Bicol University
College of Science
Data Communication
and the Internet
GEC Elect 21.4:
Instructor: Jevah Rea Montas
Living in the IT Era
The Network
What is a network?
A network consists of 2 or more computers
connected together, and they can communicate
and share resources (e.g. information)
Classification of
Networks
Based on transmission media:
• Wired Technologies • Wireless Technologies
⚬ Ethernet LAN cables ⚬ WiFi
￭ Unshielded Twisted-Pair (UTP) cables ⚬ Bluetooth
￭ Shielded Twisted-Pair (STP) cables ⚬ Cellular Networks
⚬ Coaxial cables ⚬ Satellite Communication
⚬ Fiber-optic cables
⚬ HDMI/USB Cables
Based on network size:
• LAN, MAN, WAN, PAN
Twisted-Pair Cables
Unshielded Twisted-Pair (UTP) cables
• Typically wrapped inside a plastic cover (for mechanical protection)
• A sample UTP cable with 5 unshielded twisted pairs of wires
Insulator
Copper wires
Outer Twisted pairs
jacket (5 pairs)
(plastic)
Twisted-Pair Cables
Shielded Twisted-Pair (STP) cables
• STP cables are similar to UTP cables, except there is a metal foil or braided-metal-mesh cover that
encases each pair of insulated wires
Insulator
Outer Copper wires
jacket Metal Shield
(plastic)
Twisted-Pair Cables
Unshielded Twisted-Pair (UTP) cables Shielded Twisted-Pair (STP) cables
Twisted-Pair Cables
Coaxial Cables
Coaxial Cables
• A coaxial cable (or “coax”) is a type of wired transmission medium used to transmit data, voice, and
video signals.
⚬ Cable TV Insulator
⚬ Early Ethernet networks
⚬ CCTV systems
Center conductor
(solid copper)
Outer Metal sheild
jacket (braided/foil)
Coaxial Cables
• Plastic covering and protects the cable physically
• Insulation protects the core. It also keeps the core separate from
the braided shield.
• The conductor carries electromagnetic signals.
Categorized into two types: single - core coaxial cable and
multi- core coaxial cable.
• This shield protects signals from external interference and noise.
This shield is built from the same metal that is used to build the
core.
Coaxial Cables
Fiber-Optic Cables
Fiber-Optic cables
• It is technologically-advanced as compared to the twisted-pair wire and coaxial cable.
• Fiber strands are extremely thin, no thicker than a human hair.
• Instead of transmitting frequencies, a fiber optic cable transmits pulsating beams of light. Since light
travels faster than electricity, fiber optic cables can carry a greater volume of data.
• Not flexible and expensive.
Fiber-Optic Cables
Fiber-Optic Cables
Wireless
Transmission Media
Terrestrial microwaves
• A wireless communication signals that
travel through the atmosphere using
microwave frequencies and are transmitted
between ground-based stations.
⚬ Terrestrial = on Earth (ground-based)
⚬ Microwave = high-frequency radio
waves
Wireless Transmission
Media
Satellites Communication
• Satellite communication is a type of
wireless communication where signals are
transmitted to a satellite in space, and the
satellite relays the signal back to Earth.
⚬ Satellite TV (e.g., Cignal TV)
⚬ GPS navigation
⚬ Weather forecasting
⚬ International phone calls
⚬ Some rural internet services
Wireless Transmission
Media
Cellular Networks
• A cellular network is a wireless communication system that divides a large geographic area into smaller
areas called cells, each served by a base station (cell tower).
Generation of Wireless Cellular Technology
1G: Voice Only (Analog) - The maximum speed is 2.4 Kbps.
2G: SMS and MMS (Digital) - The maximum speed is 50 Kbps.
3G: More Data, Video Calling, and Mobile Internet - 2 Mbps
4G LTE: High Speed Internet - 100-300 Mbps
5G: Advanced wireless - Very high speed, low latency, 20 Gbps per second.
Wireless Transmission
Media
Bluetooth
• A short range wireless technology. Operate at approx.
1Mbps with range from 10 to 100 meters.
• Bluetooth is an open wireless protocol for data
exchange over short distances.
