Networking

Python Advanced #5

What is Net Code?

Networking is a huge field, so we will stick to
high level concepts that are important for
programming.
Networking is the concept of two programs
communicating across a network. Whether it be
from client-client, client-server or even client to
itself.
Client An end device interfacing with a human.
Sever A device providing a service for clients.

What is Net Code?

Client/Server model
Most common.
Clients connect in to the server to get
information they require.
Web browser(client) connects to the
Google Website(Server)

What is Net Code?

Peer-to-Peer model
Useful for services that dont have to be
constantly available. (Skype, Game Servers)
Clients connect to other clients without the
use of a central server.
(Is actually a Client/Server model at its
core, just clients are acting as a server and
client)

What is Net Code?

Terminology:
Address An IP address, eg 127.0.0.1
Port A port number, eg 5000
Port numbers 1 1024 are reserved for
core protocols, Try to use something
above 1024 but below 65535.

Sockets
Sockets are the programming abstractions for
connections.
They allow us to communicate in a bidirectional
manner.
Once they are connected or ready to transmit.
We can use them to send data and receive data.
They implement the common transport
protocols TCP and UDP.

Socket Methods
socket(socket_family, socket_type)
The constructer creates a new socket.
bind((hostname,port))
Bind takes a turple of a host address and port
listen()
Starts listening for TCP connections
accept()
Accepts a connection when found .(returns new
socket)

Socket Methods
connect((hostname,port))
Takes a turple of the address and port.
recv(buffer)
Tries to grab data from a TCP connection.
(Waits)
send(bytes)
attempts to send the bytes given to it.
close()
Closes a socket/connection and frees the port.

TCP
Transmission Control Protocol.
Reliable Connection based Protocol
Ordered & Error checked (simple
checksum)
Used by Web Browsers, Email, SSH, FTP,
etc

Capitalize Sentence
Program

Lets create a basic client server program

that uses TCP to connect and send text to
a server the server then replies with that
text capitalized.
We will build the Server first then the
Client.
tcpServer.py and tcpClient.py

UDP
User Datagram Protocol
Un-Reliable Connection-less based
protocol
Low Overhead
Used for VOIP, Online Games, Streaming.

UDP Capitalize
Lets create the same program as before this
time using a UDP connection.
udpServer.py and udpClient.py
You will notice we use recvfrom() and sendto()
This is because UDP is Connectionless, we
need to tell the data where to go when we
send it.

Non Blocking
It is possible and often needed, to set a socket
to non blocking. This means that the program
will not sit and wait for data to be received.
Often used in Real-time programs.
When a task cannot be spread over threads.
Always throws an error if there is nothing in
the buffer!!!

Next
CGI Programming
Feel free to leave any questions in
the comments.