Chapter 7

 Networks and
Communication Devices

Understanding Computers: Today and

Tomorrow, 16th Edition
 What Is a Network? (1 of 2)

• A network is a connected system of objects or people

• A computer network is a collection of computers and other hardware
devices connected together so users can share hardware, software, and
data, and electronically communicate
– Converging with telephone and other communications networks
– Range from small private networks to the Internet
– Essential in most businesses

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 2
 What Is a Network? (2 of 2)
› FIGURE 7-1: Common uses for computer networks.

USES FOR COMPUTER NETWORKS

Sharing an Internet connection among several users.
Sharing application software, printers, and other resources.
Facilitating Voice over IP (VoIP), e-mail, videoconferencing, messaging,
and other communications applications.
Working collaboratively; for example, sharing a company database or
using collaboration tools to create or review documents.
Exchanging files among network users and over the Internet.
Connecting the computers and the entertainment devices (such as TVs,
gaming consoles, and stereo systems) located within a home.

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 3
Networking Applications: The Internet and Telephone
Service
• The Internet – the largest computer network in the world
• Telephone service
– POTS Network was one of the first networks
› Plain old telephone system (POTS)
› Still provides telephone service to landline phones

– Mobile phones (wireless phones) use a wireless network for communications

› Cellular (cell) phones must be within range of cell tower to function
› Satellite phones communicate via satellite technology
– Most often used by individuals such as soldiers, journalists, wilderness guides, and
researchers

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 4
 Examples of Mobile Phones

› FIGURE 7-2: Types of mobile phones.

› CELLULAR PHONES › SATELLITE PHONES

› Can be used wherever cellular › Can be used virtually anywhere.
phone coverage is available.

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 5
 Broadcasting and GPS Applications

• Television and radio broadcasting

– Over the air networks still used to deliver TV and radio content to the public
– Also includes cable TV networks, satellite TV networks, and private closed-circuit television
(CCTV) systems

• The global positioning system (GPS) uses 24-33 GPS satellites for location and
navigational purposes
– GPS receivers use the GPS system to determine their exact geographic location
– GPS III is under way and will be more powerful and accurate than the current system

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 6
 GPS Applications (1 of 2)

1) Individuals: Hiking, driving directions, maps, work data, Web

searches, social media, etc.
2) Workers: Location information, guide vehicles and equipment,
emergency workers, etc.
3) Military: To guide munitions and trucks, and to track military
aircraft, ships, and submarines

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 7
 GPS Applications (2 of 2)

FIGURE 7-3: GPS receivers. Allow people to determine their exact geographical
location, usually for safety or navigational purposes.

› GPS RECEIVERS INTEGRATED › WEARABLE GPS

› CAR-MOUNTED GPS RECEIVERS INTO SMARTPHONES RECEIVERS

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 8
 Monitoring Systems
• Monitoring systems use networking technology to determine the current
location or status of an object
– RFID-based systems (Radio Frequency Identification)
› Monitor the status of objects such as items in a store
– GPS-based monitoring systems
› Monitor the physical location of objects
› Vehicle and child monitoring systems
– Electronic medical monitors
› Home healthcare
– Sensor systems
› Shipping, home automation (smart thermostats), etc.

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 9
 Examples of Monitoring Systems
› FIGURE 7-4: GPS-based child › FIGURE 7-5: Smart themostats. This
monitoring systems. Allow parents to thermostat (left) contains a variety of sensors
track their children in real time. and can be controlled remotely via a mobile app.

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 10
 Multimedia Networking

› FIGURE 7-6: Placeshifting. Used to transfer

• Multimedia networking involves multimedia content to the user’s current location.
distributing digital multimedia content,
typically via a home network
– Smart TVs, streaming media players, etc.
• Placeshifting - Allows individuals to view
multimedia content at a more convenient
location
– Most cable companies (Bell, Rogers,
Cogeco) provide this as an option

› Source: Sling Media, Inc.

