SHAHI HAMDAN COMPUTER EDUCATION CENTER
1- DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING
DATA COMMUNICATION
Data communications is the exchange of data between two devices via some form
of transmission medium such as a wire cable. It is the process of using computing
and communication technologies to transfer data from one place to another, or
between participating parties. It enables the movement of electronic or digital
data between two or more network nodes, regardless of geographical location,
technological medium or data contents.
The effectiveness of a data communications system depends on four fundamental
characteristics:
1. Delivery
2. Accuracy
3. Timeliness
4. Jitter.
Delivery:
The system must deliver data to the correct destination. Data must be received by
the intended device or user and only by that device or user.
Accuracy:
The system must deliver the data accurately. Data that have been altered in
transmission and left uncorrected are unusable.
Timeliness-
The system must deliver data in a timely manner. Data delivered late are
[Link] the case of video and audio, timely delivery means delivering data as
they are produced, in the same order that they are produced, and without
significant delay.
This kind of delivery is called real-time transmission.
Jitter-
Jitter refers to the variation in the packet arrival time. It is the uneven delay in the
delivery of audio or video packets. For example, let us assume that video packets
are sent every 3Minutes .If some of the packets arrive with 3 Minute delay and
others with 4 minutes delay, that results in uneven quality of video sent.
NOTES PREPARED BY KHURSHEED AHMAD (B.C.A,M.C.A)
SHAHI HAMDAN COMPUTER EDUCATION CENTER
COMPONENTS OF DATA COMMUNICATION
For occurrence of data communication, communicating devices must be a part of
communication system made up of a combination of hardware or software
devices and programs.
There are mainly five components of a data communication system:
1. Message
2. Sender
3. Receiver
4. Transmission media
5. Protocol(Set of rules)
Message:
This is most useful asset of a data communication system. The message simply
refers to data or piece of information which is to be communicated. A message
could be in any form, it may be in form of a text file, an audio file, a video file, etc.
Sender:
To transfer message from source to destination, someone must be there who will
play role of a source. Sender plays part of a source in data communication
[Link] is simple a device that sends data message. The device could be in form
of a computer, mobile, telephone, laptop, video camera, or a workstation, etc.
Receiver:
It is destination where finally message sent by source has arrived. It is a device
that receives message. Same as sender, receiver can also be in form of a
computer,telephone mobile, workstation, etc.
Transmission Media:
In entire process of data communication, there must be something which could
act as a bridge between sender and receiver, Transmission medium plays that
part. It is physical path by which data or message travels from sender to receiver.
Transmission medium could be guided (with wires) or unguided (without
wires),for example, twisted pair cable, fiber optic cable, radio waves, microwaves,
etc.
Protocol (Set of Rules):
The protocol is a set of rules that govern data communication. If two different
devices are connected but there is no protocol among them, there would not be
any kind of communication between those two devices. Thus the protocol is
necessary for data communication to take place.
NOTES PREPARED BY KHURSHEED AHMAD (B.C.A,M.C.A)
SHAHI HAMDAN COMPUTER EDUCATION CENTER
2- TRANSMISSION MODES
Transmission mode is a way in which data is transmitted from one device to
another device. It is also called as communication mode. It defines the mode of
transferring of data between two devices.
There are three types of transmission mode:-
1. Simplex Mode.
2. Half Duplex Mode.
3. Duplex Mode.
Simplex Mode:
In Simplex mode, the communication is unidirectional, i.e., the data flow in one
direction.
A device (in simplex mode) can only send the data but cannot receive it or it can
receive the data but cannot send the data.
The radio station is a simplex channel as it transmits the signal to the listeners
but never allows them to transmit back.
Keyboard and Monitor are the examples of the simplex mode as a keyboard can
only accept the data from the user and monitor can only be used to display the
data on the screen.
Advantage of Simplex mode:
NOTES PREPARED BY KHURSHEED AHMAD (B.C.A,M.C.A)
SHAHI HAMDAN COMPUTER EDUCATION CENTER
In simplex mode, the station can utilize the entire bandwidth of the
communication channel, so that more data can be transmitted at a time.
