Computer Literacy

Lecture 3
Introduction to Data
communications and
Computer Networking &
1
Internet
 Outline
Data communication
Computer networks
Modes of data transmissions
Modes of connections
Topologies
Physical Network Components
Data networks
Communication channels
Internet, Web and Internet Basics
Internet Capabilities
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3
 Components of Data
Communication

A set of rules (protocols) are followed by every computer

4 connected to the internet: TCP (Transmission Control
Protocol) and IP (Internet Protocol)
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 Network

A computer network is a collection of two or

more computer systems that are linked together.
A network connection can be established using
either cable or wireless media.
Hardware and software are used to connect
computers and tools in any network.
A computer network consists of various kinds of
nodes. Servers, networking hardware, Personal
computers, and other specialized or general-
purpose hosts can all be nodes in a computer
network.
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 Network
 (a) Wired Network: As we all know, “wired” refers to
any physical medium made up of cables. Copper wire,
twisted pair, or fiber optic cables are all options. A wired
network employs wires to link devices to the Internet or
another network, such as laptops or desktop PCs.
 (b) Wireless Network: “Wireless” means without wire,
media that is made up of electromagnetic waves (EM
Waves) or infrared waves. Antennas or sensors will be
present on all wireless devices. Cellular phones, wireless
sensors, TV remotes, satellite disc receivers, and laptops
with WLAN cards are all examples of wireless devices.
For data or voice communication, a wireless network
uses radiofrequency waves rather than wires

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8
9
 Three Modes of Data
Transmission

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 Three Modes of Data
Transmission
Data is transmitted in one of three modes:
1. Simplex (Unidirectional transmission) is a single, one-way transmission.
 Example: The signal sent from a TV station to your TV.
2. Half-duplex allows data to flow in one direction at a time.
 Simultaneous transmission in two directions is not
allowed.
 Example: Two-way radios, police or emergency mobile
radios
3. Full-duplex allows data to flow in both directions at the same time.
 Bandwidth is measured in only one direction. 100 Mbps
full-duplex means a bandwidth of 100 Mbps in each
direction.
 Broadband technologies, such as digital subscriber line
(DSL) and cable, operate in full-duplex mode.

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 Modes of connections

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 Topolog The term network topology refers to the
arrangements, either physical or
y logical, of nodes and connections
within a network
Two Types of LAN Topologies
Physical topology is
the physical layout of
the components on
the network
Logical topology
determines how the hosts
access the medium to
communicate across the
network

It could be said that a topology explains how a network is physically

14 connected, and how the information in the network flows logically.
15
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 Mesh Topology
 Connects all devices to each other
 Failure of any cable will not affect the network
 Used in WANs that interconnect LANs
 Expensive and difficult to install
because of the amount of cable
needed
 The Internet is an example of
a mesh topology
 Often used by governments
when data must be available
in the event of a partial network
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 Star Topology
Has a central connection point:
a hub, switch, or router
Hosts connect directly to the
central point with a cable
Costs more to implement than
the bus topology because more
cable is used, and a central
device is needed
Easy to troubleshoot, since each host is
connected to the central device with its
own wire.
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 Bus Topology
Each computer connects
to a common cable
Cable connects one
computer to the next
Ends of the cable have a terminator installed
to prevent signal reflections and network errors
Only one computer can transmit data at a time
or frames will collide and be destroyed
Bus topology is rarely used today. Possibly
suitable for a home office or small business
with few hosts
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 Ring Topology
 Hosts are connected in a physical ring or circle.
 The ring has no beginning or end, so the cable
does not need to be terminated.
 A special frame, a token, travels
around the ring, stopping at each
host.
 The advantage of a ring topology
is that there are no collisions.
 There are two types of ring
topologies:
Single-ring and Dual-ring

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 Peer-to-Peer Networking
Share files, send messages, and print to a
shared printer.
Each computer has similar capabilities and
responsibilities.
Each user decides which data and devices
to share.
No central point of control in the network.
Best if there are ten or fewer computers.

