Advantages of Computer Networks

The Network Diagram

A network uses a distributed processing system in which a task is
divided among several devices which are interconnected with each
other.
Therefore, instead of a single computer being responsible for
completing the entire task, all the interconnected computers are
responsible for completing the task assigned to them.
This leads to better performance with high processing speed.
Advantages of Computer Networks
Resource Sharing: The primary use of a network is to share among users
programs/ applications, data and peripheral devices connected to the network,
irrespective of their physical location
Other resources like hard disk, DVD drive, scanner, etc., can also be shared on a
computer network. For example, sharing database, audio and video files, antivirus
software, application software, printers and scanners, etc.
Improved Communication: A computer network enables fast, reliable and secure
communication between users. It saves time and offers easy communication
methods. For example, in an organization, managers work at different locations to
make financial reports.
While working on a network, any change made by one manager on his/her
computer can easily be seen by other managers and employees. Thus, a network
allows managers to easily update information. This increases their efficiency and
allows them to complete their work quickly.
Advantages of Computer Networks
• Reduced Communication Cost:
Sharing resources also reduces communication cost. Using public networks, we
can send a large quantity of data at a low cost. Internet and mobile networks are
playing a very important role in sending and receiving text, image, audio and video
data at a low cost.
Reliability of Data:
Reliability means backing up of data, i.e., data can be copied and stored on multiple
computers. In a network system, all computers are connected to each other. Thus,
the information or message which is shared by each device is stored on their
respective workstations (computers). If, due to some reason (hardware crash, etc.),
the data gets corrupted and, thus, becomes unavailable on one computer, a copy of
the same data can be accessed from another workstation for future use. This leads
to smooth functioning and further processing without disruption
• Central Storage of Data: Files can be stored on a central node (the file
server) that can be shared and made available to each and every user
in an organization. With centralized processing, data is stored and
retrieved from a single central location. Thus, there is no duplication
of data and almost no data redundancy.
Components of a Computer Network
• Major components of a Computer Networks are:
• (a)Hosts/Nodes (such as PC, laptops, smartphones etc.)
• (b) Servers
• (c) Client
• (d) Network hardware (such as NIC, router, switch, hub etc)
• (e) Communication channel (such as cables, radio-links etc.)
• (f) Software (such as protocols, network operating system etc.)
• (g) Network services (such as BNS, File-sharing)
• (a) Host or Nodes. The term host or node refers to the computers that are attached to a
network and are seeking to share the resources of the network. PCs, laptops,
smartphones etc when connect to a network become hosts.
• (b) Server. A Server is a very important computer in a network. A server is responsible for
making the networking tasks happen. In other words, a server facilitates networking tasks
like sharing of data, resource-sharing communication among hosts etc
• On small networks, sometimes, all the shareable stuff (like files, data, software etc.) is
stored on the server. A network can have more than one server also. Each server has a
unique name on the network and all users of network identify the server by its unique
name
• On big networks, there can be servers dedicated to specialized tasks eg, a file server only
handles files related requests printer server only handles printing requests and so on.
• (c) Clients. Client is a related term. A client computer is a host
computer that requests for some services from a server. In other
words, a server computer serves the requests of client computers
• (d)Network Hardware. Other than hosts and wiring a network
requires specialized hardware to carry out various roles, such as
establishing corrections, controlling network traffic etc. There are
many different types of hardware that are required in a network.
Some examples of network hardware are:
• NIC (Network Interface Unit). It is a network card attached to a host
so as to establish network connections. Every NIC card has a unique
physical address called the MAC address, which is a 6 byte (48 bits)
address assigned by the NIC manufacturer An NIC is alsO called
Network Interface Unit (NIU) or Terminal Access Point (TAP)
• Hub, switch, router. These are connectivity devices. many others,
• (e) Communication channel. Hosts in a network interact with other
hosts and servers through a communication channel or
communication medium. The communication can either be wired or
wireless:
• Wired Communication channels. When hosts and server(s) are
connected with another through guided media like network cables, it
is called a wired communicate channel/medium. Examples of wired
communication media are : twisted-pair cable ,coaxial cables, fiber-
optic cables.
Wireless Communication channels. When hosts and server(s) are connected
with one another through unguided media like radio waves, satellite etc., it
is called a wireless communication channel/medium. Examples of wireless
communication media are Microwaves, radio waves, satellite, infrared
waves, laser etc.
(f) Software. The software layers of a network make networking possible.
These comprise of network protocols, network operating system etc.
A protocol refers to a pre decided set of rules using which all parties of a
network connect and interact with one another.
A network operating system is a specialized operating system that can
handle networking tasks
(g) Network Services. These refer to the applications that provide different
functionality over a network such as DNS (Domain Name System), File
sharing, VoiP (Voice overIP) and many more.
• COMPONENTS OF DATA COMMUNICATION

• To form a network, a lot of hardware devices are required which are described as follows:
• Sender: A device or a computer that sends the data.
• Receiver: A device or a computer that receives the data.
• Message: Message is the information to be communicated. It may be text, image, audio or
• video.
• Transmission Medium: A transmission medium is a physical path through which the data
• flows from sender to receiver. A cable or wire or radio waves can be the medium.