Network Size
Local Area Network
• Small network, short distance
• A room, a floor, a building
⚬ Limited by no. of computers and distance covered
⚬ Usually one kind of technology throughout the LAN
• Serve a department within an organization
⚬ Network inside the Student Computer Room
⚬ Network inside your home
Network Size
Wide Area Network
• A network that uses long-range telecommunication
links to connect 2 or more LANs/computers housed in
different places far apart.
• A WAN is a computer network that covers a broad area
(i.e. any network whose communications links cross
metropolitan, regional, or national boundaries.
• The largest and most well-known example of a WAN is
the Internet.
Network Size
Personal Area Network (PAN)
• A short-range, small-scale computer network used to
interconnect personal devices like smartphones,
laptops, and wearables, typically within a 10-meter
radius.
• They can be wired (USB) or wireless, enabling data
transfer, device synchronization, and internet access.
Network Topologies
A network’s topology refers to the physical connection of wires that connect the nodes of the network.
Types of Network Topology
• Linear Bus Topology
• Star Topology
• Ring Topology
• Hybrid Topology
Network Topologies
Linear Bus Topology
• Bus topology is a type of network topology in which all
devices are connected to a single cable called a "bus."’
• The data is transmitted as a broadcast to all devices
connected to the bus. Each device on the network has
a unique address, and a device will only accept the
data if the destination address matches its own. If
does not match, the device will simply ignore the
transmitted data.
• Simple and low-cost
• Only one computer can send messages at a time
Network Topologies
Star Topology
• In a star topology, the server, nodes and other devices
are connected to a central hub. All data from the
source node must first pass through the central hub
before it can reach the target node.
• In addition, a broken down node will not cause the
whole system to break down. However, if a hub is
broken, the whole network is lost.
• More cabling, hence higher cost
• Two or more computers may send message at the
same time
Network Topologies
Hybrid Topology
• In this topology, the other types of
topologies are combined to form a
combination or hybrid network topology.
• Hybrid topologies are usually used to
connect different floors or rooms of a
building.
The Internet
The internet is a world-wide collection of computer networks. Individuals and organizations on a network
connected to the internet can communicate with and find information on other computer networks that
are also connected to the internet.
Electronic Mail – is one of the primary uses of the internet. E-mail allows one user to send a text-based
message to another.
File Transfer Protocol – is a method for transferring files from one computer on the Internet to another.
World Wide Web Servers – takes access a step further, providing a hypertext interface. Users can access
other text, graphic, sound, and movie resources by pointing and clicking highlighted words or pictures,
and can download the information being accessed.
The Internet
World Wide Web
• Web Pages – The WWW consists of information organized into thousands of pages stored in
computers physically located throughout the world.
• Web Browsers – World Wide Web pages are accessed using client browser like Google Chrome, Safari,
and others.
• Hypertext – allows you to progress or “branch” to other pages of information of interest or to jump
backward and forward along the path you have take in your browsing.
• Default Page – known as home, the page of information your browser displays when started.
The Internet
World Wide Web
• Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) – is the foundation of the World Wide Web. All documents, or
pages, on the Web are linked together in hypertext architecture. Documents on the Web are formatted
using Hypertext Markup Language (HTML)
• Uniform Resource Locator (URL) – every Web page has a unique identifier called URL, WWW browser
use the URL to find a particular Web page among all the computers on the internet.
⚬ E.g. [Link]
The Internet
Transmission Control Protocol TCP/IP
• The standard data transmission protocol for the internet.
• Internet Protocol (IP)
⚬ is a system used to connect the various computers within the internet. Every computer connected
to the internet has its own IP number. An IP number is actually four different numbers, all
separated by periods. E.g. [Link]
The Internet
Domain Names
• A domain name is an identification label that defines a realm of administrative autonomy, authority,
or control in the Internet.
• Domain names are hostnames that identify Internet Protocol (IP) resources such as web sites.
Domain Types Country Code
.com – commercial organization .ph – Philippines
.edu – educational organizations .fr – France
.gov – government organization .de – Germany
.mil – military organization .au – Australia
.net – network service providers or network resources .mx – Mexico
.org – other organizations not falling to the previous ones.