Chapter 3
Communications network
architecture
Line Configuration in Computer Networks
Last Updated : 20 Apr, 2023
A network is two or more devices connected through a link. A link is a communication
pathway that transfers data from one device to another.
Devices can be a computer, printer, or any other device that is capable to send and receive
data.
For visualization purposes, imagine any link as a line drawn between two points.
For communication to occur, two devices must be connected in some way to the same
link at the same time. There are two possible types of connections:
Point-to-Point Connection
Multipoint Connection
Point-to-Point Connection:
A point-to-point connection provides a dedicated link between two
devices.
The entire capacity of the link is reserved for transmission between
those two devices.
Most point-to-point connections use an actual length of wire or
cable to connect the two ends, but other options such as microwave
or satellite links are also possible.
Point to point network topology is considered to be one of the
easiest and most conventional networks
topologies.
It is also the simplest to establish and understand.
Example: Point-to-Point connection between the remote control
and Television for changing the channels.
Here are some features of different line
configurations in computer networks:
Point-to-Point:
Uses a dedicated link to connect Multipoint:
two devices Uses a single link to connect
Simple and easy to set up three or more devices
Limited to two devices only More complex than point-to-
Does not require a network point configuration
interface card (NIC) or a Can be more efficient and cost-
hub/switch effective for larger networks
Can become complex and Devices share the same link,
difficult to manage as the which can lead to collisions and
network grows lower performance
Commonly used in LANs and
Cont..
Star:
All devices in the network are connected to a central hub or switch
Easy to manage and troubleshoot
Provides good performance and reliability
A single point of failure (the hub or switch) can affect the entire
network
Requires additional hardware and cabling
Mesh:
Every device is connected to every other device in the network
Provides the highest level of reliability and redundancy
Can handle high traffic and heavy loads
Very expensive and difficult to manage
Network Devices (Hub, Repeater, Bridge, Switch, Router,
Gateways and Brouter)
Network Devices: Network devices, also known as networking
hardware, are physical devices that allow hardware on a computer
network to communicate and interact with one another.
For example Repeater, Hub, Bridge, Switch, Routers, Gateway, Brouter,
and NIC, etc.
Cont..
1. Repeater – A repeater operates at the physical layer. Its job is to regenerate
the signal over the same network before the signal becomes too weak or
corrupted to extend the length to which the signal can be transmitted over the
same network.
An important point to be noted about repeaters is that they not only amplify
the signal but also regenerate it.
When the signal becomes weak, they copy it bit by bit and regenerate it at its
star topology connectors connecting following the original strength. It is a 2-
port device.
Cont..
2. Hub – A hub is a basically multi-port repeater. A hub connects
multiple wires coming from different branches, for example, the
connector in star topology which connects different stations.
Hubs cannot filter data, so data packets are sent to all connected
devices. In other words, the collision domain of all hosts connected
through Hub remains one.
Also, they do not have the intelligence to find out the best path for data
packets which leads to inefficiencies and wastage.
Cont..
Types of Hub
Active Hub:- These are the hubs that have their power supply and can clean,
boost, and relay the signal along with the network. It serves both as a repeater as
well as a wiring center. These are used to extend the maximum distance between
nodes.
Passive Hub:- These are the hubs that collect wiring from nodes and power
supply from the active hub. These hubs relay signals onto the network without
cleaning and boosting them and can’t be used to extend the distance between
nodes.
Intelligent Hub:- It works like an active hub and includes remote management
capabilities. They also provide flexible data rates to network devices. It also
enables an administrator to monitor the traffic passing through the hub and to
configure each port in the hub.
Cont..
3. Bridge – A bridge operates at the data link layer. A bridge is a repeater,
with add on the functionality of filtering content by reading the MAC
addresses of the source and destination. It is also used for interconnecting
two LANs working on the same protocol. It has a single input and single
output port, thus making it a 2 port device.
Types of Bridges
Transparent Bridges:- These are the bridge in which the stations are
completely unaware of the bridge’s existence i.e. whether or not a bridge is
added or deleted from the network, reconfiguration of the stations is
unnecessary.
Cont..
. These bridges make use of two processes i.e. bridge forwarding and bridge
learning.
Source Routing Bridges:- In these bridges, routing operation is performed by
the source station and the frame specifies which route to follow.
The host can discover the frame by sending a special frame called the
discovery frame, which spreads through the entire network using all possible
paths to the destination.
Cont..
4. Switch – A switch is a multiport bridge with a buffer and a design
that can boost its efficiency(a large number of ports imply less
traffic) and performance.
A switch is a data link layer device.
The switch can perform error checking before forwarding data,
which makes it very efficient as it does not forward packets that
have errors and forward good packets selectively to the correct port
only.
In other words, the switch divides the collision domain of hosts,
but the broadcast domain remains the same.
Cont..
Types of Switch
Unmanaged switches: These switches have a simple plug-and-play design and do not
offer advanced configuration options. They are suitable for small networks or for use
as an expansion to a larger network.
