Computer Networks

: Understand the features and uses of computer networking

Learning Aim A1

Understand the features and uses of computer networking

What is a Computer Network?
 What is a Computer Network?
A computer network is essentially a group of
computers connected together in a way that allows
them to share information and resources. These
connections can be made using wires (like Ethernet
cables) or wirelessly (like Wi-Fi).
 What is a Computer Network?

There are three parts to a network system:

1. a sender of information;
2. a communications link;
3. a receiver of information.

11001010 11001010
 What is a Computer Network?

What do you need to connect to the Internet?

• ISP
• Telephone line
• Modem
• A digital communication system such as a PC / laptop, PDA, Mobile
phone
What does a modem do?
Converts digital signals (modulates) to analogue signals. When they reach
their destination through the telephone line the Modem then converts
analogue signals (demodulates) to digital signals
 What is a Computer Network?

What is an ISP?
(Internet Service Provider) is a company that provides individuals and
organizations access to the internet and related services
What software do we need to display web pages?
What software do we need to send emails?
What is the Internet?
A network of computer networks linked together with cables or wireless
technology
What is meant by bandwidth?
Bandwidth is the amount of data which can be transmitted down a
communications line in a given period of time
 What is a Computer Network?

What is a network?
A network consists of a set of computers which are linked together using
cables or wireless technology.
The benefits of computers which are linked together are that they can
share resources like:
• An Internet connection
• Peripherals like Printers
• Storage
• Software
Computers which are linked together can also communicate with each
other
What is a Computer Network?
 Key Features of Computer Networks
Connection Methods
• Wired: Uses physical cables
• Wireless: Uses radio waves or other methods.
Scope or Scale
• Personal Area Network (PAN): Limited areas & very close proximity, typically
within a person’s reach such as mobile phone and smartwatches or earbuds.
• Local Area Network (LAN): Covers a small area like a home or office.
• Metropolitan Area Network (MAN): Covers a city or a large campus.
• Wide Area Network (WAN): Spans across cities, states, or even countries.
Key Features of Computer Networks
 Key Features of Computer Networks
A Personal Area Network (PAN) is a small network created for personal use,
typically within a range of a few meters, to connect devices like smartphones,
tablets, and laptops for data sharing and communication
 Key Features of Computer Networks

A local area network (LAN) is normally used for sharing of resources such as a
printer or files of data.
LAN’s are usually confined to a single site, such as a school, but may extend to
groups of buildings stretched across a city, such as a university campus.
Each computer (workstation) on the network is linked by cable to a central server
using one of a number of systems.
 Key Features of Computer Networks

A Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) is a network that spans a larger geographic

area than a Local Area Network (LAN), typically covering a city or a metropolitan
area, and is designed to connect multiple LANs within this region to facilitate
efficient communication and resource sharing among them.
 Key Features of Computer Networks
A Wide Area Network (WAN) is a telecommunications network that extends over a
large geographical area, connecting multiple smaller networks, such as local area
networks (LANs) or metropolitan area networks (MANs), allowing computers and
users to communicate across cities, countries, or even continents.
A wide area network is normally used to link groups of computers across long
distances.
A multinational company in New York will have its own LAN, but to link with its
Japanese offices LAN, it will need to make use of a WAN.
Key Features of Computer Networks
 Computer Network Advantages
• Sharing of hardware resources such as printers, scanners, fax etc.
• Consider a school where many students need to print off their coursework.
• How would a whole class print off all their work in a single lesson if only one PC is connected to
the printer?
• Is connecting a printer to each computer a feasible solution?
• Software with a licence for 1 workstation on a network is cheaper than a licence for 10 workstations.
• The data backup is done centrally by a network manager server, daily or weekly
• What are the consequences if this is left to individuals?
• Better communication is achieved between local network users.
• What is a company Intranet?
• Improved security from theft, destruction, spying.
• Where are the data files kept on a networked system?
• Where are the data files kept on a PC?
• How can some networked workstations operate without a hard drive?
• As programs and folders/files (shared folders/files) are kept on the server, upgrading and maintenance
becomes one operation for all workstations that access these programs.
 How does the Internet works ?
Mainly, there is 2 protocols that are responsible of how the internet works,
the IP and TCP Protocol
• Internet Protocol (IP) is a set of rules governing the format of data
sent over the internet or other networks. It’s essentially the postal
service of the internet. When you send a letter, you need an address
for it to reach its destination; similarly, data packets on the internet
need an IP address
• The Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) is like a quality control
supervisor, ensuring that packets of data are sent and received in the
order they were intended, without errors
IP is responsible for moving packet of data from node to node, while TCP
is responsible for verifying the correct delivery of data from client to
server. They work together to make the internet a reliable tool for
communication.
For example, when you load a webpage, TCP/IP works to deliver the
HTML, images, and other data that comprise the page from the web
server to your device. IP takes care of the address part—making sure the
data gets to the right destination, while TCP ensures all parts of the
webpage arrive correctly and can be reassembled into a coherent page
for you to view.
What is an IP Address ?
 What is an IP Address ?
If the internet is a global highway system, then IP
addresses are the house numbers and street names.
They ensure that the data packets (like mail packages
reach) the correct destination without getting lost.
IP Address, or Internet Protocol Address, is a unique
numerical label assigned to each device connected to a
computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for
communication. It serves two principal functions:
• Network Interface Identification: It identifies the host, or
more specifically its network interface. It’s like the
unique name tag for your device on a network.
• Location Addressing: It provides the location of the host
in the network, enabling the network to establish a path
to that host. Think of it as the postal address for your
device that allows data to be sent to and from it.
 Main Network Devices
• Router: A networking device that forwards data packets between computer
networks. Routers perform traffic directing functions on the Internet. (will be
discussed in details next session)
• Switches: A network switch is a computer networking device that connects devices
together on a computer network by using packet switching to receive, process, and
forward data to the destination device. (will be discussed in details next session)
• Client: A client is a piece of computer hardware or software that accesses a service
made available by a server.
• Server: A computer program or device that provides functionality for other programs
or devices, called “clients”. This architecture is called the client–server model.
• File Server: A file server is a server that stores and manages files in a central
location.
• Web Server: A web server is a server that hosts websites and delivers web
pages to clients upon request.
 Advantages of a Standalone PC
• The setup of a stand alone system is cheaper, there are no special software, connections
and cabling required.
• The IT manager requires less knowledge than a network administrator.
• Security problems are isolated such as a virus introduced by an infected floppy disk.
• The system is not dependant on the running and maintenance of a central server, therefore
is less expensive to run.
Network Topology
Topology is the way devices are connected
either physically and / or logically.
There are different topologies:
• Bus: all devices are connected to a single
central cable
• Ring: Devices are connected in a closed loop,
with each device connected to two others
• Star: Star topology features a central hub or
switch to which all other devices are
connected
• Mesh: Each device connected to multiple
devices, creating multiple paths for data to
travel
Network Topology
 Bus Network
All devices are connected to a single central cable, known as the backbone. Data is
sent along this backbone and is available to all devices on the network. It’s simple and
cost-effective but not suitable for large networks due to potential data collisions and
difficulties in troubleshooting
• Data is sent from the sender to all other devices (nodes), this may be the server or
a workstation.
• Advantages: simple, reliable, cheap, short cabling.
• Disadvantage: slow when busy or a large network, as only one computer at a time
can transmit data.

Workstations,
Terminal
File Server,
Printer.
Central Cable
 Bus Topology

What would happen to the network if a workstation

breaks down?

X
 Ring topology

What would happen to the network if a

workstation breaks down?

•
•
Advantage: all nodes can access the Token
equally, high speed.
Disadvantage: all on one path, therefore
maintenance is high for faults and failures.
X
 Star topology
Star topology features a central hub or switch to
which all other devices are connected. Each device
has a dedicated connection to the hub, making it
easy to add or remove devices without affecting the
rest. However, if the central hub fails, the entire
network goes down
• Data is controlled by a central server, messages
sent and received are read by the controller. Each
workstation has Its own dedicated link.
• Advantages: fast with high volumes of data, extra
nodes added without any disconnections.
This topology is common in small to medium-sized
networks because it's simple, scalable, and if one
device (and not the switch) fails, others remain
unaffected.
 Star topology

What would happen to the network if a

workstation breaks down?

