next
is a downlink
p.9.38 Fig. 9-40
 Wireless Transmission
Media
What is infrared (IR)?
 A wireless transmission
media that sends signals
using infrared light waves
 Requires a line-of-sight
transmission
 Many computers and
devices have an IrDA port
that enables the transfer
of data using infrared
light rays
Click to
view video
Next

p.9.39 Fig. 9-42