COMPUTING BASICS

A Simple Network
LAN ADAPTER CARDS

NICs (Network Interface Cards)

 desktop PCs
PCMCIA cards
 laptops
Factors to consider when selecting a
network card:

Type of network
 Ethernet, Token Ring, FDDI
Type of media
 twisted pair, co-ax, optical fiber, etc.
Type of system bus
 PCI or ISA
The Web Browser
Acts in behalf of the user by
contacting a Web server
requesting information
receiving information
displaying the results on a screen

Interprets HTML to display graphics,

play sound, movies & other multimedia
files
May be configured plug-ins for
proprietary file types
BIT
The basic or fundamental unit of
information
8 bits (usually)  make up a Byte
1 Byte  can represent 28 or 256
different objects (e.g., characters)
NUMBER SYSTEMS

Decimal
Binary
Hexadecimal
Practice Exercises

Click on the INDEX button

Select Topic 1.3.5
Do the Exercise for Decimal to Binary
conversion using media display #2
Move to Topic 1.3.6
Do the Exercise for Binary to Decimal
conversion using media display #2
BANDWIDTH
Measure of how much information can
flow (max) from one point to another in
a given unit of time
UNITS OF MEASURE:
 Bps (bits per second)
 Kbps (Kilobits per second  210 bps)

 Mbps (Megabits per second  220 bps)

 Gbps (Gigabits per second  230 bps)

Analogy for Describing Bandwidth:
Bandwidth  PIPE WIDTH
Network Devices  PUMPS, VALVES,
FITTINGS AND TAPS
Data Packets  WATER
THROUGHPUT
Actual specific bandwidth at a specific time
of day
Factors Affecting Thoughput:
 Internetworking devices
 Types of data being transferred
 Topology
 Number of users
 User’s computer
 Server
 Power and weather-induced outages
DATA TRANSFER TIME
BEST DOWNLOAD TIME
T = Size / Bandwidth

TYPICAL DOWNLOAD TIME

T = Size / Actual throughput
 LANs vs WANs
Geographic area
 10 – 1,000 m
 > 1,000 m to
100Million meter
Access to Media  Access over serial
 Many user interfaces
accessing high operating at lower
bandwidth speeds
Connectivity
 Full-time
 Full-time and part-
time
Privately controlled
network under Connect devices
LAN WAN
COMPONENTS TECHNOLOGIES
 Computers
 Modems
 WAN switches
 NICs
 ISDN
 Networking media
 DSL
 Network control
 Frame Relay
devices  ATM
 Peripheral
 The T (US) and E
devices (Europe) carrier
services: T1, E1,
E3, etc.
 SONET
 DATA FLOW IN A NETWORK
WHAT IS FLOWING?
 information being communicated
WHAT DIFFERENT FORMS FLOW?
 data presentation formats
 encoding schemes
WHAT RULES GOVERN THE FLOW?
 protocols and standards
WHERE DOES THE FLOW OCCUR?
 media
DATA PACKET

A logically grouped unit of

information that moves between
computer systems
MEDIA
The various physical
environments through which
transmission signals pass
 TELEPHONE WIRES
 CATEGORY 5 UTP CABLES
 CO-AXIAL CABLES
 OPTICAL FIBERS
 ATMOSPHERE
 VACUUM (?)
PROTOCOL

A set of rules, or an agreement,

that determines the format and
transmission of data
PROPRIETARY OPEN
SYSTEM SYSTEM
technology is technology
privately may be used by
developed, owned the public, for
and controlled free
Interface
The boundary between adjacent layers of
the OSI model.
Connection between two systems or
devices.
In routing terminology, a network
connection.
In telephony, a shared boundary defined by
common physical interconnection
characteristics, signal characteristics, and
meanings of interchanged signals.
Modular Engineering
Breaking up complex engineering
projects into manageable problems
Interoperability
Ability of computing equipment
manufactured by different vendors
to communicate with one another
successfully over a network.
 ISO
International Organization for
Standardization

OSI
Open System Interconnection
Released in 1984
Based on DECnet, SNA and TCP/IP
The OSI MODEL
The OSI Layers
Network SERVICES (user to hardware
interface)
ENCODING; proper formatting of files

OPERATION; Inter host

communication & mgt of sessions
RELIABILITY of data transport; End-
to-end connections
ADDRESSING and best path

CONNECTIONS; Access to media

MEDIA; Binary transmission

 encapsulation
Wrapping data with the necessary protocol
information before network transit
FIVE CONVERSION STEPS
 1 Build the data
 2 Package the data for end-to-end transport
 3 Append the network addresses to the header
 4 Append the local addresses to the data link
header
 5 Convert data bits for transmission
Think of an
analogy

