NETWORK COMPONENTS

Created by: Suraj Kumar

Title
 Introduction
 Transmission Mode
 Network Topology
 Network Types
 Network Devices
 INTRODUCTION TO NETWORK

 A network is a set of devices (often referred to as nodes)

connected by communication links.
 A node can be a computer, printer, or any other device
capable of sending or receiving data generated by other
nodes on the network.
 When we communicate, we are sharing information. This
sharing can be local or remote.
 TRANSMISSION MODES

 The way in which data is transmitted from one device

to another device is known as transmission mode.
 The transmission mode is also known as the
communication mode.
 Each communication channel has a direction
associated with it, and transmission media provide
the direction. Therefore, the transmission mode is
also known as a directional mode.
 The transmission mode is defined in the physical
layer.
 SIMPLEX MODE
 In Simplex mode, the communication is unidirectional, i.e., the data flow in one direction.
 A device can only send the data but cannot receive it or it can receive the data but cannot send the
data.
 This transmission mode is not very popular as mainly communications require the two-way
exchange of 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
 The main advantage of the simplex mode is that the full capacity of the communication channel
can be utilized during transmission.
 HALF-DUPLEX MODE
 In a Half-duplex channel, direction can be reversed, i.e., the station can transmit and receive the
data as well.
 Messages flow in both the directions, but not at the same time. The entire bandwidth of the
communication channel is utilized in one direction at a time.
 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.
 FULL-DUPLEX MODE

 In Full duplex mode, the communication is bi-directional, i.e., the data flow in both the directions.
 Both the stations can send and receive the message simultaneously.
 Full-duplex mode has two simplex channels. One channel has traffic moving in one direction, and
another channel has traffic flowing in the opposite direction.
 The Full-duplex mode is the fastest mode of communication between devices.
 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.
 NETWORK TOPOLOGY

 Two or more devices connect to a link. Two or more links form a topology.
 Topology is defined as
 The way in which a network is laid out physically.
 The geometric representation of the relationship of all the links and nodes to one-another.
 The various types of topologies are :
 Bus
 Ring
 Tree
 Star
 Mesh
 Hybrid
 BUS TOPOLOGY

 Bus topology is a network type in which every computer and network device is connected to
single cable.
 The long single cable acts as a backbone to link all the devices in a network.
 When it has exactly two endpoints, then it is called Linear Bus topology.
 It transmits data only in one direction.
 It is useful to connect a smaller number of devices.
 RING TOPOLOGY

 In a ring topology, each device has a dedicated point-

to-point connection with only two devices on either
side of it.
 A signal is passed along the ring in one direction, from
device to device, until it reaches its destination.
 Each device in the ring incorporates a repeater.
 When a device receives a signal intended for another
device, its repeater regenerates the bits and passes
them along.
 If one of the nodes are damaged, it will damage the
whole network . It is used very rarely as it is expensive
and hard to install and manage.
 TREE TOPOLOGY

 It has a root node and all other nodes are connected to it

forming a hierarchy.
 It is also called hierarchical topology.
 It should at least have three levels to the hierarchy.
 Tree topology is ideal if workstations are located in
groups. They are used in Wide Area Network.
 If the main bus fails, the whole network is damaged.
 STAR TOPOLOGY

 In a star topology, each device has a dedicated point-to-

point link only to a central controller, usually called a
hub / switch.
 The devices are not directly linked to one another.
 The controller acts as an exchange.
 If one device wants to send data to another, it sends the
data to the controller, which then relays the data to the
other connected device.
 If the central node fails the complete network is
damaged. Mainly used in home and office networks.
 MESH TOPOLOGY

 In a mesh topology, every device has a dedicated point-

to-point link to every other device.
 The term dedicated means that the link carries traffic
only between the two devices it connects.
 The number of physical links in a fully connected mesh
network with n nodes is given by n (n – 1) / 2. • It is
robust as failure in one link only disconnects that node.
 It is rarely used and installation and management are
difficult.
 Cabling cost is high as it requires bulk wiring.
 HYBRID TOPOLOGY

 Hybrid Topology is a combination of one or more

basic topologies.
 For example if one department in an office uses
ring topology, the other departments uses star and
bus topology, then connecting these topologies
will result in Hybrid Topology.
 Hybrid Topology inherits the advantages and
disadvantages of the topologies included.
 NETWORK TYPES

A computer network is a group of computers linked to each other that enables the computer to
communicate with another computer and share their resources, data, and applications. A computer
network can be categorized by their size.
 A computer network is mainly of four types:
 Personal Area Network (PAN)
 Local Area Network (LAN)
 Wide Area Network (WAN)
 Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
 Personal Area Network (PAN)

 Personal Area Network (PAN) is the computer

network that connects computers/devices within the
range of an individual person.
 As PAN provides a network range within a person’s
range typically within a range of 10 meters(33 feet) it is
called a Personal Area Network.
 A Personal Area Network typically involves a computer,
phone, tablet, printer, PDA (Personal Digital Assistant)
and other and other entertainment devices like speakers,
video game consoles, etc.
 LOCAL AREA NETWORK (LAN)

 LAN is a group of computers connected to each other

in a small area such as building, office.
 LAN is used for connecting two or more personal
computers through a communication medium such as
twisted pair, coaxial cable, etc.
 It is less costly as it is built with inexpensive hardware
such as hubs, network adapters, and ethernet cables.
 The data is transferred at an extremely faster rate in
Local Area Network. LAN can be connected using a
common cable or a Switch.
 Wide Area Network (WAN)

 A Wide Area Network is a network that extends over a large

geographical area such as states or countries.
 A Wide Area Network is quite bigger network than the LAN.
 A Wide Area Network is not limited to a single location, but it
spans over a large geographical area through a telephone line,
fiber optic cable or satellite links.
 The internet is one of the biggest WAN in the world.
 A Wide Area Network is widely used in the field of Business,
government, and education. WAN can be either a point-to-
point WAN or Switched WAN
 METROPOLITAN AREA NETWORK (MAN)

 A metropolitan area network is a network that covers

a larger geographic area by interconnecting a different
LAN to form a larger network.
 It generally covers towns and cities (50 km)
 In MAN, various LANs are connected to each other
through a telephone exchange line. Communication
medium used for MAN are optical fibers, cables etc. It
has a higher range than Local Area Network(LAN).
 It is adequate for distributed computing applications
 Network devices

Network devices are the backbone of modern communication, enabling seamless connectivity
between various electronic devices. These devices facilitate the transmission and reception of data,
ensuring efficient and secure communication across networks.
 Hubs
 Switches
 Routers
 Firewalls
 Network Interface Cards (NICs)
 Hub

 Simple devices that connect multiple devices

in a network.
 Broadcast data packets to all connected
devices, regardless of the intended
recipient .
 Limited performance and prone to collisions
 Switch

 intelligent devices that forward data packets to the

intended recipient only.
 Improve network performance by reducing
collisions and increasing bandwidth .
 Commonly used in local area networks (LANs)
 Routers

 Direct data packets between networks, acting as

gateways between different networks.
 Determine the best path for data packets to reach
their destination.
 Essential for connecting multiple networks, such
as home networks to the internet.
 Firewalls

 Protect networks from unauthorized access and

malicious attacks .
 Monitor and filter network traffic, blocking
suspicious or harmful packets
 Network Interface Cards (NICs)

 NIC stands for Network Interface Card. It's a

hardware component that enables your
computer or other device to connect to a
network, either wired or wireless.
 Think of it as the bridge between your device
and the network.