Computer communication &

networking

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Computer/Data Communication

• Transfer of data
or information
between
computer devices
• Eg. ATM,
Railways/Airlines
Reservations etc.

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Facilitating data communication

• Network & communication systems are

designed to convey information from
origin to destination.
• Network: LAN-covers small/finite area,
small number of users; WAN/Global-
covers great distance, unlimited users
• 2 principles of communication system
1. All the elements of communication system are
designed to facilitate the exchange of
information.
2. Receiver must understand the message.
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Data communication system

Sender

Encoder
Switching Device
COMMUNICATION Decoder
CHANNEL

RECEIVER
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Elements of data communication
system
1. Sender: originating computer that transmits the
data (file/keyboard input).
2. Data communication device at sender: converts
the data into a form that can be transmitted eg.
Modem.
3. Communication channel: carries the data from
place to place eg. Phone line.
4. Switching Device: decides the path of transmitted
data eg, switch, routers etc.
5. Data communication device at receiver: converts
the data into a form that the receiver computer
can understand.
6. Receiver: receiving computer that receives the
data (can display, print, or store)
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Hardware and software used

• Data communication is
accomplished by set of hardware
and software
– H/W: terminals, routers, hub, switch,
cables, storage devices etc.
– s/w: dialers, network monitoring
programs etc.

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Some concepts-ASCII
• ASCII Standards (American Standard of
Code for Information Interchange)-creates
a common ground for communication by
defining standard code to represent 128
characters. It uses seven bits to define
each character, by assigning a decimal
value to each character. Eg.
A=>65=>01000001; a=>97=>01100001

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Some Concepts-Bandwidth
• Hertz- unit of measuring bandwidth, one
cycle/sec=one hertz
• Bandwidth-no. of cycles that can be
sent through a transmission channel in
one second
• Communication Rate-speed at which
data travel over a communication
channel; measured in bits per second or
baud
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Some Concepts- Digital / Analog
Communication
• Continuous but variable
electrical waves. Can travel
through general channels
like telephone lines.
• Discreet electronic units
transmitted in extremely
rapid succession. Uses
special equipment as
channel which is expensive.

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Some Concepts- Synchronous and
Asynchronous Communication
• Basically it’s the way in which coded characters
are assembled for transmission and reception.
• In Sync. Transmission characters are transmitted
as groups, preceded and followed by control
characters. Data byte are sent at regular
intervals. And the reception takes place in
precisely same frequency.
• Speedy transmission but inaccurate (because of
lesser control characters)

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Some Concepts- Synchronous and
Asynchronous Communication

• In Async. Transmission each

character is transmitted separately,
preceded by start bit and followed
by stop bit. Data bits are sent at
irregular intervals.
• Slower but accurate.
• Doesn’t require complex and costly
hardware.
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Some Concepts- protocols

• Protocols are technical guidelines that

govern the exchange of signal
transmission and reception between
equipments.
• Only devices using same protocol can
communicate directly with each other;
both h/w and s/w are designed to
handle specific protocols. Eg. TCP/IP for
internet.
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Some concepts-Simplex
• Simplex mode-communication channel used
in one direction only; rarely used
• Half-duplex mode-commun. Channel used in
both directions, but only in one direction at a
time eg. wireless.
• Full duplex mode-commun. Channel used in
both the directions at once eg. telephone.

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Some Concepts-Multiplexing

• It is a form of data transmission in

which one communication channel
carries several transmissions at
same time.

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Channels

• Twisted pair
• Co-axial
• Optical fiber
• Microwave
• Infrared
• Satelite etc.

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Connecting The Elements

NETWORKING

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Network

• Two or more
computers/points/nodes connected
together by communication paths.
• Primarily can be categorised as
LAN & WAN

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Network Topologies

• Topology-is the layout of the

connections formed between the
computers.
• Main Topologies
– Bus
– Star
– Ring

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Bus Topology

Broadcast Bus

• If one computer transmits all others can listen

simultaneously
• failure of single computer does not affect rest
• Computers can easily be added/removed in network
• Failure of bus causes failure
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Star
• When the data must go
through a central point
• Center computer is a
server
• Every message is first
sent to server which then
retransmits to destination
• If server goes down,
network goes down

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Ring

• Computers are connected

in a ring/loop manner
• Each computer can talk
to any other in the ring by
sending signal
• If any of the computer
fails network fails
• Difficult to add/remove
computer
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Components

• Terminal / Workstation
• NIC/NIU
• Gateway
• Hub
• Cable
• Network Operating System

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WAN

• VPN
• Public
• Packet switching/Circuit Switching

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 Thanks
Dharmendra Arora
arora_dharmendra@yahoo.co
m

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