Using Information

Technology

Telecommunications
 Telecommunications
 The term telecommunication means
communication at a distance. The word data
refers to information presented in whatever
form is agreed upon by the parties creating
and using the data. Data communications are
the exchange of data between two devices

Telecommunications
via some form of transmission medium such
as a wire cable.

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 WHAT IS A NETWORK?

 A network is simply two or more computers that

are linked together.
 The most common types of networks are:
 Local Area Networks (LANS)
 Metropolitan Area Networks (MANS)

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 Wide Area Networks (WANS).

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 Types of Networks

Metropolitan area network (MAN) - a

communications network covering a city or a
suburb

Local area network (LAN) - connects

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computers and devices in a limited geographical
area

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 Types of Networks
 Wide area network (WAN) - a communications
network that covers a wide geographical area,
such as a country or the world

Telecommunications
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 BENEFITS OF A NETWORKS

 Information sharing: Authorized users can

use other computers on the network to access
and share information and data. This could
include special group projects, databases, etc.
 Hardware sharing: One device connected to
a network, such as a printer or scanner, can be

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shared by many users.

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 BENEFITS OF A NETWORKS

 Software sharing: Instead of purchasing

and installing a software program on each
computer, it can be installed on the server.
All of the users can then access the program
from a single location.
Collaborative environment: Users can

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

work together on group projects by

combining the power and capabilities of
diverse equipment.
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 COMMUNICATIONS MEDIA

 Communications Channel
 To transfer data from one computer to

another requires some type of link through

which the data can be transmitted. This
link is known as the communications
channel.

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 To send data through the channel requires
some type of transmission media, which
may be either physical or wireless.
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 Wired Communications Channels

 Twisted-pair -cable - consists of two

independently insulated wires twisted around
each other (least expensive type of cable—the
kind that is used in many telephone systems)

Telecommunications
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 Wired Communications Channels

 Coaxial cable - insulated copper wire wrapped

in a solid or braided metal shield, then in an
external cover (the primary type of cabling
used by the cable television industry; it is
more expensive than twisted pair)

Telecommunications
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 Wired Communications Channels

 Fiber-optic cable - dozens or hundreds of thin

strands of glass or plastic that transmit
pulsating beams of light rather than electricity

Telecommunications
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 Characteristics Of Cables
 Twisted-pair wire  Coaxial cable
characteristics: characteristics:
• Slow. • Better than twisted-

• Does not protect well pair wiring at resisting

against electrical noise.

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interference. • Carries voice & data at

• Prevalent! Used faster rate than

extensively in twisted-pair.
telephone lines. • Widely used in cable

television. 12
 Characteristics Of Cables

 Fiber-optic cable characteristics:

• Unaffected by random electromagnetic
interference
• Lighter and more durable than twisted-pair

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& co-ax cable

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 Wireless Communications Channels

 Infrared transmission - the transmission of

data signals using infrared-light waves

Telecommunications
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 Wireless Communications Channels

 Broadcast radio - a Microwave radio -

wireless transmission transmits voice & data
medium that sends data through the atmosphere
over long distances-- as super-high-frequency
between regions, radio waves called
states, or countries microwaves

Telecommunications
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 Short-Range Wireless Communications
Bluetooth - a short-range wireless digital
standard aimed at linking cellphones, PDAs,
computers, & peripherals up to distances of 30 feet

WiFI - a short-range wireless digital standard

aimed at helping machines inside offices to
communicate at high speeds and share Internet

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connections at distances up to 300 feet

HomeRF - a separate, incompatible standard

designed to network up to 10 PCs & peripherals as
far as 150 feet apart 16
Factors Affecting How Data Is
Transmitted

 Transmission rate - a function of two variables:

 Frequency - the cycles of waves per second

 Bandwidth - the range between the highest &

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lowest frequencies

 Higher frequency => greater transmission rate

 Larger bandwidth => greater transmission rate
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Factors Affecting How Data Is
Transmitted

