• 1.

to join (things, such as computers) in a

network
• 2:a system of computers connected by
communications lines
• 3:a group of connected radio or television
stations
• net·work: [net-wurk] – a system
containing any combination of
computers, computer terminals,
printers, audio or visual display
devices, or telephones
interconnected by telecommunication
equipment or cables: used to
transmit or receive information.
• A network of computers that are in the same
physical location, such as home or building
• Usually connected using Ethernet
• A standard on how computers communicate
over a shared media (cable)
• Old: BNC (Bayonet Neill–Concelman) connector for coaxial cable

New: RJ45 for twisted pair cable

- MAN is used to combine into a network group
located in different buildings into a single
network. The diameter of such a network can
range from 5 to 50 kilometers.
- The communication infrastructures that have
been developed in and around large cities.
- A connection of MAN that exceeds 50kms
- A network that connects two or more local-area
networks over a potentially large geographic distance
- Communication between networks is called
internetworking.

- The Internet, as we know it today, is essentially the

ultimate wide-area network, spanning the entire
globe.
1. The CLIENT-SERVER Model
- The model consists of one or more servers
that provides services/applications or
resources to one or more individual
computers called clients. The client and
server communicates using a computer
network.
• a SERVER is a computer providing one or more
services(printing, file , data and information sharing,
email, and other applications) to serve other
computers and devices. A SERVER machine runs the
different programs or applications and services
which share their resources with clients.
• A CLIENT does not share any of its resources but
requests a server’s content or service function.
• A CLIENT is a computer or device that is requesting a service
or resources from a server. The client computer sends the
request to the server machine.
• PEER-TO-PEER MODEL
• -consists of two or more connected computers
sharing similar capabilities,
• Services and resources.
• -Files can be shared directly between systems
on the network without the need of a central
server.
• e.g limewire, kazaa
• The only requirements for a computer to join a peer-to-peer
network are an Internet connection and P2P software. Common
P2P software programs include Kazaa, Limewire, BearShare,
Morpheus, and Acquisition. These programs connect to a P2P
network, such as "Gnutella," which allows the computer to access
thousands of other systems on the network.
• Once connected to the network, P2P software allows you to
search for files on other people's computers. Meanwhile, other
users on the network can search for files on your computer, but
typically only within a single folder that you have designated to
share. While P2P networking makes file sharing easy and
convenient, is also has led to a lot of software piracy and
illegal music downloads. Therefore, it is best to be on the safe
side and only download software and music from legitimate
websites.
• It is a representation or structure
of a network that deals with
different types of connectivity
• It is the physical and logical
design of a network.
• POINT-TO-POINT TOPOLOGY
• -the simplest topology consisting of two
connected computers.
• This is the simplest and the earliest type of
topology that links two end points.
• A configuration for a LAN in which all nodes
are connected to a main communications
line.
• The BUS TOPOLOGY uses a common cable to
connect all the computers.

• - A computer wanting to communicate with

another computer on the network sends the
message to all computers through the cable, but
only the target computer accepts the message.
• A local area network in which devices are
connected in a closed loop or ring.
• In a ring network, packets of data travel from one
device to the next until they reach their destination.
Most ring topologies allow packets to travel only in
one direction, called a unidirectional ring network.
Others permit data to move in either direction,
called bidirectional.
•Alternatively
referred to as a star
network.
• The central network device acts as a server and
the peripheral devices act as clients.
• A local area network in which each
device(node) is connected to a central computer
in a star-shaped configuration; commonly, a
network consisting of a central computer
surrounded by terminals
• Uses a central device such as a hub,
switch, or a router to connect a computer/
computer to the network. All
communications requests are transmitted
through the central device before reaching
the intended target computer.
• Centralized management of the network, through the use of the
central computer, hub, or switch.
• Easy to add another computer to the network.
• If one computer on the network fails, the rest of the network
continues to function normally.
• When two hubs of different
topologies are joined so that the
devices attached to them can
communicate as in figure, it is called a
Star-Bus network.
• When a computer on a typical star bus sends a
message, it travels to the hub. If the hub is an
active hub, it regenerates the signal and then
sends it out via all ports to the rest of the
computers on the network. If the hub is a
switching hub, it sends the message out via only
the port to which the destination computer is
attached.
• Each computer includes everything it needs to
serve as a relay point for sending information
to any other computer on the network.
In a mesh topology, every device in the network
is physically connected to every other device in
the network.
• Can handle high amounts of traffic,
because multiple devices can transmit
data simultaneously.
• A failure of one device does not cause a
break in the network or transmission of
data.
• Node – (latin nodus, ‘knot’)

any device that is connected to a

network; usually, this means a
PC, but other devices, such as
printers, can also be nodes.
-How nodes are linked

e.g CABLES
FIBER OPTIC
RADIO WAVES
• Workstation – simply as a regular home computer

• Host – It gives data

• Protocol – It is how data is formatted, transmitted, and received

• Network Interface Card – allows the computer to connect to the
network
• E.g
• Network Interface Card: Network adapter is a device that
enables a computer to talk with other computer/network.
• Using unique hardware addresses (MAC address) encoded on
the card chip, the data-link protocol employs these addresses to
discover other systems on the network so that it can transfer
data to the right destination.
• - Company that sells access to the internet, allowing users to
send e-mail and browse WWW(World Wide Web), among
other tasks.
• The World is an Internet service provider originally
headquartered in Brookline, Massachusetts. It was the first
commercial ISP in the world, with its first customer logging on in
November 1989.
• the World is operated by Software Tool & Die. The site
and services were initially hosted solely under
the domain name world.std.com which continues to
function to this day.
• Dial-Up (Analog 56Kbps).
-A modem (internal or external) connects to the Internet after the
computer dials a phone number. This analog signal is converted
to digital via the modem and sent over a land-line serviced by a
public telephone network.

-WINDOWS 95/98
• one that handles a wide band of frequencies.

• wide bandwidth data transmission which transports multiple

signals and traffic types.

• The medium can be coaxial cable, optical fiber, radio or twisted

pair.
• -an internet connection that is always “on”. DSL
uses a router to transport data and the range
of connection speed, depending on the service
offered, is between 128K to 8 Mbps.
• Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) – Used primarily
by residential customers, ADSL allows faster downstream data
transmission over the same line used to provide voice service,
without disrupting regular telephone calls on that line.
• Symmetrical Digital Subscriber Line (SDSL) – Used typically
by businesses for services such as video conferencing, which
need significant bandwidth both upstream and downstream.
• a form of broadband Internet access which uses the same
infrastructure as a cable television.

• Cable provides an internet connection through a cable modem

and operates over cable TV lines.

• Cable speeds range from 512K to 20 Mbps.

• The newest broadband service is fiber-optic, which is the fastest
Internet connection thus far.

• You might think of your Internet connection as the pipe that

connects you to your water service. Less water can flow through
a narrow, older pipe than through a broad, brand new pipe.
Fiber-optic is the biggest digital pipe that technology has come
up with so far.
• Standard ADSL broadband is restricted to 24Mbps but fiber
connections can provide customers with lightning-fast speeds
presently reaching 100Mbps.
• Wireless broadband is used to provide both fixed and mobile
Internet access

• Wireless, or Wi-Fi, as the name suggests, does not use

telephone lines or cables to connect to the internet.

• IEEE 802.11ac - supercharged version of 802.11n.

• How does Wi-Fi work?
• A Wi-Fi network uses radio waves to wirelessly transmit information
across a LAN, the reach of which can be extended by a Wi-Fi range
extender. A computer utilizes a wireless adapter to translate data
transmitted by radio waves. These waves are different from those
emitted by, for example, FM radios, for which frequency is measured
in megahertz (MHz). Wi-Fi's signals are transmitted in frequencies of
between 2.5 and 5 gigahertz (GHz). This signal is then transmitted
from the adapter through a router, after which it is sent to the
internet.
• Is the marketing term for wireless Internet access through
a portable modem, USB wireless modem, tablet/smartphone or
other mobile device.
• 1G refers to the first generation
of wireless cellular technology (mobile telecommunications).
These are the analog telecommunications standards that were
introduced in the 1980s
• The main difference between the two mobile cellular systems
(1G and 2G), is that the radio signals used by 1G networks are
analog, while 2G networks are digital.
• 2G technologies enabled the various mobile phone networks to
provide the services such as text messages, picture messages
and MMS (multi media messages). 2G technology is more
efficient. 2G technology holds sufficient security for both the
sender and the receiver. All text messages are digitally
encrypted. This digital encryption allows for the transfer of
data in such a way that only the intended receiver can receive
and read it.
• GSM -Global System for Mobile Communications
• CSD – CIRCUID SWITCH DATA
• CDPD - Cellular Digital Packet Data
• GSM-GPRS (General Packet Radio Services) 2.5G
• GSM-EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution)2.75G
• 1G – voice signal only
• 2G- Voice and data signals
• 2.5G” using GPRS (General Packet Radio Service)
• 2.75 – EDGE is an abbreviation for Enhanced Data rates for GSM
Evolution. EDGE technology is an extended version of GSM. It allows
the clear and fast transmission of data and information up to
384kbit/s speed.
• 3G – Voice, Data and Video signals
• 4G- High Speed
In Summary
Symbol Name Generation Download UK Date
Speeds
G GPRS 2G 0.1 Mb/s 2000
E EDGE 2.5G 0.4 Mb/s 2006
3G 3G 3G 2 Mb/s 2003
H HSDPA 3.5G 7.2 Mb/s 2006
H+ HSDPA+ 3.75G 21 Mb/s 2011
LTE LTE / 4G 4G 100 Mb/s 2013
• Satellite accesses the internet via a satellite in Earth’s orbit. The
enormous distance that a signal travels from earth to satellite
and back again, provides a delayed connection compared to
cable and DSL. Satellite connection speeds are around 512K to
2.0 Mbps.
• Is an intermediary device that connects to a LAN to a larger
LAN or WAN
• Passive, repeating any inputs to all computers

• A hub is a common connection point for devices in a network.

• When a packet arrives at one port, it is copied to the other

ports so that all segments of the LAN can see all packets.
• Logically it works Like BUS Topology But Look like STAR
Topology.
• Hub is a device that splits a network connection into multiple
computers. It is like a distribution center.
• When a computer request information from a network or a
specific computer, it sends the request to the hub through a
cable.
• The hub will receive the request and transmit it to the entire
network. Each computer in the network should then figure out
whether the broadcast data is for them or not.
• A switch is used to connect various network segments. A network
switch is a small hardware device that joins multiple computers
together within one local area network.

• Selectively switching inputs to specific destination computers.

• Just as in hub, devices in switches are connected to them through

twisted pair cabling.
 HUB SWITCH
Layer Physical layer. Hubs are Data Link
classified as Layer 1 Layer.
devices per the OSI Network
model. switches
operate at
Layer 2 of
the OSI
model.
 Ports 4/12 ports Switch is multi port
Bridge. 24/48 ports
Device Type Passive Device Active Device (With
(Without Software) Software) &
Networking device
• - An entry point to a computer network.

• In ENTERPRISES, the gateway is the computer that routes the

traffic from a workstation to the outside network that is serving
the Web pages. In homes, the gateway is the ISP that connects
the user to the internet.
• The Gateway controls traffic that travels from the inside
network to the Internet and provides security from traffic that
wants to enter the inside network from the Internet.
• In the image above the Gateway IP Address would be
192.168.5.222, using the example addresses from above. This
gateway could be a router that would have two network
connections, one to the internal network and one to the Internet.
The IP Address of the workstations and web server would need to
be addresses on the 192.168.5.0 network to connect to the
gateway. Notice that the workstations and server all connect to a
hub/switch before they connect to the gateway since the gateway
will probably have only one connection.
• When you add a computer to your home network that needs
access to the Internet, one of the required settings is the Gateway.
Your computer needs to know how to get to the Internet, thus the
Gateway. You then need to supply the IP Address of your
Gateway so that computer has access.
-is
a term used to describe all data communications on a
computer or computer network at a given point.

-During high traffic periods a computer or computer network

may slow down and become congested if not adequate for
the load. In some cases, too much traffic may prevent a
computer or network device from operating.
•FIREWALL – Keeps external
users from accessing resources
on the LAN while letting LAN
users access the external
information.
•Is a network security system
that monitors and controls
incoming and outgoing network
traffic based on predetermined
security rules.