IT 111: INTRODUCTION TO INFORMATION

TECHNOLOGY
 Overview of Telecommunication systems.
 Types of data transmission:
 Modes of data transmission,
 Data traffic flow and co-ordination.
 Introduction to computer networks.
 Network topology.
 Types of computer networks.
 Client and Peer to peer LAN Architecture;
 Type of computer networks medium
 Why computer need to be networked?
 Network application
 Computer networks hardware/ accessories.
 Data communication is the transfer or transmission of
data/ messages from one point to another.
 The data being transmitted involves text, images, audio,
video, multimedia data.
 The communication system consists of three basic elements,
which are:-
1. Sender (Source): A sender creates message to be
transmitted.
2. Medium: Carries message from source to destination.
3. Receiver (Destination): Receives transmitted message
from the source.
Medium Destination/
Receiver
 Data transmission can be categorized into two types based
on the number of bits sent simultaneously in the network.
1. Serial (Synchronous and Asynchronous).
2. Parallel
1. PARALLEL DATA TRANSMISSION
 Parallel transmission requires multiple communication lines.
 All bits of data are transmitted simultaneously on separate
communications line.
 In order to transmit n bits, n lines (wires) are used.
 Thus, each bit has it’s own line.
 Parallel transmission is used over a short distance.
2. SERIAL DATA TRANSMISSION
 Serial transmission requires only one communication line to
transmit data.
 In serial, bits of data are transmitted one after another
 Thus, all bits are transmitted on single line in a serial manner.
 It is used over a long distance.
 Transmission mode defines direction of flow of
information between two communication devices.
 Hence, there is three modes of data transmission based on
the direction of exchange of information, which are:-
1. Simplex
2. Half-Duplex
3. Full-Duplex
1. Simplex
 Is the one in which communication takes place in only
one direction.
 Example broadcast system (Radio and Tv).
2. Half-Duplex
 communication takes place in both directions, but only in
one direction at a time.
 Example Radia calls (i.e. Walkie-talkies).
3. Full-Duplex: allows information to flow simultaneously in
both directions. Example Telephone.
 A diagram to describe the modes of transmission
 A computer network is an interconnected group of
computers and computing equipment using either wires or
radio waves that can share data and computing resources.
 Computer networks that use radio waves (i.e.
Electromagnetic waves) are termed wireless
 Node: A device, usually a personal computer connected to a
computer network.
 Topology: A physical layout of a network.
 Network Topology: Describes how computers are arranged
in a network.
 The network topology includes:-
 Star topology
Bus topology
Ring topology
Mesh topology
 Star Topology
 In this topology, each device
(Node) is connected to a
central device called Hub.
 All devices communicate
through the hub Hub
i.e they can not
communicate to each other
 Star Topology……
In this topology, any connection failure of a node will not affect
the overall system.

But the failure of a Hub will eventually affect the whole network.
 Bus Topology
Bus topology has a single
line to which all other nodes
are attached.
Nodes are connected using a
main cable through drop lines
 if one node fails, does not
affect the rest of the
network

Main Cable
 Ring Topology
Each computer is connected with
the two devices on either side.
Ring network links all nodes in a
circular chain forming a ring thus
called a ring.
 Connection failure of any device
affects whole system(network).
 Mesh Topology
In mesh topology, each
device is connected to every
other device on the network
through dedicated point-to-
point link.
Each node must be linked or
connected to another.
 Mesh Topology
Since every node must be connected to each other, if a
network has n nodes, the each computer is connected to
(n-1) devices.
Number of link (cables) for n computers = n(n-1)/2.
 Hence, it uses a lot of cables.
 Depending on the coverage, there are three basic types of
network, which are:-
 Local Area Network (LAN).
 Wide Area Network (WAN).
Metropolitan Area Network (MAN).
 Local Area Network (LAN).
Is a group of computers connected to each other in a small
area such as a Building or Office.
Or is a kind of a network that cover small/ limited
geographical area.
 Wide Area Network (WAN)
Is a network that extends over a large geographical area
such as State, Country or Continent.
It is quite bigger than LAN
Example Internet.
 MAN
Covers larger geographical area by interconnecting different
LANs to form a larger network.
It is relative larger than LAN but smaller than WAN
i.e it is intermediate.
 There are two ways to organize the resources in networking,
which are:-
 Peer to Peer Networking
The one in which group of computers communicate directly with
each other, rather than through a central server
Ring and mesh topology fall under this category.
 Client/ server Networking
The one in which group of computers communicate a central
server.
It involves a server, the computer that controls the network
Star topology falls under this category.
 In Computer networks, the transmission media is broadly
classified into two categories that are
 Guided media and
 Unguided media.

The basic difference between guided and unguided media is

that in the guided media, the signal travels through a
physical medium (Wired) whereas, in unguided media, the
signal travel through the air (Wireless).
 Guided transmission media are more commonly known as
the wired communication or bounded transmission
media.
 The electromagnetic signals travel between the
communicating devices through a physical
medium/conductor. As the medium for transmission is a
physical conductor, it also provides direction to the signal.
 But there are physical limitations of the conductor in the
guided media. Like the length of the conductor, its installation
cost, its maintenance, etc
 The guided media is categorized further into three
categories that are
twisted-pair cable (Unshielded and Shielded),
coaxial cable and
fiber-optic cable.
(To be discussed).
 Computer need to be networked due the following reasons:-
1. Sharing of information(i.e Data communication).
2. Sharing of hardware or software (e.g sharing of a printer).
3. Centralize administration and support.
 Electronic mail
 Voice mail
 Facsimile (FAX) Technology
 E – Commerce
 Instant banking
 Video conferencing etc.
S/N DEVICE NAME DESCRIPTION OR FUNCTION
1 Hub Centralized device that connects multiple devices in a single LAN
2 Switch Just like a Hub, connects multiple devices on a LAN
3 Bridge Divides larger network into smaller segments
4 Router Connect different network segments.

5 Patch panel Used to organize UTP cables Systematically

6 Proxy Hide internal networks from the outside

7 Gateway Forward packets originated from local host, intended for remote
networks.
8 Modem Device that is used to connect to the internet.
9 Network Interface Converts data packets between two different data transmission
Card (NIC) technologies.
 In your groups discuss the following questions.

1. Advantages and disadvantages of each network topology

discussed.
2. Distinguish synchronous from asynchronous data
transmission