COMPUTER NETWORKS AND WEB TECHNOLOGIES

GENERAL OBJECTIVES

On completion of this Section, students should develop an awareness of:

 basic networking concepts, including mobile networks; and,
 Internet and Web Technology concepts.

Specific Objective: distinguish among types of networks

A network is a communications, data exchange and resource-sharing system created by linking

two or more computers, using established standards or protocols so that they can work together

There are main types of computer are

 local area networks (LANs)

 metropolitan area network (MANs)

 wide area network (WANs)

Local Area Network (LAN)

A local area network (LAN) is a network of computers that are connected by cables over
a fairly small area, usually within one building, such as an office or a school that can
share peripherals, files and programs and communicate with each other on the network.
Each microcomputer that forms part of the network is connected either by cables or by a

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wireless link. The devices shared by a LAN may include printers, hard drives, disk
drives, optical drives (CD-ROM, CD-RW, DVS-ROM, DVD-RW), modems and fax
machines.

Advantages

A LAN’s ability to share information and communicate with the devices and computers
on the network has many benefits for its users:

 Hardware such as printers can be share.

 Storage facilities can be shared.
 Software and data files can be shared by many users.
 It is usually cheaper to buy one copy of a software application and pay the license
fee for several machines, than to buy individual packages for each computer.
 Users can work together on a single document.
Disadvantages:

 The initial set-up costs are high

 There is an increased risk of data corruption. Since many users will be using
system, there is a greater chance of data being corrupted or tampered with.
 There is a greater risk from viruses, because they are easily spread between the
computers that are part of the LAN.
 If the file server fails, all the workstations are affected and work stored on the
shard hard disk drivers will be possible to use network printers etc.
 Networks can be complicated to maintain and may require a network manager.
Additional cost may therefore be incurred.
Wide Area Network (WANs)

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 A WAN can connect mainframes, LANs and PCs across a large geographical area
such as a city, a state or a country. LAN’s are often connected to WANs using a
special interface device called a gateway A gateway is an interface that enables
communication between two different networks. Information can be transmitted using
special high-speed telephone lines, microwave links, satellite links or a combination
of all three. WANs are used mainly by universities and research centres sob that
information can be shared and by large organizations, companies and banks with
branched in different countries, to share information and processing load between
various branches.

Metropolitan Area Network

A Metropolitan area network is a communication network covering a geographic area

the size of a city or large campus. It geographically fall between a LAN and internet.
The purpose of a MAN is often to bypass local telephone companies when accessing
long distance services. Cellular phone systems are usually MANs.
Specific Objective: differentiate between Internet, extranet and intranet
Level of privacy (intranet, extranet, Internet).

Internet
A global network connecting millions of computers. More than 100 countries are linked
into exchanges of data, news and opinions.

It is possible to gain access through a commercial Internet Service Provider (ISP).

The Internet is not synonymous with World Wide Web. The Internet uses a capability
known as the World Wide Web. World Wide Web is a system of universally accepted
standards of storing, retrieving, formatting, and displaying information in a networked
environment. Information is stored and displayed as electronic “pages” that contain text,
graphics, animations, sound and video, called web pages. These web pages can be linked

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electronically to other web pages, regardless of where they are located and viewed by any
computer. The web can serve as the foundation for new kinds of information systems,
product and services. All of the web pages maintained by an organization or individual
are called a web site.

Intranet
A network based on TCP/IP protocols (an internet) belonging to an organization, usually
a corporation, accessible only by the organization's members, employees, or others with
authorization. An intranet's Web sites look and act just like any other Web sites, but the
firewall surrounding an intranet fends off unauthorized access.

Like the Internet itself, intranets are used to share information. Secure intranets are now
the fastest-growing segment of the Internet because they are much less expensive to build
and manage than private networks based on proprietary protocols.

Extranet

A buzzword that refers to an intranet that is partially accessible to authorized outsiders.

