Chapter 3:

Network Concepts and

Network Media
Contents
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Criteria for effective networking
3.3 Network topologies
3.4 Categories of Network
3.5 Types of network connection
3.6 Internet
3.7 Extranet
Learning Outcomes

At the end of this lecture, you should be able to

 Explain the criteria for effectiveness
networking
 List types of network connections
 Elaborate the network topologies
 Explain all categories of network
 Describe the internet
3.1 Introduction
 In information technology, a network is a
series of points or nodes interconnected
by communication paths.

 Networks can interconnect with other

networks and contain subnetworks.
3.2 Criteria for Effective Networking
 Performance
 number of users, type of transmission medium, hardware and software
 Reliability
 frequency of failure, recovery time of a network after a failure,
contingency plan on catastrophe
 Security
 unauthorized access, viruses
 Robustness
 Noise, environment
 Applications
marketing and sales; financial services (e.g. EFT, ATM); manufacturing (e.g.
collaborative CAD/CAM); electronic messaging (e-mails); directory services;
information services (e.g. WWW); electronic data interchange (EDI);
teleconferencing; cellular telephone; cable television
 3.3 Network Topologies
Topology is the physical or logical arrangement of links in a
network
Topology

Mesh Ring

Star Bus
3.3 Network Topologies
Types Description Advantages Disadvantages
Mesh  Each node has a  each connection can carry its  the amount of
dedicated point-to- own data load – eliminating cabling and
point link to every traffic problems number of i/o
other node ports required
 if one link becomes unusable,
 Cables needed =
it does not incapacitate the  expensive
n(n-1)/2
entire system – robust
 Port needed for each
workstation = n - 1  a dedicated line guarantees
security
 easy fault identification and
fault isolation - routable
Ring  Each device is linked  each device incorporates a  in unidirectional
only to its immediate repeater traffic, a break in
neighbors the ring can
 easy to install and
disable the entire
reconfigure
network (some
implementations
use a dual ring or
a switch)
3.3 Network Topologies (cont.)
Types Description Advantages Disadvantages
Bus  One long cable (the  easy installation  difficult
backbone) link all the reconfiguration
 use less cabling than mesh,
devices in the network and fault
star or tree
– multipoint isolation
 a fault or break
in the bus cable
stops all
transmission

Star  Each device has a  only one link and one I/O port  if the hub fails,
dedicated point-to- required per device the network is
point link only to a  less expensive than mesh down
central controller (or topology  requires more
hub).  if one link fails, only that link cabling than
is affected – robust tree, ring and
 easy fault identification and bus topologies
fault isolation (as long as the
hub is working)
It’s Question time
 Draw a hybrid topology with a ring backbone and two bus networks, each
network has four workstations.
It’s Question time
 Draw a hybrid topology with a star backbone and three ring network, each
network has four workstations.
It’s Question time
 Draw a hybrid topology with a star backbone connecting two bus
backbones. Each bus backbone have 4 workstations and three of them
connect ring networks with 4 workstations each
3.4 Categories of Networks

Determined by its size, ownership,

distance covered and physical
architecture.

Network

Local Area Metropolitan Wide Area

Network Area Network Network
(LAN) (MAN) (WAN)
3.4 Categories of Networks
(cont.)
Local Area Network (LAN)

 Single building LAN

 Usually privately owned and links the
devices in a single office, building or
campus
3.4 Categories of Networks
(cont.)
 Multiple building LAN
 Size limited to a few
kilometers
 Common topologies are
bus, ring and star
 High data rate (100 Mbps
or
gigabits)
3.4 Categories of Networks
(cont.)
Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)

 Extend over entire city, may be

wholly owned by a private company.
3.4 Categories of Networks
(cont.)
Wide Area Network (WAN)

 long-distance transmission over large

geographical areas
 utilize public, leased or private communication
in combinations
 An enterprise network is a WAN owned by one
company
3.5 Types of Network Connection
 Connection - TWO or more devices connected together through links
 Link is pathway that transfer data from one device to another.

