NOTES ON NETWORKS

COMPUTER NETWORK is comprised of at least two, connected, by wire or wireless, computers that can exchange data i.e.
communicate. There are many reasons for connecting computers into a network, and some of them are:

 exchange of data between users that have network access,

 access to shared devices, such as network printers, network disks, etc.,

 enables user communication and socializing, etc.

Internet is the most famous and most widespread network with nearly 2 billion users and the number of users is still growing.

Types of networks according to their size:

 LAN (Local Area Network) - a network that covers a relatively small geographical area- it connects computers within a firm or
household via wire/ethernet cables, or wireless.

 WLAN(Wireless Local Area Network) - a wireless local area network that covers a relatively small geographical area - it
connects computers within a firm or household wirelessly,

 Metropolitan Area Network (MAN), consists of a computer network across an entire city, college campus or small region. A
MAN is larger than a LAN, which is typically limited to a single building or site. Depending on the configuration, this type of
network can cover an area from several miles to tens of miles. A MAN is often used to connect several LANs together to form
a bigger network. When this type of network is specifically designed for a college campus, it is sometimes referred to as a
campus area network, or CAN.

 WAN (Wide Area Network)- a network that covers a relatively large geographical area - it connects a greater number of
computers and local networks. It occupies a very large area, such as an entire country or the entire world.

 PAN (Personal Area Network) is (mostly) Bluetooth, and is meant to be centered around oneself. Covers a smaller area than
LAN, usually a small room.
 Notes on Networks – Cont.

Terms: Client /Server

Relationship client - server is defined in the following manner: client sends requests and server responds to those requests. We can use
Internet as the best known example. User's computer, connected to the Internet, sends requests to a certain web page (by entering page
address into the Internet browser Address bar), and the server responds. Web page is loaded into the user's computer Internet browser as a
result of server response. From this example, we can see that communication between client and server depends on connection speed
(bandwidth). Since bandwidth is limited, the amount of data that can flow through network is limited too. Today, for instance, while
purchasing access to mobile Internet, you will notice a limited amount of data that can be transferred within a package, i.e. amount of
transferred data is what is charged.

The reason for that is limited bandwidth of mobile networks, and since companies that are offering mobile Internet access do not want
networks to be congested, they de-stimulate their users by charging amounts of money related to the amount of transferred data. That was
the case with ADSL Internet access. Today, once Internet providers have developed communication infrastructure, they do not need to de-
stimulate users by charging based on the amount of transferred data, therefore they are offering so called "flat rate" access) charging only
based on the access speed. That is why you will, while listening or reading news about communication technologies, have the opportunity to
hear how important it is to develop communication infrastructure.

Types of networks according to their architecture:

 client-server - all clients are connected to the server,

 P2P (peer to peer) - all computers are clients and servers at the same time.

INTERNET, INTRANET, EXTRANET

Internet ("network of all networks") is a global system comprised of interconnected computers and computer networks, which communicate
by means of using TCP/IP protocols. Although, in its beginnings, it emerged from the need for simple data exchange, today it affects all
domains of society. For example:
 Notes on Networks - Cont.
 Economy: Internet banking (paying bills, transferring funds, access to account, access to credit debt, etc.), electronic trading
(stocks, various goods, intellectual services, etc), etc.

 Socializing: social networks, forums...

 Information: news portals, blogs etc.

 Healthcare: diagnosing disease, medical examinations (for people living on an island or in other remote places, some
examinations, that require a specialist, can be done remotely), making appointments for medical examinations, the exchange of
medical data between hospitals and institutes, surgery and remote surgery monitoring

 Education: online universities with webinars (web + seminar), websites with tutorials, expert advice, Ideas worth Spreading

Internet really does have many applications and a huge social impact. Perhaps the most important trait is information exchange, because
information exchange among people enables collaboration, collaboration of like-minded people leads to ideas and actions in real life, and
coordinated actions of people results in social change.

Intranet is a private network of an organization to which only authorized employees have access (login and password).

Extranet is part of Intranet, to which independent collaborators have access.

DATA FLOW/ TRANSFER

Download is a term that implies taking a copy of digital data from a network computer on a local computer, and upload means placing digital
content on a network computer. For example, when you saved a copy of this manual from a web site to your computer, you have
downloaded digital data, that is, the manual. Likewise, when we finished writing this manual, we have placed it (uploaded) it on the
network computer (our Internet server).

Bitrate represents speed at which data is transferred through a modem (network). It is measured in bit/s (bit per second). bit/s is/are a
measurement unit for speed of digital data flow through the network. The number of bits transferred in one second tells us how many bits
can be transferred through a network in one second.
 Notes on Networks – Cont.
Internet Connection and Access Methods

There are several ways or methods of connecting to the Internet.

Indirect Access
This is most common method used in home and office networks.
The device e.g. computer connects to a network using Ethernet or WiFi and the network connects to the Internet using ADSL, cable or fibre.

Direct Access
This is most common method used when traveling.
The device e.g. smart phone connects directly to the Internet using 3G/4G mobile networks or public Wi-Fi.

Fixed Internet- Home/Office

Fixed access is usually much faster and reliable than mobile, and is used for connecting homes/offices. The main Access mechanisms are:
ADSL (Asymmetric or Asynchronous Digital Subscriber Lines) over traditional or existing Phone Lines /telephone cabling infrastructure (most common in
the UK). Upload and download speeds are different. Available in broadband. Not available locally.
Cable (limited to cable TV areas) – not yet available locally
Fibre broadband (fixed) – Currently being Rolled out

Pros
Very Fast and reliable
Good for streaming video
Cheap when compared to Mobile
Can easily share the connection

.
 Notes on Networks – Cont.

Cons:
Requires a fixed connection
Not usable when at a remote location
Fixed access is the most common way that businesses and home uses use for connecting to the Internet

Mobile Internet
When travelling away from the fixed location mobile access is used.
Mobile Internet tends to be mainly a secondary access mechanism. The main access methods are:
Mobile broadband over 3G Network (common but slow) or 4G. This could also include mobile data and hotspots .
GSM modems and routers are also available for home and office use.
Public/ Private Wii-FI (common) - Provided in homes and public areas like airport, train stations, etc. Local service providers include CEEDEE Investment,
Limeline, etc.

Note: Broadband is a generic term used in communications. It refers to a channel with high data transmission/transfer rates above 256kbits/sec but
typically (UK) above 4Mbits/s (for ADSL). Wi-Fi is classed as broadband.

Pros:
No fixed connection required
Available from remote locations

Cons:
Not as Fast and reliable as Fixed Access
Not good for streaming video
Expensive
Can’t easily share the connection

N.B.: Other methods include: