NETWORKING ESSENTIALS

BSD1206
 Definitions
1.1 Network Definition
 A computer network is an interconnected collection
autonomous computers where interconnected means
that the computers can exchange information and
Autonomous means that no computer can start, stop
control another computer connected to the network.
 A network can be defined as two or more
computers connected together in such a way tha
they can share resources.
The purpose of a network is to share resources.
 Definitions (cont..)
A resource may be:
• A file
• A folder
• A printer
• A disk drive
• Or just about anything else that exists on
computer.
 Definitions (cont..)
A network is simply a collection of computers or other
hardware devices that are connected together, either
physically or logically, using special hardware and softwa
to allow them to exchange information and cooperate.
Networking
Is the term that describes the processes involved in
designing, implementing, upgrading, managing and
otherwise working with networks and network technologie
 Advantages of networking
Increased Storage Capacity:
A standalone computer might fall short of storage memory, but when many
computers are on a network, memory of different computers can be used in
case. One can also design a storage server on the network in order to have
huge storage capacity.
Increased Cost Efficiency:
There are many software available in the market which are costly and take
for installation. Computer networks resolve this issue as the software can be
stored or installed on a system or a server and can be used by the different
workstations.
• Connectivity and Communication
• Resource Sharing:
• Internet Access Sharing
• Enhanced Data Security and Management
 The Disadvantages (Costs) of Networking
• Security Issues: When computers are on a network, a computer hack
can get unauthorized access by using different tools. In case of big
organizations,
various network security software are used to prevent the theft of any
confidential and classified data.
• Rapid Spread of Computer Viruses:
If any computer system in a network gets affected by computer virus, there is a possi

threat of other systems getting affected too .

• Expensive Set Up:
The initial set up cost of a computer network can be high depending on the
number of computers to be connected. Costly devices like routers, switches
hubs, etc.
• Dependency on the Main File Server: In case the main File Server

computer network breaks down, the system becomes useless .

 Fundamental Network Classifications
Local Area Networks (LANs):
• A local area network (LAN) is a computer network covering a sm
geographic area, like a home, office, or group of buildings
Characteristics of a LAN include:
a) Limited geographic operation
b) High speed data transfer rates
c) Full time connectivity to local services
d) Generally lower in cost than a WAN
e) Cabling is primary transmission medium

LAN technologies
Common LAN technologies are
a) Ethernet
b) Token Ring
c) FDDI
a) Wide Area Networks (WANs):
• Wide Area Network (WAN) is a computer network that covers a broad a
(i.e., any network whose communications links cross metropolitan, region
or national boundaries). Or, less formally, a network that uses routers an
public communications links
• The largest and most well-known example of a WAN is the Internet.
• WANs are used to connect LANs and other types of networks together, s
that users and computers in one location can communicate with users an
computers in other locations

Metropolitan Area Network (MAN):

o A metropolitan area network (MAN) is a network that interconnects users
computer resources in a geographic area or region larger than that cover
by even a large local area network (LAN) but smaller than the area cover
by a wide area network (WAN). The term is applied to the interconnection
networks in a city into a single larger network (which may then also offer
efficient connection to a wide area network). It is also used to mean the
interconnection of several local area networks by bridging them with
backbone lines. The latter usage is also sometimes referred to as a cam
network.
 Fundamental Network Classifications
Personal Area Networks
is a computer network used for communication among
computerized devices, including telephones and persona
digital assistants. PANs can be used for communication
among the personal devices themselves (intrapersonal
communication), or for connecting to a higher level netwo
and the Internet (an uplink). A wireless personal area
network (WPAN) is a PAN carried over wireless network
technologies such as Bluetooth, Wireless USB
 Intranet and Internet Specifications
• Intranet: An intranet is a private network that is contained within
enterprise. It may consist of many interlinked local area networks
also use leased lines in the wide area network.
• An intranet uses TCP/IP, HTTP, and other Internet protocols and
general looks like a private version of the Internet. With tunneling
companies can send private messages through the public networ
using the public network with special encryption/decryption and o
security safeguards to connect one part of their intranet to anothe
• Internet: is a worldwide system of computer networks - a networ
networks in which users at any one computer can, if they have
permission, get information from any other computer (and someti
talk directly to users at other computers).
 Client and Server computer role in
networking
• Server computer is a core component of the network,
providing a link to the resources necessary to perform
task.
• A server computer provides a link to the resources
necessary to perform any task.
• The link it provides could be to a resource existing on
server itself or a resource on a client computer.
• Client computers normally request and receive
information over the network client. Client computers a
depends primarily on the central server for processing
activities
 Categories of networks
Even with these similarities, networks are divided into two
broad categories:
a) Peer-to-peer
b) Server-based
• A peer-to-peer network is a network where the comput
act as both workstations and servers.
• great for small, simple, and inexpensive networks.
• In a strict peer-to-peer networking setup, every compu
is an equal, a peer in the network.
• Each machine can have resources that are shared wit
any other machine.
• There is no assigned role for any particular device, and
each of the devices usually runs similar software. Any
device can and will send requests to any other.
Peer-to peer network (cont..)
 Client/Server Networking
• In this design, a small number of computers are
designated as centralized servers and given the task o
providing services to a larger number of user machine
called clients
• Examples of specialized servers
File and print servers: Manages user access and use of f
and printer resources
Application servers: make the server side of client/server
applications as well as the data available to clients.
Mail servers: Is responsible for receiving, routing, and
delivering e-mail messages.
Client/Server Networking (cont..
 Network topology
• A topology is a way of “laying out” the
network. Topologies can be either physic
or logical.
• Physical topologies describe how the
cables are run.
• Logical topologies describe how the
network messages travel
 Network topology (cont.)
• Bus (can be both logical and physical)
• Star (physical only)
• Ring (can be both logical and physical)
• Mesh (can be both logical and physical)
 Network topology (cont.)
Bus
• A bus is the simplest physical topology. It consists of a
single cable that runs to every workstation
• This topology uses the least amount of cabling, but als
covers the shortest amount of distance.
• Each computer shares the same data and address pat
With a logical bus topology, messages pass through th
trunk, and each workstation checks to see if the messa
is addressed to itself. If the address of the message
matches the workstation’s address, the network adapt
copies the message to the card’s on-board memory.
Network topology (cont.)
 Network topology (cont.)
• Bus topology
 Network topology (cont.)
Star Topology
• A physical star topology branches each network device
a central device called a hub, making it very easy to ad
new workstation.
• Also, if any workstation goes down it does not affect th
entire network. (But, as you might expect, if the centra
device goes down, the entire network goes down.)
• Some types of Ethernet and ARCNet use a physical st
topology. Figure 8.7 gives an example of the organizat
of the star network.
 Network topology (cont.)
• Star topologies are easy to install. A cabl
is run from each workstation to the hub.
The hub is placed in a central location in
the office.
• Star topologies are more expensive to
install than bus networks, because there
are several more cables that need to be
installed, plus the cost of the hubs that ar
needed.
 Network topology (cont.)
• Star Topology
 Network topology (cont.)
Ring
• Each computer connects to two other compute
joining them in a circle creating a unidirectiona
path where messages move workstation to
workstation.
• Each entity participating in the ring reads a
message, then regenerates it and hands it to it
neighbor on a network cable.
 Network topology (cont.)
• The ring makes it difficult to add new
computers.
• Unlike a star topology network, the ring
topology network will go down if one enti
is removed from the ring.
• Physical ring topology systems don’t exis
much anymore, mainly because the
hardware involved was fairly expensive a
the fault tolerance was very low.
 Network topology (cont.)
• Ring Topology
 Network topology (cont.)
Mesh
• The mesh topology is the simplest logical topology in terms of da
flow, but it is the most complex in terms of physical design.
• In this physical topology, each device is connected to every other
device
• This topology is rarely found in LANs, mainly because of the
complexity of the cabling.
• If there are x computers, there will be (x × (x–1)) ÷ 2 cables in the
network. For example, if you have five computers in a mesh netw
it will use 5 × (5 – 1) ÷ 2, which equals 10 cables. This complexity
compounded when you add another workstation.
• For example, your five-computer, 10-cable network will jump to 1
cables just by adding one more computer. Imagine how the perso
doing the cabling would feel if you told them you had to cable 50
computers in a mesh network—they’d have to come up with 50 ×
– 1) ÷ 2 = 1225 cables!
 Network topology (cont.)
• Because of its design, the physical mesh topology is very expens
to install and maintain.
• Cables must be run from each device to every other device. The
advantage you gain from it is its high fault tolerance.
• With a logical mesh topology, however, there will always be a way
getting the data from source to destination.
• It may not be able to take the direct route, but it can take an altern
indirect route. It is for this reason that the mesh topology is still fo
in WANs to connect multiple sites across WAN links. It uses devic
called routers to search multiple routes through the mesh and
determine the best path.
• However, the mesh topology does become inefficient with five or
more entities.
 Network topology (cont.)
• Mesh Topology
 Network topology (cont.)
• Advantages and Disadvantages of Network Topologies

Topology Advantages Disadvantages

Bus Cheap. Easy to install. Difficult to reconfigure.