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 11
Videoconferencing, Collaborative Computing, and
Telecommuting
• Videoconferencing uses computers, video cameras, microphones, and
networking technologies to conduct face-to-face meetings over a network
– Telepresence videoconferencing more closely mimics a real-time meeting
environment (Zoom, Microsoft Teams)
• Collaborative computing (workgroup computing) enables individuals to work
together on documents and projects
– Markup tools, collaboration software, shared documents, etc.
• With telecommuting, individuals work from a remote location (usually home)
and communicate with their places of business and clients using networking
technologies
– Allows for employee flexibility
– Greener computing

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 12
 Example of Telepresence
Videoconferencing
FIGURE 7-7: Telepresence videoconferencing.

› Source: Cisco Systems, Inc.

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 13
 Telemedicine
• Telemedicine uses networking technology to provide medical
information and services
– Remote monitoring and consultations
– Remote diagnosis
– Provides individuals in rural locations access to medical care
– Necessary for long-term space exploration
– Telesurgery involves robot-assisted surgery where doctor’s physical
location is different from that of the patient and robot

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 14
 Examples of Telemedicine Applications

› FIGURE 7-8: Examples of

telemedicine applications.

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 15
Network Characteristics: Wired versus Wireless
Networks
• A wired network is a network in which computers and other devices
are physically connected to the network with cables
– Found in schools, businesses, and government facilities
• A wireless network is a network in which computers and other
devices are connected to the network without physical cables
– Data is typically sent via radio waves
– Found in homes, schools, and businesses
– A public wireless hotspot is a location that provides wireless Internet
access to the public

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 16
 Inside the Industry

High-Tech Stadiums
• Professional sports venues are
increasingly including wireless
access and other technology
– Free Wi-Fi
– Seat tablet holders
– In-game apps
– HD video boards
– In-seat ordering
– Paperless ticketing › The Levi’s Stadium, home to the San
Francisco 49ers football team.

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 17
 Network Topologies
• The physical topology of a network indicates how the devices in the
network are arranged
– Star network: All network devices connect to a central device
› If the central device fails, the network cannot work
– Bus network: All network devices connect to a central cable
› If one device fails, others are still able to communicate
– Mesh network: Network devices are interconnected so that
messages can take any of several possible paths
– Ring network: All devices are connected together in a loop.
› Data travels in one direction from device to the next until it reaches its
destination
› If one device fails, the network fails
UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY
AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 18
 Basic Network Topologies

› FIGURE 7-9: Basic network topologies.

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 19
 Client-Server Networks
› FIGURE 7-10: Client-server networks. Client
computers communicate through one or more servers.

• Client-server networks
– Client: A computer or other
device on the network that
requests and utilizes network
resources
– Server: The computer
dedicated to processing
client requests

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 20
 Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Networks

› FIGURE 7-11: Peer-to-peer networks. Computers

• P2P networks communicate directly with one another.

– All computers work at the same

functional level
– Users have direct access to the
computers and devices attached
to the network
– Internet P2P networks
› Content is exchanged over the
Internet directly between users

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 21
 Network Size and Coverage Area

• Personal area networks (PANs) connect an individual’s personal

devices
– Devices must be physically located close together
• Local area networks (LANs) connect devices located in a small
geographic area such as a room or a building
• Metropolitan area networks (MANs) cover a metropolitan area
such as a city or county and consisted of several LANs connected
together
• Wide area networks (WANs) cover a large geographic area
– The Internet

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 22
 Intranets, Extranets, and Virtual Private Networks
(VPNs)

• An intranet is a private network designed to be used by an

organizations’ employees
– Set up like the Internet
• An extranet is a company network accessible by authorized
outsiders
• A virtual private network (VPN) provides a private, secure path
over the Internet
– Provides authorized secure access to a private network via the Internet
– Uses tunneling and special encryption technology
– Without a VPN, passwords, credit card numbers, etc. sent via a hotspot
can be intercepted
UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY
AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 23
Data Transmission Characteristics: Bandwidth and
Signal Representation
• Bandwidth is the amount of data that can
be transferred in a given period of time
– Measured in bits per second (bps), Kbps
(thousands), Mbps (millions), or Gbps
(billions)
• Analog signals versus digital signals
– Analog: Data is represented by continuous
waves
› Conventional telephones
– Digital: Data is represented by two discrete
states (0s and 1s) › FIGURE 7-14: Analog versus digital
signals.