Network
Connection

Physical Logical

Point-to-point Multipoint Peer-to-peer Client Server

3.5.1 Logical Connection

 Peer-to-peer
 a connection model in which each party has the same
capabilities and either party can initiate a communication
session
3.5.1 Logical Connection
(cont.)
 Client Server
 the relationship between computer programs in which one
program, the client, makes a service request from another
program, the server, which fulfills the request.
3.5.2 Physical Connection

 Point-to-point

 A dedicated link between two devices,

i.e. the entire capacity of the channel is
reserved for transmission
 e.g. wire, microwave and satellite links,
etc.
3.5.2 Physical Connection
(cont.)
 Multipoint
 more than two devices share a single link

spatially shared– several devices can share

the link simultaneously
time-shared – devices take turn to use the
link

Workstation Workstation

Mainframe Workstation
3.6 Internet

 Internet is a worldwide, publicly accessible

series of interconnected computer networks
that transmit data by packet switching using
the standard Internet Protocol (IP).
 It is a "network of networks" that consists of
millions of wide and local area networks such
as domestic, academic, business, and
government networks, which together carry
various information and services, such as
electronic mail, online chat, file transfer, and
the interlinked web pages and other
resources of the World Wide Web (WWW)
Internet Service Provider
(ISP)
 provide the internet connection.
 TM, MAXIS, CELCOM
International Service Provider

National Service Providers

(NSPs)
Regional Internet Service
Providers

Local Internet
Service Providers
 3.7 Extranet
 Extranet is an Intranet for outside authorized
users using same internet technology.

 Inter-organizational information system.

 enable outsiders to work together with company’s

employees.

 open to selected suppliers, customers & other

business partners
 3.7 Extranet – Examples
Dealers/distributors have access to
product files such as :-

 product specification,
 pictures,
 images, etc.
 to answer the queries of the customer.
Layered System View

Intranet Corporate members

Extranet Clients, partners, customers

Internet Global society: competitors

 Any
Questions?
Learning Outcomes

 At the end of this lecture, you should be able to

 Explain the criteria for effectiveness networking
 List types of network connections
 Elaborate the network topologies
 Explain all categories of network
 Describe the internet
nazrulazhar@utem.edu.my
Network Media
Contents

1 Introduction
2 Conducted Media
3 Fiber Optic
4 Wireless
1 Introduction

 The signals are transmitted in form

of electromagnetic energy
 e.g. : radio waves, infrared light,
visible light, UV light, cosmic rays
 Each constitutes a portion of the
electromagnetic spectrum
1.1 Types of Transmission
Media

Network
media

Conducted Fiber optic Wireless

2 Conducted Media
 Twisted Pair Cable
 Coaxial Cable

Conducted

Twisted pair
Coaxial cable
cable
 2.1 Twisted Pair Cable
 Consists of two conductors (coppers) –
insulated and twisted together
 to carry signals to the receiver
 a ground reference
 Receiver uses the difference between
two levels.
 Possible problem : interference (noise)
and cross talk
 The number of twists per unit of length
(e.g. inch) determines the quality of the
cable
 [note: more twists mean better quality]
2 .1 Twisted Pair Cable -
cont.-
 Types of Twisted Pair
 Unshielded TP
 Shielded TP
 UTP is the common used compare
to STP
 EIA classifies TP into 6 categories
which are determined by cable
quality and for specific uses.
Categories of UTP Cables

Category Bandwidth Data Rate Digital/Analog Use

1 very low < 100 kbps Analog Telephone

2 < 2 MHz 2 Mbps Analog/digital T-1 lines

3 16 MHz 10 Mbps Digital LANs

4 20 MHz 20 Mbps Digital LANs

5 100 MHz 100 Mbps Digital LANs

6 1000 MHz 1000 Mbps Digital LANs

Twisted pair Performance
 Measured by comparing attenuation versus
frequency and distance.
 Note : In case of frequency > 100 KHz , the
attenuation sharply increases.
 Gauge is the measure of the thickness of the
wire.
Effect of Noise on Parallel
Lines
Noise on Twisted-Pair Lines

More info: http://www.wisc-online.com/objects/ViewObject.aspx?ID=CIS5108

2.2 Coaxial Cable
 Carry signals of higher frequency
ranges than twisted pair.
 The structure is to protect against
noise.
 Categorized by the radio
government (RG) ratings which
denotes a unique set of physical
specifications.
Categories of Coaxial Cables

Category Impedance Use

RG-59 75 W Cable TV

RG-58 50 W Thin Ethernet

RG-11 50 W Thick Ethernet

Coaxial cable Performance
 Measured by comparing attenuation versus
frequency and distance.
 Note : Attenuation is much higher in coax than
in twisted pair cable.
 Reason : Have a much higher bandwidth,
therefore the signal weaken rapidly and needs
the frequent use of repeaters.
3 Fiber Optic
 The nature of light :
 a straight line when travels through a single
uniform substance
 change direction when travels through difference
substance
 Propagation Modes
• Multimode refers to
multiple beams from a
light source move
through the core in Mode
different paths.

