Data Communication and Computer Network

ii

Contents

About the Tutorial ..................................................................................................................................... i

Audience .................................................................................................................................................... i

Prerequisites .............................................................................................................................................. i

Disclaimer & Copyright .............................................................................................................................. i

Contents ................................................................................................................................................... ii

1. OVERVIEW ............................................................................................................................ 1

Classification of Computer Networks ........................................................................................................ 1

Geographical Span .................................................................................................................................... 1

Inter-Connectivity ..................................................................................................................................... 1

Administration .......................................................................................................................................... 2

Network Architecture ............................................................................................................................... 2

Network Applications ............................................................................................................................... 2

2. TYPES OF COMPUTER NETWORKS ........................................................................................ 3

Personal Area Network ............................................................................................................................. 3

Local Area Network................................................................................................................................... 3

Metropolitan Area Network ..................................................................................................................... 4

Wide Area Network .................................................................................................................................. 5

Internetwork............................................................................................................................................. 6

3. NETWORK LAN TECHNOLOGIES ............................................................................................ 8

Ethernet .................................................................................................................................................... 8

Fast-Ethernet ............................................................................................................................................ 8

Giga-Ethernet ............................................................................................................................................ 8

Virtual LAN................................................................................................................................................ 9

4. COMPUTER NETWORK TOPOLOGIES ................................................................................... 10

Point-to-Point ......................................................................................................................................... 10

Bus Topology .......................................................................................................................................... 10