 Line configurations

 Point-to-point line - directly connects the

sending & receiving devices

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 Multipoint line - a single line that
interconnects several communications
devices to one computer

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Factors Affecting How Data Is
Transmitted

 Serial vs. parallel

transmission

 Serial data
transmission - bits

Telecommunications
are transmitted
sequentially, one
after the other

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 Factors Affecting How Data Is
Transmitted
Parallel data transmission -
 Serial vs. parallel bits are transmitted through
transmission separate lines
simultaneously

Telecommunications
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Factors Affecting How Data Is
Transmitted

 Direction of  Simplex
transmission: transmission -
simplex, half-duplex, data can travel in
& full-duplex only one direction

Telecommunications
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 Factors Affecting How Data Is
Transmitted
 Direction of Half-duplex
transmission: transmission - data
simplex, half-duplex, travels in both
& full-duplex directions but only in
one direction at a time

Telecommunications
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 Factors Affecting How Data Is
Transmitted
 Direction of Full-duplex
transmission: transmission - data is
simplex, half-duplex, transmitted back and
& full-duplex forth at the same time

Telecommunications
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 Factors Affecting How Data Is
Transmitted

Transmission mode: asynchronous vs. synchronous

 Asynchronous transmission - data is sent
one byte at a time, with each string of bits
making up the byte bracketed with special
control bits

Telecommunications
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 Factors Affecting How Data Is
Transmitted
Transmission mode: asynchronous vs. synchronous

 Synchronous transmission - data is sent in

blocks, with start and stop bit patterns (synch
bytes) at the beginning and end of the blocks

Telecommunications
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Factors Affecting How Data Is
Transmitted

Circuit switching - transmitter has full use of

the circuit until all the data has been
transmitted and the circuit is terminated

Packet switching - electronic messages are

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divided into packets for transmission over a
wide area network to their destination through
the most expedient route

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 Factors Affecting How Data Is
Transmitted
 Multiplexers: a device that merges several
low-speed transmissions into one high-speed
transmission.
 Concentrators: collects data in a temporary
storage area.
 Front-end processors: a smaller computer

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that is connected to a larger computer and
assists with communications functions.

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HOW ARE NETWORKS CATEGORIZED?

 Networks are usually classified using

three properties:
 Topology
 Protocol

 Architecture

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 Topology of LANs

 Bus network - one

in which all
communications
devices are
connected to a
common channel

Telecommunications
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 Topology of LANs

 Ring network -
one in which all
microcomputers and
other
communications
devices are

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connected in a
continuous loop

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 Topology of LANs
 Star network - one in which all
microcomputers and other communications
devices are connected to a central server

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NETWORK/COMMUNICATION
PROTOCOLS

 Protocol - a set of
conventions
governing the
exchange of data
between hardware
and/or software

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components in a
communications
network

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 Types of LANS

 Peer-to-peer LAN - all microcomputers on the

network communicate directly with one
another without relying on a server

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 Types of LANS
 Client/server LAN:

 Clients -
microcomputers that
request data; and

Server - a powerful

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
microcomputer that
manages shared
devices

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 NETWORKING HARDWARE AND
SOFTWARE
 Hub – electronic device (with a number of
ports) used in a LAN to link groups of
computers
 Repeaters (also called amplifiers) – electronic
devices that receive signals and amplify and
send them along the network

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 Routers - electronic devices used to ensure
messages are sent to their intended
destinations

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 NETWORKING HARDWARE AND
SOFTWARE
 Gateway – consists of hardware and/or
software that allows communications
between dissimilar networks
 Bridge – consists of hardware and/or
software
that allows communication between two

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similar networks

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 Intranets, Extranets, & Firewalls
Intranet- an organization’s internal private
network that uses the infrastructure and
standards of the Internet and the WWW

Extranets - private intranets that connect not

only internal personnel but also selected suppliers

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and other strategic parties

Firewalls - a system of hardware and software

that blocks unauthorized users inside and outside
the organization from entering the intranet
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