Whereas an intranet resides behind a firewall and is accessible only to people who are
members of the same company or organization, an extranet provides various levels of
accessibility to outsiders. You can access an extranet only if you have a valid username
and password, and your identity determines which parts of the extranet you can view.

Extranets are becoming a very popular means for business partners to exchange
information.
Specific Objective
 difference between wired and wireless transmission media
 Explain the difference between the types of wired transmission media
 Identify the different wireless transmission media
Wired Transmission Media
What is Network Cabling?
Cable is the medium through which information usually moves from one network device
to another. There are several types of cables, which are commonly used with LANs. In
some cases, a network will utilize only one type of cable, other networks will use a
variety of cable types. The type of cable chosen for a network is related to the network's
topology, protocol, and size. Understanding the characteristics of different types of cable
and how they relate to other aspects of a network is necessary for the development of a
successful network.

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The following types of wired media might be used to set up a network:
 Twisted Pairs
 Coaxial Cable
Twisted Pairs
Twisted pair cabling comes in two
varieties: shielded and unshielded.
Unshielded twisted pair (UTP) is the
most popular and is generally the best
option for school networks (See fig. 1).
Fig.1. Unshielded twisted pair
The quality of UTP may vary from
telephone-grade wire to extremely high-
speed cable. The cable has four pairs of
wires inside the jacket. Each pair is
twisted with a different number of twists
per inch to help eliminate interference
from adjacent pairs and other electrical
devices. The tighter the twisting, the
higher the supported transmission rate
and the greater the cost per foot.
Unshielded Twisted Pair Connector
The standard connector for unshielded
twisted pair cabling is an RJ-45
connector. This is a plastic connector
that looks like a large telephone-style
connector (See fig. 2). A slot allows the
RJ-45 to be inserted only one way. RJ
stands for Registered Jack, implying that
the connector follows a standard
borrowed from the telephone industry.
This standard designates which wire
goes with each pin inside the connector.
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 Fiber Optic Cable
Fig. 2. RJ-45 connector
Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) Cable
A disadvantage of UTP is that it may be
susceptible to radio and electrical
frequency interference. Shielded twisted
pair (STP) is suitable for environments
with electrical interference; however, the
extra shielding can make the cables quite
bulky. Shielded twisted pair is often used
on networks using Token Ring topology.
Coaxial Cable
Coaxial cabling has a single copper
conductor at its center. A plastic layer
provides insulation between the center
conductor and a braided metal shield
(See fig. 3). The metal shield helps to
block any outside interference from
fluorescent lights, motors, and other
computers.
Fig. 3. Coaxial cable
Although coaxial cabling is difficult to
install, it is highly resistant to signal
interference. In addition, it can support
greater cable lengths between network
devices than twisted pair cable. The two
types of coaxial cabling are thick coaxial
and thin coaxial.
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Fiber Optic Cable
Fiber optic cabling consists of a center
glass core surrounded by several layers
of protective materials (See fig. 5). It
transmits light rather than electronic
signals eliminating the problem of
electrical interference. This makes it
ideal for certain environments that
contain a large amount of electrical
interference. It has also made it the
standard for connecting networks
between buildings, due to its immunity
to the effects of moisture and lighting.
Fiber optic cable has the ability to
transmit signals over much longer
Wireless Transmission Media
Wireless LANs
Not all networks are connected with
cabling; some networks are wireless.
Wireless LANs use high frequency radio
signals, infrared light beams, or lasers to
communicate between the workstations
and the file server or hubs. Each
workstation and file server on a wireless
network has some sort of
transceiver/antenna to send and receive
the data. Information is relayed between
transceivers as if they were physically
connected. For longer distance, wireless
communications can also take place
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distances than coaxial and twisted pair. It
also has the capability to carry
information at vastly greater speeds.
This capacity broadens communication
possibilities to include services such as
video conferencing and interactive
services. The cost of fiber optic cabling
is comparable to copper cabling;
however, it is more difficult to install
and modify.
Fig.5. Fiber optic cable
through cellular telephone technology,
microwave transmission, or by
satellite.
Wireless networks are great for allowing
laptop computers or remote computers to
connect to the LAN. Wireless networks
are also beneficial in older buildings
where it may be difficult or impossible
to install cables.
Infrared
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The two most common types of infrared
communications used in schools are
line-of-sight and scattered broadcast.