Break in bus disables
entire network.

Star Cheap. Easy to install. More expensive than bus.

Easy to reconfigure.
Fault tolerant.

Ring Efficient. Easy to install. Reconfiguration difficult.

Very expensive.

Mesh Simplest. Most fault tolerant. Reconfiguration extremely difficult.

Extremely expensive.
Very complex.
 Hardware, Software and Networks
Peripherals (device)
• Network Interface Card (NIC)
• Repeater
• Hub
• Bridge
• Routers
• Switch
 Hardware, Software and Networks Peripherals (cont.)

Network Interface Card (NIC)

• NIC provides the physical interface between computer and cablin
• It prepares data, sends data, and controls the flow of data. It can
receive and translate data into bytes for the CPU to understand.
• The following factors should be taken into consideration when
choosing a NIC:
1. - Preparing data
2. - Sending and controlling data
3. - Configuration
4. - Drivers
5. - Compatibility
6. - Performance
 Hardware, Software and Networks Peripherals (cont.)
Preparing Data
• In the computer, data moves along buses in parallel, a
on a four-lane interstate highway. But on a network cab
data travels in a single stream, as on a one lane highw
This difference can cause problems transmitting and
receiving data, because the paths traveled are not the
same.
• It is the NIC’s job to translate the data from the compu
into signals that can flow easily along the cable.
• It does this by translating digital signals into electrical
signals (and in the case of fiber-optic NICs, to optical
signals).
 Hardware, Software and Networks Peripherals (cont.)
Sending and Controlling Data
• For two computers to send and receive data, the cards must agre
several things. These include the following:
- The maximum size of the data frames
- The amount of data sent before giving
confirmation
- The time needed between transmissions
- The amount of time needed to wait before sending
confirmation
- The amount of data a card can hold
- The speed at which data transmits
• In order to successfully send data on the network, you need to m
sure the network cards are of the same type and they are connec
to the same piece of cable.
 Hardware, Software and Networks Peripherals (cont.)
Configuration

• The NIC’s configuration includes things like a

manufacturer’s hardware address, IRQ addres
Base I/O port address, and base memory
address. Some may also use DMA channels to
offer better performance.
• Each card must have a unique hardware
address. If two cards have the same hardware
addresses, neither one of them will be able to
communicate.
 Hardware, Software and Networks Peripherals (cont.)
Drivers

• For the computer to use the network

interface card, it is very important to insta
the proper device drivers.
• These drivers communicate directly with
the network redirector and adapter. They
operate in the Media Access Control
sublayer of the Data Link layer of the OS
model.
 Hardware, Software and Networks Peripherals (cont.)
Compatibility
• When choosing a NIC, use one that fits t
bus type of your PC. If you have more th
one type of bus in your PC (for example,
combination ISA/PCI), use an NIC that fit
into the fastest type (the PCI, in this case
• This is especially important in servers, as
the NIC can very quickly become a
bottleneck if this guideline isn’t followed.
 Hardware, Software and Networks Peripherals (cont.)
Performance

• The most important goal of the network

adapter card is to optimize network
performance and minimize the amount o
time needed to transfer data packets
across the network.
• There are several ways of doing this,
including assigning a DMA channel, use
a shared memory adapter, and deciding
allow bus mastering.
 Hardware, Software and Networks Peripherals (cont.)
Repeaters
• Repeaters are very simple devices. They allow a cabling system
extend beyond its maximum allowed length by amplifying the net
voltages so they travel farther.
• Repeaters are nothing more than amplifiers and, as such, are ver
inexpensive.
• Repeaters can only be used to regenerate signals between simila
network segments.
• For example, we can extend an Ethernet 10Base2 network to 400
meters with a repeater. But can’t connect an Ethernet and Token
network together with one.
• The main disadvantage to repeaters is that they just amplify signa
These signals not only include the network signals, but any noise
the wire as well.
• Eventually, if you use enough repeaters, you could possibly drow
out the signal with the amplified noise. For this reason, repeaters
used only as a temporary fix.
 Hardware, Software and Networks Peripherals (cont.)
The 5-4-3-2-1 Repeater Rule

