Chapter 4

Network and Internet

May 2023
 Data Communication

Data Communication technology means method by which data is transferred

from one location to another. This development is used for computer
networks.
Basic Elements of a Communication System
There are 3 basic elements of any communication system are:
➢ A sender (source), which creates and send the message to be transmitted.
➢ A medium, which carries the message.
➢ A receiver (sink or object), which receives the message.
 Data Communication

➔ The electronic systems, which transfer data from one point to

another, are called data communication systems.
Medium (Channel)
Sender Receiver
(Source) (Object or Sink)

Creates the message Receives the message

Fig: Basic Elements of a communication system

 Transmission Media

➔ Transmission media is the means used to establish communication

channel. It is through transmission media that data moves from
source to destination during communication.
➔ There are two types of transmission media:
▪ Guided transmission media
▪ Unguided transmission media
 Guided Transmission Media

➔ In guided transmission media, the data follows a definite path. This

path is wire or cable. When data is communicated over guided media,
it follows a definite path, the wire/cable. There are three types of
guided media:
➔ Twisted pair cable
➔ Coaxial Cable
➔ Fiber optic cable
 Twisted Pair Cable

❖ Contains pairs of plastic-coated wires that are twisted

❖ Made of copper

Two types:
○ Shielded twisted pair (STP)
○ Unshielded twisted pair(UTP)
The standard connector for UTP cable is RJ-45. RJ-stands for Registered
Jack. UTP cable has four pairs of wires (8 wires in general) in each cable.
 Coaxial Cable

● It has a single copper conductor at its center. It has braided metal shield
that prevents electromagnetic interference. The metallic braid/shield
traps electromagnetic interference that distorts our data.
✓ Used in cable TVs

✓ It uses a connector called BNC

 Fiber Optic cable

➔ Fiber optic cables transmit data as pulses of light.

➔ The data is sent in the form of light in these cables.
➔ Those cables are small strands of glass or plastic cables. Because
they use light and since light is the fastest traveling thing, data
transfer rate is very high (very fast).
 Unguided Media

● Unguided media uses radio waves/electromagnetic waves to transmit data

from source to destination. They use air (space) as a channel and hence they
do not use wires.
This media may use:
● Satellites

● Microwave dishes (antenna)

 Two types of signals

Digital Signal
● Computers can understand and process only digital signals. The digital signal has
only two states: high and low, no intermediate value. They are discrete in nature.
The state of the signal is either high or low, and there is no intermediate value.
 Two types of signals

Analog Signal
● Analog signal is a continuous signal which has the behavior of continuously
varying. In this case there is no fixed number of states for the signal i.e. it
shows continuous variation.
 Data Transmission Modes

➔ There are three ways, or modes, of transmitting data from one point to
another (direction). There are 3 types:
 Data Transmission Modes

● Simplex: communication can take place in only one direction.

Ex. Radio / Television broadcasting / Calling Bell.
● Half Duplex: A half-duplex system can transmit data in both directions, but only
in one direction at a time.
Ex: Walkie – Talkie
● Full Duplex: In this system which allows information to flow simultaneously in
both directions on the transmission path.
Ex: Telephone networks use full duplex channels.
 Network Definition

● A network can be defined as two or more computers connected

together in such a way that they can share resources.
● A collection of interconnected device that can be communicated to
each other over the internet cloud.
 Advantages of networking

❖ Data Sharing
❖ Hardware Sharing
❖ Internet Access
❖ Data Security and Management
❖ Entertainment and so on…
 Disadvantages of networking

❖ Network device Costs

❖ Hardware and Software Management and Administration Costs
❖ Undesirable Sharing
❖ Illegal or Undesirable Behavior
❖ Data Security Concerns
 Elements of Network

The device that build up network

➔ End Device: the device that can generate transmitted data and receive
and interpret the data.
Example : Computer , TV
➔ Intermediary device: the device that give a network access to the
attached end device
Example : Hub :Hubs are devices used to link several computers together.
 Example of Intermediary device

Switch :provides central connection point for computer or other network

device.
 Example of Intermediary device

● Bridge : A bridge allows you to connect two sequences of large a

network together. By the help of bridge, you can divide large network
into two or more groups.
 Example of Intermediary device

● Routers : Routers are highly intelligent devices that connect multiple

network types and determine the best path for sending data.
 Types of Network

➔ Based on the geographical area coverage, the Networks are

classified into three types:
▪ Local Area Networks (LAN)
▪ Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
▪ Wide Area Network (WAN)
 Local Area Networks (LAN)

● LAN is a computer network covering a small geographic area, like a

home, office, or group of buildings.
 A Metropolitan Area Network(MAN)

➔ MAN is a network that interconnects users with computer resources in a

geographic area or region larger than that covered by even a large LAN but
smaller than the area covered by a WAN.
 Wide Area Network (WAN)

● WAN is a computer network

that covers a broad area like a
state, country or a continent.
● WANs are used to connect LANs
and other types of networks
together, so that users and
computers in one location can
communicate with users and
computers in other locations
 Client and Server computer role in networking

● Server: Computer is a core component of the network, providing a link to

the resources necessary to perform any task.

