Prepared By:

Reema Agrawal
Asst Professor
MERI
Data communication
 Data communication deals with means and methods
of data transfer from one location to another.

 It is the exchange of data between two devices via

some form of transmission medium.
Basic Communication Model

Transmission
Source Transmitter Receiver Destination
System

1. Source
2. Transmitter
3. Transmission System
4. Receiver
5. Destination
Effectiveness of data
communications:
 Delivery: to correct destination
 Accuracy: Undistorted
 No interference like noise or any interception on the
way.
 The message should reach with in time
 The message should be safe and secure
Basic Elements of a communication
system:
Five major components:
1. Message- Information to be communicated. It can be
in form of text, pictures, audio, video etc.
2. Sender- Device which sends the data messages. It
can be a computer, workstation, telephone handset
etc.
3. Receiver- Device which receives the data messages. It
can be a computer, workstation, telephone handset
etc.
4. Transmission medium- Physical path by which a
message travels from sender to receiver. Eg- Twisted
pair wire, coaxial cable, radiowaves etc.
Basic Elements of a communication
system:
5. Protocol: Set of rules that governs the data
communications. Protocols specify interactions
between the communicating entities.
Eg- Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), which uses a
set of rules to exchange messages with other Internet
points at the information packet level.
Analog and Digital Data
Transmission
 Data is propagated by means of electrical signals, the
signals may be either analog or digital form.

Analog Signal:
It varies continuously. Amplitude(v) of an analog signal
is measured in volts and its frequency (f) in hertz
(Hz).
Analog and Digital Data
Transmission
 Digital Signal
Sequence of voltage pulses represented in binary form
(0’s and 1’s)
Eg:- Computer generated data is digital and telephone
lines used for data communications in computer
networks carry analog signals.
Advantages of Digital
Communication:
1. It is fast and easier.
2. No paper is wasted.
3. The messages can be stored in the device for longer
times, without being damaged, unlike paper files that
easily get damages or attacked by insects.
4. Digital communication can be done over large
distances through internet and other things.
5. It removes semantic barriers because the written data
can be easily changed to different languages using
software.
6. It provides facilities like video conferencing which
save a lot of time, money and effort.
Disadvantages Of Digital
Communication:
1. Sometimes, the quickness of digital communication
is harmful as messages can be sent with the click of a
mouse. The person does not think and sends the
message at an impulse.
2. The establishment of Digital Communication causes
degradation of the environment in some cases.
"Electronic waste" is an example. The vibes given out
by the telephone and cell phone towers are so strong
that they can kill small birds. Infact the common
sparrow has vanished due to so many towers coming
up as the vibrations hit them on the head.
Data transmission Modes
Three modes of data transmission-
• Simplex: It transmits data in one direction only. It is
unidirectional. Either
• Eg- In send only (such as keyboard) and in receive
only (such as printer)

Sender Receiever
 Half Duplex: These are bidirectional i.e. they can
transmit as well as receive but not simultaneously.
 Eg- Walky talky set
 Full duplex: They are bidirectional as they allow the
communication to take place in both the directions
simultaneously.
 Eg- Telephone systems
Network
 A network is two or more computers
connected together so they can
communicate which each other.
 They are used for sharing resources.
 Eg- Computers and printers
Types Of communication
Networks:
 There are three types of communication networks:
1. Local Area Network (LAN)
2. Wide Area Network (WAN)
3. Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
Local Area Network
 A LAN is a network that is confined to a relatively
small area.
 Generally limited to a geographic area such as lab,
school or building.
 Systems are close to each other
 On a ‘Local Area Network’ data transfer speeds are
higher than WAN and MAN
 Services include printing and faxing, file storage and
sharing, messaging etc.
LAN
Wide Area Network (WAN)
 WAN connects networks in larger geographic areas
such as the world.

 Dedicated cabling or satellite uplinks may be used to

connect this type of global network.
 WAN consists of two or more local-area networks
(LANs).
WAN
MAN
 A network spanning a physical area larger than a LAN
but smaller than a WAN such as a city.

 It can be owned by the owner of a company office.

MAN

This type of network extension allows organizations to continue using

their Ethernet LAN systems throughout multiple locations in a wide
metropolitan area. MANs also enable consistent performance between
offices and avoid the shortfalls associated with Wide Area Network
(WAN) systems.
Advantages Of Networks:
• Resources (Hardware and Software) can be
shared.
• Allows more effective communication
between users e.g. via e-mail.
• Information held on the network can be
accessed by all users with authorised access.
Disadvantages Of Networks:
• The set-up and maintenance costs can be
expensive.
• A fault with the network server can cause
difficulties with the organisation.
• Networks need security measures to restrict
access to users.
• WANs are vulnerable to hackers and viruses.
Differences between LAN and WAN
Data Transmission Media
 A physical path through which data is transmitted.
 Eg- Telephone lines enhances communication
distance.
 There are several other types of communication media
as given below-
1. Twisted Pair wire
2. Coaxial cable
3. Microwave system
4. Communications satellite
5. Optical fibres
Twisted Pair Wire
 A twisted wire consists of 2 bunches of thin copper
wires, each bunch enclosed separately in a plastic
insulation, then twisted around each other to reduce
interference by adjacent wires.

