Chapter 5

COMPUTER NETWORKS AND DATA COMMUNICATION

NETWORK TOPOLOGIES

Network topology is the arrangement of the various elements (links, nodes, etc.) of a computer
network. Essentially, it is the topological structure of a network, and may be depicted physically or
logically.

PHYSICAL VS LOGICAL

Physical topology refers to the placement of the network's various components, including device
location and cable installation, while logical topology shows how data flows within a network..

Bus Network/Bus Topology

–is setup by connecting all of the nodes to a single line, and the nodes connect only to the bus.
Each computer or server is connected to the single bus cable. A signal from the source travels in both
directions to all machines connected on the bus cable until it finds the intended recipient

If the machine address does not match the intended address for the data, the machine ignores the data.
Alternatively, if the data matches the machine address, the data is accepted.

Since the bus topology consists of only one wire, it is rather inexpensive to implement when compared
to other topologies. However, the low cost of implementing the technology is offset by the high cost of
managing the network. Additionally, since only one cable is utilized, it can be the single point of failure.
If the network cable is terminated on both ends and when without termination data transfer stop and
when cable breaks, the entire network will be down.

BUS/LINEAR TOPOLOGY

Linear Topology - puts a two-way link between one computer and the next. However; this was
expensive in the early days of computing, since each computer (except for the ones at each end)
required two receivers and two transmitters

. The type of network topology in which all of the nodes of the network are connected to a common
transmission medium which has exactly two endpoints (this is the 'bus', which is also commonly referred
to as the backbone, or trunk) – all data that is transmitted between nodes in the network is transmitted
over this common transmission medium and is able to be received by all nodes in the network
simultaneously.

Ring Topology - A network topology that is set up in a circular fashion in which data travels around the
ring in one direction and each device on the ring acts as a repeater to keep the signal strong as it travels.

Each device incorporates a receiver for the incoming signal and a transmitter to send the data on to the
next device in the ring. The network is dependent on the ability of the signal to travel around the ring.
When a device sends data, it must travel through each device on the ring until it reaches its destination.

Star Topology are one of the most common computer network topologies. A star network consists of
one central switch, hub or computer, which act as a conduit to transmit messages. This consists of a
central node, to which all other nodes are connected; this central node provides a common connection
point for all nodes through a hub.
In star topology, every node (computer workstation or any other peripheral) is connected to a central
node called a hub or switch. The switch is the server and the peripherals are the clients. The
transmission lines between them, form a graph with the topology of a star

Tree Topology- can be viewed as a collection of star networks arranged in a hierarchy. A tree topology is
a type of network topology that includes at least three specific levels in a topology hierarchy. Includes
multiple star topologies, which involve a variety of single nodes connected to a central node.

. Experts may define a tree topology as a combination of star and bus topologies, where multiple
elements are connected through a single lateral connection. Each node in a hierarchy level has point-to-
point links with each adjacent node on its below level. All secondary nodes have point-to-point
attachments to the tertiary nodes in their jurisdiction, and the primary node has a point-to-point
connection to each secondary node. When viewed in a visual way, these systems appear similar to a tree
structure.

Mesh Topology – is a network topology in which each node (called a mesh node) relays data for the
network. All nodes cooperate in the distribution of data in the network. A mesh network can be
designed using a flooding technique or a routing technique. When using a routing technique, the
message is propagated along a path, by hopping from node to node until the destination is reached.

To ensure all its paths' availability, a routing network must allow for continuous connections and
reconfiguration around broken or blocked paths, using self-healing algorithms. A mesh network whose
nodes are all connected to each other is a fully connected network also known as fully connected,
complete topology, or full mesh topology

CONNECTIVITY DEVICES

Connectivity devices are hardware use to expand network connections. According to Gonder (2008)
these are considered as special class of networking devices which allow communications to break the
boundaries of local networks and allow computers to communicate over certain distance. These devices
include:

Network Interface Card (NICs)

- is the expansion card install in the computer to connect, or interface, the computer to the network.
This device provides the physical, electrical, and electronic connections to the network media. NICs are
either an expansion card (the most popular implementation) or built in to the motherboard of the
computer.

In most cases, a NIC connects to the computer through expansion slots. An expansion slot connects
expansion cards that are plugged in to a slot in the main computer assembly through a deceptively
simple-looking connector, which is known as a bus. In some notebook computers, NIC adapters can be
connected to the printer port or through a PC card slot..

. Hub

is a device that connects all the segments of a network together. Every device in the network connects
directly to the hub through a single cable. Any transmission received on one port will be rebroadcast to
all the other ports in the hub. The common types of hubs are as follows:

a. Passive hubs simply connect all ports together electrically and are usually not powered
b. Active hubs use electronics to amplify and clean up the signal before it is broadcast to the other
ports

Switch

- a switch connects multiple segments of a network together, with one important difference. Whereas a
hub rebroadcasts anything it receives on one port to all the others, a switch makes a direct link between
the transmitting device and receiving device. Any party not involved in that communication will not
receive the transmission.

Bridge

A bridge is a network device that connects two similar network segments together. The primary
function of a bridge is to keep traffic separated on both sides of the bridge. Traffic is allowed to pass
through the bridge only if the transmission is intended for a station on the opposite side. The main
reason for putting a bridge in a network is to connect two segments together, or to divide a busy
network into two segments.

Router

- it is a network device that connects multiple, often dissimilar, network segments into an internetwork.
The router, once connected, can make intelligent decisions about how best to get network data to its
destination based on network performance data that it gathers from the network itself.

Gateways

– is any hardware and software combination that connects dissimilar network environments. Gateways
are the most complex of network devices because of its function to perform translations at multiple
layers of the OSI mode.

Other DEVICES

1. Modems - is a device that changes digital data into an analog form for transmission over an analog
medium and then back to digital again at the receiving end. The term “modem” is actually an acronym
that stands for MOdulator/DEModulator. Three different types include:

A. Traditional (POTS) DSL Cable Traditional. These modems convert the signals from computer into
signals that travel over the plain old telephone service (POTS) line.

B. Digital Subscriber Line (DSL). DSL is quickly replacing the traditional modem because of higher data
rates for a reasonable costs. DSL modems are the devices that allow the network signals to pass over
phone lines at these higher frequencies (above 3200Hz) than regular voice phone calls use with provides
greater bandwidth (up to several megabits per second).

DSL

C. Cable - high-speed Internet access technology that is seeing widespread use is cable modem access.
Cable modems connect an individual PC or network to the Internet using your cable television cable. The
cable TV companies use their existing cable infrastructure to deliver data services on unused frequency
bands. The cable modem itself is a fairly simple device. It has a standard coax connector on the back as
well as an Ethernet port.
2. Integrated Service Digital Network (ISDN) Terminal Adapters – is another form of high speed internet
access and delivers digital services (in 64Kbps channels) over standard telephone copper pairs. It does
not change from digital to analog for transmission but it just change between digital transmission
formats.

3. Channel Service Unit/Data Service Unit (CST/DSU) – is a common device found in equipment rooms
when the network is connected via a T-series data connection. It is essentially two devices in one that
are used to connect a digital carrier (the T-series or DDS line) to your network equipment (usually to a
router).