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 24
 Transmission Type and Timing

› FIGURE 7-15: Serial versus parallel

• Serial transmission: Data is sent transmissions.
one bit at a time, one after another,
along a single path
– Typically used with networking media
• Parallel transmission: Data is sent
in a group of bits with each bit taking
a different path
– Most often used within computer
components

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 25
 Ways of Timing Serial Transmissions
• Synchronous transmission
– Blocks of data are transferred at regular, specified intervals
– Most data transmissions within a computer and over a network are
synchronous
• Asynchronous transmission
– Data is sent when ready without being synchronized
– Start bits and stop bits used to identify the bits that belong in each byte
• Isochronous transmission
– Data is sent in time to be delivered at the time it is needed

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 26
 Examples of Transmission Timing

› FIGURE 7-16: Transmission timing. Most networks use synchronous transmission.

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 27
 Transmitted Data Direction
• Simplex transmission
– Data travels in a single direction only
– Relatively uncommon
• Half-duplex transmission
– Data travels in either direction but only one way at a time
– Used with some network transmissions
• Full-duplex transmission
– Data travels in both directions at the same time
– Most often used with network transmissions

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 28
 Delivery Methods

• Circuit switching
– Dedicated path over a network is established between sender and
receiver; all data follows that path
• Packet switching
– Messages are separated into small units called packets and travel along
the network separately; packets are reassembled once destination is
reached
• Broadcasting
– Data is sent out to all other nodes on the network and retrieved only by the
intended recipient; primarily used with LANs

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 29
 Examples of Data Delivery Methods
› FIGURE 7-17: Circuit-switched, packet-switched, and broadcast networks.

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 30
 Wired Networking Media

• Twisted-pair cable
– Pairs of insulated wires twisted together
– Used for telephone and network connections (LANs)
• Coaxial cable
– Thick center wire surrounded by insulation
– Used for computer networks and cable television delivery
• Fiber-optic cable
– Utilizes hundreds of thin transparent clear glass or plastic fibers over which
lasers transmit data as light
– Used for high-speed communications

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 31
Examples of Wired Network Transmission
Media
FIGURE 7-18: Wired network transmission media.

› Source: Black Box Corporation;

Belkin International, Inc.

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 32
 Wireless Networking Media

• With wireless networking media, data is sent through the airwaves

using radio signals
– The electromagnetic spectrum is the range of common electromagnetic
radiation (energy)
› Radio frequencies are assigned by the FCC and are measured in hertz (Hz)
› Different parts of the spectrum have different properties, which make certain
frequencies more appropriate for certain applications
› Wireless spectrum is the RF band (up to 300 GHz)
– Unlicensed frequencies can be used for any application
– Wireless networks often use frequencies in the 2.4GHz and 5 GHz bands

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 33
 Cellular Radio Transmissions

• Cellular radio transmissions use cellular towers within overlapping

honeycomb-shaped zones called cells
– Calls are transferred from cell tower to cell tower as the individual moves
– Cell tower forwards call to the Mobile Telephone Switching Office (MTSO)
– MTSO routes call to the recipient’s phone
– Data sent via cell phones works in similar manner
• The speed of cellular radio transmissions depends on the type of cellular
standard being used (eg., 3G, 4G LTE)

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 34
 Example of How Cellular Phones Work
› FIGURE 7-20: How cellular phones work.

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 35
 Microwave and Satellite Transmissions

• Microwaves use high-frequency radio signals that are sent and

received using microwave stations or satellites
– Signals are line of sight, so microwave stations are usually built on tall
buildings, towers, mountaintops
• Microwave stations are earth-based stations that transmit signals
directly to each other within a range of 30 miles
– Stations designed to communicate with satellites (television and
Internet services) are called satellite dishes

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 36
 Communication Satellites

• Communication satellites are launched into orbit to send and receive

microwave signals from earth
– Traditional satellites use geosynchronous orbit 22,300 miles above the earth
– A delay of less than one half-second is common when signals travel from
earth to satellite and back
– Low earth orbit (LEO) satellites have less delay and are used with satellite
telephones
– Medium earth orbit (MEO) satellites are most often used for GPS systems

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 37
 Example of How Satellite Internet Works

› FIGURE 7-21: How satellite Internet works.

