Data Communication & Computer Networks : Network Hardware Lec.

Network Hardware:
In general there are two dimension stand out as important to classify Network:
Transmission Technology and Scale

Transmission Technology
Broadly speaking, there are two types of transmission Technology:

1- Broadcast links (multipoint)

It is the network that have a single communication channel that is shared by all the
machines on the network. In multipoint environment. The capacity of the channel is
shared, either spatially or temporally. If several devices can use the link simultaneously,
it is spatially shared. If user must take turn, it is a time shared line Configuration.
In Broadcast, short messages, called packets, sent by one machine are received by
all the others. An address filed within the packet specifies the intended recipient.

2- Point – to – Point Network:

A point – to – point line configuration provides a dedicated link between two devices.
The entire capacity of the channel is reserved for transmission between those two
devices. Most point – to – point line configuration use an actual length or wire or cable

Prepared By: Eng. Omar M. Hussien University of Anbar / College of Computer Page 1
Data Communication & Computer Networks : Network Hardware Lec.2

to connect. The two ends, but other options such as a microwave or satellite links are
also possible.

An alternative for classifying network is their scale:-

Interprocessor processor located in same

distance
Personal Area N.W 1M Square meter
10 M Room
LAN 100M Building
1 km Campus

MAN 10 km City

100 km Country
WAN 1000km Continent
The internet 10,000km Planet

• The personal Area Network it networks that meant for person. Ex

(mouse to computer / wireless).
• Longer range networks can be divided into local, Metropolitans,
and wide area Network.
• The connection of two or more networks is called internet work.
Ex (Internet).

Prepared By: Eng. Omar M. Hussien University of Anbar / College of Computer Page 2
Data Communication & Computer Networks : Network Hardware Lec.2

Topology:
• The term topology refers to the way a network is laid out, either
physically or logically.
• Two or more devices connect to a link, two or more links form a
topology.
• The topology of a network is the geometric representation of the
relationship of all the links and linking devices to each other.
• The topology describe how the devices in a network are interconnected
rather than their physical arrangement. For example, having a star
topology dosent mean that all of the computer in the network must be
places physically around a hub in a star shape. A consideration when
choosing a topology is the relative statues of the devices to be linked.

There are four basic topologies possible:-

Mesh, Star, Ring, Bus

1- Mesh Topology:
In a mesh topology, every device has a dedicated point – to point link to every other
devices. The term dedicated means that the link carries traffic only between the two
devices it connects.
 A fully connected mesh network therefore has (n (n-1)/2) physical
channels to link n devices.
 Every device on the network must have n-1 input / output port.
 Advantage of mesh topology
1. Eliminating the traffic problems that can occur when links must be
shared by multiple devices.
2. A mesh topology is robust, if one like becomes unusable, it dose not
incapacitate the entire system.
Prepared By: Eng. Omar M. Hussien University of Anbar / College of Computer Page 3
Data Communication & Computer Networks : Network Hardware Lec.2

3. Security, when every message sent travels along a dedicated line,

only the intended recipient sees it.
4. Point – to – point links make fault identification and fault isolation
easy.

A fully connected mesh topology (five devices)

The main disadvantages of mesh are related to the amount of cabling and the
number of I/O ports required.

1- Because every device must be connected to every other device, installation and
reconfiguration are difficult.
2- The sheer bulk of the wiring can be greater that the available space can
accommodate.
3- The hardware required to connect each link (I/O ports and cable) can be
expensive. For these reasons, a mesh topology is usually implemented in a limited
fashion.

2- Star Topology:
in a star topology, each device has a dedicated point – to – point link only to
a central controller usually called a Hub.

• Devices are not linked to each other.

Prepared By: Eng. Omar M. Hussien University of Anbar / College of Computer Page 4
Data Communication & Computer Networks : Network Hardware Lec.2

• Star topology doesn't allow direct traffic between devices.

• The controller acts as an exchanger: If one device wants to send data to
another, it sends to the controller which then relays the data to the other
connected devices.
• A star topology is less expensive than mesh topology and easier to install
and reconfigure.
• Star topology is robust, such that if one link fails. Only that link is affected,
all other links remain active.
• Easy fault identification and isolation.

Hub

A star topology connecting four stations

One big disadvantage of a star topology is the dependency of the whole topology on one
single point, the hub. If the hub goes down, the whole system is dead.
Although a star requires far less cable than a mesh, each node must be linked to a
central hub. For this reason, often more cabling is required in a star than in some other
topologies (such as ring or bus).
The star topology is used in local-area networks (LANs), as we will see in High-speed
LANs often use a star topology with a central hub.

Prepared By: Eng. Omar M. Hussien University of Anbar / College of Computer Page 5
Data Communication & Computer Networks : Network Hardware Lec.2

3- Bus Topology:
• A bus topology is a multipoint.
• One long cable acts as a backbone to link all the devices in the network.

Bus Topology

• Nodes are connected to the bus cable by drop lines and taps.
• A drop line is a connection running – between the device and the main
cable.
• As a signals travels along the backbone, some of its energy is transformed
into heat. Therefore, it becomes weaker and weaker the farther it has to
travel. For this reason there is a limit on the number of taps a bus can
support and on distance between those taps.
• Both ends of the bus must be terminated with a resistive load Known as a
terminating resistor. These resistors serve to prevent signal bounce.

- Advantages of a bus topology include:-

1- ease of installation.
2- Bus using less cabling than mesh, star, tree topologies.
- Disadvantages of bus topology include:-

Prepared By: Eng. Omar M. Hussien University of Anbar / College of Computer Page 6
Data Communication & Computer Networks : Network Hardware Lec.2

1. Difficult reconfiguration and fault isolation.

2. Difficult to add new devices. Adding new devices may therefore require
modification or replacement of the backbone.
3. A fault or break in the bus cable stops all transmission, even between devices
on the same side of the problem.
4. Bus topology was the one of the first topologies used in the design of early
local area networks. Ethernet LANs can use a bus topology, but they are less
popular now.

4- Ring Topology:
In a ring topology, each device has a dedicated point – to – point line configuration only
with the two devices on either side of it.
• A signal is passed along the ring in one direction from device to
device until it reaches its destination.
• Each device in the ring incorporates a repeater.
• When a device receives a signal intended for another device, its
repeats, regenerates the bits and passes them along.

Ring Topology

- Advantages of Ring Topology:

• Ring is relatively easy to install and reconfigure.

• Fault isolation is simplified. Generally in a ring a signal is
circulating at all times. If one device doesn't receive a signal
within a specified period, it can issue an alarm.
Prepared By: Eng. Omar M. Hussien University of Anbar / College of Computer Page 7
Data Communication & Computer Networks : Network Hardware Lec.2

The alarm alerts the network operator to the problem and its location.
Disadvantages:

Unidirectional traffic. In a simple ring, a break in the ring can disable the entire
network. This weakness can be solved by using a dual ring.

5- Hybrid Topology
A network can be hybrid. For example, we can have a main star topology with each
branch connecting several stations in a bus topology as shown in Figure below.

Hub

Hybrid Topology

Prepared By: Eng. Omar M. Hussien University of Anbar / College of Computer Page 8