• Protocol: A set of rules that governs data transmission. It represents the communication
• methods which are to be followed by the sending and receiving devices.
Components of a Network
EVOLUTION OF NETWORK
• The network did not evolve in a single day; rather, it took decades to
become more powerful, efficient and reliable. The network has
passed through several stages
• ARPANET (Advanced Research Project Agency Network): ARPANET,
which was jointly designed and named by the Advanced Research
Projects Agency (ARPA) and US Department of Defence (DoD), was
the first network and came into existence in 1969. It was a project
that connected a handful of computers at different universities and
US DoD for sharing of data and messages and playing long-distance
games, and socializing with people to share their views.
• NSFNET (National Science Federation Network): In the mid-80’s,
another federal agency, NSFNET (National Science Federation
Network), created a new network which was more capable than
ARPANET. Its main aim was to use network only for academic research
and not for any private business activity. Later, many private
companies combined their own private networks with ARPANET and
NSFNET to make a more capable and broad network—the Internet. It
is the internet that links two or more networks to make a large
network for sharing of information and messages.
 Internet:
• Internet: In the 1990’s, internet, which is a network of networks, came
into existence. The internet has evolved from ARPANET. The computers
are connected through World Wide Web that comprises a large network
and shares a common communication protocol (Transmission Control
Protocol-Internet Protocol, TCP/IP). It allows computers of different
types to exchange information and is known as internet.
• Millions of domestic, business and government networks are connected
with each other for the purpose of sharing files, data, email, etc. Most of
the computers are not connected directly to the internet. Instead, they
are connected to smaller networks which are further connected to a
backbone network through gateways.
• The Internet is a worldwide network of computer networks that evolved from
the first network ARPAnet (Advanced Research Projects Agency network). The
Internet is made up of many networks each run by a different company and
Interconnected at peering points.
• The Internet is a super network. It connects many smaller networks together
and allows all the computers to exchange Information with each other
• To accomplish this all the computers on the Internet have to use a common
set of rules for communication. Those rules are called protocols and

• The Internet uses a set of protocols called TCP (Transmission Control

Protocol/Internet Protocol),
• The Internet is a worldwide network of computer networks that
evolved from the first network ARPAnet (Advanced Research Projects
Agency network). The Internet is made up of many networks each run
by a different company and Interconnected at peering points.
• The Internet is a super network. It connects many smaller networks
together and allows all the computers to exchange Information with
each other
• To accomplish this all the computers on the Internet have to use a
common set of rules for communication. Those rules are called
protocols and the Internet uses a set of protocols called TCP
(Transmission ControlProtocol/Internet Protocol),
How Does Internet Work?
• In Internet, most computers are not connected directly to Internet.
Rather they are connected to smaller networks which in turn are
connected through gateways to the Internet backbone.
Let us now we how internet
functions?
• At the source computer, the message or the file document to be sent
to another computer is firstly divided into very small parts called
Packets A packet generally contains some information
• Each packet is given a number serial wise eg. 1, 2,3 etc
• All these packets are the sent to the address of destination computer
• The destination computer receives the packets in random manner. (It
may even received packet 10 before packet I arrives). If packet is
garbled or not, it is demanded again
• The packets are resemble in the order of their number and the
original message/file/document is obtained
• The reason that the Internet works at all is that every computer
connected to it uses same set of rules for communication called
protocol
• The protocol used by Internet is TCP/IP
• The TCP part is responsible for dividing the file or message into packets
on the source computer . (TCP) is also responsible for reassembling the
received packets at the destination or recipient computer
• The IP Internet Protocol part is responsible for handling the address of
destination computer so that each packet is routed (sent) to its proper
destination
DIFFERENT WAYS OF SENDING DATA ACROSS
NETWORK
• Switching Techniques: The technique of sending data across the
network is known as Switching technique. The three types of
techniques used are circuit switching, packet switching and message
switching.
• The main goal of networking is the reliable exchange of data or
information among several interconnected nodes. For the delivery of
data with accuracy, various types of switching techniques are used,
namely:
• 1. Circuit Switching
• 2. Packet Switching
• 3. Message Switching
Circuit Switching
This provides end-to-end connection between two computers. Circuit switching is
established
usually in a telephone network where one person is making a call and another is receiving
a call.
In this technique, the entire link remains dedicated and no other user can use it even if the
path remains idle. The following actions take place during circuit switching:

1. A request signal is sent by the sender to set up the connection with the receiver. It
establishes a physical connection between the two participants.
2. All intermediate nodes are identified. These nodes are also called switching nodes.
3. If the destination node is available, it sends back the acknowledgement of receiving a
signal. Hence, data transmission begins.
4. When the data transmission is complete, the call can be terminated.
 Packet switching
In packet switching technique, the entire data is divided into small fragments called
packets. Each packet is of a fixed size, usually 128 bytes or 512 bytes.

