Data Communication & Computer Networks

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COURSE SPECIFICATION
Course Title: Data Communications and Computer Networks
Course Code: ELE-520-521
Degree Program: BS (Electronics) P-III (5th Semester)
Course rating: 3 credit hours (Theory) and 1 credit hour (Practical)
Pre-requisites: None


Course Objective


This course aims to give students a foundation in fixed computer networks. It provides a background how
data/information is communicated from one station to any other station. Help students understand architecture,
protocols, and services of various data communication techniques. The students will have hands on experience of
using data communication equipment.


Syllabus Outline:


Introduction to a communication System Communication Model, Data Communications. Data Comm. Networks,
Protocols & Standards.


Data Transmission Concept & Terminology Analog & Digital Transmission, Transmission Impairments
(Attenuation, Delay Distortion, Noise) Bandwidth & Data Rate, Transmission Types (Synchronous, Asynchronous ),
Modes of Transmission (Simplex, Half Duplex & Full Duplex).


Transmission media and its types Guided Transmission media, Twisted Pair Cable (UTP & STP), Coaxial cable
(Thin & Thick), Fiber Optics, Unguided Transmission Media, Microwave (terrestrial & Satellite).


Multiplexing: Frequency Division Multiplexing (FDM), Time Division Multiplexing (TDM), Synchronous TDM &
Asynchronous TDM.


Data Comm: Networks Local Area Networks (LANs),Access Methods and Architectures & Protocols: Layered
Architecture of ISO-OSI model, Standard Protocols & its functions, TCP/IP protocol Suit, SDLC & HDLC.


Learning Material/References

* William Stalling, "Data & Computer Communication", Prentice Hall.
* Uyless Black, "Computer Networks", Prentice Hall.
* S. Tanenbaum, "Computer Networks", Prentice Hall.

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Feature of Network:
1. Accuracy: Error free data is received.
2. Timeless: Data should be sent/delivered in time.
3. Reliability: in terms of failure; i.e robust time.
4. Delivery: Data should be delivered to the person in address bar.
5. Jitter: (Consider intermediate nodes) it related to real time variation of audio & video.
It is divided information, in packets with an even gap will arrive at the receiver with an even delay time.
Components:
1. Sender
2. Receiver
3. Message
4. Transmission medium: Wired (guided) / Wireless (unguided)
5. Protocol: set of rules that allow communication among computers.
Line Configuration:
1. Point to Point (Single Sender & Receiver)
2. Point to Multi Point
Mainframe: whose disk space & processing power is greater than all other devices connected to it.
Data Flow: How info is transmitted?
1. Simplex: One way traffic (sending/receiving both not at same time)
It is one way traffic. One type of data flow takes place here. A node will be meant for either
sending or receiving but not both. Entire capacity of the channel is dedicated to a single node only.
2. Half Duplex
Info flow in both directions but only one type transmission is allowed at a time. E.g: walkie
talkie used by traffic police. The capacity of the channel is utilized by both the stations where only one
station is allowed to perform transmission at a time.
3. Full Duplex /Duplex
In third case, the capacity of the channel is equally shared by both of the nodes. It assumes that
2 separate links are available in the same line or link is divided. Otherwise, there will be wideling, one
for sending & one for receiving E.g: Two way traffic, Telephony communication.
Topology:
Geometrical representation of the links attached to the nodes or its physical layout.
Kinds of Topologies:
1. Mesh
2. Star
3. Tree
4. Bus
5. Ring
6. Hybird

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MESH:

Every node is connected to every other node.
Point to Point dedicated connection between the nodes.
The no: of links in the topology for an n nodes is given by:

.
Advantages:
Dedicated: since the topology has dedicated connection it allows any type of data to follow.
Point to Point: It helps in easy point identification & fault isolation. Since Point to Point connection
exist, the network is supposed to be reliable. If one of the link happens to fail down, the entire
communication of network continues to have the communication.
Disadvantages:
Increase in lost is directly proportional to the no: of nodes.
There is number of D/O ports increases with increase in number of nodes.
STAR:



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Dedicated point to point connection.
The devices are connected to a connecting device called as Hub. The hub is the central controller. All
devices transmit their signal to the hub and the hub broadcast it. The number of links compared to
mesh is less. If the number of nodes is n, then the no of link l=n.
If any of the link down, then communication continues. If the hub fails down, then communication fails.
Tree Topology:
Active Hub: It performs the work of broadcasting the signal as well as amplify the voltage.
Passive Hub: It only broadcast the signal e.g: Cable TV technology.
Advantage & disadvantage: same as star
Bus Topology:
If the backbone fails down, the entire communication stops. Length/bandwidth of cable is limited.
Any noise arising at a node gets rejected to its origin as well as to other node. Fault isolation will be
difficult. Here we use less cables. It is well in IBM designed networks like Token Bus.
Ring Topology:
Point to point dedicated.
Generally we place repeater every 50m.
Signal travel either clockwise or anticlockwise.
If one link fail, all fails. Another type to overcome this failure is called dual ring.
Types of Networks:
LAN (Local Area Network)
o Covers a small area.
o Covers a building floor, office, distance is limited.
MAN
o Cover city like cable tv, broadband.
WAN
o Covers countries, continents.
Internet
o Consists of LANs connected by WANs. Commonly used Star in Lan. Only one type of cable
collection networks or inter networks.
PAN (Personal Area Network) i.e Bluetooth
CAN (Campus Area Network)
HAN (Home Area Network)
Protocols/Standards:
Set of rules that help in data communication. Major backbone of communication is IP.



