h apter

C
10 Computer Networks

“Hoaxes use weaknesses in human

behavior to ensure they are replicated and
distributed. In other words, hoaxes prey on
the Human Operating System.”

— Stewart Kirkpatrick

In this Chapter
»» Introduction to Computer
Networks
»» Evolution of Networking 10.1 Introduction to Computer Networks
»» Types of Networks
We are living in a connected world. Information
»» Network Devices is being produced, exchanged, and traced across
»» Networking Topologies the globe in real time. It's possible as almost
»» Identifying Nodes everyone and everything in the digital world is
in a Networked interconnected through one way or the other.
Communication
»» Internet, Web and the
Internet of Things
»» Domain Name System

Figure 10.1: Interconnection forming a social network

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 Activity 10.1 A group of two or more similar things or people
Identify some other interconnected with each other is called network (Figure
networks in the 10.1). Some of the examples of network in our everyday
real world. life includes:
• Social network
• Mobile network
• Network of computers
• Airlines, railway, banks, hospitals networks
A computer network (Figure 10.2) is an interconnection
among two or more computers or computing devices.
Such interconnection allows computers to share data
and resources among each other. A basic network may
connect a few computers placed in a room.
The network size may vary from small to large
depending on the number of computers it connects.
A computer network can include different types of
hosts (also called nodes) like server, desktop, laptop,
cellular phones.

Networking
Device

Figure 10.2: A computer network

Apart from computers, networks include networking
devices like switch, router, modem, etc. Networking
devices are used to connect multiple computers in
different settings. For communication, data in a network
is divided into smaller chunks called packets. These
packets are then carried over a network. Devices in a
network can be connected either through wired media
like cables or wireless media like air.
In a communication network, each device that is a
part of a network and that can receive, create, store
or send data to different network routes is called a
node. In the context of data communication, a node
can be a device such as a modem, hub, bridge, switch,
router, digital telephone handset, a printer, a computer
or a server.

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 Interconnectivity of computing devices in a network Activity 10.2
allows us to exchange information simultaneously with Create a hotspot using
many parties through email, websites, audio/video a smartphone and
calls, etc. Network allows sharing of resources. For connect other
example, a printer can be made available to multiple devices to it.
computers through a network; a networked storage
can be accessed by multiple computers. People often
connect their devices through hotspot, thus forming a
small personal network.

10.2 Evolution of Networking

In the 1960s a research project was commissioned by
Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET)
in the U.S. Department of Defence to connect the
academic and research institutions located at different
places for scientific collaborations. The first message was
communicated between the University of California, Los
Angeles (UCLA) and Stanford Research Institute (SRI).
Slowly but gradually, more and more organisations
joined the ARPANET, and many independent smaller
networks were formed. Few of the milestones in the
magnificent journey of evolution of computer networks
is depicted in the timeline shown in Figure 10.3.
The idea of Advanced First version of Wi-fi
Research Project Agency TCP/IP introduced as (802.11) standard was
Network (ARPANET) is standard protocol on introduced
conceptualized ARPANET National Science
Roy Tomlinson develops Foundation brings
network messaging or connectivity to more
E-mail. Symbol @ people with its NSFNET
comes to mean "at" program
1961 1997
1982
1971 1986

1969 1983
1990
1974 Domain Name System
ARPANET became introduced
functional by
connecting UCLA and
SRI
The term Internet was The Berners-Lee at
coined, CERN developed HTML
and URL, thus giving
First commercial use of birth to World Wide Web
ARPANET, was started (www)
in the name of Telenet

Figure 10.3: Timeline showing evolution of networking

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 Notes 10.3 Types of Networks
There are various types of computer networks ranging
from network of handheld devices (like mobile phones
or tablets) connected through Wi-Fi or Bluetooth within
a single room to the millions of computers spread across
the globe. Some are connected wireless while others are
connected through wires.
Based on the geographical area covered and data
transfer rate, computer networks are broadly categorised
as:
• PAN ( Personal Area Network)
• LAN (Local Area Network)
• MAN (Metropolitan Area Network)
• WAN (Wide Area Network)

10.3.1 Personal Area Network (PAN)

It is a network formed by connecting a few personal
devices like computers, laptops, mobile phones, smart
phones, printers etc., as shown in Figure 10.4. All these
devices lie within an approximate range of 10 metres.
A personal area network may be wired or wireless.
For example, a mobile phone connected to the laptop
through USB forms a wired PAN while two smartphones
communicating with each other through Bluetooth
technology form a wireless PAN or WPAN.

