Approaches to Network

Communications
• Circuit-Switched
– Connection Oriented
– Form dedicated connection between 2 points
– U.S. Telephone System
• Packet_Switched
– Connectionless
– Data to be transferred broken into small packets
– Multiplexed onto high capacity systems
– Carries a few hundred(s) data usually
– Advantage: Multiple communications occur
concurrently
– Disadvantage: Network overload causes
throughput decrease

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 WAN/LAN
• Fundamental difference
between large and small
spanning geographical distance
networks
• 2 Categories, no formal split
• Wide Area Networks, long haul
networks
– Slower speeds, greater delays
– Typical speeds 56Kbps to 155
Mbps

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 WAN/LAN

• Local Area Network

– Highest speed, sacrifice long
distance
– Single building, small campus
– Typical speeds 10 Mbps to 2
Gbps
• LAN - Each computer connects
directly to physical transport
medium via network interface
device

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 WAN/LAN
• WAN - Network usually
consists of a series of
interconnected intermediate
node routers interconnected by
communication lines and
modems
• Extending network means
adding another packet switch
• Connect a new computer to
WAN means connecting it to a
packet switch

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 WAN/LAN

• Adding a new switch adds delay

along route
• Software hides details of
hardware on different packet
switches
– Hardware independent transport

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 Network Hardware
Addresses
• Each hardware technology has
an addressing mechanism
• Specifies destination of packet
• Every computer on a network is
assigned a unique address
– Usually an integer
• Destination address field
contained in each packet
– Same location in all packets
• Sender must know destination
address

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 Ethernet Technology
• Packet-switched LAN
technology
– Xerox Palo Alto Research Center
(PARC) in early ‘70s
• See Figure 2.1 on page 20
• Connection between computer
and co-axial (coax) called a
transceiver
• See Figure 2.2 on page 21
• Pin hole in ether = tap
• Connections to Ethernet have 2
major components

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 Transceiver/Host
Interface
• Host Adapter
• Transceiver
– Connects to center wire and braided
shield
– Sensing and sending signals on the
ether
• Host Interface
– Plugs into the computer’s bus on
motherboard
– Connected to transceiver by cable
called Attachment Unit Interface (AUI)
• Oldest form of Ethernet technology
(Thick-Wire Ethernet)
• See Figure 2.4 on page 23
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 Thin-Wire Ethernet

• First improvement, better

access, lower cost
• Thinnet
• Thinner coax cable, less
expensive, more flexible
• Thinner cable more susceptible
to electronic interference
(noise), shorter distances, fewer
computers

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 Thinnet
• Replace high cost transceivers
with digital circuitry inside of
host interfaces
• Direct connection from
computer to ether
• Connects direction from one
computer to another
• See Figure 2.5 on page 24
• BNC Connectors, T’s in the
back plugged into host adapter
– Show on board

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 Twisted Pair Ethernet
• No longer need for shield of
coax
• Ethernet access with pair of
unshielded copper wires similar
to telephone wires
• Further reduces cost, protects
other users on network when
someone disconnects
• 10Base-T wiring connects
computers via an Ethernet Hub
• See Figure 2.6 on page 25

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 Hub

• Electronic device that simulates

signals of Ethernet
• Computers must be < 100m
away
• Requires power
• Intelligent vs. Dumb Hub
• Connection to hub acts same as
host adapter to transceiver

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