Unit 4: Communication Technologies

Mobile networks

Network usage

Communication devices, lines, and transmission media

Networks

Digital communications

The Internet

Communication standards and protocols

the process through which data, instructions, and information are transferred between two or more computers or devices.

5 components:

Sender / sending device

Receiver / receiving device

Message

Medium

Protocol

Transmission media can be wired or wireless.

Share data and information

Share hardware

Share software

Facilitate communications

Transfer funds

a collection of devices (known as nodes) linked together by communication devices and transmission media

Network types:

Architecture

Topology

Area of
coverage

Area of Coverage:

BAN: Body Area Network - connects sensors
that are placed on human bodies

LAN: Local Area Network - In a limited
geographical area

PAN: Personal Area Network - individual’s workspace

MAN: Metropolitan Area Network - In
a metropolitan area (e.g. town, city)

WAN: Wide Area Network - a large geographical area using a variety of wired and wireless transmission media (e.g. city, state, region, country, the world)

Network Architecture

Network Topology

A network's setup of computers, devices, and media

Two types:

client/server

peer-to-peer

One or more computers act as the server
(host computer)

Each computer or device on the
network

the arrangement or layout of computers/devices on a network

5 types:

Star

Bus

Tree

Ring

Mesh

Internet and the World Wide Web are NOT the same

The WWW is a service on the Internet

The “i” in Internet has to be capital letter – it is a name, just like your name

Communication devices: any sort of gear capable of sending and receiving data, instructions, and information via transmission media between a sender and a receiver

Communication lines: A dedicated line is a sort of physical connection between two communications equipment that is always on.

Transmission Media: Materials or substances that carry communication signals

It needed to ensure data interoperability across various computers and devices on different networks

A network standard defines guidelines that specify the way computers access the medium to which they are connected

A network protocol is a standard that outlines characteristics of how two devices communicate on a network.

Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi)

Bluetooth

Based on cellular network