Disadvantage of Simplex mode:
Communication is unidirectional, so it has no inter communication between
devices
Half-Duplex mode:
In a Half-duplex mode communication is bidirectional but only in one direction
at a time, i.e. Messages flow in both the directions, but not at the same time.
So in this mode, one station can transmit and receive the data as well.
In half-duplex mode, it is possible to perform the error detection, and if any
error occurs, then the receiver requests the sender to retransmit the data.
A Walkie-talkie is an example of the Half-duplex mode. In Walkie-talkie, one
party speaks, and another party listens. After a pause, the other speaks and first
party listens. Speaking simultaneously will create the distorted sound which
cannot be understood.
Advantage of Half-Duplex mode:
In half-duplex mode, both the devices can send and receive the data and also
can utilize the entire bandwidth of the communication channel during the
transmission of data.
Disadvantage of Half-Duplex mode:
In half-duplex mode, when one device is sending the data, then another has to
wait, this causes the delay in sending the data at the right time.
Full-Duplex mode:
In Full duplex mode, the communication is bi-directional, i.e., the data flow in
both the directions at a time.
Both the stations can send and receive the message simultaneously.
The Full-duplex mode is the fastest mode of communication between devices.
NOTES PREPARED BY KHURSHEED AHMAD (B.C.A,M.C.A)
SHAHI HAMDAN COMPUTER EDUCATION CENTER
The most common example of the full-duplex mode is a telephone network.
When two people are communicating with each other by a telephone line, both
can talk and listen at the same time.
Advantage of Full-Duplex mode:
Both the stations can send and receive the data at the same time.
Disadvantage of Full-duplex mode:
If there is no dedicated path exists between the devices, then the capacity of
the communication channel is divided into two parts.
3- TRANSMITION MEDIA
Transmission media is a communication channel that carries the information from
the sender to the receiver. Data is transmitted through the electromagnetic
signals. It is a physical path between transmitter and receiver in data
communication.
Transmission media are of two types −
Guided Transmission Medium
Unguided Transmission Medium
NOTES PREPARED BY KHURSHEED AHMAD (B.C.A,M.C.A)
SHAHI HAMDAN COMPUTER EDUCATION CENTER
WIRED TRANSMISSION MEDIA:
Wired transmission media are also called “bounded media” or “Guided media”.
They comprise cables or wires through which data is transmitted. They are called
guided since they provides a dedicated link form sender device to receive device.
The information being transferred Using guided media is directed and contained
by the physical limits
of the media.
The most popular guided media are −
Twisted pair cable
Coaxial cable
Fibre optics
Twisted Pair:-
One of the earliest guided transmission media is twisted pair cables. A twisted
pair cable
comprises of two separate insulated copper wires, which are twisted together
and run in parallel. The copper wires are typically 1mm in diameter. One of the
wires is used to transmit data and the other is the ground reference
A twisted pair cable consists of two copper wires about 1 mm thick.
These two wires are individually contained in a plastic insulation and are twisted
together in spiral form.
One wire carries the signal and another is used for ground reference.
These cables are extensively used by TELEPHONE system.
The two wires are twisted to reduce the damage from the external noise on the
single cable.
This cable is used for both analogy and digital transmission.
Coaxial Cable:-
Coaxial cables, commonly called coax, are copper cables with metal shielding
designed to provide immunity against noise and greater bandwidth. Coax can
transmit signals over larger distances at a higher speed as compared to twisted
pair cables. Coax has a central core of copper conductor for transmitting signals.
NOTES PREPARED BY KHURSHEED AHMAD (B.C.A,M.C.A)
SHAHI HAMDAN COMPUTER EDUCATION CENTER
This is covered by an insulating material. The insulator is encased by a closely
woven braided metal outer conductor that acts as a shield against noise. The
outer conductor is again enclosed by a plastic insulating cover. The structure is
shown in the following figure –
The coaxial Cable (called as Coax) is the cable consists of one central wire (inner
conductor) that is covered with the plastic insulator called as Dielectric.
This dielectric is made of non-conducting material such as polyethylene
This plastic insulator (Dielectric) is further encased by a cylindrical conductor
(called as outer conductor) that is closely woven braided mesh.
