Lecture # 4

February 1, 2025
Grading Policy Tentative
Distribution
Assignments
 Quizzes can be announced or 10%
unannounced.
 Assignments will help to Quizzes
10%
develop understanding of Final Exam
subject. Late submission will Term Project 40%
not be accepted. 10%
 Plagiarism has zero tolerance,
however group discussions are Midterm
encouraged. 30%

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Packet Switching
 Packet switching divides data into small packets, each traveling
independently across the network. Packets may take different paths
and are reassembled at the destination.
 Example: Think of sending an email or using the internet. Your
message is broken into packets, and each packet takes the best
available route to reach the destination. The receiver then
reassembles them.

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Packet Switching
 Key Features:
 No dedicated path; packets take different routes.
 More efficient since multiple users share the network.
 Faster & scalable for large networks like the internet.

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Circuit Switching
 Circuit switching is a communication method where a dedicated
communication path is established between two devices before data
transfer begins. This path remains reserved until the communication
ends.
 Example: Imagine a traditional telephone call. When you dial a
number, a dedicated line is established between you and the receiver.
No other person can use that line until the call ends.

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Circuit Switching
 Key Features:
 Establishes a fixed path before data transmission.
 Provides a continuous & reliable connection.
 Inefficient for data traffic since the channel remains reserved even during
silence.

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Key Differences

Feature Circuit Switching Packet Switching

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Data Communication
 The term telecommunication means communication at a
distance.
 The word data refers to information presented in whatever
form is agreed upon by the parties creating and using the
data.
 Data communication refers to the exchange of data
between two devices via some form of transmission
medium such as a wire cable.
The fundamental purpose of data communications is to
exchange information between user's computers, terminals
and applications programs.
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Data Communication
 For data communications to occur, the communicating devices must
be part of a communications system made up of a combination of
hardware (physical equipment) and software (programs).
 The effectiveness of a data communications system depends on four
fundamental characteristics:
1. Delivery
2. Accuracy
3. Timeliness
4. Jitter.

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Data Communication
1. Delivery
 Data must reach the correct destination (device or user).
 Example: If you send an email, it should be received by the intended person,
not someone else.
2. Accuracy
 Data must be received without errors or corruption.
 Example: If you download a file, it should not be altered or incomplete.

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Data Communication
3. Timeliness
 Data must arrive on time to be useful.
 Example: In a live video call, if messages arrive too late, the conversation
becomes confusing.
4. Jitter
 Variation in delay when sending data packets.
 Example: In online gaming or video streaming, if some data packets arrive
later than others, it causes lag or buffering.

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Data Communication
In short: “A good communication system delivers data correctly,
accurately, on time, and without delays or interruptions.”

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Basic Components of Data
Communication
1. Message. The message is the information (data) to be communicated.
Popular forms of information include text, numbers, pictures, audio, and
video.
2. Sender. The sender is the device that sends the data message. It can be a
computer, workstation, telephone handset, video camera, and so on.
3. Receiver. The receiver is the device that receives the message. It can be a
computer, workstation, telephone handset, television, and so on.
4. Transmission medium. The transmission medium is the physical path by
which a message travels from sender to receiver. Some examples of
transmission media include twisted-pair wire, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable,
and radio waves.
5. Protocol. A protocol is a set of rules that govern data communications. It
represents an agreement between the communicating devices.

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Data Flow
Communication between two devices can be:
 Simplex Mode
 Half-Duplex Mode
 Full-Duplex Mode

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Data Flow
Simplex Mode: The
communication is
unidirectional; only one can
transmit
Half-Duplex Mode: Each
station can both transmit and
receive: but not at the same
time
Full-Duplex Mode: Both
station can transmit and
receive simultaneously

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Examples
 Simplex Mode:
 TV Broadcast – The station sends signals, and your TV only receives them.
 Half-Duplex Mode:
 Walkie-Talkie – One person speaks while the other listens, and then they switch.
 Full-Duplex Mode:
 Phone Call – Both people can talk and listen at the same time.