Each packet has a source address as well as destination address (IP address) for being
transmitted, in the same way as a postman delivers a letter to a specific destination
address.
As there is no direct connection established between the sender and the receiver, each
packet follows different routes and, therefore, the packets are delivered in a random
order at the destination address. It is the TCP protocol which then arranges all received
packets in a sequential order.
During the transfer of packets, each packet has to pass through several intermediate
nodes, so each intermediate node checks for destination IP address. If the packet
matches with the node address, it is received; otherwise it is passed on to the next node
until it reaches the destination IP address.
 Difference between Circuit Switching and Packet Switching

1. Circuit switching is a fast technology as compared to packet switching which is a slow

mechanism of transferring packets from sender to receiver.
2. Circuit switching requires a dedicated path. Once the connection is established, the
communication path is entirely dedicated to it until the data is completely transferred from
sender to receiver, whereas in packet switching, packets can use any dynamic path.
3. Circuit-switched networks are used for phone calls and packet-switched networks handle data.
4. Packet switching is more efficient because the cost of the link is shared by many users.
5. In circuit switching, the telephone message is sent unbroken. The message is received in the
same order as it is originally sent. In packet switching, the message is broken into small packets
which are randomly sent from source and received in random order at destination, which is
then sequentially arranged.
DATA COMMUNICTION
TERMINOLOGIES
• 1. Data Channel :Channel is the medium used to carry information or
data from one point to another
• 2. Baud It is the unit of measurement for the Information carrying
capacity of a communication channel. The baud is synonymous with
bps (bits per second), another unit of measuring data transfer rates)
• 3.Bits Per Second (bps)It refers to the speed at which data transfer is
measured. It is generally used to measure the speed of information
through a high speed phone lines or modems. Bytes per second are
denoted as Bps
• (The rate of a thousand bits per second is known as kbps, kilobits per
second
• The rate of a thousand bytes per second is denoted by Kbps (Kilobytes
per second.
• (A rate of a million bits per second is denoted through mbps - mega
bits per second.
• (A rate of million bytes per second is denoted as Mbps. (Capital M in
Mbps)
 The bandwidth: refers to the difference between the highest and
lowest frequency of a transmission channel. Or in other words the
bandwidth refers to the width of allocated of frequencies to a channel
bandwidth is directly proportional to the amount of data transmitted
received per unit time in a qualitative sense

In analog systems, bandwidth is defined in terms of the difference

between the highest frequency signal component and the lowest-
frequency signal component. Frequency measured in cycles per second
ie, hertz.
A kilohertz (kHz) represents a thousand cycles per second ; a megahertz
(MHz) represents a thousand kHz; a gigahertz (GHz) represents a
thousand MHz; and a terahertz (THz) represents thousand GHz
The data transfer rate: represents the amount of data
transferred per second by 2 communications channel or a
computing or storage device.
Data rate is measured in units of bits per second (bps), bytes
per second (Bps), or baud
1 MB = 1024 kilobytes: 1 GB = 1024 megabytes; 1TB = 1024
gigabytes
 COMMUNICATION MEDIA
• Communication media is also known as transmission
media through which data or signal is transferred
between two communicating devices, i.e., from one
system to another system, through wires or without
wires. If the data is sent across network through
wires, it is called guided media and if the data is sent
without wires, it is called unguided media.
• Types of Communication/Transmission Media
• All communication/transmission media can be divided into two
categories:
• A. Guided Media (Wired Media): Guided media is also known as
physical or conducted media. These media use wires for transmitting
data. Various wired connections are twisted pair wire, coaxial cable
and fiber optic cable.

B. Unguided Media (Wireless Media): A transmission media that does

not require the use of cables for transmission of data is known as
unguided media. Wireless transmission is also known as unguided
media or non-physical media as the transmission takes place through
various types of electromagnetic waves, such as radio waves, terrestrial
microwave transmissions, satellite transmissions, cellular radio systems,
infrared transmissions, etc.
Guided Media or Wired Networking Technologies
1. Twisted Pair Cable
A twisted pair cable is the oldest, simplest and the most common type
of conducted media. It is made of two plastic insulated copper wires
which are twisted together to form a single wire. Each wire is 1 mm
thick. Out of these two wires, only one carries the actual signal while
the other is used for ground reference. The wires so twisted are helpful
in avoiding interference from the nearby similar pairs, which is known
as crosstalk.
• Twisted pair comes in two varieties:
(a) Shielded twisted pair (STP): STP cables are covered in metal foil.