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 38
 Infrared (IR) Transmissions

• Infrared (IR) transmissions send data as infrared light rays

– Like an infrared television remote, requires line of sight
– Because of this limitation, many formerly IR devices (wireless mice,
keyboards) now use RF technology
• IR is sometimes used to beam data between some mobile devices,
game consoles, and handheld gaming devices

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 39
Communications Protocols and Networking
Standards
• Protocol
– A set of rules for a particular situation
– Communications protocol
› A set of rules that determine how devices on a network communicate
• Standard
– A set of criteria or requirements approved by a recognized standards
organization
– Address how networked computers connect/communicate
– Needed to ensure products can work with other products

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 40
 TCP/IP
• TCP/IP is the most widely used communications protocol
– Consists of two protocols
› Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)
– Responsible for delivery of data
› Internet Protocol (IP)
– Provides addresses and routing information
– Uses packet switching to transmit data
– TCP/IP support is built into almost all operating systems
› IP addresses are used to identify computers and devices on networks

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 41
 Example of How TCP/IP Works
› FIGURE 7-22: How TCP/IP works (packet switching).

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 42
 Other Internet Communications Protocols

• HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) and HTTPS (Secure Hypertext

Transfer Protocol)
– Used to display Web pages
• FTP (File Transfer Protocol) and SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol)
– Used to transfer files over the Internet
• SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol, POP3 (Post Office Protocol),
and IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol)
– Used to deliver e-mail over the Internet

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 43
 Ethernet (802.3)
• Ethernet (802.3) is the most widely used standard for wired networks
– Typically used with LANs that have a star topology
– Works with twisted-pair, coaxial, and fiber-optic cabling
– Continually evolving
– Most common today are Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet, and 10 Gigabit
Ethernet
– 40 Gigabit Ethernet and 100 Gigabit Ethernet standards ratified in 2010
– 400 Gigabit and Terabit Ethernet standards are currently being explored

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 44
 Power over Ethernet (PoE)
• PoE allows electrical power to be sent along the cables on an
Ethernet network along with data
– Devices are not plugged into an electrical outlet as long as they are
connected to Ethernet ports that support PoE
› PoE injector can be used to send power to the device if needed
– Most often used in business networks with remote devices (outdoor
networking hardware, cameras, etc.)
– Can also be used to place networked devices near ceilings or other
locations where a nearby power outlet may not be available

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 45
 Examples of PoE Devices
FIGURE 7-24: With Power over Ethernet (PoE), devices are powered through Ethernet cables.

› Source: TRENDnet; APC by

Schneider Electric

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 46
 Powerline, [Link], and MoCA

• Powerline
– Allows networking via ordinary electrical outlets
– HomePlug Powerline: Networks computers over existing powerlines
› HomePlug AV2 can also network home entertainment devices
• [Link]
– A unified world-wide standard for creating home networks over any existing
home wiring—phone lines, power lines, and coaxial cable
• MoCA
– Multimedia over coax is a reliable, cost-effective way to use the coaxial
cable (cable TV wiring) as a way to expand a home network.

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 47
 Example of a HomePlug Powerline Network
FIGURE 7-25: HomePlug Powerline networks. Enable you to network devices over existing
power lines.

› Source: TRENDnet; You can

more/[Link]

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 48
 Wi-Fi (802.11)

• Wi-Fi (802.11) is a family of › FIGURE 7-26: Smart appliances. This

wireless networking standards coffeemaker is controlled by a smartphone via
using IEEE standard 802.11 the home’s Wi-Fi network.

– Current standard for wireless

networks in homes and offices
– Built into many everyday objects
today
– Designed for medium-range
transmission; speed and distance
depends on Wi-Fi standard, solid
objects in the way, interference, etc.