Do a role-playing exercise.
 PDUs
PROTOCOL DATA UNITs – information
exchanged between two peer layers
Layers 5-7  DATA
Layer 4  SEGMENT
Layer 3  PACKET
Layer 2  FRAME
Layer 1  BITS
The TCP/IP model
Layers of the TCP/IP Model:
APPLICATION LAYER
 Handling of high-level protocols,
representation, encoding, and dialog control
TRANSPORT LAYER
 Quality of service; includes TCP and UDP
INTERNET LAYER
 Governed by IP
NETWORK ACCESS LAYER
 LAN & WAN technology details
LAYER 7:
The Application Layer
Layer 7 Functions
identifying and establishing the availability
of intended communication partners
synchronizing cooperating applications
establishing agreement on procedures for
error recovery
controlling data integrity
DIRECT NETWORK APPLICATIONS:
Client-Server Applications
(File Download or Request Response)
 Clients: FTP, web browsers, e-mail

CLIENT SIDE
 Located in local computer
 Requestor of services
SERVER SIDE
 Located in remote computer
 Provides services requested
INDIRECT NETWORK SUPPORT
Client-Server Applications
(File Storage and Print Operations)
 Clients: applications programs

Uses the REDIRECTOR

 protocol that works with computer operating
systems and network clients instead of specific
application programs
 Examples of redirectors: Apple File Protocol ,
NetBIOS Extended User Interface (NetBEUI),
Novell IPX/SPX protocols, Network File System
(NFS) of the TCP/IP protocol suite
DOMAIN NAME SERVER
DOMAIN - a group of computers that are
associated by their geographical location or
their business type
DOMAIN NAME SERVER (DNS) -
responds to requests from clients to
translate a domain name into the associated
IP address
Application Layer protocols:
HTTP – used by WWW
Telnet – used by remote access programs to
directly connect to remote resources.
POP3 – used by e-mail clients applications
FTP – used by file utility programs for
copying and moving files between remote
sites.
SNMP – used for Network data gathering
and monitoring
LAYER 6:
The Presentation
Layer
Main Functions
data formatting (presentation)
data encryption
data compression
 Standards in Graphic
Image presentation
PICT - a picture format used to transfer
QuickDraw graphics between programs on the
MAC operating system
TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) - a format for
high-resolution, bit-mapped images
JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) -
graphic format used most often to compress still
images of complex pictures and photographs
 Sound and Movie
Presentation
MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface)
- for digitized music
MPEG (Motion Picture Experts Group) -
standard for the compression and coding of
motion video for CDs and digital storage
QuickTime - a standard that handles audio
and video for programs on both MAC and
PC operating system
 Text Format
ASCII
EBCDIC
LAYER 5:
The Session Layer
 Layer 5 Functions
Negotiation
Synchronization
Initiation
Termination
 Layer 5 Protocols
Network File System (NFS)
Structured Query Language (SQL)
Remote Procedure Call (RPC)
X-Window System
AppleTalk Session Protocol (ASP)
Digital Network Architecture Session
Control Protocol (DNA SCP)
LAYER 4:
Transport Layer
 Primary Duties
Transport and regulate the flow of
information from source to destination,
reliably and accurately
 Protocols
TCP supplies a virtual circuit UDP transports data
between end-user applications. unreliably between hosts.
connection-oriented connectionless
reliable unreliable
divides outgoing messages transmit messages (called user
into segments datagrams)
reassembles messages at the provides no software checking
for message delivery
destination station
(unreliable)
re-sends anything not received does not reassemble incoming
reassembles messages from messages
incoming segments. uses no acknowledgments
provides no flow control
Protocols that use UDP:
TFTP (Trivial File Transfer Protocol)
SNMP (Simple Network Management
Protocol)
DHCP (Dynamic Host Control
Protocol)
DNS (Domain Name System)
 PORT NUMBERS
used to keep track of different conversations
that cross the network at the same time.
Used by both TCP and UDP to pass
information to the upper layers
End systems use port numbers to select
proper applications
LAYER 3:
Network Layer
Importance of Layer 3
moves data through a set of networks
(internetwork)
breaks up the internetwork into smaller
pieces called network segments
Facilitates communication between separate
networks
LAYER 2:
Data Link Layer
 Functions
Addresses the limitations of layer 1
Allows communication between Layer 1 and
Layer 3 (software level)
uses an addressing (or naming) process to identify
computers
organizes or groups the bits into frames
can decide which computer will transmit binary
data from a group that are all trying to transmit at
the same time
LAYER 1:
Physical Layer
 VOCABULARY LIST
propagation
attenuation
reflection
noise
timing problem (dispersion, jitter, latency)
collisions
Encoding Messages
1. As voltages on copper; Manchester and NRZI
encoding are popular on copper-based networks.

2. As guided light; Manchester and 4B/5B

encoding are popular on fiber based networks.
3. As radiated EM waves; a wide variety of
encoding schemes (variations on AM, FM, and
PM) are used on wireless networks.
LANs
 LAN TOPOLOGIES
BUS
RING
STAR
EXTENDED STAR
HIERARCHICAL
MESHED
 LAN DEVICES
COMPUTER
NIC
MEDIA
REPEATERS & HUBS
BRIDGES & SWITCHES
ROUTERS
DATA ENCAPSULATION