This makes them indifferent to noise and crosstalk.

(b) Unshielded twisted pair (UTP): UTP has seven categories, each
suitable for a specific use. In computer networks, mostly Cat-5, Cat-5E
and Cat-6 cables are used. UTP cables are connected by RJ-45
connectors.
Advantages of Twisted Pair Cable
(a) It is simple to use.
(b) It is inexpensive and does not require skilled personnel.
(c) It is less susceptible to electrical interference caused by nearby
equipment or wires in a telephone system. Signals can travel several
kilometres without amplification when twisted pair wires are used.
(d) If a portion of a twisted pair cable is damaged, the entire network is
not shut.
Disadvantages of Twisted Pair Cable
(a) STP wire is physically larger and more expensive than twisted pair
wire.
(b) STP is more difficult to connect to a terminating block.
(c) It easily picks up noise signals which results in higher error rates
when the line length exceeds 100 metres.
(d) Being thin in size, it is likely to break easily.
2. Coaxial Cable
A coaxial cable is generally called a coax wire. It consists of insulated
copper wires surrounded by a braided metal shield and covered in a
plastic jacket. Coax cables are capable of carrying higher frequency
signals than that of twisted pair cables. The wrapped structure provides
it a good shield against noise and crosstalk. Coaxial cables provide high
bandwidth rates of up to 450 mbps. Coaxial cable also comes in two
primary physical types: thin coaxial cable and thick coaxial cable.
Advantages of Coaxial Cable
(a) Coaxial cable can support greater cable lengths between network devices than
twisted pair cable.
(b) It is useful for transmitting analog as well as digital data across the network.
(c) It is widely used for cable television and internet connections.
(d) Coaxial cable has excellent noise immunity because of thick covering outside
the insulated wires.
(e) Thick coaxial cable has an extra protective plastic cover that helps keep moisture
away.
(f) It is relatively inexpensive as compared to fiber optic cable.
Disadvantages of Coaxial Cable
(a) Thick coaxial cables do not bend easily and thus are difficult to install.
(b) It is expensive as compared to twisted pair cable.
3. Fiber Optic Cable

Fiber optic transmits light signals rather than electrical signals. It is the
newest form of guided media. Several glass fibers are bundled together
and are encased in an insulated covering. Light signals travel into the
fiber optic cable at one end and are received at the other end. When
the light enters the fiber optic, the light pulse inside the cable hits the
outer walls of the wire at a similar angle, which helps in moving the
light wave forward. The outer surface of the glass wire provides just the
right angle reflection to keep the light bouncing back and forth along
the length of cable. The light source used in this process is light
emitting diode (LED).
Advantages of Fiber Optic
(a) Fiber optic typically offers better bandwidth and can carry more
information at once.
(c) Optical fiber wires are made of glass, so there is little risk of fire because
of absence of spark hazards.
(d) Fiber optic cables are much thinner and lighter than metal wires.
(e) Lighter weight makes fiber easier to install.
(f) It does not leak signals, so it is immune to eavesdropping.
(g) A signal can run for 50 km without requiring regeneration.
(h) Fiber optic cables are also used in research and development.
Disadvantages of Fiber Optic
(a) A highly skilled labor is required for its installation and
maintenance.
(b) It is relatively expensive as compared to other guided media.
(c) As fiber optic is made of glass, they can be easily broken.
Unguided Media or Wireless Networking Technologies
1. Microwave
Microwave signals are used to transmit data without the use of cable. It
is a line-of-sight trans- mission as signal travels in a straight line. In
microwave communication, two directional parabolic antennas are
mounted on towers, buildings or hills to send and receive signals
through air. However, they must be properly aligned with each other,
otherwise the signal will not be focused well at the receiving antenna.
Advantages of Microwave Transmission
(a) It is a cheaper source of communication as it avoids using cables and maintaining
repeaters.
(b) Communication through microwave is much easier over difficult terrain.
(c) Microwave system permits data transmission rate of about 16 gigabits per second.
Disadvantages of Microwave Transmission
(a) It is an insecure mode of communication.
(b) Signals can be split and propagated in different directions in air and
received by the receiver antenna with a reduced strength.
(c) Microwave propagation is affected by weather conditions such as rain, thunderstorm, etc.
(d) The cost of implementing towers, antennas is relatively high
2. Radio Waves

Radio waves use radio frequencies which are allocated to private businesses for
direct voice communication. A radio set-up uses transmitter and receiver.
A transmitter sends radio waves and encodes them into sine waves which, when
received by a receiver, are decoded and the message is received. Both the
transmitter and receiver use antennas to radiate and fetch radio signals. They are
not line-of-sight transmission and, hence, can penetrate buildings easily.
Advantages of Radio Waves
(a) They can be used indoors or outdoors.
(b) They are omnidirectional and can travel in any direction.
(c) Transmitter and receiver antenna do not need to be physically aligned.
(d) Radio wave transmission offers mobility.
(e) It is cheaper than laying cables and fibers.
(f) It offers ease of communication over difficult AREAS .
Disadvantages of Radio Waves
(a) Radio wave communication is an insecure mode of communication.
(b) Radio wave propagation is susceptible to weather effects like rain, thunderstorm,
etc.
3. Satellite Link

