Digital networks

introduction
• In the past, networks designed for video or sound
used analog transmission. In the old analog
telephone network, for example, the telephone’s
microphone converted the spoken sounds into an
electrical signal who’s strength corresponded to
the loudness of the sounds. This signal then
traveled through the network’s wires until it
reached its destination, where it was used to make
the telephone’s speaker vibrate, recreating the
spoken Sounds.
 Digital networks
• Digital/ networks transmit information in digital
form, as a series of bits. Digital networks are
required for high-speed communications
between computers-computers work with digital
data.
• However, digital networks can also transmit real-
world information such as sounds and pictures if
special digital telephones or video cameras are
used to represent the information in digital form
 example
• A digital telephone, for example, generates a series
of patterns of Is and 0s, corresponding to the
loudness of the sounds. At the destination, these
1s and Os are interpreted by the digital telephone
and used to recreate the original sounds. Digital
networks are quickly replacing analog networks.
They are needed to transmit the growing amount
of computer data They also transmit voice and
video information more cleanly, without
interference and distortion.
• More importantly, digital networks allow a single
network to carry all types of information. Today,
separate networks are used for voice traffic (the
telephone network), computer communications
(data networks such as the Internet) and video
(broadcast or cable television or other specialized
networks). Because these different kinds of
information can all be represented in digital form,
a single digital network can potentially be used to
transmit all types of information.
 Broadband Networks

• The Capacity of a digital network is often described in

terms of the number of bits that the network can transmit
• from place to place every second. A digital telephone
network can transmit 64,000 bits every second. This is
• sufficient capacity to carry a telephone conversation with
acceptable quality, but is not enough to carry video.
• Although some video telephones can use regular
telephone lines, users of videoconferencing systems
usually
• prefer to use special services that can transmit at 384,000
bits per second or more
• VCR-quality television needs about 1.5 million bits per second,
and high-definition television needs about 20 million bits per
second--about 300 times the capacity of a digital telephone line.
• The Capacity of a network, measured as the number of bits it
can transmit every second, is called “bandwidth.” Engineers
often talk about “narrowband” networks, which are low
bandwidth networks, and “broadband” networks, which are
high bandwidth networks.
• The dividing line between the two is not always clear, and
changes as technology evolves. Today, any kind of network that
transmits at more than 100 million bits per second would
definitely be considered a broadband network.
• The term telecommunication means
communication at a distance. The word data
refers to information presented in whatever
form is agreed upon by the parties creating
and using the data.
• Data communications are the exchange of
data between two devices via some form of
transmission medium such as a wire cable.
 Computer Network
• A network is a set of devices (often referred to
as nodes) connected by communication links.
A node can be a computer, printer, or any
other device capable of sending and/or
receiving data generated by other nodes on
the network.
• Software modules in one system are used to
communicate with one or more software modules
in the distance System. Such interfaces across a
distance are termed as “peer-to-peer” interfaces;
and the local interfaces are termed as “service”
interfaces.
• The modules on each end are organized as a
sequence of functions called “layers”. The set of
modules organized as layers is also commonly
called a “protocol stack”.
• Over the years, some layered models have
been standardized.
• The ISO Open Systems
• Interconnection (ISO/OSI) layered model has
seven layers and was developed by a set of
committees under the auspices of
international Standards Organization (ISO).
 Classification of Computer Networks
• Based on Transmission Mode: Transmission
mode defines the direction of signal flow
between two linked devices.
• There are three types of transmission modes.
• Simplex
• In simplex mode, the communication is unidirectional.
Among the stations only one can
• transmit and the other can only receive.
• Half-Duplex
• In half-Duplex mode, the communication is bidirectional. In
this both station can sent and
• receive but not at the same time.
• Full-Duplex
• In Full-Duplex mode, both stations can transmit and receive
simultaneously.
 Based on Time in Transmission Type
• Synchronous Transmission
• In synchronous Transmission both the sender and
the receiver use the same time cycle for the
transmission. We send bits one after another
without start/stop bits or gaps.
• It is the responsibility of the receiver to group the
bits. Bit stream is delivered with a fixed delay and
given error rate. Each bit reaches the destination
with the same time delay after leaving the source.
• Asynchronous Transmission
• In Asynchronous Transmission we send one
start bit at the beginning and one stop bit at
• the end of each byte.
• There may be a gap between each byte. Bit
stream is divided into packets. Packets are
received with varying delays, so packets can
arrive out of order.
• Some packets are not received correctly.
 Based on Authentication
• Peer to Peer Connection
• In peer-to-peer networks, there are no
dedicated servers. All the computers areequal
and, therefore, are termed as peers. Normally,
each computer functions as both a client and
a server. No one can control the other
computers.
• Server Based Connection
• Most networks have a dedicated server. A
dedicated server is a computer on a network
which functions as a server, and cannot be
used as a client or a workstation.
• A dedicated server is optimized to service
requests from network clients.
• A server can control the clients for its services.
 Based on Geographical location
• LAN (Local Area Network)
• Networks which cover close geographical
area. LAN used to link the devices in a single
office, building or campus. It provides high
speeds over short distance. Systems are
connecting directly to Network. The LAN is
owned by private people.
• MAN (Metropolitan Area Network)
• Metropolitan area network is an extension of
local area network to spread over the city. It
• may be a single network or a network in which
more than one local area network can share
their resources.
• WAN (Wide Area Network)
• WAN spread over the world may be spread over
more than one city country or continent.
• Systems in this network are connected indirectly.
Generally WAN network are slower speed than
LAN’s. The WAN network are owned or operated by
network providers. If it is owned by a single owner
then it is called Enterprise network. Often these
types have combination of more than one
topology.
 Based on Reliability
• Reliability is maintained by authentication.
• Connection-oriented
• This type of communication establishes a
session connection before data can be sent.
• This method is often called a "reliable"
network service. It can guarantee that data
will arrive in the same order.
• Connection less
• This type of communication does not require a
session connection between sender and
• receiver for data transfer. The sender simply
starts sending packets to the destination. A
connectionless network provides minimal
services.
 Topology
• Topology refers to physical layout including computers,
cables, and other resources; it determines how
components communicate with each other.
• Today’s network designs are based on three topologies:
• Bus consists of series of computers connected along a
single cable segment
• Star connects computers via central connection point
or hub
• Ring connects computers to form a loop
• All computers, regardless of topology,
communicate by addressing data to one or
more computers and transmitting it across
cable as electronic signals. Data is broken into
packets and sent as electronic signals that
travel on the cable. Only the computer to
which the data is addressed accepts it.
 Protocol
• Protocols mean set of rules. It is a formal
description of message formats and the rules
two or more machines has follow to exchange
messages. The key elements of a protocol are
syntax, semantics and timing
• Syntax
Syntax refers to the structure or format of the data,
meaning the order in which they are presented.
• Semantics
Semantics refers to the meaning of each section of
bits.
• Timing
Timing refers to when data should be sent and how
fast it can be sent.