DATA COMMUNICATION AND

NETWORKING

Najjembe Homeland ICT Department

TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING

5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 1
 DATA COMMUNICATION
▪ This refers to the electronic transfer of data,
instructions, and information from one device
to another via a transmission media.

TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING

5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 2
 ELEMENTS FOR DATA
COMMUNICATION
▪ Sender: The computer or device that generates and
sends data is called the sender, source or
transmitter. It can be a computer, workstation
(node), telephone handset, video camera. Etc
▪ Message: This is the information or data to be
communicated. It consists of text, numbers,
pictures, sound or video.
▪ Transmission Medium: is the physical pathway by
which a message travels from sender to receiver.
TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING
5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 3
 CON’T
▪ Receiver: The device or computer that receives the
message is called receiver. The receiver can be a
computer, printer, a fax machine, etc.
▪ Protocol: This is a set of rules that allow devices to
exchange information
▪ A protocol defines the format for communication
between systems. For example the Hyper Text
Transfer Protocol (HTTP) defines the format for
communication between Web browsers and Web
servers on the internet
TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING
5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 4
 CON’T
▪ Other examples of communication protocols
include: Internet Protocol (IP) Transmission Control
Protocol (TCP), Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP),
Wireless Application Protocol (WAP), and Simple
Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) for emails

TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING

5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 5
 Data communication tools
▪ Data communication tools are devices that enable the
users to send and receive messages.
▪ Data communication tools can be categorized into two:
electronic and manual data communication tools.
a) Electronic data communication tools use electric
power. Examples include Computers, Mobile phones,
radios, televisions, internet services (E-mail,
Chartrooms, websites, social networking, forums etc.)
b) Manual data communication tools don’t use electricity.
Examples include drums, bells and messengers.
TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING
5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 6
Definition of terminologies
▪ Encoding
This is the process through which Information
(e.g. data, text, voice or video) from the
sending device is converted into signals
which the communication medium can carry.
▪ 010110

Sending device Receiving device

send digital signal receive analog signal
TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING
5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 7
Definition of terminologies
▪ Transmission
This is the process through which the signals
are broad cast/ sent out through the medium
to the receiving device.
▪ Decoding
▪ This is the process through which the signals
are converted back into the information in its
original form in the receiving device.
TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING
5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 8
 Definition of terminologies
▪ Telecommunication refers to transmission of data and information
over a long-distance, eg television
▪ Teleprocessing: This refers to access and modification of computer
files located elsewhere.
▪ Downloading: To Download is to transfer a file to your computer from
another.
▪ Uploading means to transfer a file from your computer to another.
▪ Throughput refers to the rate of how much data is moved during a
certain amount of time.
▪ Bandwidth: is the amount of signals that can travel over a communications
channel at sometime. OR Bandwidth the amount of data transmitted via
a communication channel per second.

TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING

5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 9
 Definition of terminologies
The higher the bandwidth, the more data and information
the channel can transmit.
▪ Broadband: Is the Digital data transmission in which
a wire or cable carries multiple simultaneous
signals.
▪ Bus width: This is a measure of data transmission
speed on computer buses.

TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING

5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 10
 Definition of terminologies
▪ Data Encryption
▪ This is Process of converting data into coded form
(cypher text) to prevent it from being read or
understood by unauthorized people.
▪ Encrypted data is difficult to decode without a secret
key
▪ Communications Software
▪ This refers to a set of instructions (software) needed
by a computer before it starts sending and receiving
data from other computers.
TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING
5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 11
 Importance of Data
communication.
▪ Allows sharing of hardware like printers.
▪ Allows sharing of software between two or
more computers, hence reducing on cost.
▪ Allows sharing and transfer of data and
information stored on other computers on the
network.
▪ Facilitate communications between people e.g.
through electronic-mail, Mobile phones,e.t.c.
TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING
5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 12
 Importance of Data
communication.
▪ Computer communication has security & tight
control measures over data access.
▪ Enables online learning and collaborative research.
▪ Allows access to common databases for example
in banks.
▪ Has enabled improved travel service through e-
bookings and e-reservation.
▪ Provides for online employment e.g. telecommuting.

TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING

5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 13
 Limitations of Data
communication
▪ Data theft. If a computer is a standalone, physical access becomes
necessary for any kind of data theft. However, if a computer is on a
network, a computer hacker can get illegal access.
▪ Rapid Spread of Computer Viruses: If any computer system in a
network gets infected by computer virus, there is a possible threat
of other systems getting infected.
▪ Expensive Set Up: The initial set up cost of a computer network
can be high depending on the number of computers to be
connected.
▪ Dependency on the Main File Server: In case the main File Server
of a computer network breaks down, the system becomes useless.

TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING

5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 14
 Limitations of Data
communication
▪ Exposure to External Exploits. Someone on a different computer
can send data to the computer in such a way as to attack it - make
it lock up or crash, make it slow down, or even take control of it.
▪ Automatic Downloads. If a computer is connected to a network, it's
easier to download and install software from the network onto the
computer without any human intervention. If the new software
hasn't been tested, it could cause unpredictable behavior.
▪ Computer Networks can Fail. Computer networks can be so
powerful and useful that it is very vital for them to be used. All of
the computers in an office building might become completely
useless if a single network component fails.

TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING

5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 15
 Data transmission media
(Channels)
▪ Transmission media refers to any physical or non-
physical link / pathway between two or more
devices and in which a signal can be made to flow
from source to destination.
▪ Transmission media refers to the physical or non-
physical materials that are used to transmit data
between computers.
▪ A data signal cannot be sent from one place to
another without a medium of communication.
TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING
5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 16
 Data communication media
can be divided into two:
❖Physical /Wired / Bounded/ Guided transmission media
❖Wireless / Unbounded / Unguided transmission media
a) Physical /Wired / Bounded/ Guided transmission
media
▪ Physical transmission media use wire, cable, and other
physical materials to send communications signals.
Physical media transmits data signals from the source to
the destination through a restricted pathway such as a
cable.

TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING

5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 17
 Examples of physical
transmission media
▪ Twisted Pair Cable
▪ Coaxial Cable
▪ Fiber Optic Cable

TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING

5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 18
 Twisted Pair Cables.
▪ Twisted pair cable is made up of solid copper wire strands
wound in pairs within a single media.
▪ The winding of the wires is meant to avoid the development
of an electromagnetic field around the two wires as they
transmit data.
▪ Twisted pair cable is commonly used to interconnect
Twisted pair cable comes in two varieties:
▪ Shielded and Unshielded Twisted Pair
▪ i.e. STP and UTP

TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING

5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 19
 Twisted wire
Advantages:
▪ The extra covering in
▪ It is of low cost
shielded twisted pair ▪ small in size
wiring protects the ▪ easy to install
transmission line ▪ It is the most popular and
from electromagnetic generally the best for
interference leaking schools.
into or out of the Disadvantage:
▪ Subject to interference
cable, but makes it
▪ limited distance, usually less
more expensive. than 100 meters