Satellite transmission is also a kind of line-of-sight transmission that is used to transmit

signals throughout the world. When the frequency is greater than 3 GHz, the transmission is
known as microwave. Satellite is a special type of microwave transmission medium
In satellite communication, an earth station has a satellite dish, which functions as an
antenna to transmit and receive data from satellites.
When data is transmitted from an earth station to a satellite, it is known as uplink and when
transmission takes place from a satellite to an earth station, it is known as downlink. In
satellite, there are transponders that send and receive signals from/to the earth station.
Advantages of Satellite Link
(a) The area covered is quite large.
(b) No line-of-sight restrictions such as natural mountains, tall buildings, towers, etc.
(c) Earth station which receives the signals can be at a fixed position or can be
relatively mobile.

Disadvantages of Satellite Link

(a) It is very expensive as compared to other transmission mediums.
(b) Installation is extremely complex.
(c) Signals sent to the stations can be interrupted by external interference.
(d) Low antenna gains result in overcrowding of available bandwidth
4. Infrared
The type of transmission that uses infrared light to send data is known as infrared
transmission. The data is transmitted through air and can propagate in the open space;
however, it cannot penetrate the walls of the room. It is an example of short range
wireless network. Infrared speed varies from 2.4 kbps to 16 mbps. A very good example
of infrared transmission is a handheld remote control such as remote control of a TV or
AC, etc.
Advantages of Infrared Transmission
(a) It is a secure medium of transmitting data.
(b) It is a cheap mode of transmission.

Disadvantages of Infrared Transmission

(a) It can work only for short distances.
(b) It cannot penetrate walls and is affected by
distance, noise and heat.
Ethernet Card: It is a hardware device that helps in the connection of nodes within a
network. Ethernet card is also known as a network card, network adapter or NIC
(network interface card). It is a card that allows computers to communicate over a
computer network. On Ethernet card, a physical address of each communicating
computer is mentioned. Physical address is known as MAC address.
Hub: It is multi-port and unintelligent network device which simply
transfers data from one port of the network to another.
A hub is a hardware device used to connect several computers
together with different ports. When the packet reaches one port, it
is copied to all other ports of the hub without changing the
destination address in the frame. Rather, it simply copies the data to
all of the nodes connected to the hub.
Hubs can be either active or passive. Hubs can usually support 8, 12
or 24 RJ-45 ports.

But the problem with hub is that it is not an intelligent device. It

shares bandwidth with all the attached devices and broadcasts the
data, i.e., sends the data frames to all the connected nodes, as it
does not remember devices/computers connected to it. Also, it
cannot filter the data and causes unnecessary traffic jams. A hub
can both send as well as receive information, but only one task at a
time.
 Switch: A switch (switching hub) is a network device which is used to interconnect
computers or devices on a network. It filters and forwards data packets across a network.
It is also a multi-port device but with some intelligence and so the data packets received
from one port of network are refreshed and delivered to the other port of the network.
The main difference between hub and switch is that hub replicates what it receives on one
port onto all the other ports, while switch keeps a record of the MAC addresses of the
devices attached to it.
Router: A device that works like a bridge but can handle different
protocols, is known as a router. For example. a router can link
Ethernet to a mainframe. The router is responsible for forwarding
data from one network to a different network

If the destination is unknown to a router it and the traffic bound to

unknown destination) to another router (Using logical addresses
which knows the destination Based on a network road map called a
routing table, routers can help ensure that packets are travelling the
most efficient paths to their destination

if a link between two routers falls, the sending router can determine
an alternate route to keep traffic moving
 Gateway: A gateway is a device that connects dissimilar networks. In internet,
several networks are communicating with each other and each network has a
different configuration. In order to make reliable communication, there must be
a device that helps in communicating. Gateway is a device which establishes an
intelligent connection between a local area network and external networks with
completely different structures.
A bridge : is a device that lets you link two networks together.
Bridges are smart enough to know which computers are on
which side of the bridge, so they only allow those messages
that need to get to the other side to cross the bridge .
Bridge can handle networks that follow same protocols
Wi-Fi Card: A Wi-Fi card is either an internal or external Local Area
Network adapter with a built-in wireless radio and antenna. A Wi-Fi
card is used in a desktop computer that enables a user to establish an
internet connection. Wi-Fi cards are known as wireless fidelity cards as
they allow the user to set up connection without any wire. Wireless
Fidelity (Wi-Fi) cards are widely used in notebook computers due to
their highly portable nature. The most common Wi-Fi cards used in
desktop computers are PCI-Express Wi-Fi cards made to fit the PCI-
Express card slots on the motherboard.
TYPES OF NETWORKS
A computer network may be small or big depending upon the number of computers and other
network devices linked together. Thus, networks vary in size, complexity and geographical spread.
A computer network can be on a table, in a room, building, city, country, across continents or around the world.
On the basis of geographical spread, networks may be classified as:
1.PAN
2. LAN
3. MAN
4. WAN
PANs are small networks used to establish communication between a computer and other handheld devices in the
proximity of up to 10 meters using wired USB connectivity or wireless systems like Bluetooth or Infrared. PANs are used
to connect computers, laptops, mobiles and other IT-enabled devices to transfer files including emails, digital photos,
audio and video, etc.
Local Area Network (LAN)