● Client: Computers normally request and receive information over the

network client.
○ Client computers also depends primarily on the central server for

processing activities.
 Network Architecture

Peer-to peer network

❖ A peer-to-peer network is a network where there is no dedicated
server as central device to control resource sharing.
❖ All hosts are equal
❖ great for small, simple, and inexpensive networks.
 Network Architecture

Server based Networking

❖ In this design, a small number of computers are designated as
centralized servers and given the task of providing services to a larger
number of user machines called clients.
 Network Topology

➢ The arrangement of network device is known as topology

➢ Physical topologies describe how the cables are run.

➢ Logical topologies describe how the network messages

travel.
The different network topologies are:
❖ Star topology

❖ Bus topology

❖ Ring topology

❖ Mesh topology
 Types of Network Topology

● Star topology: all communication devices (nodes) are connected to a central

hub/Server or a Host computer via cables.
○ If any workstation goes down it does not affect the entire network. (But, as you might
expect, if the central device goes down, the entire network goes down.)
○ Star topologies are more expensive to install than bus networks, because there are
several more cables that need to be installed, plus the cost of the hubs that are needed.
 Types of Network Topology

● Bus topology : A bus is the simplest physical topology. It consists of a single

cable that runs to every workstation.
○ This topology uses the least amount of cabling, but also covers the shortest

amount of distance.
○ If any connection to the node fails the entire network fails.
 Types of Network Topology

● Ring Topology : In ring topology, every device is connected to a ring forming a

loop. Each device is connected to two other devices in ring topology.
● Data is transmitted over the ring in one direction only following the ring. So, if
data is sent over the ring, it reaches all devices on the ring one after the other.
● Since, all messages are flowing in only one direction; failure of a single node can
compromise the entire network.
 Types of Network Topology

Mesh : The mesh topology is the simplest logical topology in terms of data flow, but it
is the most complex in terms of physical design.
❖ In this physical topology, each device is connected to every other device.
 Other NTK Devices

Network Interface Card (NIC)

● NIC provides the physical interface between computer and cabling.
● It prepares data, sends data, and controls the flow of data. It can also receive and translate data into
bytes for the CPU to understand.

Modem
● Modems are the devices used to communicate data over telephone lines. This function is the
translation of digital computer data into a signal that can be transmitted over a phone line and vice
versa.
Protocols
● Protocols are the rules that the networks all use to understand each other.
 Internet

➢ It is a worldwide system of computer networks - a network of networks in

which users at any one computer can, if they have permission, get information
from any other computer (and sometimes talk directly to users at other
computers).
➢ It is a global network of computer that cover the whole world.
 Application of Internet

Accessing and obtaining Information

➢ How to search and find such information? By using Web search

engines information of interest can be obtained.

Communication
➢ Example :Email or Electronic Mail it is used to send mail to friends

electronically. It uses electronic box instead of post office box.

Marketing and Business on the Web

➢ Enables you to buy and sell products using internet like e-commerce.
Computer Security

May 2023
 Issues and Ethics in IT

● Issues in IT can be classified into four categories: _

○ Security issue

○ Quality of Life issue

○ Economical Issue

○ Privacy issue
 Security issue

● Security issues go right to the basic workability of computer and

communications system in the information society.
● Some threats to IT environments are:
○ Errors and accidents
○ Natural and other hazards
○ Crime against computers and communications
○ Crime using computers and communications
○ Worms and viruses
○ Computer criminals
 Quality of Life issue

Quality of life issues related to IT are:

❖ Environment problems
✓ Pollution
✓ Radiation
❖ Mental Health problems
✓ Isolation
✓ Gambling
✓ Net addiction
✓ Stress
❖ Work place problems
✓ Misuse of technology
✓ Information overload
 Economical Issue

● May people worry that the effects of IT are reducing jobs, they also
worry that it is widening the gap between the haves and have-nots.
● It will give the opportunity to worry about
○ Technology the job killer or job creator
○ Gap between rich and poor
● If your job is replaced by computer that means human is not fittest for
that job.
 Privacy issue