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Networks
 A network is a set of devices (often referred to as
nodes) connected by communication links.
 A node can be a computer, printer, or any other device
capable of sending and/or receiving data generated by
other nodes on the network.
 A link can be a cable, air, optical fiber, or any medium
which can transport a signal carrying information.
Node Node
Link

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Network Criteria
A network must meet three important criteria to function effectively:
1. Performance
2. Reliability
3. Security

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1. Performance
 Measures how fast and efficient the network is.
 It depends on:
 Transit time: How long it takes for data to travel between devices.
 Response time: How quickly the network responds to requests.
 Factors affecting performance: Number of users, type of cables (wired/wireless),
hardware power, and software efficiency.

 Example: A high-performance network allows smooth video streaming and

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2. Reliability
 Measures how stable and dependable the network is.
 It depends on:
 Frequency of failures: How often the network goes down.
 Recovery time: How quickly the network fixes issues.
 Robustness: How well it handles unexpected problems like hardware failure or natural
disasters.

 Example: A reliable hospital network ensures patient records are always

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3. Security
 Protects the network from unauthorized access, damage, and cyber threats.
 It includes:
 Access control: Preventing hackers from entering the network.
 Data protection: Preventing data corruption or loss.
 Recovery plans: Having backup systems in case of cyberattacks.

 Example: Online banking uses encryption to keep customer transactions safe.

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 Summary
 A good network should be fast (Performance), stable (Reliability), and secure
(Security) to function efficiently in real-world scenarios.

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Physical Structures- Connection
Types
 Point to Point - single transmitter and receiver

 Multipoint - multiple recipients of single transmission

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Point-to-Point Vs Multipoint Connection
 A point-to-point connection provides a dedicated link between two
devices. The entire capacity of the link is reserved for transmission
between those two devices.
 A multipoint (also called multidrop) connection is one in which more
than two devices share a single link. In a multipoint environment, the
capacity of the channel is shared.

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Physical Structures- Physical
Topology
 Physical topology refers to the way in which a network
is laid out physically.

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Physical Topology- Mesh Topology

 Every device (station) has a

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Physical Topology- Star Topology
 In star topology, each
device has a dedicated
point-to-point link only to a
central controller, usually
called a hub.
 The devices are not
directly connected to each
other, hub acts as an
exchange and relays the
data to other device.

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Star Topology
 A network setup where all devices are connected to a central hub or
switch.
 Each device has a dedicated connection to the central device.
 Centralized Management: All data passes through the hub/switch,
which manages and forwards it to the correct device.

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Star Topology
 Advantages:
 Easy to install and troubleshoot.
 Failure of one device does not affect the rest of the network.
 Scalable: Adding new devices is simple.
 Disadvantages:
 Single point of failure: If the central hub/switch fails, the entire network goes
down.
 Requires more cabling compared to bus topology.
 Common Use: Star topology is widely used in modern Ethernet LANs (e.g., home
or office networks).

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Physical Topology- Bus Topology
 One long cable acts as a backbone to link all the
devices in a network.
 This topology is a multipoint.

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Bus Topology
 A network setup where all devices are connected to a single central
cable (called the bus or backbone).
 Data is transmitted along the bus, and all devices receive it, but only
the intended recipient processes it.
 Simple and cost-effective: Requires less cable and is easy to set up.

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Bus Topology
 Limitations:
 Single point of failure: If the bus fails, the entire network goes down.
 Collisions: High traffic can cause data collisions, reducing efficiency.
 Limited scalability: Performance degrades as more devices are added.

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Physical Topology- Ring Topology
 In a ring topology, each device has a dedicated
connection P2P connection with only the two devices on
the either side of it.
 A signal is passed along the ring from device to device,
until it reaches its destination.

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Ring Topology
 A network setup where each device is connected to two
other devices, forming a circular data path
 Data travels in one direction (unidirectional) or both directions
(bidirectional) around the ring.
 Each device acts as a repeater, boosting the signal before sending it to
the next device.

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