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 Client and Server
Client computer:
Users connect to the Internet
Request data and Web pages

Server computers
Store Web pages and data
Return the requested data to the client
Server

Client

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 Physical Network
Components
 Network devices:
Computers
Hubs
Switches
Routers
Wireless access points
 Network media:
Twisted-pair copper cabling
Fiber-optic cabling
Radio waves
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 Hubs

Extend the range of a signal by receiving then

regenerating it and sending it out all other ports
Traffic is sent out all ports of the hub
Allow a lot of collisions on the network
segment and are often not a good solution
Also called concentrators because they serve
25 as a central connection point for a LAN
 Bridges and Switches
 A packet, along with its MAC address
information, is called a frame.
 LANs are often divided into sections called
segments bounded by bridges.
 A bridge has the intelligence to determine if an
incoming frame is to be sent to a different
segment, or dropped. A bridge has two ports.
 A switch (multiport bridge) has
several ports and refers to a
table of MAC addresses to
determine which port to use to
forward the frame.
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 Routers

Routers are devices that connect entire

networks to each other.
Use IP addresses to forward packets to other
networks.
Can be a computer with special network
software installed.
Can be a device built by network equipment
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manufacturers.
 Wireless Access Points
Provide network
access to wireless
devices such as
laptops and PDAs.
Use radio waves to
communicate with
radios in computers,
PDAs, and other
wireless access points.
Have limited range of
28 coverage.
Types of data networks
Personal Area Network (PAN) Is a computer network
used for communication among computer devices close to
one person. Some examples of devices that may be used
in a PAN are printers, fax machines, telephones, PDAs, or
scanners.

Local Area Network (LAN) A network covering a small

geographic area, like a home, office, or building. Current
LANs are most likely to be based on Ethernet technology.
For example, a library will have a LAN for users to connect
to the internet.

Campus Area Networks (CAN) A network that

connects two or more LANs but that is limited to a specific
and contiguous geographical area such as a college
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campus, industrial complex, or a military base etc
 Types of data networks cont’d
• Metropolitan Area Network (MAN).
Network is a network that connects two or more
Local Area Networks or Campus Area Networks
together but does not extend beyond the
boundaries of the immediate town, city, or
metropolitan area. Multiple routers, switches &
hubs are connected to create a MAN.

• Wide Area Network is a data

communications network that covers a relatively
broad geographic area (i.e. one city to another
and one country to another country) and that
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often uses transmission facilities provided by
common carriers, such as telephone companies.
Intranet – An intranet is a private LAN designed for
use by everyone within an organization. An intranet
might consist of an internal e-mail system, a message
board and one or more Web site portals that contain
company news, forms, and personnel information.

Access to an intranet’s web site is restricted by a

firewall.

Extranet – a network that connects people within

your company with people who are outside your
company--all within a secure, password-protected
network that can be accessed from anywhere.

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Network channels
Communications Channels
 Communication Channels
• Guided media transmission: the physical link is created using wires or cables between two
or more computers or devices
• Unguided media transmission

Communications Channel/Communications
Medium: The physical or cableless media that link
the different components of a network.
Physical channels – Physical channels are wires or
cables along which data and information are
transmitted. There are 3 types of physical channel:
- Twisted pair
- Coaxial cable
32 - Optical cable
Physical communication channels
 Twisted-pair wire: most prevalent
form of communications wiring;
consists of strands of copper
wire twisted in pairs.
• Coaxial cable: Insulated copper wire
used to carry high-speed data
traffic and television signals.

Fiber optics: Thin filaments of glass

fibers that transmit information via
light pulses generated by lasers.
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 Twisted-Pair Cabling
A pair of twisted wires forms a circuit that
transmits data.
The twisted wires provide protection against
crosstalk (electrical noise) because
Pairs of copper of encased
wires are the
cancellation effect. in color-coded plastic insulation
and twisted together.
An outer jacket, called poly-vinyl
chloride (PVC), protects the
bundles of twisted pairs.