● Privacy is the claim of individuals to be left alone, free from Interference

from other individuals or organizations, including the state.
● Privacy is the right of people not to reveal information about them.
New communication and information technologies have enabled many
organizations and people to collect, organize, and sell information about
other people and organizations, both quickly and cheaply.
● The easy availability of personal information makes banking, education,
health care, and sales much more convenient for both consumers and
sellers..
 Computer Ethics

● ETHICS - Can be defined as a branch of philosophy dealings with the

determination of what is right or wrong, good or bad. Simply if we
define” ethics are moral standards that help to guide, behavior, actions,
and choices.
● Ethics are grounded in the notion of:-
○ Responsibility
○ Accountability
○ Liability
○ Due process
 Computer Crime

● The term computer crime includes any unauthorized use of a computer

system – including software privacy – or theft of system resources for
personal use – including computer processing time and network access
time.
● Actions intended to alter data and programs or to damage or destroy
data, software, or equipment is also crimes.
 Most common types of computer crimes are:-

● Data diddling: modifying data

● Salami slicing: skimming small amounts of money
● Carding: stealing credit card numbers online
● Piggybacking: stealing credit card numbers by spying
● Social engineering: tricking employees to gain access
● Dumpster diving: finding private info in garbage cans
● Spoofing: stealing passwords through a false login page
● Data leakage: Erasing or removing data and files from a system without indicating
that they were removed or leaving any trace, they ever existed.
● Logic Bomb: A program designed to execute when certain conditions occur.
Designed to sabotage system data, programs or processing.
 Most common types of computer crimes are:-

● TIME BOMB: A program designed to execute on a specific date and time. The
program monitors the computer’s internal clock or calendar. When the preset
date arrives, the program comes to life causing its damage.
● TRAPDOOR: An illicit and unknown point of entry into a program or network that
can be used to gain access to the system.
● TROJAN HORSE: A program that appears to do one thing, but actually does
something very different.
● WIRETAPPING: Using any device to capture data transmission electronically or to
listen in on network conversations, especially those transmitted using wireless
methods or over copper cables.
 Cont.…

● Computer crime through intrusion can occur by following ways.

○ Hackers
○ Crackers
○ Viruses
● Hackers
● A hacker is a person who gains access to a system illegally. Hackers
usually gain access to a system through a network, but sometimes they
will physically enter a computer or network facility but they are
harmless.
 Techniques helpful in deterring intrusion by
hackers

1. Change access passwords frequently

2. Allow workers access to only the system functions they need to use
3. Permit workers to access only the data that they need to use
4. Establish physical security systems
5. Separate critical processing functions so that more than one person must be
involved
6. Encrypt data by scrambling or coding information.
7. Adopt procedural controls
8. Keep staff well informed through education programs
9. Audit system activities
10. Keep a log of all transactions and user activities
 Cont.…

Crackers
Crackers also gain unauthorized access to information technology but do
so for malicious purposes. Crackers attempt to break into computers
and deliberately obtain information for financial gain, shut down
hardware, pirate software, destroy.
Computer viruses
✓ Virus – a destructive program that disrupts the normal functioning
of computer systems
✓ VIRUS: A hidden program that alters, without the user’s knowledge
the way a computer operates or modifies the data and program
stored on the computer.
 Types of viruses

✓ WORMS
✓ Trojan horses
✓ Logic or time bombs:
• WORMS: A Worm is a program that copies itself repeatedly into memory
or onto a disk drive until no more space is left.
• Trojan horses: Activates without being detected; does not copy itself
• Logic or time bombs: A type of Trojan horse that stays dormant for a
period of time before activating
❖ Viruses are passed in three ways
1. By diskette [copying ]
2. By network [data sharing]
3. By internet [ e-mail ]
 Methods of virus detection

There are three methods of virus detection.

● Scanning programs – search the computer and main memory to detect a virus
● Detection Programs – monitor processing activities and signal the user when a
virus tries to infect the system
● Digital signature encryption – uses a mathematical coding scheme designed to
foil a virus’s attempt to attack programs and data. Alternatively, we can say
published programs are encoded with mathematical key, making it difficult for
virus to attack data or programs. Also makes detection of alterations caused by
viruses easier.
● Names of some viruses are
○ Christmas or X-Mas
○ Friday the 13th
○ Falling letters
○ Disk killers
○ Mis-Speller
 Security concerns and security management
strategies in e-business applications

Computer Security
❖ Computer Security – precautions taken to keep computers and the
information they contain safe from unauthorized access
Recommended Safeguards
✓ Make backups!
✓ Only allow access to key employees
✓ Change passwords frequently
✓ Keep stored information secure
✓ Use antivirus software
✓ Hire trustworthy employees
 …

Q&A