5/30/2023 TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING

© Najjembe Homeland ICT Department
20
 Coaxial cable
▪ Coaxial cable consists of a
single copper wire Advantages
surrounded by at least three ▪ Coaxial cable is insulated more
heavily than twisted-pair cable. So it
layers: is highly resistant to signal
i. An insulating material interference.
ii. A woven or braided metal ▪ Used for longer distances (300 – 600
meters)
iii. A plastic outer coating.
▪ Transmits faster than UTP
▪ Cable TV wiring often uses
Disadvantages
coaxial cable because it can
▪ Heavy & bulky
be cabled over longer
▪ Needs booster over longer
distances than twisted-pair
distances
cable.
5/30/2023 TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING
© Najjembe Homeland ICT Department
21
Fiber Optic Cable
▪ Each strand, called an optical
fiber, is as thin as a human Advantages:
hair. ▪ Carry significantly more signals than
▪ Each optical fiber is other cables.
surrounded by an insulating ▪ Faster data transmission.
glass cladding and a ▪ Less vulnerable to electrical noise from
protective coating. other devices
▪ Fiber-optic cables are used ▪ Better security for signals during
by many local and long- transmission.
distance telephone ▪ Smaller size, and much thinner and
companies, cable TV, and in lighter than other cables.
Disadvantages:
high-traffic networks or as the
▪ Expensive as compared to other media
main cable in a network.
▪ Harder to install and modify.
5/30/2023 TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING
© Najjembe Homeland ICT Department
22
 Advantages of physical
transmission media
▪ It is fast and supports high bandwidth
▪ Can be used in hazardous places (high flammable)
because they do not generate electrical signal
▪ They can carry voice, data and video signal
simultaneously.
▪ They are more resistant to radio and
electromagnetic interference.
▪ Installation equipment are cheap and readily
available.
TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING
5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 23
 Disadvantages of physical
transmission media
▪ Connectivity devices and media are expensive.
▪ Installation is difficult because the cable must be
carefully handled.
▪ It is relatively complex to configure
▪ It covers short distance since they use the physical
wires
▪ Inconvenience due to inflexibility of restrictive
cables.

TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING

5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 24
 Wireless / Unbounded /
Unguided transmission media
▪ Wireless or unbounded media is the one in which data
signals flow through the air.
▪ In this case transmitting antenna and receivers aerial
facilitates the communication.
▪ The major wireless transmission media include radio
waves, microwaves, and infrared which is part of the
electromagnetic spectrum, which is the range of all
possible frequencies of electromagnetic radiation.
▪ Wireless media send communications signals through the
air or space using radio, microwave, and infrared signals
(electromagnetic waves).
TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING
5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 25
 Examples of wireless
transmission media
▪ Microwaves
▪ Radio waves
▪ Infrared

TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING

5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 26
 Microwave
▪ Microwaves are high-frequency radio waves that are sent
through the atmosphere and space to deliver
telecommunications services, including TV distribution.
It is dependent on line of sight.
▪ Advantage:
▪ Speed of light
▪ Microwave signals can carry thousands of channels
at the same time
▪ Disadvantage:
▪ Line-of-sight only-
(there is need for radio transmitters
in networks using air interface (radio waves)
to be positioned free of obstacles)
TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING
5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 27
 Microwave communication systems
are mainly classified into ;
a) Terrestrial microwave signals are
sent from one ground-based antenna
to another.
b) Satellite microwave signals travel
from Earth to a satellite in space and
then back to a station on the earth.
▪ A satellite is basically a microwave
station placed in outer space. The
satellite receives a signal from the
earth, amplifies it, and then
rebroadcasts it at a different
frequency to any number of earth-
based stations.
TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING
5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 28
 RADIO WAVES
▪ Radio waves frequencies are easy to generate and are
widely used for communication, both indoors and outdoors.
Examples of communication technologies using radio
waves include Bluetooth, Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) etc.
▪ Bluetooth is a short range wireless based information
transmission system which works on the basis of
microchips embedded in the digital devices like mobile
phones, speakers and laptops.
▪ Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) is used to create a hotspots from
where information signals can be easily accessed by Wi-Fi
enabled devices, forming a wireless local area network.
TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING
5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 29
 CONT..
▪ A hotspot is a specific location that provides Internet access via a
wireless local area network (WLAN). A network that creates a hotspot
primarily includes a modem and wireless router. The radio frequency
(RF) waves sent by the wireless network extend in different directions
from its centralized location.
▪ Wimax stands for Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access. It
is a telecommunication technology providing wireless data over long
distances in a variety of ways from point to point links to full mobile
cellular type access.
▪ Radio-frequency identification (RFID) uses radio waves to
automatically identify and track tags attached to objects. For
example, it can be affixed to cars, computer equipment, books etc.

TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING

5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 30
 INFRARED
▪ INFRARED are electromagnetic waves with a
smaller wavelength than radio waves. A TV remote
control is an example of an Infrared application.
▪ IrDA (Infrared Data Association) ports transmit data
via infrared light waves. As long as the devices are
within a few feet and nothing obstructs the path of
the infrared light wave, data can be transferred
without the use of cables

TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING

5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 31
DATA TRANSMISSION
▪ Telecommunications involves the transmission of
data, information, and instructions among computers.
▪ Any transmissions sent during these communications
can be categorized by a number of characteristics
including the signal type, transmission mode,
transmission direction, and transmission rate.
▪ Signal Type: Recall that computers produce digital
signals yet telephone equipment originally was
designed to carry only voice transmission in the form
of an analog signal.
TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING
5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 32
 Analog Signals
▪ An analog signal uses variations which are
represented by a continuous waveform to convey
information.
▪ It is particularly useful for wave data like sound
waves.
▪ Analog signals are what normal phone line and
sound speakers use.

TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING

5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 33
 Digital Signals
▪ A digital signal is a series of discrete (discontinuous)
bits which are simply the presence or absence of an
electric pulse. The state of being on or off represents
the binary digit of 1 or 0, respectively.
010110

▪ Advantages of digital signals include:

▪ Digital signals can be copied exactly without any
loss of quality
▪ Digital signals can be further processed by
computer. TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING
5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 34
 Transmission Modes
▪ When two devices exchange data, the data flows
between the devices as a continuous stream of bits.
▪ There are two basic transmission techniques for
separating the groups of bits: asynchronous
transmission and synchronous transmission

TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING

5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 35
Asynchronous transmission
▪ Asynchronous transmission transmits one byte at a
time over a line at random intervals.
▪ Each byte is framed by controls—a start bit for
marking the beginning of the byte, a stop bit for
marking the end of the byte, and a parity bit for error
checking.
▪ Asynchronous transmission is relatively slow and
used for low-speed transmission.

TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING

5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 36
Synchronous transmission
▪ Synchronous transmission transmits groups of
bytes simultaneously at regular intervals.
▪ The beginning and ending of a block of bytes is
determined by the timing of the sending device and
receiving devices.
▪ Although synchronous transmission requires more
complicated and expensive communications
devices, it provides much higher speeds and
greater accuracy than asynchronous transmission.
TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING
5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 37
Transmission Direction
▪ The direction in which data flows along
transmission media is characterized as
▪ simplex,
▪ half-duplex,
▪ full-duplex
▪ multiplex

TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING

5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 38
 Simplex transmission
▪ Simplex transmission sends data in one direction
only.
▪ Simplex transmission is used only when the sending
device does not require a response from the receiving
device. examples of simplex transmission are
television broadcasting and radio broadcasting.

TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING

5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 39
Half-duplex transmission
▪ Half-duplex transmission allows data transmission
in either direction, but only one way at a time.
▪ Examples include: fax machines, police radio calls,
credit card verification systems and automatic teller
machines .

TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING

5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 40
Full-duplex transmission
▪ In full-duplex transmission, data can flow in both
directions at the same time. A regular telephone
line, for example, supports full-duplex transmission,
allowing both parties to talk at same time.

TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING

5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 41
Multiplex transmission
▪ In multiplex transmission, several different types of
signals can be carried at once through the same
line. E.g. During Video calls where Images

TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING

5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 42
 Services offered by data
communication tools.
▪ Data communication tools offer services like Telephone,
SMS, E-mail, Skype, Newsgroups and instant messaging.
▪ Telephone voice calls help keep people talking even when
they are distant and mobile.
▪ Short Messaging Services SMS facilitate sending and
receiving of brief text messages.
▪ Electronic mail and fax : An electronic mail is the message
transmitted electronically over the internet, from one user
to another. A fax machine is a device that transmits and
receives typed or hand written documents over telephone
lines.
TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING
5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 43
 Services offered by data
communication tools. Cont..
▪ Skype supports voice and video calls, text, instant messaging
and sharing conversation with (someone) over the Internet
using the software application Skype, frequently also viewing by
webcam.
▪ Newsgroups are organized group of internet users who wish to
share ideas and interests through discussion forums and
debates.
▪ Instant messaging: This is a more enhanced messaging service
that allows two or more people to chat directly in real time.
▪ Social networking e.g. Facebook and Twitter create digital
societies through linking people of common interests.
TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING
5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 44
 Implications of using data
communication services
Positive Implications
▪ Have led to faster, simpler communications between people e.g.through
electronic-mail, mobile phones, social networks etc
▪ Communications costs have become lower e.g. Making cheap internet calls,
for example via Google talk and Skype
▪ Community mobilization now easier - its now very simple to send a
message to many people in one go e.g using Mailing lists and group chats.
▪ Data communication tools like the internet have facilitated emergence of the
worldwide-web where there is a wealth of information, such as news,
weather reports, and airline schedules.
▪ Data communication tools like telephones and SMS Have revolutionized the
way people transact businesses e.g access to mobile money services using
phones.
TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING
5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 45
 Negative Implications
▪ Security and privacy: data communication services have made it
easy access private information e.g. on social networks, hence
posing security concern.
▪ Spamming is high especially by advertisers who send unwanted e-
mails in bulk, such as email adverts.
▪ There has been emergency of new kinds of crimes facilitated by data
communication services, such as cyber-bullying.
▪ Inaccurate information on the internet can be misleading and lead to
dire consequences to the users.
▪ Data communication services have facilitated the digital divide in
society, hence disadvantaging the computer illiterate people when it
comes to opportunities like jobs and government services
TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING
5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 46
 INTRODUCTION TO
COMPUTER NETWORKS
▪ A computer network is defined as a collection of
computers linked together using transmission
media for the purpose of communication and
resource sharing.
▪ Some of the shared resources include internet
connectivity, printers, fax machines, modems,
storage devices, networked software programs etc.

TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING

5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 47
Basic requirements for setting
up a computer network.
▪ NETWORKING HARDWARE includes all computers,
peripherals and Communications devices that
enable two or more computers to exchange items
such as data, instructions, and information with
each other.
Examples include: a network interface card, modem,
Hub/Switch, Router, repeater, network Bridge, Firewall
etc

TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING

5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 48
 1. NETWORK INTERFACE CARD
▪ A network card, also called
network interface card (NIC), is
a device that enables the
computer or device that does
not have built-in networking
capability to access a network.
▪ Examples include
adapter card, PC Card,
USB network adapter, flash
card e.t.c
TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING
5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 49
2 MODEMS (signal converters)
▪ The modem, is a device which Modulates a digital
signal from computers into an analog one to send
data out over the phone line. Then for an incoming
signal it Demodulates, the analog signal into a
digital one.

TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING

5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 50
 MODEM Cont.…
▪ An electronic device that allows computers to
communicate over ordinary telephone lines.
▪ It converts digital signals into analogue signals and
vise versa then transmitted over phone lines.

TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING

5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 51
 3 . HUBS and SWITCHES
▪ A hub, (also called a multi-station access unit
(MAU)) is a device that provides a central point for
cables in a network.
▪ Unlike the hubs, a switch does not broadcast the
data to all the computers, it sends the data packets
only to the destined computer.

TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING

5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 52
 4 . REPEATER
▪ A repeater is a device that accepts a signal
from a transmission medium, amplifies it, and
retransmits it over the medium.
▪ As a signal travels over a long distance, it
undergoes a reduction in strength, an
occurrence called attenuation.

TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING

5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 53
5 . A ROUTER
▪ A router is an intelligent
communications device that
sends (routes) communications
traffic to the appropriate
network using the fastest
available path.
▪ A router allows multiple
computers to share a single
high-speed Internet
connection such as through
a cable modem
TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING
5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 54
6 . NETWORK BRIDGE
▪ A bridge is a device ▪ A bridge knows all of the addresses
that connects two on each side of the bridge and can
LANs using the send information accordingly.
same protocol such
as the Ethernet
▪ A network bridge is
device that connects
two networks
making each
accessible to the
other.
TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING
5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 55
 7. MULTIPLEXER
▪ A multiplexer is a device that combines two or more
input signals from various devices into a single
stream of data and then transmits it over a single
transmission medium.
▪ By combining the separate data streams into one, a
multiplexer increases the efficiency of
communications and reduces the need for using
multiple separate transmission media.

TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING

5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 56
 8 FIREWALL
▪ A firewall is a networking device that is installed at
the entrance to a LAN, particularly when connecting
a private network to a public network, such as the
internet.
▪ The firewall uses rules to filter inbound traffic into
the private network, to protect the private network
users and data from malevolent hackers.
Unauthorized traffic is rejected, and authorized
traffic passes.
TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING
5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 57
NETWORK/COMMUNICATIONS
SOFTWARE
▪ The principal functions of communications software are
network control, access control, transmission control, error
detection/correction, and network security.
▪ Communications software consists of programs that :
1. (1) help users establish a connection to another computer or network;
2. (2) manage the transmission of data, instructions, and information;
3. (3) provide an interface for users to communicate with one another.
▪ The first two are system software and the third is application
software.

TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING

5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 58
 Networking Operating
System
▪ A network operating system (NOS) is the ▪ Examples of
system software that organizes and NOSs include:
coordinates the activities on a network. ▪ Novell NetWare
The principal functions of NOS include ▪ Microsoft
network control, access control, Windows
transmission control, error server 2003
detection/correction, and network security. and 2008.
▪ System maintenance tasks such as backup ▪ AppleShare
▪ File management tasks ▪ Unix /NFS
▪ Prioritizing print jobs on the network ▪ Sun Solaris

5/30/2023 TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING

© Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 59
 Network application software
are programs that provide an interface for users to
communicate over computer networks. A variety of examples
of application software for communications include:
▪ E-mail client applications,
▪ FTP programs,
▪ Web browsers like Internet Explorer,
▪ Newsgroup/ message boards
▪ Chat apps,
▪ Instant messaging,
▪ Video conferencing applications e.g. Skype, and VoIP.
TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING
5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 60
Types of computer networks
▪ A network can be ▪ Local Area Network (LAN)
relatively small ▪ Peer-to-peer network
or extensively ▪ Client/server network
large. ▪ Personal area network
▪ The most (PAN)
common types of ▪ Wide area network (WAN)
computer ▪ Metropolitan area
networks include networks (MANs)
▪ Etc.
TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING
May 23 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 61
PERSONAL AREA NETWORK
(PAN)
▪ A personal area network (PAN) is the
interconnection of computer devices within the
range of an individual person, typically within a
range of 10 meters.

TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING

May 23 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 62
PERSONAL AREA NETWORK
(PAN)
▪ For example, a person traveling with a laptop, a
personal digital assistant (PDA), and a portable
printer could interconnect them without having to
plug anything in, using some form of wireless
technology.
▪ Typically, this kind of personal area network could
also be interconnected without wires to the Internet
or other networks.

TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING

May 23 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 63
 Local Area Network (LAN)
▪ A local area network (LAN) is a network that
connects computers in a small geographic area such
as a building like a computer laboratory, or an office.
▪ The nodes are connected to the LAN via cables.
▪ A wireless LAN (WLAN) is a LAN that does not use
physical wires, but uses wireless media such as
radio waves.
▪ The two kinds of LAN are peer-to-peer network and
client/server network
TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING
May 23 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 64
 Peer-To-Peer Network
▪ This is a type of network where each computer can
share the hardware, data, or information located on
any other computer on the network.
▪ Each computer stores files on its own storage
devices.
▪ Each computer on the network contains both the
network operating system and application software.

TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING

May 23 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 65
Advantages of a Peer To Peer
Network (P2P)
▪ A peer-to-peer network is simple to setup i.e.
does not require too much configuring
▪ It is not expensive to set up
▪ It does not require a dedicated server to
control the network
▪ It is perfect for home and small business
users.

TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING

May 23 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 66
 Disadvantages of a Peer to
Peer Network
▪ The system is not centralized, making
administration difficult .
▪ Lack of security i.e. files can be accessed
by any one on the network

TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING

May 23 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 67
 Client/Server Network
▪ A client/server network has one or more computers
acting as a server while the other computers (i.e.,
clients) on the network can request services from the
server.
▪ A client computer is a computer that can access the
resources on a network.
▪ A server provides a centralized storage area for
programs, data, and information.
▪ Most client/server networks have a network
administrator who is in charge of the network.
TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING
May 23 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 68
 Roles of Dedicated Servers
▪ A file server stores and manages files on a network
▪ A print server manages printers and print jobs.
▪ A database server stores and provides access to a
database
▪ A network server (e.g., a DNS) manages network
traffic.

TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING

5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 69
 Requirements of a server
computer
▪ It needs a computer with very high processing
speed
▪ It needs large amounts of RAM
▪ It needs a very big storage capacity
▪ It needs a very fast Network interface card
▪ It needs network operating system such as Novell
Netware, Windows NT Server or Apple Share

TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING

5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 70
Advantages of a Client/Server
Network
▪ All Resources are centralized and easier to
access.
▪ Easy management and administration of the
network.
▪ More data security since all network access is
controlled through the server.
▪ The network is flexible, because changes and
new technology can be easily included into
system. TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING
May 23 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 71
Advantages of a Client/Server
Network
▪ Client /Server network is faster than P2P
since data and resources are handled by a
dedicated machine
▪ It is to Backup all data stored centrally on the
server.
▪ Client Server network can support many
computers as compared to a P2P network.

TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING

May 23 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 72
 Disadvantages of a Client
/Server Network
▪ It is expensive to set up as compared to a P2P
network.
▪ It requires an extra computer to serve as a
dedicated server.
▪ Maintenance – large networks will require an
administrator staff to ensure efficient operation
▪ Dependence – When the server goes down,
operations will cease across the network
▪ Server can get overloaded since all the processing
is controlled at one point.
TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING
May 23 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 73
 Wide area network
(WAN)
▪ A wide Area Network (WAN) is a network that
covers a large geographic area.
▪ An example of a WAN is a network that connects
the district office computers of a company across
the country or across several countries in the world.
▪ Computers are often connected to a WAN via public
networks such as the telephone system or by
dedicated lines or satellites.

TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING

May 23 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 74
 Wide area network
(WAN)
▪ The Internet is the world’s largest
WAN.

TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING

May 23 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 75
 A CAMPUS AREA NETWORK
(CAN)
▪ A Campus Area Network (CAN) is a network that
connects two or more LANs but is limited to a
specific and contiguous geographical area such as
a college campus, industrial complex, or a military
base. It spans multiple LANs but smaller than a
MAN

TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING

5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 76
 Metropolitan area
networks (MANs)
▪ A metropolitan area network (MAN) is a large
computer network that usually spans a city or a
large campus.
▪ A MAN usually interconnects two or more LANs
using a high-capacity backbone technology, such
as fiber-optical links or other digital media.
▪ A MAN covers a smaller geographic area than a
WAN.

TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING

May 23 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 77
VIRTUAL PRIVATE NETWORK
(VPN)
▪ A virtual private network (VPN) extends a private network
across a public network, and enables users to send and
receive data across shared or public networks as if their
computing devices were directly connected to the private
network.
▪ Applications running across the VPN may therefore benefit
from the functionality, security, and management of the
private network.
▪ VPNs may allow employees to securely access a corporate
intranet while located outside the office.
TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING
5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 78
 Advantages of wireless
networks.
▪ Mobility - With a laptop computer or mobile device, access can be
available throughout a school, at the mall, on an airplane, etc.
▪ Fast setup - If your computer has a wireless adapter, locating a
wireless network can be as simple as clicking "Connect to a
Network”.
▪ Cost - Setting up a wireless network can be much more cost effective
than buying and installing cables.
▪ Expandability - Adding new computers to a wireless network is as
easy as turning the computer on (as long as you do not exceed the
maximum number of devices).
▪ Speed - The transmission speed of wireless networks is faster for
small amount of data.
TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING
5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 79
 Disadvantages of wireless
networks
▪ Security - Be careful. Be vigilant. Protect your sensitive
data with backups, isolate private networks, provide strong
encryption and passwords, and monitor network access
traffic to and from your wireless network.
▪ Interference - Because wireless networks use radio signals
and similar techniques for transmission, they are
susceptible to interference from lights and electronic
devices.
▪ Inconsistent connections - Wireless connections are not
nearly as stable as those through a dedicated cable

TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING

5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 80
Intranet, Extranet and Internet
▪ Individual Computer networks such LANS and PANs
can be interconnected to form extended networks.
QN: What is the difference between Intranet, Extranet
and Internet?
▪ Intranet is used within an organization;
▪ Extranet is an extension of an intranet - used even
out side the organization.
▪ Internet is global.

TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING

© Najjembe Homeland ICT Department
 Intranet
▪ Intranet refers to a connection of private computer
networks within an organization.
▪ An intranet has tools to facilitate communication
between organization's employees or workgroups to
improve the knowledge and data sharing capability.
▪ Many schools and non-profit groups have deployed
intranets
▪ A simple intranet consists of an internal email system.
▪ An example of an intranet is a school network.

TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING

May 23 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 82
 EXTRANET
▪ An extranet is a computer network that allows
controlled access from the outside for specific
business or educational purposes.
▪ Extranets are extensions to, or segments of,
private intranet networks that have been built
in many corporations for information sharing.

TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING

May 23 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 83
 Advantages of Installing a
School Network
▪ Speed. Networks provide a very rapid method for
sharing and transferring files.
▪ Cost. Networkable versions of many popular
software programs are available at considerable
savings when compared to buying individually
licensed copies.
▪ Security. Files and programs on a network can be
safe i.e. passwords can be established for specific
directories to restrict access to authorized users.
TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING
May 23 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 84
 Advantages of Installing a
School Network
▪ Sharing resources such as laser printers, fax
machines, modems, scanners, etc. is simplified
▪ Electronic Mail. Electronic mail on a LAN can enable
students to communicate with teachers and peers
at their own school.
▪ Flexible Access. School networks allow students to
access their files from computers throughout the
school. Students can also work cooperatively
through the network.
TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING
May 23 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 85
 Disadvantages of Installing a
School Network
▪ Expensive to Install. Although a network will
generally save money over time, the initial costs of
installation can be prohibitive.
▪ Requires Administrative Time. Proper maintenance
of a network requires considerable time and
expertise.
▪ Must Monitor Security Issues. Wireless networks
are becoming increasingly common; however,
security can be an issue with wireless networks
TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING
May 23 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 86
 Network Protocols
▪ This refers ▪ The principal functions of protocol in a
to a set of network include:
rules and ▪ identifying each device in the
procedures communication path;
governing ▪ securing the attention of the other device;
transmission ▪ verifying correct receipt of the transmitted
between message;
components ▪ determining that a message requires
in a retransmission if it is incomplete or has
computer errors;
network. ▪ performing recovery when errors occur.
TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING
5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 87
 Common protocols
▪ Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) - an internet protocol for
transferring of e-mails.
▪ File Transfer Protocol (FTP): It allows files containing text,
programs, graphics, numerical data, and so on to be
downloaded off or uploaded onto a network.
▪ Internet Protocol (IP) - does the packet forwarding and routing.
▪ Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) is a
network standard that defines how messages (data) are routed
from one end of a network to the other, ensuring the data arrives
correctly.
▪ Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) - responsible for delivery
of data over the network.
TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING
5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 88
 Common protocols
▪ Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP): It allows Web browsers and
servers to send and receive Web pages.
▪ Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP): It allows the
management of networked nodes to be managed from a single
point.
▪ Telnet Protocol: It provides terminal emulation that allows a
personal computer or workstation to act as a terminal, or access
device, for a server.
▪ Sequential Packet Exchange (IPX/SPX) - works with the Novell's
internet work' packet / sequential exchange; responsible for
delivery of sequential data over the network
TOPIC 10: DATA COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING
5/30/2023 © Najjembe Homeland ICT Department 89