 Also called Unshielded twisted pair or UTP cables

since other than the plastic insulation nothing else
shields it from outside interference.

 UTP cables are used in local telephone

communication and short distance (upto 1 km).
Features Of Twisted Pair Wire:
1. It is inexpensive
2. Easy to install and use
3. Use is limited since they easily pick up the noise
signals if line length extends beyond 100 meters.
Coaxial Cable
 These are groups of specially wrapped and insulated
wire lines capable of transmitting data at high rate.

 They consist of a central copper wire surrounded by a

PVC insulation over which there is a sleeve of copper
mesh.
 The copper mesh sleeve is shielded again by an outer
shield of thick PVC material.
 It carries digital signals at rates up to 10 mega bps.
Coaxial Cable
 Eg- long distance telephone lines and as cables for
cable TV.

It offers cleaner and crisper data transmission without distortion or loss of

signal.
Microwave system
 It uses very high frequency radio signals to transmit
data through space.
 Electromagnetic waves cannot bend or pass obstacles
like tall buildings or hills. Hence, transmitter and
receiver are mounted on very high towers.
 Signals become weaker after traveling a certain
distance and require power amplification.
 To overcome power amplification of weak signals, it
uses repeaters at intervals of about 25-30 km in
between transmitting and receiving stations.
 Data signals are received, amplified and retransmitted
by each of these stations.
Microwave system
 Initial costing is high
 They are used to link big cities with heavy telephone
between them.
Communication Satellite
 Communication satellites are used to overcome
problems caused by microwave system. Using of
repeated repeaters increases the data transmission
cost between two points.

 Communication satellites are microwave relay stations

placed in outer space.
 They are launched by rockets or space shuttels and are
positioned 36000 kms above the equator
 Each satellite can receive and retransmit signals.
Communication Satellite
 At least 3 satellites are needed in the orbit to provide
data transmission service communications.
 Hundreds of satellites are now in orbit to handle
international and domestic data, voice and video
communication needs,
 Eg- INSAT series by India

 A transponder mounted on the satellite amplifies the

weak signal and transmits it back to earth at a
frequency of 4Hz to 11Hz. This signal is received at a
receiving station on earth.
Communication Satellite
Optical fibers
 Optical fibers are hair thin threads of glass or plastic
used as data transmission medium like copper wires or
coaxial cables.
 They transmit light signals instead of electrical signals.
 They can transmit data at much higher speed than
copper wires or coaxial cables with no loss of intensity
over long distances.
 Eg- Missiles, Radar systems and drones
 An optical fiber has three concentric layers: inner core,
a cladding around it and outer protective coating.
 These are made up of glass, plastic or silica
Optical fibers
Electrical
Signal
Light to
Electrical to
electrical rec
Sender light Wave
wave eiv
converter
converter er
Amplifier
Network Topology
 The physical topology of a network refers to the
configuration of cables, computers and other
peripherals.

 Topology of a network refers to the way in which the

network’s nodes are linked together.
Network Topology
Choice of a topology for a computer network depends on
a combination of factors such as:
• Desired performance of the system
• Size of the network
• Cost of components
• Availability of communication lines
Types Of Network Topology
 Star Network
 Ring Network
 Completely connected Network
 Bus Network
 Hybrid Network
Types Of Network Topology
Star Network:
• It has multiple nodes connected to a host node.
• The multiple nodes can communicate only through
the host node.
• The routing function is performed by the host node
that centrally controls communication between any
two other nodes by establishing a logical path between
them.
Star Network:
Every node on the network is connected through a
central device
Star Network:
Advantages:
• Low startup costs
• If any node other than the host node fails, remaining
nodes are unaffected.
Disadvantages:
• The system depends upon the host node. If it fails,
entire network fails.
• The cost of the hub makes the network expensive.
Ring Network:
 A circular network in which each node has two
communicating subordinates.
 There is no master node for controlling other nodes.
 A node receives data from one of its two adjacent
nodes.
Ring Network:
Advantages:
• It is more reliable than a star network because
communication is not dependent on a single central
node.
Disadvantages:
• Communication delay is directly proportional to
number of nodes in the network. Hence, addition of
new nodes in a network increases communication
delay.
• Failure in any node breaks the loop
Completely connected Network:
 It has a separate physical link for connecting each
node to any other node.
 It is also called point to point network.
Completely connected Network:
Advantages:
• It is very reliable because any link failure will affect
only direct communication between the nodes
connected by that link.
• Communication is very fast between any two nodes.