› Source: Belkin International, Inc.

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION
49
 Wi-Fi Standards (1 of 2)
• The most widely used standards are 802.11n and 802.11ac
• Wi-Fi products are backward compatible

› FIGURE 7-26: Wi-Fi standards.

WI-FI STANDARD DESCRIPTION
802.11b (WiFi 1) An early Wi-Fi standard; supports data transfer rates of 11 Mbps.
802.11a (WiFi 2) An older Wi-Fi standard; supports data transfer rates of 54 Mbps, but uses
a different radio frequency (5 GHz) than 802.11b/g (2.4 GHz), making the
standards incompatible.
802.11g (WiFi 3) An older Wi-Fi standard; supports data transfer rates of 54 Mbps and uses
the same 2.4 GHz frequency as 802.11b, so their products are compatible.

802.11n (WiFi 4) A current Wi-Fi standard; supports speeds up to about 450 Mbps and has
twice the range of 802.11g. It can use either the 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz
frequency.
UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY
AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 50
 Wi-Fi Standards (2 of 2)

WI-FI STANDARD DESCRIPTION

802.11ac (WiFi 5) The newest Wi-Fi standard; supports speed up to about three times
faster than 802.11n and uses the 5 GHz frequency (though most
802.11ac routers are dual band to also support 2.4 GHz devices for
backward compatibility).
802.11ax (WiFi 6) A proposed Wi-Fi standard; expected to support speeds of more than 2
Gbps.

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 51
 Cellular Standards
• First Generation – Analog and voice only
• 2G – Digital, both voice and data, faster
• 3G – A current standard, uses packet switching
– Typical speeds are between 1 and 4 Mbps
• 4G – A faster standard, uses packet switching
– Typical speeds are between 3 to 15 Mbps
– LTE (Long Term Evolution)
• 5G – Next generation (being rolled out)
– speeds up to 50 times faster than 4G
– virtual reality and augmented reality video with no delays or lags
– greater capacity for more devices

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 52
 Bluetooth
• Bluetooth is a networking standard for very short-range wireless
connections
– Typical range is about 10 meters (33 feet)
– Designed to connect devices wirelessly
› Keyboard/mouse to a PC, send print jobs to a printer, connect a wireless
speaker to a smartphone, send photos from a smartphone to another
smartphone or a PC, etc.
– Can transmit through clothing or other objects
– Devices form piconets when connected (8 devices max)
– Bluetooth 4 (Bluetooth Smart) is energy efficient

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 53
 Examples of Bluetooth Devices

› FIGURE 7-31: Bluetooth. Bluetooth is › FIGURE 7-32: Bluetooth tennis racket.

designed for short-range wireless
communications.

› Source: Sony Electronics

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 54
 Wi-Fi Direct, WiGig, and Wireless HD

› FIGURE 7-33: Wi-Fi Direct. Allows Wi-Fi

• Wi-Fi Direct is a standard for devices to connect directly to one another.
connecting Wi-Fi devices
directly, without using a router
or an access point
• WiGig (802.11ad) and
WirelessHD (WiHD) are used
to wirelessly connect computers
and home entertainment
devices together (such as a
Blu-ray player to an HDTV)

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 55
 ZigBee, Z-Wave, and Low-Power Wi-Fi (802.11ah)
• ZigBee (802.15)
– Designed for inexpensive and simple short-range networking, particularly sensor
networks
• Z-Wave
– Devices can communicate with each other and be controlled via home control
modules, computers, or smartphones
› Primarily used for home automation

• Low Power Wi-Fi (802.11ah) is under development

– Designed to network sensors and other devices in home automation networks
– Operates in the 900 MHz band

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 56
 Examples of Wireless Networking
Standards
› FIGURE 7-34: Examples of wireless networking standards.

