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Chapter 3
Networking and internetworking devices and
Data Transmission Media
By: - Senbeto K.
Data Communication and Computer Networking 1
 Contents-Chapter 3
Networking and internetworking devices

Data Communication and Transmission media

Guided (Wired) Transmission Medias

Unguided (Wireless) Transmission Medias

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 Networking and internetworking devices
 Networking devices:-
 The devices or hardware needed for communication and interaction between
hardware on a network are called networking devices.
 The are devices used to connect individual devices to form a network.
 Networking devices includes: NIC, Hub, Switch, Modem, Repeater, Amplifiers
 In a network computers communicate within the same IP address range.
 E.g. 192.168.1.1 255.255.255.0 with 192.168.1.2 255.255.255.0
 Internetworking devices
 Are hardware devices used to connect two ore more network to build lager networks.
 They are intermediate devices that connect individual network to form a single large
network.
 Key internetworking devices are: routers, bridges, and gateways.
 A internetwork is one or more networks communicating with other network segments
that have different IP address ranges.
 E.g. network 192.168.0.0 255.255.255.0 is communicating with network 172.16.0.0
255.255.0.0.
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 Networking and internetworking devices
 Network interface card (NIC)
also known as a network adaptor,
acts as the interface between the computer and the
physical network connection.
every computer must have a network interface card to be
able to connect to the network.
NICs are usually specific to a particular type of cabling
NIC may have either an RJ45(Registered Jack)
connector or a BNC connector (Bayonet Neil councilman)
Although it is possible to get combo cards, which include
more than one type of connector.

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 Repeater
 In a bus topology, signal loss can
occur if the segments are too
long.
 A repeater is a device that
connects two network segments
and broadcasts data between
them.
 They are also known as signal
boosters. It amplifies the signal,
thereby extending the usable
length of the bus.

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 Hub
 A hub acts as the central component in
a star topology, and typically contains
4, 8, 16 or even more different ports for
connecting to computers or other hubs.
 It is similar in operation to a repeater,
except that it broadcasts data received
by any of the ports to all other ports on
the hub.
 Hubs can be active, passive or hybrid.
 Active hub regenerate signals and pass
it to the intended port unlike passive
hub.
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 Switch
 A switch is a common networking device
used to connect computers in network.
 A switch has many ports, to which
computers are plugged in to form network.
 A switch can also be seen as a more
intelligent hub
 whereas a hub passes on all data to every
port, a switch will only pass data
intended(required) port.
 The network switch, examines the destination
address and sends to the required device(s).
 It supports unicast, multicast as well as
broadcast communications.
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 Bridge
 For large networks it is often necessary to partition it into smaller groups of
nodes to help isolate traffic and improve performance.
 A bridge is a device that divides a network into smaller logical segments.
 A bridge acts as an interface between two sets of networks that use similar
technologies (protocols).
 For example, if a company’s network has been partitioned into two subnets, for
the sales department and administration department respectively, a bridge will be
placed between the two networks.
 If a computer on the sales subnet sends data to another computer on the sales
subnet, the bridge will not pass on the data to the administration subnet.
 However, if the same computer sends data to a computer on the administration
subnet, it will be forwarded by the bridge.
 Because not all data is passed onto the other subnet, network traffic is reduced.
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 Bridge…
 A bridge is a device that divides a network into segments.

Sales Department
4/22/2021 Administration Department
Data Communication and Computer Networking 9
 Router
 A router is also used for
connecting networks together.
 However, unlike a bridge, a router
can be used to connect networks
that use different network
technologies.
 Routers are very commonly found
in the hardware infrastructure that
forms the basis of the Internet.
Router connects LANS with Internet.

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 Router…
 They are responsible for
receiving, analyzing, and
forwarding data packets among
the connected computer
networks.
 When a data packet arrives, the
router inspects the destination
address, consults its routing
tables to decide the optimal
route and then transfers the
packet along this route.
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 Gateway
 A gateway is a network device that forms a
passage between two networks operating with
different transmission protocols.
 It acts as the entry – exit point for a network
since all traffic that flows across the networks
should pass through the gateway.
 A gateway operates as a protocol converter,
providing compatibility between the different
protocols used in the two different networks.
 It can operate at any layer of the OSI model.
 A gateway node may be supplemented as proxy
server or firewall.
 A gateway is generally implemented as a node
with multiple NICs (network interface cards)
connected to different networks. However, it can
also be configured using software.
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 Network devices and their functionality layer
Networking devices Function Network layers they work
Cables Transmission Physical layer (Layer 1)
 .
Network Interface Card (NIC) Transmission Physical layer (Layer 1)
Repeater Transmission & Boosting Physical layer (Layer 1)
Hub Transmission Physical layer (Layer 1)
Switch Physical Addressing and Data link layer (Layer 2 switch)
forwarding Network layer (layer 3 switch)
Routers Addressing, Routing Network Layer (Layer 3)
Gateway translation of protocols All network layers
Bridge Network Segmentation Data link layer (Layer 2)
Firewall Reliability (filtering) Transport layer (Layer 4) & above
Access Point and Modems
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Media Access Control
Data Communication and Computer Networking
Data link layer (Layer 2) 13
 Data Transmission Media
❖Transmission medium
is the physical path between transmitter and a receiver
in a data transmission system.
Is a means that actually carries data from sender to
receiver
Classified as
⇰Guided Media (Wired)
⇰Unguided Media (Wireless)
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 1. Guided(Wired) Media
 The electromagnetic signals are guided along a solid medium
(Copper cables).
 They are also termed as Wired media.
 Data signals are transmitted from sender to receiver through cables.
 Commonly guided media are:-

⇰Twisted pair,
⇰Coaxial cable, and
⇰Optical fiber.