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 Two Basic Types of Twisted-Pair Cables
 Unshielded twisted-pair (UTP)

Has two or four pairs of wires

Relies on the cancellation effect for reduction of
interference caused by electromagnetic interface (EMI)
and radio frequency interference (RFI)
Most commonly used cabling in networks
Has a range of 328 ft (100 meters)
 Shielded twisted-pair (STP)

Each pair is wrapped in metallic foil to better shield the

wires from electrical noise and then the four pairs of
wires are then wrapped in an overall metallic braid or
foil.
Reduces electrical noise from within the cable.
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Reduces EMI and RFI from outside the cable.
 Coaxial Cable
 A copper-cored network cable surrounded by a heavy
shielding

 Types of coaxial cable:

Thicknet or 10Base5 - Coax cable that was used in

networks and operated at 10 megabits per second
with a maximum length of 500 m
Thinnet or 10Base2 - Coax cable that was used in
networks and operated at 10 megabits per second
with a maximum length of 185 m
RG-59 - Most commonly used for cable television in
the US
RG-6 - Higher quality cable than RG-59 with more
36 bandwidth and less susceptibility to interference
 Fiber-Optic Cable
 A glass or plastic strand that transmits
information using light and is made up
of one or more optical fibers enclosed
together in a sheath or jacket.
 Not affected by electromagnetic or
radio frequency interference.
 Signals are clearer, can go farther, and
have greater bandwidth than with
copper cable.
 Usually more expensive than copper
cabling and the connectors are more
costly and harder to assemble.
37  Two types of glass fiber-optic cable:
 Physical communication channels

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 Cables/Wireless
communication channels?

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 What is internet? Internet

• Internet A communication network that is itself a connection of

many other networks
• A Network can consist of two or more computers connected
together by a medium such that they are able to share resources
or information.
• Resources include files, Printers, Hard-drives or CPU(Central
Processing Unit).
The largest network of networks in the
world.
Uses TCP/IP protocols and packet
40 switching .
History of Internet Development
30-year History since 1969
Pentagon & Cold War
Original Use:
Military installations
Universities
Business firms with defense department
contracts
Initial Goal:
Design a network that maintains the safe
transition of data between military computers
 Events
Date Event

1969 ARPAnet

1984 MILNET & ARPANET (Internet)

1980s National Science Foundation (NSF) controlled

Internet Access
1991 NSF eased restrictions on Internet Access

1995 U.S. government relaxed entry into Internet for the

public
Exponential Growth in
Network Bandwidth
Year Bandwidth
1969 9.6 Kbps
1985 54 Kbps
Growth rate:
1987 1.544 Mbps (T1 speed)
> 210, 000 times
1989 45 Mbps (T3 speed)
1995 155 Mbps
1997 622 Mbps
1998 1,024 Mbps
2000 2,048 Mbps
 The Web vs. The Internet
 The World Wide Web (WWW): Is a collection of internet resources
(such as FTP, telnet), hyperlinked text, audio, and video files, and
remote sites that can be accessed and searched by browsers based on
standards such as HTTP and TCP/IP.

 It is part of the Internet

 Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) is used to create Web pages
 Hyperlinks connect Web pages to each other
 Hypertext Transfer Protocol-HTTP
is a web’s application layer protocol

 Internet
 Massive network of networks.
 Use various protocols such as
 SMTP: Simple Mail Transfer Protocol
 FTP:File Transfer Protocol
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 World Wide Web
 world wide web is:

An information system on the Internet which allows

documents to be connected to other documents by
hypertext links, enabling the user to search for
information by moving from one document to
another.
 is a collection of information that is accessed via the
Internet.
 www Events
Date Event
03/89 WWW project was originated by Timothy Berners-Lee
11/90 A revised version of project by NeXT computer
03/91 Release of WWW for testing
09/93 Release of 1st version of Marc Andreessen’s Mosaic by
NCSA
10/93 > 500 known HTTP servers in operation
10/94 > 10,000 know HTTP servers in operation
Reliability & Stability of Web

Internet Society
Works with ISPs by providing information to
prospective users & attracts product
developers
Internet Architecture Board
Focuses on TCP/IP & other protocols
 Web Fundamentals
 World Wide Web (WWW)
Global hypertext network of millions of Web servers & browsers
Connected by Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP)
Web pages can be designed by Hypertext Markup Language
(HTML)

Web applications use HTTP protocol which is a layer over

TCP protocol.
To link hypertext to the Internet, we need:

• The markup language, i.e., HTML. supports a number of features

including links and multimedia.
• The transfer protocol, e.g., HTTP.