Line-of-sight communication means that
there must be an unblocked direct line
between the workstation and the
transceiver. If a person walks within the
line-of-sight while there is a
transmission, the information would
need to be sent again. This kind of
obstruction can slow down the wireless
network.
Scattered infrared communication is a
broadcast of infrared transmissions sent
out in multiple directions that bounces
off walls and ceilings until it eventually
hits the receiver. Networking
communications with laser are virtually
the same as line-of-sight infrared
networks.
Wireless LANs have several
disadvantages. They provide poor
security, and are susceptible to
interference from lights and electronic
devices. They are also slower than LANs
using cabling.
Microwaves
An extremely high frequency (1 GHz or
higher) "line of sight" radio link carries a
point-to-point signal, which is accurately
focused using dish antennas. Since it is a
line of sight transmission, repeater
towers need to be located about every 35
km. In a microwave radio system,
telecommunications traffic is transmitted
in the form of directed beams of
microwaves. Microwaves are a kind of
electromagnetic radiation like light or
like the radio waves used in ordinary
broadcasting, but of a frequency
intermediate between these.
Microwave transmission refers to the
technique of transmitting information
over a Microwave link. Since
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microwaves are highly susceptible to
attenuation by the atmosphere
(especially during wet weather), the use
of microwave transmission is limited to
a few contexts.
A microwave link is a transmission
device which allows video / audio / data
to be sent using radio waves between
two locations from just a few feet to
several miles apart. It is commonly used
by television broadcasters to transmit a
programme across the country. For
instance, from an Outside Broadcast
back to a studio. Mobile units can be
camera mounted and are used to allow
cameras the freedom to move around
without trailing cables. Often seen on the
touchline of field sports games on a
Steadicam system.
Microwave systems have sufficient
bandwidth capacity to support a large
number of voice channels and one or
two television channels and can achieve
high bit rates over moderately long
distances. They have been used
extensively in inner city data systems
where cabling would be very expensive.
Uses of Microwave
1. In communication between the
Satellites and base stations.
2. As a backbone carrier for
Cellular Systems.
3. In short range indoor
communications
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Each base station uses two forms of
technology to function. GSM radio
signals connect mobile handsets to a
tower, while microwave transmission
links one tower to another in a linear
network.
This worker is taking a compass reading
to make sure a tower's antenna is
pointing in the correct direction.
Blue Tooth
This is a specification for the use of low-
power radio communications to
wirelessly link phones, computers and
other network devices over short
distances. Blue tooth technology was
designed primarily to support simple
wireless networking of personal
consumer devices and peripherals,
including cell phones, PDAs, and
wireless headsets. Wireless signals
transmitted with Blue tooth cover short
distances, typically up to 30 feet (10
meters). Bluetooth devices generally
communicate at less than 1 Mbps.
Cellular Communications
Concept of mobile network as radiobased
common carrier.
1. Mobile Communications Principles
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Satellites
Satellites are a special application of a
microwave system. Here, ground
stations with large dishes direct
information to a communications
satellite in geostationary orbit above the
Equator. Originally these satellites were
passive objects but the modern satellite
captures the signal, amplifies it using a
transponder, and relays it back to Earth
or on to another satellite. Each channel is
managed by a transponder, which can
support thousands of speech channels
and about four television channels
simultaneously. Despite their high cost
of construction and launch, satellites
have become part of our way of life for
live television, international telephone
and data links
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi (short for "wireless fidelity"),it is
the industry name for wireless LAN
(WLAN) communication technology
related to the IEEE 802.11 family of
wireless networking standards.
Although the Blue tooth standard utilizes
the same 2.4 Ghz range as, Blue tooth
technology is not a suitable Wi-Fi
replacement. Compared to Wi-Fi,
Bluetooth networking is much slower, a
bit more limited in range, and supports
many fewer device
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Each mobile uses a separate, temporary radio channel to talk to the cell site. The cell site
talks to many mobiles at once, using one channel per mobile. Channels use a pair of
frequencies for communication—one
frequency (the forward link) for transmitting
from the cell site and one frequency (the
reverse link) for the cell site to receive calls
from the users. Radio energy dissipates over
distance, so mobiles must stay near the base
station to maintain communications. The
basic structure of mobile networks includes
telephone systems and radio services. Where
mobile radio service operates in a closed
network and has no access to the telephone
system, mobile telephone service allows
interconnection to the telephone network.