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Open System Interconnection (OSI) Model:


This mode was developed by a standard committee ISO. Each layer provides a well defined function.
Each layer is designed with a different level of abstraction. The function of the layers are defined keeping in eye
towards international standardized protocol.
1. Layer 1: It defines the physical characteristics of transmission medium, type of transmission
meidium (wired or wireless), type of interface & the service provided by the layers.
2. Disk Link Layer: The data link layer is responsible for providing node to node delivery across the
same link (Same LAN).
3. Transport Layer: The piece of info is called is segment. Transport layer is basically responsible for
process to process delivery.
4. Session Layer: responsible for dialup control between the communicating devices.
5. The Presentation Layer: responsible for translation of data into common format.
6. Application Layer: is the top-most layer of the OSI model, provides user interface & support for
services like e-mail, file transfer & remote login etc.
TCP/IP Protocol Suit:
Application: SMTP FTP HTTP DNS TELNET
Transport: TCP UDP
Network: ICMP IGMP RP ARP RARP
The Network Layer is also known as Internet Layer because the backbone is constituted by the
IP protocol.
IP Protocol is supported by ICMP, IGMP, ARP & RARP protocol.
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The Transport Layer is supported by TCP and UDP Protocol.
TCP stands for Transmission Control Protocol. It provides connection oriented reliable delivery.
UDP stands for User Datagram Protocol. Its a connectionless protocol and provide unreliable
delivery.
TCP/IP allows vertical process of communication whereas OSI allows horizontal process of
communication.

Analog Data: represents continuous information eg. Human voice.
Digital Data: represents discrete information eg: 0,1.
Signals: are the carrier of data.
Digital Signals: represents discrete waveform with horizontal and vertical lines. Whereas Analog
Signals represents a continuous sine wave with infinite number of values.
Signals can be periodic or non-periodic.
Bandwidth: It is defined as the difference between the highest and lowest frequency.
Line Coding Mechanism: Converts digital data to digital signals.
Network Performance: depend upon the following performance metric:
1. Bandwidth: is the major performance metric. Bandwidth is bits/sec refers the number of
bits per second that a channel can transmit. Increase in Bandwidth in Hz means increase of
Bandwidth in bits/sec.
2. Throughput: It determines how just actually data can be sent through a network. Unit:
Bits/sec.
3. Delay (Latency): It is related to all the latencies countered in network. It depends on
factors like propagation time, transmission time, queuing time & bandwidth delay product.
Transmission Impairments:
1. Attenuation: means loss of energy. Whenever a signal travels through a medium, some
amount of energy is lost in the form of heat to overcome the resistance offered by the
medium. As a result of Attenuation, the voltage of the signal gets weaker. In order to
amplify the voltage of signal, amplifiers are used at regular points.
2. Distortion: means change in the shape of the signal sent. Each individual component of
composite signal possess different frequencies. This results in difference in propagation
speed. As result of which the individual components have different phase and the shape of
the composite signal at the receiver end is not the same to that of the sender side.
3. Noise: means unwanted sound. It can be 4 types: 1. Thermal Noise. 2. Induced Noise. 3.
Goes Talk. 4. Impulse Noise.
4. Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR): Its the ratio between avg signal power to that of any noise power.
High SNR denotes the signal carries less Nosie.
Multiplexing:
The stations are provided the more bandwidth channels. The available link is having large Bio. If a single
station is allowed to pass a signal through a larger Bandwidth, portion of the larger bandwidth remains
unutilized.
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Modem:
Modem is responsible for modulation & demodulation. Modulation converts digital signal to analog
signal for transmission over telephone network. At the receiving end, demodulation takes place to receiver the
digital data from the modulated signal. Modem stands for Modulator Demodulator.
Transmission Media:
Its the carrier of signals. The types are: (1) Guided Media (Wired) (2) Unguided Media (wireless)
Twisted Pair Cable: 2 wires are twisted around each other, it made up of solid copper conductors covered by
an insulating shield made up of PBC. One wire caries signal & second wire is used to provide ground sufferance.
Types of Twisted Pair Cables is STP (Shielded Twisted Pair Cable) & UTP (Unshielded Twisted Pair Cable).
Coaxial Cable: Its also known as coax. It carries signal of high frequency range i.e from 100 kHz-500 MHz. It has
a central loss of solid conductor made up of cobber, enclosed by an insulating shield which in turn is covered by
outer conductor of metal coil.
Fiber Optic Cable: Its made up of a glass core, surrounded by a less dense glass or plastic cover known as
cladding.
Error Detection: Simple Parity Check (VRC). LRC (Logistical Randomly check), Checksum