Figure 10.4: A Personal Area Network

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 10.3.2 Local Area Network (LAN)
It is a network that connects computers, mobile phones, Explore and find out
tablet, mouse, printer, etc., placed at a limited distance. the minimum internet
The geographical area covered by a LAN can range from speed required to
a single room, a floor, an office having one or more make a video call.
buildings in the same premise, laboratory, a school,
college, or university campus. The connectivity is done
by means of wires, Ethernet cables, fibre optics, or Wi-Fi.
A Local Area Network (LAN) is shown in Figure 10.5.

Figure 10.5: A Local Area Network

LAN is comparatively secure as only authentic

users in the network can access other computers or
shared resources. Users can print documents using
a connected printer, upload/download documents
and software to and from the local server. Such LANs
provide the short range communication with the high
speed data transfer rates. These types of networks can
be extended up to 1 km. Data transfer in LAN is quite
high, and usually varies from 10 Mbps (called Ethernet)
to 1000 Mbps (called Gigabit Ethernet), where Mbps
stands for Megabits per second. Ethernet is a set of rules
that decides how computers and other devices connect
with each other through cables in a local area network
or LAN.
10.3.3 Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) is an extended form of
LAN which covers a larger geographical area like a city or
a town. Data transfer rate in MAN also ranges in Mbps,

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 but it is considerably less as compared to LAN. Cable TV
network or cable based broadband internet services are
examples of MAN. This kind of network can be extended
up to 30-40 km. Sometimes, many LANs are connected
together to form MAN, as shown in Figure 10.6.

LAN 1

Networking LAN 3
Device

LAN 2

Figure 10.6: A Metropolitan Area Network

10.3.4 Wide Area Network (WAN)

Wide Area Network connects computers and other
It is possible to access LANs and MANs, which are spread across different
your bank account geographical locations of a country or in different
from any part of the countries or continents. A WAN could be formed
world. Whether the by connecting a LAN to other LANs (Figure 10.7) via
bank’s network is a wired/wireless media. Large business, educational
LAN, MAN, WAN or
any other type? and government organisations connect their different
branches in different locations across the world through
WAN. The Internet is the largest WAN that connects
billions of computers, smartphones and millions of
LANs from different continents.

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 Network User Network User
Network User Network User

Network Switch Network Switch

Network User Network User
Internet

Network User Network User Network User Network User

LAN 1 - Delhi LAN 1 - Shimla

Figure 10.7: A Wide Area Network

10.4 Network Devices

To communicate data through different transmission
media and to configure networks with different
functionality, we require different devices like Modem,
Hub, Switch, Repeater, Router, Gateway, etc. Let us
explore them in detail.
10.4.1 Modem
Modem stands for ‘MOdulator DEModulator’. It refers to
a device used for conversion between analog signals and
digital bits. We know computers store and process data
in terms of 0s and 1s. However, to transmit data from
a sender to a receiver, or while browsing the internet,
digital data are converted to an analog signal and the
medium (be it free-space or a physical media) carries
the signal to the receiver. There are modems connected
to both the source and destination nodes. The modem
at the sender’s end acts as a modulator that converts
the digital data into analog signals. The modem at the
receiver’s end acts as a demodulator that converts
the analog signals into digital data for the destination
node to understand. Figure 10.8 shows connectivity
using a modem.