Collision domains are portions of a network. When a network pack

transmitted over Ethernet, for example, it is possible for another pac
from a different source to be transmitted close enough in time to the
packet to cause a collision on the wire. The total range over which a
packet can travel and potentially collide with another is its collision
domain.
Propagation delays are a property of the physical medium (e.g.,
Ethernet). Propagation delays help determine how much of a time
difference between the sending of two packets on a collision domain
"close enough" to actually cause a collision. The greater the propaga
delay, the increased likelihood of collisons.
 Repeater Rule
The 5-4-3-2-1 rule limits the range of a collision domain by limiting th
propagation delay to a "reasonable" amount of time. The rule breaks
down as follows:
5 - the number of network segments
4 - the number of repeaters needed to join the segments into on
collision domain
3 - the number of network segments that have active (transmitti
devices attached
2 - The number of segments that do not have active devices
attached
1 - The number of collision domains
Because the last two elements of the recipe follow naturally from the
others, this rule is sometimes also known as the "5-4-3" rule for shor
 Hardware, Software and Networks Peripherals (cont.)
Hubs

• Hubs are devices used to link several computers toget

• They repeat any signal that comes in on one port and
copy it to the other ports (a process that is also called
broadcasting).
• There are two types of hubs: active and passive.
• Passive hubs simply connect all ports together electric
and are usually not powered.
• Active hubs use electronics to amplify and clean up the
signal before it is broadcast to the other ports.
• In the category of active hubs, there is also a class cal
“intelligent” hubs, which are hubs that can be remotely
managed on the network.
Hardware, Software and Networks Peripherals (cont.)
Hubs
 Hardware, Software and Networks Peripherals (cont.)
Bridges
• They join similar topologies and are used to divide network segm
• For example, with 200 people on one Ethernet segment, the
performance will be mediocre, because of the design of Ethernet
the number of workstations that are fighting to transmit. If you div
the segment into two segments of 100 workstations each, the tra
will be much lower on either side and performance will increase.
• If it is aware of the destination address, it is able to forward packe
otherwise a bridge will forward the packets to all segments. They
more intelligent than repeaters but are unable to move data acros
multiple networks simultaneously.
• Unlike repeaters, bridges can filter out noise.
• The main disadvantage to bridges is that they can’t connect dissi
network types or perform intelligent path selection. For that functi
you would need a router.
Hardware, Software and Networks Peripherals (cont.)
Bridges
 Hardware, Software and Networks Peripherals (cont.)
Routers
• Routers are highly intelligent devices that connect multiple netwo
types and determine the best path for sending data.
• The advantage of using a router over a bridge is that routers can
determine the best path that data can take to get to its destination
• Like bridges, they can segment large networks and can filter out
noise.
• However, they are slower than bridges because they are more
intelligent devices; as such, they analyze every packet, causing
packet-forwarding delays. Because of this intelligence, they are a
more expensive.
• Routers are normally used to connect one LAN to another.
• Typically, when a WAN is set up, there will be at least two routers
used.
Hardware, Software and Networks Peripherals (cont.)
Routers
Hardware, Software and Networks Peripherals (cont.)
• A network switch isSwitch
a computer networking device that connects network segme
• Low-end network switches appear nearly identical to network hubs, but a switch
contains more "intelligence" (and a slightly higher price tag) than a network hub.
• Network switches are capable of inspecting data packets as they are received,
determining the source and destination device of that packet, and forwarding it
appropriately.
• By delivering each message only to the connected device it was intended for, a
network switch conserves network bandwidth and offers generally better performa
than a hub.
• A vital difference between a hub and a switch is that all the nodes connected to
hub share the bandwidth among themselves, while a device connected to a switch
has the full bandwidth all to itself.
• For example, if 10 nodes are communicating using a hub on a 10-Mbps network,
each node may only get a portion of the 10 Mbps if other nodes on the hub want t
communicate as well. .
• But with a switch, each node could possibly communicate at the full 10 Mbps.
 Types of switches
Switches can be designed to forward frames in one of tw
ways: store and forward, or cut-through
STORE AND FORWARD
• A switch performing store-and-forward will wait to forw
a frame until it has received the entire frame. Store-an
forward is most often used in environments supporting
reliable physical or data link protocols. A received fram
often checked for errors before being forwarded. This t
of switch is inherently slower in environments where
upper layer protocols already provide reliable services
The tipoff that you are dealing with a store and forward
style switch is whether the switch has buffers.
CUT THROUGH
• Cut-through switches begin forwarding the frame as so
as the switch has read the destination address. A cut
through switch will forward the data before it has
completed receiving the frame. These switches will
function at wire speed, forwarding traffic as fast as it
receives it. Nearly all cut-through switches have no RA
buffers for storing frames.
Hardware, Software and Networks Peripherals (cont.)
Switch
 LAB1
• Connect 2 buildings 3 storey high with a distance of 50
between each building.
• Each floor is occupied by the Finance Department,
Administration Department and Computing Departmen
• Your report should have the following items. Anything
extra is encouraged.
a. Introduction
b. Network Diagrams
c. Devices that will be used.
• You are required to use MS Visio to draw the Network
Diagrams.