This braided mesh is further covered by the protective plastic jacket.
This cable is also used for both analog and digital signals
Because of better covering of cable, loss of signal is less and it offers good noise
immunity.
These are used by telephone network, cable TV Network, LAN’s
Optical Fibre Cable:-
A fibre optic cable is made of glass or plastic and transmits signals in the structure
of light signals. The structure of an optical fibre cable is displayed in the figure. It
involves an inner glass core surrounded by a glass cladding that reflects the light
into the core. Each fibre is encircled by a plastic jacket.
NOTES PREPARED BY KHURSHEED AHMAD (B.C.A,M.C.A)
SHAHI HAMDAN COMPUTER EDUCATION CENTER
This cable is made up of GLASS (width less than Human Hair) and transmits the
signals in the form of LIGHT.
It is the latest development in the networking technology that has made it
possible to transmit data in the form of pulses of Light.
At the sender side, the electrical signal is applied to the optical fibre and the
converter (LED or Laser Diode) converts the electric signal into the light pulses
and then transmits those light pulses from the fibre optical cable.
At the receiver side, these signals are detected by the receiver and then
reconverted into the electric signals by photo electric diode.
WIRELESS TRANSMISSION MEDIA
Wireless transmission is the transmission media in which there exists no physical
linebetween the sender and receiver. Signals are spread over air and are available
to the any devices that are cable of receiving those signals. In this method the
signals are spread over with the help waves (Radio, Microwave, infrared wave)
from source to destination.
NOTES PREPARED BY KHURSHEED AHMAD (B.C.A,M.C.A)
SHAHI HAMDAN COMPUTER EDUCATION CENTER
It is also called as unguided transmission media. These media are bounded by
geographical boundaries.
1- Microwave Transmission:-
Microwave systems use very hig h frequency ra dio signals to
transmi t data thr ough space (wireless communication). However, at
microwave frequencies, electromagnetic waves cannot bend or pass
obstacles like tall buildings or hills. Hence, transmitter and receiver of
a microwave system, mounted on very high towers, should be in line-of-
sight. This may not be possible for very long distance transmission. Moreover, signals
also become weaker after traveling a certain distance and require power
amplification.
To overcome problems of line-of-sight and power amplification of weak signals,
microwave systems uses repeaters at interals of about 25kms-30 kms in between
transmitting and receiving stations (see Figure 17.5). A microwave communication
system places its first repeater in line-of-sight of transmitting station and its last
repeate in of-sight of receiving station. It also places any two consecutive
repeaters in line-of sight of each other .eachofthese stations receives, amplifies, and
retransmits data signals.
Recievingg antennas
Transmitting antennas
Fig:17.5
Microwave systems have speed of about 16 Giga bps (1 Giga = 109). They can
support about 250,000 voice channels simultaneously. As they support wireless
communication, they do not require laying of cables and associated cost of land
digging. However, since their initial installation cost is high, they are cost effective only
NOTES PREPARED BY KHURSHEED AHMAD (B.C.A,M.C.A)
SHAHI HAMDAN COMPUTER EDUCATION CENTER
for communication systems that link big cities with heavy telephone/data traffic
between them.
2- Communicaton Sattellite:
Main problem with microwave communication is that curvature of earth, mountains and other
structures often
,
block the line-of-sight. Hence, long distance transmission requires several repeater stations, increasing
data transmission cost between two points. Satellites overcome this problem.
Communication satellites are microwave relay stations in outer space. It is placed it
in outer space precisely 36,000 kms above the equator with an orbit speed that
matches earth's rotation speed exactly. A satellite can receive and retransmit
signals to slightly less than half the earth's surface because the earth is round.
Therefore, to provide data transmission service worldwide, there should be at
least three satellites.
Transmitting Station Receiving Station
can support typically 1200 voice' channels each of 4800 bps,
Use of 4 GHz to 6 GHz band of frequencies for transmission and retransmission of
microwave signals in a satellite is called C-band transmission, and use of 11 GHz to
14 GHz band of frequencies is called K band transmission
NOTES PREPARED BY KHURSHEED AHMAD (B.C.A,M.C.A)