Multimode Single mode

Step Graded
index index
 Modes
• The changes between a
constant density of core and the
lower density at the interface
results a suddenness changes in
the beam’s motion.

• The highest density at the

center of the core and
decrease gradually to its
lowest at the edge.

• A highly focused source of

light
• All beams arrive “together”
with little distortion.
Parts of Fiber Optic
 Categories of fiber optic

Type Core Cladding Mode

Multimode, graded-
50/125 50 125
index
Multimode, graded-
62.5/125 62.5 125
index
Multimode, graded-
100/125 100 125
index

7/125 7 125 Single-mode

 Optical Fiber Performance
• Measurement of attenuation
versus wavelength
 Note :
 More flatter than coax and
twisted pair.
 Less repeaters needed
 Applications :
 backbone network – SONET
(Synchronous Optical
Network) Network
 hybrid network
 LAN – 100Base-FX and
1000Base-X
It’s Question Time

 A beam of light moves from one medium to another, less

dense medium. The critical angle is 60o. Draw the path
of light through both media when the angle of incidence
is
 40o
 50o
 60o
 80o
Answer

 Critical angle = 60o

 Angle of incident = 40o

I = 40o
Answer

 Critical angle = 60o

 Angle of incident = 80o

I = 80o
4 Wireless

 Wireless communication refers to unguided media

 Signals broadcast through air and available to anyone
who has a device capable of receiving.
 Spectrum : 3 KHz ~ 900 THz
Types of Wireless Media

Wireless
Media

Radio wave Microwave Infrared

4.1 Radio Waves
 Characteristic
 omni directional
 sender & receiver do not have to
aligned (susceptible to interference)
 sky propagation
 can penetrate walls (low & medium
frequencies)
 using omni directional antennas
 Applications:
 Multicasting (one sender , many
receivers)
 Such as AM and FM radio, television,
maritime radio, cordless phone,
paging
4.2 Microwaves
 Microwaves characteristics:
 unidirectional
 sender and receiver need to
aligned (no interference)
 line-of-sight propagation
 cannot penetrate walls
 using dish antenna and horn
antenna
 Microwaves applications:
 Unicasting (one-to-one)
 Such as cellular phones, satellite
networks and wireless LANs
4.3 Infrared
 Characteristics:
 frequency
ranges: 300 GHz ~ 400
GHz (wavelengths: 1 mm ~ 770
nm)
 cannot penetrate walls
 used
for short range
communication
 Applications:
 Communication between devices
 Suchas keyboards, mice, PCs and
printer, IrDA
Methods of Propagation
 Bands
Band Range Propagation Application
VLF 3–30 KHz Ground Long-range radio navigation
Radio beacons and
LF 30–300 KHz Ground
navigational locators
MF 300 KHz–3 MHz Sky AM radio
Citizens band (CB),
HF 3–30 MHz Sky
ship/aircraft communication
Sky and Very High Frequency (VHF), TV,
VHF 30–300 MHz
line-of-sight FM radio
Ultra High Frequency (UHF), TV,
Line-of-
UHF 300 MHz–3 GHz cellular phones,
sight
paging, satellite
Line-of-
SHF 3–30 GHz Satellite communication
sight
Line-of-
EHF 30–300 GHz Long-range radio navigation
sight
 Medium Cost Speed Attenuation EMI Security

UTP Low 1-100Mbps High High Low

STP Moderate 1-150Mbps High Moderate Low

1Mbps-
Coax Moderate Moderate Moderate Low
1Gbps
10Mbps-
Optical Fiber High Low Low High
2Gbps

Radio Moderate 1-10Mbps Low-High High Low

1Mbps-
Microwave High Variable High Moderate
10Gbps
1Mbps-
Satellite High Variable high Moderate
10Gbps
9.6-
Cellular High low moderate low
19.2Kbps
Any Questions?