LAN is a privately owned computer network covering a small geographical area (small
physical area), like a home, office or a building such as a school. It can cover an area
spread over a few meters to a radius of a few kilometers. A LAN can be set up using
wired media (UTP cables, coaxial cables, etc.) or wireless media (Infrared, Radio waves).
If a LAN is set up using unguided media, it is known as WLAN (wireless LAN). The key
purpose of a LAN is to share resources. LAN users can share data, programs, printer,
disk, modem, etc.
Data transfer rate speed over a Local Area
Network can vary from 10 mbps to 1 gbps.
Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
MAN is larger than a LAN and can cover a city and its surrounding areas. A MAN usually interconnects a number of
LANs and individual computers. It also shares the computing resources among users.

All types of communication media (guided and unguided) are used to set up a MAN. A MAN is typically owned and
operated by a single entity such as a government body or a large corporation.

A good example of MAN is the interconnected offices of a Multinational Corporation (MNC) or cable television
networks available in the whole city.
Wide Area Network (WAN)

WAN is a telecommunication network. This type of network spreads over a large geographical area across countries and
continents. WANs are generally used to interconnect several other types of networks such as LANs, MANs, etc.

WAN can cover an area with a radius spanning hundreds of kilometers. A network of ATMs, banks, government offices,
international organizations’ offices, etc., spread over a country, continent or covering many continents are examples of
WAN.
All types of communication media (guided and unguided) are used to set up a WAN. The best known example of a WAN is
the internet. The internet is the largest WAN spanning the entire planet.
Bus Topology

Bus topology is a multipoint configuration, i.e., several devices are connected to a main long cable which acts as a
backbone. Nodes are connected by drop lines and taps. A drop line is a connection between the long cable and devices
and taps are the connectors that are punctured inside the main cable.
The data flows from one end of the cable to the other. However, as the signal travels a long distance, it becomes weaker
and weaker. Ethernet is a common example of bus topology.
Advantages of Bus Topology
(a) Nodes can be connected or removed easily from bus network.
(b) It requires less cable length than a star topology.
(c) Bus network is easy to implement and can be extended up to a certain limit.
(d) It works well for small networks.

Disadvantages of Bus Topology

(a) If there is a fault or break in the main cable, the entire network shuts down.
(b) Terminators are required at both ends of the backbone cable.
(c) Fault isolation is difficult to detect if the entire network shuts down.
(d) When the network is required in more than one building, bus network cannot be used.
(e) The signal becomes weaker if number of nodes becomes large.
(f ) Performance degradation occurs with the increased number of nodes.
Star Topology
In star topology, each communicating device is
connected to a central controller called hub.
(A hub is a hardware device used to connect
several computers together.) If the data is
required to be sent from one computer and
received by another computer, then this can be
accomplished only by the central controller as each
data is first sent to the hub, which then relays that
data to the destination computer.

Most popular and widely used LAN technology,

Ethernet, currently operates in Star Topology.
Advantages of Star Topology

(a) Fewer wires are required as compared to mesh topology which, thus, reduces the number of input/output ports.
(b) Installation and maintenance of network is easy and takes less time.
(c) It is easy to detect faults in this network as all computers are dependent on the central hub.
This means that any problem which makes the network non-functioning can b e traced to the central hub.
(d) The rate of data transfer is fast as all the data packets or messages are transferred through central hub.
(f) Removal or addition of any node in star topology can take place easily without affecting the entire performance
of t h e network.

Disadvantages of Star Topology

(a) Extra hardware is required for installation of central controller known as hub.
(b) All nodes of star topology are dependent on central hub and, therefore, any problem in the hub makes the entire
network shut down.
(c) The performance of the entire network is directly dependent on the performance of the hub. If the server is slow, it

will cause the entire network to slow down.