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 COMMUNICATION DEVICES

A communications device is any type of hardware capable of transmitting data, instructions, and
information between a sending device and a receiving device. At the sending end, a
communications device sends the data, instructions, or information from the sending device to a
communications channel. At the receiving end, a communications device receives the signals
from the communications channel.

Some types of communications devices: dial-up modems, digital modems, wireless modems,
network cards, wireless access points, routers, and hubs and switches.

Other communication devices include: repeater, bridges and gateway.

Dial-up modems: A dial-up modem usually is in the form of an adapter card

that you insert in an expansion slot on a computer’s motherboard. One end of a
standard telephone cord attaches to a port on the modem card and the other end
plugs into a telephone outlet. [Explanation as to how it works: you usually
double-click on the Internet Explorer or Mozilla icon, which initiates the dial-
up process. You will hear a phone number being dialed, and then a series of
clicks and beeps as the connection is being modulated to connect to your
Internet Service Provider (ISP) modem. Once it is done, it has gets an Internet
Protocol (IP) address from the ISP, which enables your computer to connect to
the Internet network. This process is very slow and it is rarely used today.]

Digital modems: A digital modem is a communications device that sends

and receives data and information to and from a digital line. These modems
typically include
built-in Wi-Fi connectivity.

Wireless modems: A wireless modem is a modem that

bypasses the telephone system and connects directly to
a wireless network, through which it can directly
access the Internet connectivity provided by an
Internet Service Provider (ISP) e.g. FLOW or Digicel.
Wireless modems may be prebuilt into smartphones,
mobile phones and personal data assistants (PDAs).
Network cards- A network card, sometimes called a network interface card (NIC
pronounced nick), is a communications device that enables a computer or device
that does not have built-in networking capability to access a network. The
Ethernet card that you plug in at the back of the computer is connected to the
NIC.

Wireless access points- Wireless access points (WAPs) are networking

devices that allow Wi-Fi devices to connect to a wired network. They form
Wireless Local area network (WLANs). It acts as a central transmitter and
receiver of wireless radio signals. [For example, WAP around the school
allows students to access the school’s network wirelessly from their
classrooms, library, dorms, and other campus locations. To access the
network, the notebook computer or mobile device must have built-in wireless
capability or wireless network card].

Routers: A router is hardware device designed to receive, analyze and

move incoming packets of data to another network. A router is a
communications device that
connects multiple computers or other routers together and transmits data
to its correct destination on a network.

Hubs and switches- A hub or switch is a device

that provides a central point for cables in a
network. A hub is a networking device that allows
one to connect multiple PCs to a single
network. The function of a hub is to ensure that
when something arrives in one port, it is
transmitted and delivered out through the other
ports.

When a message is sent from computer number one, it is sent to every other port without regard
to the port that computer one is on. When a response is sent from computer two, it is transmitted
to all the other ports within the hub. This means that each computer within the hub can see the
stuff seen by every other computer within the hub.
the switch learns the location of the sender of a message when it is sent. When a response is sent,
the switch knows where to deliver it; to the person who sent the message. By learning where
different computers are located, the switch is eventually able to send messages exactly to where
they should go.