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Servers: Servers are faster computers that run various softwares, store and process information
and also provide a human interface for the users to be able to use the networked computers.
Nodes: Nodes are the computers on the network, which are provided to the
users to carry out their tasks using the network.
Workstation: A node, which is more powerful, and can handle local information processing or
graphics processing is called a workstation. The workstation works only for the person sitting in
front of it, where as a server serves all the people on the network to share its resources.
Network Operating System (NOS): The network requires some software to control all the
information transfer activity on the network, like the traffic police to control the traffic. The
software called NOS handles these tasks.
LAN Software: On the network, each computer is called a node or a workstation unless there
are certain computers designed as servers. LAN cables connect all the nodes and servers
together to form the network. In addition to its local disk operating system, each node requires
networking software that enable the nodes to communicate with the servers.
LAN Cable: This is the medium or channel over which the information travels from computer to
computer. The information travels from one computer onto the medium and then from the
medium to another computer in the form that it can be read.
Network Interface Card: Each computer contains a network interface card. This card is used to
connect the cables to the computers. These cards help the computer to transfer the data at a
faster rate and in the form of packets. These cards are plugged into the computer motherboard.
These cards are generally called as Ethernet cards.
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A wide area network is referred as WAN. WAN spans a large geographical area often a continent
or country. WAN contains a collection of machines, traditionally called as hosts. These hosts can be on
LANs and are connected by a subnet or also called communication subnet. The hosts are owned by
customers or are personal computers. The communication subnets are owned by a telephone company
or internet service provider. The subnet carries the messages from hosts to hosts, just as telephone
system carries words from speaker to listener. Each host is connected to a LAN on which a router is
present. Sometimes a host may be connected directly to a router. The collection of communication lines
and routers is called a communication subnet.
In most WANs, the network contains many transmission lines each connecting a pair of routers.
A packet is sent from one router to another via one or more intermediate routers. The packet is received
at each intermediate router in its entirety. That is store the packet in full until the required output line is
free, and then forwards it. A subnet that works according to this principle is called store and forward or
packet switched subnet. Not all WANs are packet switched. A second possibility for a WAN is a satellite
system. Satellite networks are inherently broadcast networks.
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As technology changes, the functions may not be in the most cost-effective layer.
Question 5. What are the problems due to which transmission lines suffers mainly?
Answer 5 Transmission lines suffers from three major problems
1. Attenuation distortion
2. Delay distortion
3. Noise
Attenuation distortion
Is the loss of energy as the signal propagates outward. The amount of energy depends on the
frequency. If the attenuation is too much, the receiver may not be able to detect the signal at all, or the
signal may fall below the noise level. For reliable communication, the attenuation and delay over the
range of frequencies of transmission should be constant.
Delay distortion
For digital data, fast components from one bit may catch up and over take slow component from bit
ahead, mixing the two bits and increasing the probability of incorrect reception. Thus very critical in
particular for digital data, that is because signal components of bit positions spill into other bit positions,
and so limiting the allowed rate of transmission.
Noise
Noise is a third impairment. It can be define as unwanted energy from sources other than the transmitter.
Thermal noise is caused by the random motion of the electrons in a wire and is unavoidable.
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Signal
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