Managed switches: These switches offer advanced configuration options such as
VLANs, QoS, and link aggregation. They are suitable for larger, more complex
networks and allow for centralized management.
Smart switches: These switches have features similar to managed switches but are
typically easier to set up and manage. They are suitable for small- to medium-sized
networks.
Cont..
5. Routers – A router is a device like a
switch that routes data packets based on
their IP addresses.
The router is mainly a Network Layer
device.
Routers normally connect LANs and WANs
and have a dynamically updating routing
table based on which they make decisions
on routing the data packets.
The router divides the broadcast domains of
hosts connected through it.
Cont..
6. Gateway – A gateway, as the name suggests, is a passage to connect two
networks that may work upon different networking models.
They work as messenger agents that take data from one system, interpret it,
and transfer it to another system. Gateways are also called protocol converters
and can operate at any network layer.
Gateways are generally more complex than switches or routers. A gateway is
also called a protocol converter.
7. Brouter – It is also known as the bridging router is a device that combines
features of both bridge and router.
It can work either at the data link layer or a network layer. Working as a router,
it is capable of routing packets across networks and working as the bridge, it is
capable of filtering local area network traffic.
Cont..
8. NIC – NIC or network interface card is a network adapter that is
used to connect the computer to the network.
It is installed in the computer to establish a LAN.
It has a unique id that is written on the chip, and it has a connector to
connect the cable to it.
The cable acts as an interface between the computer and the router or
modem.
NIC card is a layer 2 device which means that it works on both the
physical and data link layers of the network model.
Network Topologies (mesh, star, tree, bus, ring)
What is Topology?
Network topologies describe the methods in which all the elements of a
network are mapped. The topology term refers to both the physical and
logical layout of a network.
Types of Networking Topologies
Two main types of network topologies in computer networks are 1)
Physical topology 2) Logical topology
Physical topology
This type of network is an actual layout of the computer cables and
other network devices
Logical topology
Logical topology gives insight’s about network’s physical design.
Different types of Physical Topologies are:
P2P Topology
Bus Topology
Ring Topology
Star Topology
Tree Topology
Mesh Topology
Hybrid Topology
Cont..
Point to Point (P2P)
Point-to-point topology is the easiest of all the network topologies.
In this method, the network consists of a direct link between two
computers.
Advantages
► This is faster and highly reliable than other types of connections
since there is a direct connection.
No need for a network operating system
Does not need an expensive server as individual workstations are
used to access the files
No need for any dedicated network technicians because each user
sets their permissions
Disadvantages
The biggest drawback is that it only be used for small areas where
computers are in close proximity.
You can’t back up files and folders centrally
There is no security besides the permissions. Users often do not require to
log onto their workstations.
Bus Topology
Bus topology uses a single cable which
connects all the included nodes.
The main cable acts as a spine for the
entire network.
One of the computers in the network
acts as the computer server.
When it has two endpoints, it is
known as a linear bus topology.
Advantages
Here are pros/benefits of using a bus topology:
Cost of the cable is very less as compared to other topology, so it is widely
used to build small networks.
Famous for LAN network because they are inexpensive and easy to install.
It is widely used when a network installation is small, simple, or
temporary.
It is one of the passive topologies. So computers on the bus only listen for
data being sent, that are not responsible for moving the data from one
computer to others.
Disadvantages
Here are the cons/drawbacks of bus topology:
In case if the common cable fails, then the entire system will crash
down.
When network traffic is heavy, it develops collisions in the network.
Whenever network traffic is heavy, or nodes are too many, the
performance time of the network significantly decreases.
Cables are always of a limited length.
Ring Topology
In a ring network, every device has exactly two
neighboring devices for communication purpose.
It is called a ring topology as its formation is like
a ring.
In this topology, every computer is connected to
another computer. Here, the last node is
combined with a first one.
This topology uses token to pass the information
from one computer to another.
In this topology, all the messages travel through a
ring in the same direction.
Advantages
Here are pros/benefits of ring topology:
Easy to install and reconfigure.
Adding or deleting a device in-ring topology needs you to move only two
connections.
The troubleshooting process is difficult in a ring topology.
Failure of one computer can disturb the whole network.
Offers equal access to all the computers of the networks
Faster error checking and acknowledgment.
Disadvantages
► Here are drawbacks/cons of ring topology:
Unidirectional traffic.
Break in a single ring can risk the breaking of the entire network
Modern days high-speed LANs made this topology less popular.
In the ring, topology signals are circulating at all times, which develops
unwanted power consumption.
It is very difficult to troubleshoot the ring network.
Adding or removing the computers can disturb the network activity.
Star Topology
In the star topology, all the computers connect
with the help of a hub.
This cable is called a central node, and all
other nodes are connected using this central
node.
It is most popular on LAN networks as they are
inexpensive and easy to install.
Advantages
► Here are pros/benefits of start topology:
Easy to troubleshoot, set up, and modify.
Only those nodes are affected, that has failed. Other nodes still work.
Fast performance with few nodes and very low network traffic.
In Star topology, addition, deletion, and moving of the devices are
easy.