Tree Topology
In tree topology, all or some of the devices are connected to the central hub, called an active
hub, and some of the devices are connected to the secondary hub, which may be an active
hub or passive hub. An active hub contains the repeater that regenerates the signal when it
becomes weaker with longer distances. A passive hub simply provides a connection between
all other connecting nodes.
Advantages of Tree Topology
(a) The tree topology is useful in cases where a star or bus cannot be implemented individually.
(b) It is most suited in networking multiple departments of a university or corporation, where each unit (star segment)
functions separately, and is also connected with the main node (root node).
(d) Each star segment gets a dedicated link from the central bus. Thus, failing of one segment does not affect the rest
of the network.
(e) Fault identification is easy.
(f ) The network can be expanded by the addition of secondary nodes. Thus, scalability is achieved.

Disadvantages of Tree Topology

(a) As multiple segments are connected to a central bus, the network depends heavily on the bus. Its failure affects the
entire network.
(b) Owing to its size and complexity, maintenance is not easy and costs are high. Also, configuration is difficult in
comparison to other topologies.
(c) Though it is scalable, the number of nodes that can be added depends on the capacity of the central bus and on
the cable type.
Types of Protocols

In India, different people speak different languages. Now, a person from Tamil Nadu
and a person from Punjab may not be able to communicate with each other because of the
language difference. However, they can exchange their ideas and communicate with each other
using English as their common language. Similarly, in case of computers, the hardware, software
or even a combination of the two might be required to implement and carry out the protocol.
Thus, the protocol will help in setting up a channel of communication or a connection between
two computers;
There are multiple protocols defined for computer networks, which are as
follows:
(a) TCP (Transmission Control Protocol)
(b) IP (Internet Protocol)
(c) FTP (File Transfer Protocol)
(d) PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol)
(e) SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol)
(f ) POP3 (Post Office Protocol)
(g) TELNET (Remote Login)
(a) TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol)

TCP is one of the main protocols in TCP/IP networks. The IP protocol deals only
with packets but TCP enables two hosts to establish a connection and exchange
streams of data.
TCP works with the Internet Protocol (IP), which defines how computers send
packets of data to each other. The packets are delivered not in a sequential order;
instead, they are delivered randomly. Now,
TCP at the receiver side collects all packets and arranges them in a sequential
order. TCP is a reliable stream delivery service that guarantees that all
bytes received will be identical with bytes sent and in the correct order.
IP (Internet Protocol)

IP is responsible for delivering packets from the source host to

the destination host based on the IP addresses mentioned in
the packet headers. IP forwards each packet based on a four
byte destination address (the IP number). The packets are
moved randomly from source to destination, which are then
assembled in a sequential order at the destination computer. IP
stores destination addresses in the form of IP addresses so that
the packets will move to the destined address only by following
the shortest route.
 FTP (File Transfer Protocol)
• File transfer protocol is used to transfer files from server system to
requesting node, primarily for information sharing
• FTP is the simplest and most secure way to exchange files over the internet.
The main objectives of FTP are:
• Transmitting and sharing of files (computer programs and/or data).
• Indirect or implicit use of remote computers.
• To transfer data reliably and efficiently.
• FTP uses the internet’s TCP/IP protocols to enable data transfer.
FTP is most commonly used to download a file from a server using the
internet or to upload a file to a server (e.g., uploading a web page file to a
server).
PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol)
• PPP is the most commonly used data link protocol. It is a protocol used to establish a
direct connection between two nodes.
• It is used to connect the Home PC to the server of ISP. The communication takes place
through high speed modem. PPP is used to connect telephone dial-up lines to the
internet. Internet service provider may provide you with a PPP connection so that
when you send any request, the provider’s server can respond to your requests,
forward it to the internet server, and then forward responses back to you.
• The various features of PPP are:
• Establishing the link between two devices.
• Maintaining this established link.
• Terminating this link after the transfer.
• PPP provides error detection.
• It also defines how two devices can authenticate each other.
 SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer
Protocol)
• As the name suggests, SMTP is used for sending email
messages to other networks or computers. It handles only
outgoing messages and not incoming messages.
• SMTP does not create messages: rather, it helps in
forwarding messages between client servers. It uses TCP to
send messages to another host. For receiving messages,
another protocol POP (post office protocol) is used. Thus,
email clients require addresses of both SMTP server and
another server that processes incoming messages (usually
POP or IMAP).
POP3 (Post Office Protocol 3)
• The POP (Post Office Protocol 3) is a simple and standard method to access
mailbox and download messages to the local computers. The user can receive
messages with the help of POP protocol. The advantage is that once the
messages are downloaded, an internet connection is no longer needed to
read the mail.
• A user can read all emails offline as these are saved on the computer’s hard
disk To get a mail from POP server, a user must enter a valid username and
password for their email account. The POP3 protocol thus manages
authentication using the user name and password; however, it is not secure
because the passwords, like the email, circulate in plain text over the
network.
• POP3 protocol blocks inbox during its access which means that simultaneous
access to the same inbox by two users is impossible
TELNET (Remote Login)