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 Analog Signal
Modulation Demodulation
Digital Signal Demodulation Modulation Digital Signal

Telephone Line
Modem Modem

Figure 10.8: Use of modem

10.4.2 Ethernet Card
Ethernet card, also known as Network Interface Card
(NIC card in short) is a network adapter used to set
up a wired network.
It acts as an interface
between computer and
the network. It is a circuit
board mounted on the
motherboard of a computer
as shown in Figure
10.9. The Ethernet cable
connects the computer to
the network through NIC.
Ethernet cards can support
data transfer between 10
Mbps and 1 Gbps (1000
Mbps). Each NIC has a
MAC address, which helps
in uniquely identifying the
computer on the network.
Figure 10.9: A Network Interface Card

10.4.3 RJ45
RJ 45 or Registered Jack-45 is an
eight-pin connector (Figure 10.10)
that is used exclusively with
Ethernet cables for networking.
It is a standard networking
interface that can be seen at
the end of all network cables.
Basically, it is a small plastic plug
that fits into RJ-45 jacks of the
Ethernet cards present in various
Figure 10.10: RJ 45
computing devices.

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 10.4.4 Repeater
Data are carried in the form of signals over the cable.
These signals can travel a specified distance (usually
about 100 m). Signals lose their strength beyond this
limit and become weak. In such conditions, original An Internet service
signals need to be regenerated. provider (ISP) is any
organisation that
A repeater is an analog device that works with signals
provides services
on the cables to which it is connected. The weakened for accessing the
signal appearing on the cable is regenerated and put Internet.
back on the cable by a repeater.
10.4.5 Hub
An Ethernet hub (Figure 10.11) is a network device used
to connect different devices through wires. Data arriving
on any of the lines are sent out on all the others. The
limitation of Hub is that if data from two devices come
at the same time, they will collide.

Activity 10.3
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Find and list a
few ISPs in your
region.

Figure 10.11: A network hub with 8 ports

10.4.5 Switch
A switch is a networking device (Figure 10.12) that
plays a central role in a Local Area Network (LAN). Like
a hub, a network switch is used to connect multiple
computers or communicating devices. When data
arrives, the switch extracts the
destination address from the data
packet and looks it up in a table to
see where to send the packet. Thus,
it sends signals to only selected
devices instead of sending to all.
It can forward multiple packets at
the same time. A switch does not
forward the signals which are noisy
or corrupted. It drops such signals
and asks the sender to resend it. Figure 10.12: Cables connected to a network switch

Ethernet switches are common in homes/offices

to connect multiple devices thus creating LANs or to
access the Internet.

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 Notes 10.4.6 Router
A router (Figure 10.13) is a network device that can
receive the data, analyse it and transmit it to other
networks. A router connects a local area network to the
internet. Compared to a hub or a switch, a router has
advanced capabilities as it can analyse the data being
carried over a network, decide/alter how it is packaged,
and send it to another network of a different type. For
example, data has been divided into packets of a certain
size. Suppose these packets are to be carried over a
different type of network which cannot handle bigger
packets. In such a case, the data is to be repackaged
as smaller packets and then sent over the network by
a router.

Figure 10.13: A router

A router can be wired or wireless. A wireless router
can provide Wi-Fi access to smartphones and other
devices. Usually, such routers also contain some ports
to provide wired Internet access. These days, home Wi-Fi
routers perform the dual task of a router and a modem/
switch. These routers connect to incoming broadband
lines, from ISP (Internet Service Provider), and convert
them to digital data for computing devices to process.
10.4.7 Gateway
As the term “Gateway” suggests, it is a key access point
that acts as a “gate” between an organisation's network
and the outside world of the Internet (Figure 10.14).
Gateway serves as the entry and exit point of a network,
as all data coming in or going out of a network must
first pass through the gateway in order to use routing
paths. Besides routing data packets, gateways also
maintain information about the host network's internal
connection paths and the identified paths of other
remote networks. If a node from one network wants to
communicate with a node of a foreign network, it will

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