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1. Fiber Optic cable
 Has plastic fiber capable of conducting
optical (light) rays
 Has many shielding (glass, cladding, PVC
coat)
 Good for very high speed (upto 10Gbps),
 Transmits digital signals using light
 Run long distance (2000m without
repeater)
 immune to noise & EMI
 High security
 Most expensive
 Use straight tip (ST) & subscriber
connector (SC) connectors.
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 2. Coaxial cable
 Consists of a solid copper core surrounded by
a braided shield and an insulating jacket
 Braided shield prevents noise and crosstalk.
 More resistant to interference and attenuation
than twisted pair cabling
 Transmits data at speed of 10 Mbps
 Uses different connectors
BNC twist connector, (British Naval connector)
RGC (Radio Guide Connector)
 There are two types of coaxial cable:
Thin (thinnet) cable
✓10Base2 (10Mbps for 200m)
Thick (ticknet) cable
✓10Base5 (10Mbps for 500m)
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 3. Twisted-Pair cable
 Is a copper conductor that accept and transport signals in the form of
electric current.
 Consists of two insulated copper wires twisted around each other
 Twisting cancels out electrical noise from adjacent pairs (crosstalk) and external
sources.
 Twisted pairs are color-coded to make it easy to identify each pair
Green, Blue, Orange & Brown
 Run up to 100m without repeaters
 Uses RJ-45 connectors
 Generally inexpensive.
 Easy to install.

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 3. Twisted-Pair cable
❖Twisted-Pair cable are of two types

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 Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP)
 is a ubiquitous (commonly used) type of copper
cabling
 Has small shielding
 used in telephone wiring and (LANs)
 7-category -- each supporting a different amount
of bandwidth.
 Category 3 and above is needed for Ethernet
networks.
 Cat3, 4, and 5 use RJ-45 connectors.
• Drawbacks
 UTP is particularly susceptible to crosstalk,
 Easily tapped (because there is no shielding)
 100 meters is shortest distance => attenuation is
the biggest problem here.
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 7 UTP Categories
UTP Frequency
Max. Bandwidth No. Pairs Maximum Length
Category (Data Rate)
Cat1 1 Mbps <1 MHz 1 -
Cat2 4 Mbps 2 MHz 2 -
Cat3 10 Mbps 10 MHz 4 100m
Cat4 16 Mbps 20 MHz 4 100m
Cat5 100 Mbps 100MHz 4 100m
Cat5e 1 Gbps 125MHz 4 100m
Cat6 10 Gbps 250MHz 4 100m
Cat6a 10 Gbps 500MHz 4 100m
Cat74/22/2021 10 Gbps 600MHz
Data Communication and Computer Networking
4 100m 21
 Shielded Twisted Pair (STP)
is made up of pairs of copper
wires that are twisted together.
The pairs are covered in a foil or
braided mesh, as well as outer
PVC jacket
STP is less susceptible to noise
as compared to UTP and therefore
reduces the cross talk and
interference.
harder to tap
same 100 meter limit as UTP.
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 2. Unguided(Wireless) Media
Transmit data between nodes without the need for physical
cabling
An electromagnetic signals are spread to and travel through
air /space (i.e wireless system)
Transmission and reception are achieved by means of an
antenna
The sending antenna radiates electromagnetic wave into
the air, and
The receiving antenna picks up electromagnetic waves
from the surrounding air

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 2. Unguided(Wireless) Media…
Basically two types of wireless transmission
configurations:
 Directional:-
 the transmitting antenna puts out a focused
electromagnetic beam (point-to-point transmission);
 the transmitting and receiving antennas must therefore be
carefully aligned(line-of-sight <LoT>).
 Eg. Infrared in TV Remote controller, satellite
 Omnidirectional:-
 the transmitted signal spreads out in all directions and can
be received by many antennas.
 Eg. Radio Wave, Bluetooth
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 Unguided(Wireless) Media…
Unguided transmission medium commonly fall in three frequency ranges.
Radio Frequency: it uses low density frequency range.
Has frequency range of 3KHz to 1 GHz
Omni-directional (No need of direct line-of sight with each other)
The radio signals are capable of passing through most office building doors
and walls.
Can cover upto 100,000 km
Microwave: A cable-less medium that uses high frequency radio signals
Has frequency range of 1GHz-300GHz
Microwave is (Terrestrial & satellite type) communications.
Directional and Repeaters spaced 10 - 100 km apart
Infrared: uses very high infrared light signals
Has frequency range of 300Ghz-400Thz (2*10^14hz)
 Directional (works in the same manner as remote controller of TV)
connections are in a direct line-of-sight to each other
Blocked by walls and covers distance of 10 to 30 meters. 25
Data Communication and Computer Networking
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Unguided(Wireless) Media…
⇰Bluetooth
⇰Satellite
⇰Infrared
⇰Microwave
⇰Radio wave
⇰Wi-Fi
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Summary of Transmission Media

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