• Uniform Resource Locator (URL), the address of the resource.

 Web Fundamentals (Cont’d)
Uniform Resource Locator (URL)
E.g. [Link]
http:// - protocol designer
[Link] - server name
 www means the network is located on a dedicated
web server somewhere
 virginia is the name of the web site requested
 edu indicates the site is an educational institution

 [Link] what is the name of this

website?
 What does ac stand for?
 What does ug stand for
Web Fundamentals (Cont’d)

Security Protocols
Secure Socket Layer (SSL)
 Most widely used
 Developed by Netscape Communications
Secure HTTP (S-HTTP)
 Allows web clients and servers to specify privacy
capabilities independently of one another
 Internet Language

Provider
An organization providing an entrance ramp
to Internet
Browser
A software program loaded in a PC allowing
user to access Internet
Server
Destination point on Internet
 Internet Language (Cont’d)

Telnet
A basic Internet service allowing user to
access remote computers
File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
A standard protocol allowing users to copy
files from computer to computer on Internet
Universal Resource Locator (URL)
A standard way of giving the address of
resources on Internet that are part of WWW
Internet Language (Cont’d)

 Malicious Software
Viruses
Trojan horse
A program on the surface seems to perform
legitimate work, but causes damage when
executed
Zombie
A launching program residing in an
Internet-attached computer
Worm
A program replicating itself on a
computer’s hard disk, slowing down the
computer’s performance
 Internet Language (Cont’d)
IP address

Internet Protocol (IP) address: uniquely identifies a computer

on the network.

It is a 32-bit binary number that is divided into 4 groups of 8

bits known as octets.

[Link]. IP address can be either Dynamic/static

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 IP Address Configuration
 Manual configuration

Manually configure each device with the proper IP

address and subnet mask.
 Dynamic configuration

A Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server

automatically assigns IP addresses to network hosts.
 Network Interface Card (NIC) is the hardware that enables a
computer to connect to a network and it has two addresses:
The IP address is a logical address that can be changed.
The Media Access Control (MAC) address is
"burned-in" or permanently programmed into the NIC
when manufactured. The MAC address cannot be
changed.
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 Internet Protocols
 A protocol is a set of rules.
 Internet protocols are sets of rules governing
communication within and between computers on a
network.
 Many protocols consist of a suite (or group) of protocols
stacked in layers. These layers depend on the operation of
the other layers in the suite to function properly.
 The main functions of protocols:

Identifying errors
Compressing the data
Deciding how data is to be sent
Addressing data
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Deciding how to announce sent and received data
 Internet Service Provider
 ISP (Internet service provider )
◦ Internet service provider is a company that provides the
connections and support to access the internet.
◦ ISP can be National, regional or local companies

 Choosing an ISP - Factors to consider:

Cost, Internet upgrades, Bandwidth and network capacity of
ISP, Customer service, Reliability(How long has it been in
business and how many satisfied clients do they have? ), Local
access numbers,
E-mail options (Do you need more than one E-mail
account?),Trial period

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 Web Sites
Web site:
Collection of related Web pages
First page known as Home or Index page

Web page: Home page

HTML document
 Text and graphics
Unique address
Hyperlinks

Related
pages
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 URL
URL:
Uniform Resource Locator
Unique Web page address
HTTP: protocol from server to browser

Protocol Domain name Path identifies the

identifies contains the subdirectories
the means of host and top- within the Web
access level domain site

URL http:// [Link]/ Pages/cartoons/

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Domains are groups of Computers on the same network
and are a method to isolate communications between
the members in the domain and the other data traffic.

.aero Members of the air transport industry

.biz Businesses
.com Can be used by anyone
.coop Cooperative associations
.edu Degree granting institutions
.gov United States government
.info Information service providers
.mil United States military
.museum Museums
.name Individuals
.net Networking organizations
.org Organizations (often nonprofits)
.pro
61 Credentialed professionals
Hyperlinks
 Provide access to other Web pages
 Specially coded text or graphics
 Cursor becomes a hand with finger pointing upward

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 Search Engines
 Searches for keywords
 Returns a list of Web pages
 Popular search engines:
 Google
 Bing
 Yahoo
 Indexer
 Spider
 Search engine Software
 [Link]

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 Cookies
Text files stored on client computers when visiting Web sites
Used on return visits to Web sites
Unique ID number
Personal information remembered
Privacy risk
Selling information

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Web Entertainment
Multimedia:
Involves forms of media and text graphics, Audio, and
Video.
Streaming audio and video
Plug-in
Games

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Internet search methods
Search methods are used by search tools to increase the
effectiveness and efficiency of Internet searches.

Search methods:
Keyword
Field
Boolean
Miscellaneous

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 Capabilities of the Internet

Three Main Functions

Communicate

Retrieve

Shop, Buy, and Sell

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 Capabilities of the Internet
Communications Capabilities
E-mail or Electronic Mail: A service that transports text
messages from a sender to one or more receivers via
computer.

Primary means of communication

E-mail accounts
Client-based
Web-based
Spam
Prevention

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 What is spam?
Spam also known as junk e-mail refers to unsolicited message
received in your inbox.

 Junk e‑mail might include advertisements, fraudulent schemes,

pornography, flyers, advertisements and catalogs or legitimate
offers. Because it's very inexpensive for marketers to send junk
e‑mail, it's not uncommon for people to receive a large amount
of it.

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 Avoiding spam
 Don’t volunteer to receive email
 Don’t give email to anyone unless you know them
 Don’t publish email on website
 Keep multiple email addresses
 Don’t respond to unsolicited email
 Never ask to be removed from a spammer’s list
 Never buy anything from spammer
 Using a second email when posting newsgroups
 Use spam filter
 etc

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 Capabilities of the Internet
Communications Capabilities
Mailing Lists: Each mailing list has subscribers who receive
messages as part of an ongoing discussion of the list’s topic.

Moderated: A mailing list in which the messages are first

screened by an individual to determine their suitability given the
purpose of the list.

Newsgroups: Worldwide discussion areas where notices can

be posted for anyone to view.

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 Capabilities of the Internet

Shop, Buy, and Sell

Electronic Commerce/e-commerce:
Conducting commercial activities on the
Internet.

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What is a plug-in?
A plug-in is a set of software components that adds
specific abilities to a larger software application.

If supported, plug-ins enable customizing the

functionality of an application. Additional plug-ins can
be downloaded from the Internet.

To add a plug-in, you must be logged on as an

administrator.

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Q and A
 Question: What is the Internet?

 Answer: A global system of interconnected computers, using a

standardised Internet Protocol suite for communication and
sharing information is called the Internet.
 Question: What is ISP?

 Answer: ISP stands for Internet Service Provider. This helps in

providing direct access for using the internet from your office
or home, connected through landlines. With the introduction of
Wi-fi and broadband, connecting to the Internet has become
wireless.
 Question: What is the World Wide Web?

 Answer: World Wide Web or ‘www’ is a collection of webpages which

can easily be published on the Internet and read by millions of its
users. To know the
difference between World Wide Web (www) and Internet, candidates
can visit the linked article.
 Question: What is an IP address?

 Answer: The Internet Protocol address is a numerical identification

code assigned for any device connected to a network. It acts as an
identification interface for Internet users.
 Question: What is a Web Browser?

 Answer: A web browser is a software application for accessing the

information on the World Wide Web. The commonly used web
browsers include Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox,
etc.
 Review Questions
1. Difference between Analog Communication and Digital Communication?
2. Why is Internet referred to as a network of networks?
3. What is the origin of the Internet?
4. How does data travel on the Internet?
5. Differentiate between a static and dynamic IP address
6. What are my options for connecting to the Internet?
7. How do I choose an Internet service provider?
8. What is a Web browser?
9. What is a URL and what are its parts?
10. Write short notes on the internet and the WWW
11. How can I use hyperlinks and other tools to get around the Web
12. Discuss internet crimes that are commonly committed by users over the
internet and how they can be solved.
13.
76 What is a computer virus?