COMP 445

Data Communication And

Computer Networks
Fall 2023
Dr. Abdelhak Bentaleb

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 Lecture 1
Introduction to Networking (Part 1)

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Chapter 1: introduction
Overview/roadmap:
▪ What is the Internet?
▪ What is a protocol?
▪ Network edge: hosts, access network, physical media
▪ Network core: packet/circuit switching, internet structure
▪ Performance: loss, delay, throughput
▪ Protocol layers, service models, security

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Chapter 1: introduction
After this chapter, you are expected to:
▪ Understand the basic terms, including host, packet, protocol,
throughput, store-and-forward, and autonomous system.
▪ know about the logical (five protocol layers) and physical (a
network of autonomous systems) architecture of the Internet.
▪ Understand the different components of end-to-end delay and
their relations to bandwidth, packet size, distance, propagation
speed, and queue size.
▪ Understand service model and introduction to network security.
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Chapter 1: roadmap
▪ What is the Internet?
▪ What is a protocol?
▪ Network edge: hosts, access network,
physical media
▪ Network core: packet/circuit switching,
internet structure
▪ Performance: loss, delay, throughput
▪ Protocol layers, service models, security

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The Internet: a “nuts and bolts” view
Billions of connected mobile network
computing devices: national or global ISP
▪ hosts = end systems
▪ running network apps at
Internet’s “edge”

Packet switches: forward

local or
packets (chunks of data) Internet
regional ISP
▪ routers, switches
home network content
Communication links provider
network datacenter
▪ fiber, copper, radio, satellite network

▪ transmission rate: bandwidth

Networks
▪ collection of devices, routers,
links: managed by an
organization 6
“Fun” Internet-connected devices
bikes

Pacemaker & Monitor

Amazon Echo
IP picture frame

cars

Security Camera AR devices

scooters

Gaming devices
Others?
Internet phones Fitbit
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The Internet: a “nuts and bolts” view
mobile network
4G
▪ Internet: “network of networks” national or global ISP

• Interconnected ISPs
▪ protocols are everywhere Streaming
IP
Skype video
• control sending, receiving of messages
• e.g., HTTP (Web), streaming video, local or
regional ISP
Skype, TCP, IP, WiFi, 4G, Ethernet
home network content
provider
HTTP network datacenter
▪ Internet standards network
Ethernet
• RFC: Request for Comments
• IETF: Internet Engineering Task TCP
Force
WiFi
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The Internet: a “services” view
▪ Infrastructure that provides mobile network

services to applications: national or global ISP

• Web, streaming video, multimedia

teleconferencing, email, games, e- Streaming
commerce, social media, inter- Skype video
connected appliances, …
local or
regional ISP
▪ provides programming interface
to distributed applications: home network content
provider
• “hooks” allowing sending/receiving HTTP network datacenter
network
apps to “connect” to, use Internet
transport service
• provides service options, analogous
to postal service
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What’s a protocol?
Human protocols: Network protocols:
▪ “what’s the time?” ▪ computers (devices) rather than humans
▪ “I have a question” ▪ all communication activity in Internet
▪ introductions governed by protocols

Rules for:
Protocols define the format, order of
… specific messages sent messages sent and received among
… specific actions taken network entities, and actions taken
when message received,
or other events on message transmission, receipt

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What’s a protocol?
A human protocol and a computer network protocol:

Hi TCP connection
request
Hi TCP connection
response
Got the
time? GET
http://gaia.cs.umass.edu/kurose_ross
2:00
<file>
time

Q: other human protocols?

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Chapter 1: roadmap
▪ What is the Internet?
▪ What is a protocol?
▪ Network edge: hosts, access network,
physical media
▪ Network core: packet/circuit switching,
internet structure
▪ Performance: loss, delay, throughput
▪ Protocol layers, service models

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A closer look at Internet structure
mobile network

Network edge: national or global ISP

▪ hosts: clients and servers

▪ servers often in data centers
local or
regional ISP

home network content

provider
network datacenter
network

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A closer look at Internet structure
mobile network

Network edge: national or global ISP

▪ hosts: clients and servers

▪ servers often in data centers
local or
Access networks, physical media: regional ISP

▪ wired, wireless communication links home network content

provider
network datacenter
network

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A closer look at Internet structure
mobile network

Network edge: national or global ISP

▪ hosts: clients and servers

▪ servers often in data centers
local or
Access networks, physical media: regional ISP

