Modern Telecommunication

Networks

Syed A. Rizvi

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Introduction
n Most modern telecommunication systems
transfer information in digital format.

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Introduction (Continued)
n The information may consist of voice, video,
computer data, etc.

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Essential Components
n Essential components of a modern
communication system include:
1. Computers (for information processing)
2. Input/output devices to send or receive data
n Input devices: keyboard, microphone, video camera,
computer storage devices, etc.
n Output devices: display, printer, speakers, storage media
3. Communication channels:
n telephone lines, coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, wireless
links etc.

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Essential Comp….(Continued)
4. Supporting hardware to connect heterogeneous
subnetworks:
n Modems, multiplexers, routers, etc.
5. Communications software

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Communication Channels
1. Twisted wires:
n The oldest transmission medium
n Low cost
n Relatively slow for data transmission
2. Coaxial Cable:
n Consists of thickly insulated copper wire
n Can transmit larger amount of data
n Faster than twisted wire
3. Fiber Optics Cables:
1. Consists of thousands of strands of clear glass
fiber

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Communication Channels (Continued)
2. Thickness of the glass fiber is as small as the
thickness of a human hair
3. Data is transmitted into pulses of light
4. More suitable for providing high-speed backbone
network
n Advantages:
1. Lighter and more durable that coaxial cable and twisted
wire
2. Can handle a very large volume of data
n Disadvantages:
1. Difficult to work with
2. Relatively expensive

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Communication Channels (Continued)
1. Wireless links:
n Data (information) is transmitted through
atmosphere via electro-magnetic waves

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Network Topologies
n Star Topology:

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Network Topologies: Star

n All computers in a star network are connected to

each other through a host computer
n Host computer directs the incoming messages to
the correct destination computer
n If the host computer goes down it affects the
operation of whole star network
n Individual computer can be brought down for
maintenance or removed without affecting the rest
of the star network

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Network Topologies (Continued)
n Bus network:

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Network Topologies: Bus

n All computers are connected through a common

line (could be a twisted wire, coaxial cable, fiber
optics cable etc.)
n Each message is broadcasted in both directions
to the entire network
n If a computer goes down, it does not affect the
rest of the network
n Bus network handles one message at a time
n If two or more computers send messages
simultaneously a collision occurs, the messages
must be re-sent

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Network Topologies (Continued)
n Token Ring Network:

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Network Topologies: Token Ring
n In a ring network, computers are connected via a
closed loop wired connection
n Data is transmitted in one direction
n A token is passed through the ring and any
computer in need of transmitting the data holds
the token and starts transmitting the message
n The computer with the delivery address receives
the data
n When the message arrives at the source
computer it signals the completion of the
transmission

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Network Topologies: Token Ring
n The computer holding the token then passes the
token to the next computer
n If the next computer needs to send the data it will
hold the token and start transmitting the message;
otherwise, it will pass the token to the next
computer

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Local Area Network (LAN)
n Local area network covers a limited area such
as a building or a few buildings in a close
proximity

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LAN (Continued)
n LAN generally use Bus or Ring topology
n Usually connects computer and related equipment
with in 2000 feet radius
n Often used to connect PCs/workstation to shared
printers and file-servers etc.
n A special computer known as network gateway
connects the LAN to other networks
n Both wired and wireless LAN technologies are
available
n Wide area networks (WAN) span a large
geographical area and contain thousands of LANs
and other heterogeneous networks in an entire
continents

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Enterprise Networking
n An enterprise network connects PCs, workstations,
NCs, LANs, and other organization-wide computing
resources together as well as to Internet

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