Disadvantages:
• It is the most expensive network from the point of view
of link cost. If there are n nodes then n(n-1)/2 links are
required.
Bus Network (Multi-access)
 All nodes share a single transmission medium i.e they
are attached to the same communication channel.
 When a node wants to send a message to another
node, it appends destination address to the message
and checks whether communication line is free.
 As soon as line is free, it broadcasts the message on the
line.
 The message is picked up by addressee node that
sends acknowledgement to source node and frees the
line.
 Multipoint or multidrop or broadcast network
Bus Network (Multi-access)
Bus Network (Multi-access)
Advantages:
• It helps in reducing the number of physical lines.
• Failure of a node does not affect communication
among other nodes in the network.
• Addition of new nodes to the network is easy.

Disadvantages:
• If the shared communication line fails, entire network
fails.
Hybrid Network
 An organization uses a hybrid network which is a
combination of two or more different network
topologies.

 It has components of star, ring and bus networks.

Hybrid Network
The Internet
 Networks of network
 Internet is a network of computers linking many
different types of computers all over the world.
 It is the largest network in the world that connects
hundreds of thousands of individual networks all over the
world.
 The popular term for the Internet is the “information
highway”.
Uses Of the Internet:
 On-line communication
 Software Sharing
 Exchange Of views on topics of common Interest
 Posting of information of general interest
 Product promotion
 Feedback about products
 Customer support service
 Online journals and magazines
 On line shopping
 World wide video conferencing
What is Web?
 The Web (World Wide Web) consists of information
organized into Web pages containing text and graphic
images.
 It contains hypertext links, or highlighted keywords and
images that lead to related information.
 A collection of linked Web pages that has a common theme
or focus is called a Web site.
 The main page that all of the pages on a particular Web site
are organized around and link back to is called the site’s
home page.
Intranet And Extranet:
 Intranet:
A private network that is set up and controlled by an
organization that wants to encourage its employees to
share information between them.
Its access is restricted to the authorized persons and
devices
• Extranet:
Extranets are private intranets allowing access to
members of an organization and from outside the
organization. In Intranet, only members of the
organization can access the network, while in extranet,
persons outside the organization i.e. business partners
as well as customers can also access the network.
Open System Interconnection (OSI)
model:
 International standard organization (ISO) established
a committee in 1977 to develop an architecture for
computer communication.
 Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) reference model
is the result of this effort.
 In 1984, the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI)
reference model was approved as an international
standard for communications architecture.
 Term “open” denotes the ability to connect any two
systems which conform to the reference model and
associated standards.
OSI Reference Model: 7 Layers
OSI: A Layered Network Model
• The process of breaking up the functions or tasks of
networking into layers reduces complexity.
• The lower 4 layers (transport, network, data link and
physical —Layers 4, 3, 2, and 1) are concerned with the
flow of data from end to end through the network.
• The upper four layers of the OSI model (application,
presentation and session—Layers 7, 6 and 5) are
orientated more towards services to the applications.
Physical Layer
• Defines rules by which bits are passed from one system
to another on a physical communication medium.
• It converts sequence of binary digits into electric
signals, light signals or electromagnetic signals
depending on whether the two nodes are on a cable
circuit, fiber optic circuit or microwave circuit
respectively.
Data Link Layer
 Data link layer attempts to provide reliable
communication over the physical layer interface.
 Breaks the data into frames so that error detection and
correction can be performed independently for each
frame.
 It is responsible for detecting and correcting any error
in transmitted data.
 Implement data flow control.
Network Layer
 Implements routing of frames (packets) through the
network.
 Defines the most optimum path the packet should
take from the source to the destination
 Defines logical addressing so that any endpoint can be
identified.
 Handles congestion in the network.
Transport Layer
 Purpose of this layer is to provide a reliable mechanism
for the exchange of data between two processes in
different computers.
 Ensures that the data units are delivered error free.
 Ensures that data units are delivered in sequence.
 Ensures that there is no loss or duplication of data
units.
 The transport layer assigns a sequence number to each
packet and uses sequence numbers for detecting lost
packets and for ensuring that messages are
reconstructed in correct sequence.
Session Layer
 It provides means of establishing, maintaining and
terminating a dialogue or a session between two end
users.
 It allows communicating parties to authenticate each
other before establishing a dialog session between
them.
 Any necessary log-on or password validation is also
handled by this layer.
 Session layer is also responsible for terminating the
connection.
Presentation Layer
 Presentation layer provides facilities to convert
message data into a form that is meaningful to
communicating entities.
 Also handles encryption and decryption on message
data.
Application Layer
 Application layer interacts with application programs
and is the highest level of OSI model.
 It supports end users of network.
 Application layer contains management functions to
support distributed applications.
 Application layer supports applications such as file
transfer, electronic mail, remote login etc.