▪ wired, wireless communication links home network content

provider
network datacenter
network
Network core:
▪ interconnected routers
▪ network of networks
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Access networks and physical media
Q: How to connect end systems to mobile network
national or global ISP
edge router?
▪ residential access nets
▪ institutional access networks (school,
company)
local or
▪ mobile access networks (WiFi, 4G/5G) regional ISP

home network content

provider
network datacenter
network

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Access networks: cable-based access
cable headend

cable splitter
modem

C
O
V V V V V V N
I I I I I I D D T
D D D D D D A A R
E E E E E E T T O
O O O O O O A A L

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Channels

frequency division multiplexing (FDM): different channels transmitted in

different frequency bands
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 Access networks: cable-based access
cable headend

cable splitter cable modem

modem CMTS termination system
data, TV transmitted at different
frequencies over shared cable ISP
distribution network

▪ HFC: hybrid fiber coax

• asymmetric: up to 30Mbps downstream transmission rate, 2
Mbps upstream transmission rate
▪ network of cable, fiber attaches homes to ISP router
• homes share access network to cable headend
• unlike DSL, which has dedicated access to central office
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Access networks: digital subscriber line (DSL)
central office telephone
network

DSL splitter
modem DSLAM

voice, data transmitted ISP

at different frequencies over DSL access
dedicated line to central office multiplexer

▪ use existing telephone line to central office DSLAM

• data over DSL phone line goes to Internet
• voice over DSL phone line goes to telephone net
▪ 24-52 Mbps dedicated downstream transmission rate
▪ 3.5-16 Mbps dedicated upstream transmission rate
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Access networks: home networks
Wireless and wired
devices

to/from headend or
central office
often combined
in single box

cable or DSL modem

WiFi wireless access router, firewall, NAT

point (54, 450 Mbps)
wired Ethernet (1 Gbps)
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Wireless access networks
Shared wireless access network connects end system to router
▪ via base station aka “access point”

Wireless local area networks Wide-area cellular access networks

(WLANs) ▪ Provided by mobile, cellular
▪ typically within or around operators (10's km coverage)
building (~100 ft) ▪ 10's Mbps transmission rate per-user
▪ 802.11b/g/n (WiFi): 11, 54, 450 ▪ 4G cellular network (5G is coming)
Mbps transmission rate

to Internet
to Internet
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Access networks: data center networks
mobile network
▪ high-bandwidth links (10s to 100s national or global ISP
Gbps) connect hundreds to thousands
of servers together, and to Internet

local or
regional ISP

home network content

provider
network datacenter
network

Courtesy: Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing

Center (mghpcc.org)

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Host: sends packets of data
host sending function:
▪ takes application message
▪ breaks into smaller chunks, two packets,
known as packets, of length L bits L bits each

▪ transmits packet into access

2 1
network at transmission rate R
• link transmission rate, aka link host
capacity, aka link bandwidth R: link transmission rate

packet time needed to L (bits)

transmission = transmit L-bit =
delay packet into link R (bits/sec)
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Links: physical media
▪ bit: propagates between Twisted pair (TP)
transmitter/receiver pairs
▪ two insulated copper wires
▪ physical link: what lies • Category 5: 100 Mbps, 1 Gbps Ethernet
between transmitter & • Category 6: 10Gbps Ethernet
receiver
▪ guided media:
• signals propagate in solid
media: copper, fiber, coax
▪ unguided media:
• signals propagate freely,
e.g., radio

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Links: physical media
Coaxial cable: Fiber optic cable:
▪ two concentric copper conductors ▪ glass fiber carrying light pulses, each
pulse a bit
▪ bidirectional
▪ high-speed operation:
▪ broadband: • high-speed point-to-point
• multiple frequency channels on cable transmission (10’s-100’s Gbps)
• 100’s Mbps per channel ▪ low error rate:
• repeaters spaced far apart
• immune to electromagnetic noise

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Links: physical media
Wireless radio Radio link types:
▪ signal carried in various ▪ Wireless LAN (WiFi)
“bands” in electromagnetic • 10-100’s Mbps; 10’s of meters
spectrum ▪ wide-area (e.g., 4G cellular)
▪ no physical “wire” • 10’s Mbps over ~10 Km
▪ broadcast, “half-duplex” (sender ▪ Bluetooth: cable replacement
to receiver) • short distances, limited rates
▪ propagation environment ▪ terrestrial microwave
effects:
• point-to-point; 45 Mbps channels
• reflection
• obstruction by objects ▪ satellite
• Interference/noise • up to 45 Mbps per channel
• 270 msec end-end delay

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