• Telnet is a remote login that helps a user to log on to another user’s

terminal without being its original user. A user who is logging in to
their own system can also get access to log on to another user system
and perform various functions such as accessing files or sharing files
to/from the remote system. With TELNET, a user logs in as a regular
user with whatever privileges they may have been granted to the
specific application and data on that computer.
E-Mail Protocols
Simple Mail transfer protocol (SMTP)
• SMTP stands for Simple Mail Transfer Protocol that allows transmission of
email over the Internet. Most email software is designed to use SMTP for
communication purposes when sending email.
• the client computer must have a client MTA(Message Transfer Agents and
the server must have a server MTA. SMTP actually defines the MTA client
and the server on the internet.
• SMTP is a reliable and easy to set up protocol. Messages either get to a
recipient, or there is an error message that explains why that wasn't
possible.
• One of the purposes of an SMTP is that it simplifies the communication of
email messages between servers.
• SMTP has a major disadvantage that it is relatively easy to send a
message with a fake sender address. This results in spread of many
email-based viruses. Someone may receive a message that they think
is coming from a friend, when someone else is actually sending it.
• Most servers these days actually us a slightly updated version of the
SMTP protocol called ESMTP (Extended Simple Mail Transfer
Protocol). This was created to allow transmission of multimedia
through email.
Post Office Protocol Version 3 (POP3)

• Post Office Protocol 3 or POP3 is the third version of a widespread method of

receiving email which receives and holds email for an individual until they pick it up.
• SMTP has a disadvantage that if the destination computer is not online, mails
cannot be received. So the SMTP server receives the mail on behalf of every host
and the respective host then interacts with the SMTP server to retrieve messages by
using a client server protocol called POP3.
• POP3 makes it easy for anyone to check their email if their email program is
configured properly to work with the protocol. It is extremely common among most
mail servers because of its simplicity and high success rate and minimum errors.
• Many popular email programs, including Microsoft Outlook, are automatically
designed to work with POP3.
Chat Protocol and VOIP
• Videoconferencing is a communications technology that integrates
video and audio to connect users anywhere in the world as if they
were in the same room. This term usually refers to communication
between three or more users who are in at least two locations, rather
than one on-one communication and it often includes multiple people
at each location. Each user or group of users who is participating in a
videoconference typically must have a computer, a camera, a
microphone, a video screen and a sound system.
• The most popular software used for videoconferencing is:
• (a) TCP Cam
• (b) Ekiga
• (c) Skype
The most common chat protocol is IRC (Internet Relay Chat) while the most
common videoconferencing protocols are H.323 and SIP (Session Initiation
Protocol).

IRC is used for chatting by sending and receiving text messages. The sender sends
request to IRC server, which then forwards this request to another client to
communicate with each other.
RC is an application layer protocol that allows users to share text messages. It uses
client server model where the clients install IRC client program on their system so
that they can communicate with IRC chat server to transfer messages to other
clients.
In fact, the IRC client sends request to IRC client server and the server forwards
this request to another client to enable them to communicate with each other. It
provides one-to-one communication as well as group communication for chatting
and file sharing, such as Talk City.
PROTOCOL FOR VoIP
• VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. For transferring of voice,
voice over internet protocol is used. The voice calls are first digitized,
compressed and then fragmented into small packets, which are then
relayed by Internet Protocol (IP) cross network. Voice-over-IP (VoIP)
implementation enables users to carry voice traffic (For example,
telephone calls and faxes) over an IP net
• There are 3 main causes for the evolution of the voice-over IP
market:
• 1. Low-cost phone calls
• 2. Merging of data/voice infrastructures work
• VoIP is a protocol that is used for transmitting voice data and
multimedia data over internet protocol. It uses high speed broadband
internet connection.
• services provided by VoIP are:
• Phone to phone, PC to phone, phone to PC, voice to email, IP Phone,)
toll free number (1-800), call center applications
• The various protocols used for VoIP are:
• 1. H.323
• 2. Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)
1. H.323 Protocol for VoIP

H.323 is a protocol that provides communication for multimedia services such

as audio, video and data communication over packet-based network.
It specifies the standards and protocols for all these services. As H.323 provides
various communication facilities, it can be applied in a
wide variety of areas—consumer, business and entertainment applications.
It can be applied in a variety of mechanisms:
• Audio only
• Audio and data
• Audio and video
• Audio, video and data
 2. SIP Protocol for VoIP
• The expanded form of SIP is Session Initiation Protocol. SIP is a
communication protocol (more specifically, a signaling protocol) originally
developed in 1996. It uses IP protocol that establishes, modifies and
terminates VoIP telephone calls. It provides videoconferencing service to the
users, so that a user can communicate with more than one person at a time.
Other SIP applications include streaming multimedia distribution, instant
messaging and information, file transfer, fax over IP and online games.