Disadvantages: if the Central controller fails the

whole system is down, large amounts of cable
are required, so it may get expensive.
X
 Mesh topology

Mesh topology is highly redundant, with each device

connected to multiple other devices, creating multiple
paths for data to travel. This makes it very reliable,
as the network can still operate even if some
connections fail. It’s more complex and expensive to
implement, especially in full mesh configurations
where every device is connected to every other
device
• Data sent from node to node goes by a direct link.
Possible to leave out some paths as there are
many alternative routes.
• Advantages: very fast, and fault tolerant.
• Disadvantages: very large amounts of cabling,
resulting In higher maintenance costs.
 Mesh topology

What would happen to the network if a workstation

breaks down?

X
Full & Half Duplex
 Network Architecture

Architecture
• Peer-to-peer: Every computer can act as a client or a server
• Client-server: Dedicated servers provide resources or services to clients
 Peer To Peer (P2P) network
Peer To Peer (P2P) network is a decentralized model where each
participant, or “peer,” has equivalent capabilities and responsibilities.
there is no central server in a P2P network; instead, each peer can act
both as a client and a server.
• Peers can share files directly with each other without needing a
central server. This can include data, processing power, or network
bandwidth
• Since there’s no central server, P2P networks are less vulnerable to
single points of failure. If one peer goes down, it doesn’t affect the rest
of the network
• P2P networks can easily scale up by adding more peers, although
each additional peer adds to the complexity of the network.
P2P networks are commonly used for file sharing, as in torrent systems,
and blockchain. They are particularly suitable for smaller organizations or
scenarios where centralized control is not necessary or desired.
However, they can be less efficient than client-server networks for certain
tasks and can present challenges in terms of management and security
 Client-Server Model
The client-server model is a way that users connect to application server to request
data or browse the internet
How It Works:
• Clients request services or resources from a server.
• Servers are powerful computers or programs that provide services or resources to
clients. They respond to client requests by performing the required task and
sending back the data or service outcome.
 Key Features of Computer Networks
Advantages:
Centralized Control: All data and resources are managed in a single place, which
simplifies administration and enhances security.
Scalability: The capacity of clients and servers can be adjusted independently to
meet demand.
Cost-Efficiency: Maintenance costs are lower, and data recovery is more
straightforward.
Disadvantages:
Security Risks: Clients can be exposed to malware if the server is compromised.
Servers are also vulnerable to attacks like Denial of Service (DoS).
Data Integrity: Data packets could be intercepted or altered during transmission,
leading to potential security breaches.
Network Interface Card
A Network Interface Card can be also be wireless.
Network Ports / Cables
Network Port Network Cables
 How do we secure a network ?
• Access Control: Tools that manage who has the permission to use a network resource.
• Full Control: Allows users to read, write, change, and delete files and subfolders. In
addition, users can change permissions settings for all files and subdirectories
• Read: Allows users to view the folder and subfolder contents.
• Write: Allows users to add files and subfolders, allows you to write to a file.
• Encryption: Encoding files and communications to prevent unauthorized access.
• Firewall: A Firewall is a device that protect the network from malicious connection, by
scanning packets (or messages) and blocking malicious ones, and to control incoming and
outgoing network traffic based on an applied rule set.
• Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS): Monitoring network traffic for suspicious activity and
known threats.
• Virus Protection: Software designed to detect and remove malware and protect against
cyber threats.
• Backup: Solutions: that copy and archive computer data so it may be used to restore the
original after a data loss event.
Activity 1: Designing a Network
Setup a network for a small company that includes the following teams
• HR, IT, Finance, Customer Service, each team should be able to access a shared Printer,
internal web server, database and shared file server, finance team will have an extra
printer, IT and Admin teams have access to all of the network resources
Activity 1: Designing a Network
• User Accounts and Groups creating from a central server, assigning users to groups,
and roles to groups (IT, Finance, HR, Customer Service)
• Access Rights and Privileges, who should have full control over the network,
add/remove users, and manage passwords, setting up shared folders with access
rights (read only, read/write)
• Folders and Files configurations, which group/role can have full access to specific
files/folder? And which group/role can have limited access ?
• IT and Admin team’s read only access to the files to be able to backup the files
• Ensure all computers are connected to the network printer.
• Implement remote desktop capabilities for the Admin to manage other users’
sessions.
• Install utility software like Antivirus and Firewall for network security.
• Set up a server to manage user accounts, groups, and shared resources (such as
printers!).
• IT and Admin capabilities: adding users, setting login restrictions, & PW MGMT.
Packet Tracer Demo!
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