WIRELESS APPROXIMATE
CATEGORY APPLICATION
STANDARD RANGE
To connect peripheral devices to a
Bluetooth
computer or mobile device or to connect 33 feet
WiGig
devices together.
Short range To connect and transfer multimedia
WiGig content between home consumer
33 feet
WirelessHD (WiHD) electronic devices (computers, TVs, DVD
players, printers, etc.).
ZigBee
Z-Wave To connect a variety of home, personal,
33 feet–164 feet
Low Power Wi-Fi and automation devices.
(802.11ah)

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 57
 Examples of Wireless Networking
Standards
WIRELESS
CATEGORY APPLICATION APPROXIMATE RANGE
STANDARD
To connect computers and other devices 100–300 feet indoors;
Medium range Wi-Fi (802.11)
to a local area network. 300–900 feet outdoors
To connect computers and other devices
Wi-Fi Direct 600 feet
directly together.
To provide Internet access to a large
WiMAX 6 miles non-line of sight;
Long range geographic area for fixed and/or mobile
Mobile WiMAX 30 miles line of sight
users.
To connect mobile phones and other
Cellular standards
devices to a cellular network for 10 miles
(3G, 4G, 5G)
telephone and Internet service.

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 58
 Trends

Smart Homes
• Home automation
– Use Z-Wave, Bluetooth, or Wi-to
control lights, door locks,
thermostats, etc.
• Smart door locks can be unlocked
via proximity sensors and Bluetooth
4.0
– Can send temporary keys to others
– Can check on status of locks and › Using your smartphone as your door
keys online key.

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 59
 Networking Hardware

• A network adapter is used to connect a computer to a network

– Also called network interface card (NIC) when in the form of an
expansion card
• A modem is a device that enables a computer to communicate over
analog networking media
– Most computers and mobile devices today come with a built-in network
adapter and/or modem

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 60
 Examples of Network Adapters and
Modems
› FIGURE 7-35: Network adapters and modems.

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 61
 Switches and Routers
• A switch is a central device that connects devices in a wired network but
only sends data to the intended recipient
– Contains ports to which devices are connected
– Hub is similar but sends data to all recipients

• A router connects multiple networks: Two LANs, two WANS, LAN and the
Internet, etc.
– Passes data to intended recipient only
– Can plan the most efficient path
– Are used to route traffic over the Internet

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 62
 Wireless Access Points, Wireless Routers, and
Bridges
• A wireless access point allows devices to connect to a network
• A wireless router is a router with a built-in wireless access point and,
typically, a switch
– If so, it can connect both wireless and wired devices to a network and
connect that network to the Internet
– Travel and mobile broadband routers are available
• A bridge is used to connect two LANs together
– In a home network, often used to wirelessly connect a group of wired
devices (TV, Blu-ray player, etc.) to a home network

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 63
 Examples of Wireless Routers
FIGURE 7-36: Wireless routers. Provide wireless users access to each other and an Internet
connection.

› CONVENTIONAL › TRAVEL WIRELESS ROUTERS › MOBILE BROADBAND ROUTERS

WIRELESS ROUTERS
› This 802.11a/b/g/n router enables › This 3G/4G router creates a mobile
› This 802.11ac router also multiple devices to share a single hotspot, which enables multiple
includes a switch and wired Internet connection. devices to share a mobile broadband
wireless access point. connection.

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 64
 Other Networking Hardware

• Repeaters amplify signals along a network

• Range extenders are repeaters for a wireless network
• Antennas are devices used for receiving or sending radio signals
– Some network adapters and routers can use an external antenna
– Can be directional or omnidirectional
– Strength measured in decibels (dB)
• Multiplexors combine transmissions from several different devices
to send them as one message
– Frequently used with fiber-optic cables and other high-capacity media to
increase data throughput

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 65
 Examples of Networking Hardware

FIGURE 7-37: Networking hardware.

As shown in this example, many
different types of hardware are used to
connect networking devices.

› Source: ASUSTeK Computer Inc.; Denys

Prykhodov/[Link]; Roku, Inc.; Courtesy
of Dell Inc.; TRENDnet; Ubee Interactive; DCB;
Sergey Furtaev/[Link]; Samsung
Electronics Co., Ltd; Sony Electronics; Julia
Ivantsova/[Link]; Apple, Inc.

UNDERSTANDING COMPUTERS: TODAY

AND TOMORROW, 16TH EDITION 66