Networks & Components

How the Internet Works

How can you connect to the Internet?
Slow-speed High-speed
technology connection
Dial-up access Digital subscriber line (DSL),
modem in your cable telephone Internet
computer uses a services (CATV), cable modem,
standard telephone line fixed wireless, and satellite modems
to connect to the Internet

Connection must be established Connection is always on

each time you log on. whenever the computer
Slow but inexpensive is running

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How the Internet Works
What are ways to access the Internet?

1. ISP, Regional
or National
2. OSP (AOL and
MSN, for example)
3. Wireless Internet
Service Provider

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How the Internet Works
How might data travel the Internet using a
cable modem connection?

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How the Internet Works
How might data travel the Internet using a
cable modem connection?
Step 1: You initiate an action to request data from the internet. For example,
you request to display a Web page on your computer screen.
Step 2: A cable modem transfers the computers digital signals to the cable
television line in your house.
Step 3: Your request (digital signal) travel through cable television lines to a
central cable system, which is shared by up to 500 homes in a
neighborhood.
Step 4: The central cable system sends your request over high-speed fiber
optic lines to the cable operator, who often also is the ISP.
Step 5: The ISP routes your request through the internet backbone to the
destination server. (In this example, the server that contains the
requested Web site).
Step 6: The server retrieves the requested Web page and sends it back
through the Internet backbone to your computer.
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How the Internet Works
What is a domain name?
Text version of Internet protocol (IP) address
Number that uniquely identifies
each computer or device
connected to Internet

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Communications
What are computer communications?
Process in which two or more computers or devices transfer data,
instructions, and information

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Communications
What is needed for successful communications?
Sending Communications
Communications
device initiates device connects
channel media
instruction to the sending device to
on which data,
transmit data, the communications
instructions, or
instructions, or channel
information travel
information

Communications Receiving
device connects device accepts
the communications transmission of data,
channel to the instructions, or
receiving device information

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Networks
What is a network?

Collection of
computers and
devices connected
via communications
devices and
transmission
media

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Networks
What is a local area network (LAN)?
Network in limited geographical area

Metropolitan area network (MAN) connects LANs in

city or town

Wireless LAN (WLAN)

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Networks
What is a wide area
network (WAN)?

Network that covers

large geographic
area using many
types of media

Internet is worlds
largest WAN

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Networks
What is a client/server
network?
One or more computers
act as server and other
computers, or clients,
access server

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Networks
What is a peer-to-
peer network?
Simple network
that connects
fewer than 10
computers
Each computer,
or peer, has
equal
capabilities
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Networks
What is Internet peer-to-
peer (P2P)?

Enables users to
connect to each
others hard disks and
exchange files directly

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Networks
What is a bus network?
All computers and devices connect to central cable,
or bus
Example of network topology (layout of devices in
network)
Popular topologies are bus, ring, and star

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Networks
What is a ring network?
Cable forms closed
ring, or loop, with all
computers and devices
arranged along ring
Data travels from
device to device
around entire ring, in
one direction

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Networks
What is a star network?
All devices connect to
a central device, called
hub
All data transferred
from one computer to
another passes
through hub

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Communications Software
What is communications software?

Programs that help users

establish connection to
Internet, other network,
or another computer Programs that help users
manage transmission of
data, instructions,
and information
Programs that provide an
interface for users to
communicate with one
another

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Communications Over the Telephone
Network

What is the public

switched telephone
network (PSTN)?
Worldwide
telephone system
that handles voice-
oriented telephone
calls

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Communications Over the Telephone
Network

What is a dial-up line?

Temporary connection
using telephone line
for communications
Costs no more than
making regular call
Computers at any
two locations can
establish a
connection using
modems and
telephone network Next
Communications Over the Telephone
Network
What is a dedicated line?
Always-on
connection between
two communications
devices
Four types are
ISDN line, DSL, T-
carrier line, and
ATM

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Communications Devices
What are examples of communications devices?

Common types are dial-up modems, ISDN and

DSL modems, cable modems, network cards,
wireless access points, routers, and hubs

ISDN and DSL modems send

and receive data from ISDN
and DSL lines

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Communications Devices
What is a dial-up modem?
Converts digital signals to analog signals and vice versa
Notebook computers often use PC Card modem

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Communications Devices
What are ISDN and DSL modems?

Communications devices that send and

receive digital ISDN and DSL signals

Usually external devices in which one

end connects to a telephone line and the other
end connects to a port on the system unit

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Communications Devices
What is a cable modem?

Sends and receives

data over cable
television network
Much faster than
dial-up modem or
ISDN
Sometimes called a
broadband modem

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Communications Devices
What is a wireless modem?
Allows access to
the Web wirelessly
from a notebook
computer, a PDA, a
smart phone, or
other mobile device
Typically use the
same waves used
by cellular
telephones
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Communications Devices
What is a network card?
Adapter card, PC
Card, or compact
flash card that
enables computer
or device to access
network
Sometimes called
network interface
card (NIC)

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Communications Devices
What is a wireless access point?

Central
communications
device that allows
computers and
devices to transfer
data wirelessly
among themselves
or to wired network

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Communications Devices
What is a router?
Connects
computers and
transmits data to
correct destination
on network
Routers forward
data on Internet
using fastest
available path
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 Communications Devices
What is a hub?

Device that provides central

point for cables in network

p. 488 Fig. 9-33 Next

Communications Channel
What is a communications channel?
Transmission media on which data travels in
communications system

Transmission media
are materials capable of
carrying one or more
Bandwidth is amount of
signals
data that can travel
over channel

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Communications Channel
How is a request sent over the Internet using a
communications channel?
Step 1. The sending device
requests information using either
a physical transmission media
or a wireless transmission media.

Step 2. When the request leaves

the ISP, it travels over T1 lines,
microwave stations, earth-based
stations, and communications satellites
until it reaches the Internet backbone.

Step 3. The request travels over T3

lines along the Internet backbone.

Step 4. The Request travels over T1 lines

until it reaches the destination network server.

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Physical Transmission Media
What is physical transmission
media?
Wire, cable,
and other
tangible
materials used
to send
communications
signals

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Physical Transmission Media
What are twisted-pair cable and coaxial cable?
Twisted-pair cable is used for telephone systems and network
cabling
Coaxial cable is often used for cable television wiring

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Physical Transmission Media
What is fiber-optic cable?
Capable of carrying
significantly more
data at faster speeds
than wire cables
Less susceptible
to interference
(noise) and, therefore,
more secure
Smaller size (thinner
and lighter)

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Wireless Transmission Media
What is wireless transmission media?
Used when inconvenient, impractical, or impossible to
install cables
Includes Bluetooth and IrDA

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Wireless Transmission Media
What are broadcast radio and cellular radio?
Broadcast radio
distributes radio
signals over long
and short
distances
Cellular radio
is form of
broadcast radio
used for mobile
communications
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Wireless Transmission Media
What is a microwave station?
Earth-based
reflective
dish used for
microwave
communications
Must transmit in
straight line with
no obstructions

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Wireless Transmission Media
What is a communications satellite?
Space station
that receives
microwave
signals from
earth-based
station, amplifies
signals, and
broadcasts
signals back to
any number of
earth-based
stations Next