Unit 1—Computer Basics

Lesson 7
Networks
Objectives

 Describe the benefits and disadvantages of

networks.
 List and describe the types of networks.
 List and describe communications hardware.
 List and describe communications media.
 Describe the different network topologies.
 Describe network architecture and protocols.

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Introducing Networks

A network is a group of two or more computers linked

together.

Most networks have a server that manages

the network resources.

Most networks have multiple clients, which

are computers that access the server.

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Introducing Networks (cont.)

A network confined to a limited geographical

area is called a local area network (LAN).

A network spread over a wide area is called a

wide area network (WAN).

 The transmission of data from one location to

another is called data communications.

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Network Building Blocks

 Sending data from one computer to

another requires a channel, the link
through which the message is sent.
A phone line or cable is a channel.
A device on each end of the channel
converts the computer signal to a signal
type that the channel can send/receive.

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Network Building Blocks (cont.)

 Sending a message through the channel

requires a transmission media, which can
be physical or wireless.

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Network Building Blocks (cont.)

This figure shows the

main components
required for data
communications: a
sending device, a
receiving device, a
communication path
or channel, a device to
convert the signal so
that the channel can
carry it, and the soft-
ware to send and
receive messages.

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Network Benefits

 Networks provide almost instant

communication with other users on the
network.
 Users can share information.
 Users can share hardware.

 Users can share software.

 Users can work on group projects.

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Network Disadvantages

 Data security and unauthorized access are

disadvantages of a network.
 Other disadvantages are
 Maliciouscode
 Network faults

 Setup and management costs

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Types of Networks

 Two of the more common types of

networks
 Localarea networks (LANs)
 Wide area networks (WANs)

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Local Area Networks

 Localarea networks usually are

confined to a limited area.
 The two most popular LANs are
 Client/server

 Peer-to-peer

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Computer Concepts BASICS - 12
Client/Server vs. Peer-to-Peer

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Wide Area Networks

 Wide area networks are spread across a

city, a state, the country, or the world.
 Most WANs consist of two or more LANs
connected by routers.
 Some WANs may be configured as intranets
or extranets.

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Other Types of Networks

 Metropolitanarea network (MAN)

 Neighborhood area network (NAN)
 Personal area network (PAN)
 Home area network (HAN)
 Campus area network (CAN)

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Computer Concepts BASICS - 16
Network Hardware

 Most networks consist of a server and

multiple client computers.
 They also include two other categories of
hardware: communications hardware and
network transmission hardware.

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Network Hardware (cont.)

 Communications hardware
 These devices facilitate the transmitting and
receiving of data.
 Network transmission hardware
 These devices connect the cabling and
amplify.

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Communications Hardware

 Modems: Convert analog signals to

digital and vice versa
 Dial-upmodems enable a computer to send
data over a standard phone line.
 The
sending computer and the receiving
computer must both have modems.

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Communications Hardware (cont.)

 Modems (cont.)
 Cablemodems use coaxial cable to send
data over cable TV lines.
 These have much faster transmission rates
than a standard telephone line modem.
 DSL and ISDN modems use telephone lines.

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Communications Hardware (cont.)

 Network interface cards (NICs)

 All PCs in a LAN must have a NIC.
 Gateway
 Links networks using different protocols
 Router
 Connects multiple networks and determines
the fastest route for sending data over the
network

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Communications Hardware (cont.)

 Wireless access point

 Connects wireless communication devices
 Hub
 Receives and sends signals back out

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Communications Media

 Physical media types

 Twisted-pair cable
 Coaxial cable

 Fiber-optic cable

 Wireless media types

 Radio signals
 Microwaves

 Satellites

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Communications Media (cont.)
Twisted pair

Coaxial
Fiber-optic

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Wireless Media

Microwaves

Satellites

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Other Communications Media

 IrDA
 Infrared
transmission
 Requires line of site

 Bluetooth
 Uses radio waves
 Short distance transmission of about 30 feet

 WI-FI
 Wireless fidelity; wireless transmission

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Bluetooth Technology

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Network Topologies

A topology is the geometric arrangement

of the network.
 The most common topologies are
 Bus: All devices are connected to a master
cable.
 Ring: Similar to a bus except that the
devices are connected in a circle
 Star: All devices are connected to a central
hub or computer.

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Bus Topology

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Ring Topology

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Star Topology

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Communications Protocols

A protocol is a set of rules that allows

computers to exchange data.
 The protocol determines
 How a sending device indicates it has
finished sending
 How a receiving device indicates the

message was received

 The type of error-checking to use

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Communications Protocols (cont.)

 The most common protocols are

 Ethernet:Most common LAN protocol
 Token ring: Also used on LANs

 TCP/IP: Used on the Internet

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Network Operating Systems
Software
 Networksrequire a network operating
system (NOS) and a desktop operating
system.
 The clients run the desktop OS.
 The NOS runs on the server and provides
 Network administration tools
 Print services
 Client services
 Security services

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Summary

 Data communication is the transmission of

data from one location to another.
 A network is a group of two or more
computers linked together.
 The Internet is the biggest network of all.
 Networks have advantages and
disadvantages.

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Summary (cont.)

A local area network generally is confined

to a limited geographical area.
 A wide area network is made up of several
connected local area networks.
 The two popular types of LANs are the
client/server network and peer-to-peer
network.

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Summary (cont.)

 Other types of specialized networks

include metropolitan area networks
(MANs), neighborhood area networks
(NANs), personal area networks (PANs),
home area networks (HANs), and campus
area networks (CANs).

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Summary (cont.)

 You can use a network for information

sharing, hardware sharing, software
sharing, and as a collaborative
environment.
 The link through which data is transmitted
is the communications channel.
 Transmission media can be either physical
or wireless.

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Summary (cont.)

 Physical media includes twisted-pair cable,

coaxial cable, and fiber-optic cable.
 Wireless media includes radio signals,
microwaves, and satellites.
 Most networks consist of a network server
and computer clients.

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Summary (cont.)

 Communication devices facilitate the

transmitting and receiving of data,
instructions, and information.
 Communication devices include dial-up and
cable modems, DSL and ISDN modems,
network interface cards, gateways, routers,
wireless access points, and hubs.

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Summary (cont.)

 Network interface cards enable the sending

and receiving of data between the PCs in a
network.
 A router directs the Internet or network
traffic.
 Physical media includes twisted-pair cable,
coaxial cable, and fiber-optic cable.
 Wireless media includes microwaves,
satellites, IrDA, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi.
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Summary (cont.)

 Network topologies include bus, ring,

and star.
A protocol is an agreed on set of rules and
procedures for transmitting data between
two or more devices.
 The Ethernet protocol is one of the most
popular LAN protocols.

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Summary (cont.)

 Token ring is the second most widely used

LAN protocol.
 TCP/IP is a protocol used by both LANs
and WANs to connect to the Internet.
 All computers on a network require an
operating system, and networks require
network operating systems.

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