Computer Networks
Lesson 3.1. Technology and Livelihood Education
Information and Communications Technology 9
Computer Networks
Telecommunication
The exchange of information between two or many individuals is called
Communication. The word tele is a Greek word which means distance. Hence,
Telecommunication means the exchange of information between two distant
places.
Computer Network
A computer network can be defined as a set of computers connected
together for the purpose of sharing resources. The most common resource
shared today is connection to the Internet.
Application of Computer Network
➢ Resource sharing such as printers and storage devices
➢ Exchange of information by means of e-Mails
➢ Information sharing by using Web or Internet
➢ Video conferences, Parallel computing and Instant messaging
Categories of Computer Network
Personal Area Network (PAN) Local Area Network (LAN)
Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
Personal Area Network
▪ A Personal Area Network (PAN) is
smallest network which is very Personal Area Network (PAN)
personal to a user.
▪ This may include Bluetooth
enabled devices.
▪ PAN has connectivity range up to
10 meters.
▪ PAN may include wireless
computer keyboard, mouse,
headphones printers and TV
remotes.
Local Area Network
▪ Usually LAN covers an organization‘
offices, schools, colleges or universities. Local Area Network (LAN)
▪ Number of systems connected in LAN
may vary from as least as two to as
much as 16 million.
▪ LAN provides a useful way of sharing
the resources between end users.
▪ The resources such as printers, file
servers, scanners, and internet are
easily sharable among computers.
▪ LANs are composed of inexpensive
networking.
▪ LAN works under its own local domain
and controlled centrally.
Metropolitan Area Network
◼ The Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
generally expands throughout a city such Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
as cable TV network.
◼ It can be in the form of Ethernet, ATM, or
Fiber Distributed Data Interface.
◼ MAN can help an organization to connect
all of its offices in a city.
◼ Backbone of MAN is high-capacity and
high-speed fiber optics.
◼ MAN works in between Local Area
Network and Wide Area Network.
Wide Area Network
◼ As the name suggests, the Wide Area
Network (WAN) covers a wide area which
may span across provinces and even a
whole country.
◼ Generally, telecommunication networks
are Wide Area Network.
◼ These networks provide connectivity to
MANs and LANs.
◼ They are equipped with very high speed
backbone.
◼ WANs use very expensive network
equipment.
Computer Network Topologies
Point-to-Point Topology
• Point-to-point networks contains exactly two hosts such as computer,
switches or routers, servers connected back to back using a single piece of
cable.
• The receiving end of one host is connected to sending end of the other and
vice-versa.
• If the hosts are connected point-to-point logically, then may have multiple
intermediate devices.
• The end hosts are unaware of underlying network and see each other as if
they are connected directly.
BUS Topology
• In Bus topology, all devices share single communication line or cable.
• All devices are linked through a backbone cable.
• Bus topology may have problem while multiple hosts sending data at the same
time.
• It is one of the simple forms of networking where a failure of a device does not
affect the other devices.
• But failure of the shared communication line can make all other devices stop
functioning.
• Both ends of the shared channel have line terminator.
• The data is sent in only one direction and as soon as it reaches the extreme end,
the terminator removes the data from the line.
RING Topology
• In ring topology, each host machine connects to exactly
two other machines, creating a circular network
structure.
• When one host tries to communicate or send message
to a host which is not adjacent to it, the data travels
through all intermediate hosts.
• To connect one more host in the existing structure, the
administrator may need only one more extra cable.
• Failure of any host results in failure of the whole ring.
• Every connection in the ring is a point of failure.
• There are methods which employ one more backup
ring.
STAR Topology
• All hosts in Star topology are connected to a
central device, known as hub device, using a
point-to-point connection.
• That is, there exists a point to point connection
between hosts and hub.
• As in Bus topology, hub acts as single point of
failure. If hub fails, connectivity of all hosts to
all other hosts fails.
• Star topology is not expensive as to connect
one more host, only one cable is required and
configuration is simple.
Tree Topology
• Also known as Hierarchical Topology, this is the
most common form of network
topology in use presently.
• This topology imitates as extended Star topology
and inherits properties of bus topology.
• This topology divides the network in to multiple
layers of network.
• The lowermost is access-layer where computers
are attached.
• The middle layer is known as distribution layer.
• The highest layer is known as core layer, and is
central point of the network, i.e. root of the tree
from which all nodes fork.
• All neighboring hosts have point-to-point
connection between them.
• If the root goes down, then the entire network
suffers even though it is not the single point of
failure.
MESH Topology
• In this type of topology, a host is connected
to one or multiple hosts.
• This topology has hosts in point-to-point
connection with every other host or may also
have hosts which are in point-to-point
connection to few hosts only.
• All hosts have a point-to-point connection to
every other host in the network.
Hybird Topology
• A network structure whose design contains
more than one topology is said to be hybrid
topology.
• Hybrid topology inherits merits and demerits
of all the incorporating topologies.
• The combining topologies may contain
attributes of Star, Ring and Bus topology.
• Internet is the best example of largest Hybrid
topology.