Disadvantages
► Here are cons/drawbacks of using Star:
If the hub or concentrator fails, attached nodes are disabled.
Cost of installation of star topology is costly.
Heavy network traffic can sometimes slow the bus considerably.
Performance depends on the hub’s capacity
A damaged cable or lack of proper termination may bring the network
down.
Mesh Topology
The mesh topology has a unique network design in which
each computer on the network connects to every other.
It is develops a P2P (point-to-point) connection between all
the devices of the network.
It offers a high level of redundancy, so even if one network
cable fails, still data has an alternative path to reach its
destination.
Types of Mesh Topology
Partial Mesh Topology: In this type of topology, most of
the devices are connected almost similarly as full topology.
The only difference is that few devices are connected with
just two or three devices.
Cont..
Full Mesh Topology: In this topology, every
nodes or device are directly connected with
each other.
Advantages
► Here, are pros/benefits of Mesh topology
► The network can be expanded without disrupting current users.
► Need extra capable compared with other LAN topologies.
► No traffic problem as nodes has dedicated links.
► Dedicated links help you to eliminate the traffic problem.
► A mesh topology is robust.
► It has multiple links, so if any single route is blocked, then other routes should be
used for data communication.
► P2P links make the fault identification isolation process easy.
► It helps you to avoid the chances of network failure by connecting all the systems to a
central node.
► Every system has its privacy and security.
Disadvantages
► Installation is complex because every node is connected to every node.
► It is expensive due to the use of more cables. No proper utilization of
systems.
► Complicated implementation.
► It requires more space for dedicated links.
► Because of the amount of cabling and the number of input-outputs, it is
expensive to implement.
► It requires a large space to run the cables.
Tree Topology
Cont..
Tree topologies have a root node, and all other nodes are connected which form a hierarchy.
So it is also known as hierarchical topology.
This topology integrates various star topologies together in a single bus, so it is known as a
Star Bus topology.
Tree topology is a very common network which is similar to a bus and star topology.
Advantages
Here are pros/benefits of tree topology:
Failure of one node never affects the rest of the network.
Node expansion is fast and easy.
Detection of error is an easy process
It is easy to manage and maintain
Disadvantages
Here are cons/drawback of tree topology:
It is heavily cabled topology
If more nodes are added, then its maintenance is difficult
If the hub or concentrator fails, attached nodes are also disabled.
Hybrid Topology
Hybrid topology combines two or more topologies.
You can see in the above architecture in such a manner
that the resulting network does not exhibit one of the
standard topologies.
For example, as you can see in the above image that in an
office in one department, Star and P2P topology is used.
A hybrid topology is always produced when two different
basic network topologies are connected.
Cont..
Advantages
Here, are advantages/pros using Hybrid topology:
Offers the easiest method for error detecting and troubleshooting
Highly effective and flexible networking topology
It is scalable so you can increase your network size
Disadvantages
The design of hybrid topology is complex
It is one of the costliest processes
Connection-Oriented and Connectionless Service
Data communication is a telecommunication network to send and receive
data between two or more computers over the same or different network.
There are two ways to establish a connection before sending data from one
device to another, that are Connection-Oriented and Connectionless
Service.
Connection-oriented service involves the creation and termination of the
connection for sending the data between two or more devices.
In contrast, connectionless service does not require establishing any
connection and termination process for transferring the data over a network.
Connection-Oriented Service
A connection-oriented service is a network service that was designed
and developed after the telephone system.
A connection-oriented service is used to create an end to end
connection between the sender and the receiver before transmitting
the data over the same or different networks.
In connection-oriented service, packets are transmitted to the receiver
in the same order the sender has sent them.
It uses a handshake method that creates a connection between the
user and sender for transmitting the data over the network.
Hence it is also known as a reliable network service.
Cont..
What is a TCP?
TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) is a connection-oriented protocol that allows
communication between two or more computer devices by establishing connections in the
same or different networks.
It is the most important protocol that uses internet protocol to transfer the data from one
end to another. Hence, it is sometimes referred to as TCP/IP.
It ensures that the connection is established and maintained until the data packet is
transferring between the sender and receiver is complete.
Connectionless Service
A connection is similar to a postal system, in which each
letter takes along different route paths from the source to
the destination address.
Connectionless service is used in the network system to
transfer data from one end to another end without
creating any connection.
So it does not require establishing a connection before
sending the data from the sender to the receiver.
It is not a reliable network service because it does not
guarantee the transfer of data packets to the receiver, and
data packets can be received in any order to the receiver.
Therefore we can say that the data packet does not follow
a defined path.
In connectionless service, the transmitted data packet is
not received by the receiver due to network congestion,
and the data may be lost.
Cont..
What is UDP?
The UDP (User Datagram Protocol) is a connectionless protocol that allows communication
between two or more devices without establishing any connection.
In this protocol, a sender sends the data packets to the receiver that holds the destination
address.
A UDP does not ensure to deliver the data packets to the correct destination, and it does not
generate any acknowledgment about the sender's data.
Similarly, it does not acknowledge the receiver about the data. Hence, it is an unreliable
protocol.