Chapter 2: Data Transmission

2.1 Types and methods of data transmission

1. Understand that data is broken down into packets to be transmitted
2. Describe the structure of a packet
3. Describe the process of packet switching
4. Describe how data is transmitted from one device to another using different methods of data
transmission
5. Explain the suitability of each method of data transmission, for a given scenario
6. Understand the universal serial bus (USB) interface and explain how it is used to transmit data

Notes and guidance

 A packet of data contains a:
 packet header
 payload
 trailer
 The packet header includes the:
 destination address
 packet number
 originator’s address
 Data is broken down into packets
 Each packet could take a different route
 A router controls the route a packet takes
 Packets may arrive out of order
 Once the last packet has arrived, packets are reordered
 Including:
 serial
 parallel
 simplex
 half-duplex
 full-duplex
 Including the advantages and disadvantages of each method
 Including the benefits and drawbacks of the interface

2.2 Methods of error detection

1. Understand the need to check for errors after data transmission and how these errors can occur
2. Describe the processes involved in each of the following error detection methods for detecting errors
in data after transmission: parity check (odd and even), checksum and echo check
3. Describe how a check digit is used to detect errors in data entry and identify examples of when a
check digit is used, including international standard book numbers (ISBN) and bar codes
4. Describe how an automatic repeat query (ARQ) can be used to establish that data is received without
error

Notes and guidance

 Errors can occur during data transmission due to interference, e.g. data loss, data gain and data
change
 Including parity byte and parity block check
 Including the use of:
 positive/negative acknowledgements
 timeout

2.3 Encryption
1. Understand the need for and purpose of encryption when transmitting data
2. Understand how data is encrypted using symmetric and asymmetric encryption

Notes and guidance

 Asymmetric encryption includes the use of public and private keys

Key terms used throughout this chapter

data packet – a small part of a message/data that is transmitted over a network; after transmission all the
data packets are reassembled to form the original message/data
packet header – the part of the data packet that contains the IP addresses of the sender and receiver,
and includes the packet number which allows reassembly of the data packets
packet trailer – the part of a data packet that indicates the end of the data packet and cyclic redundancy
check error check
cyclic redundancy check (CRC) – an error checking method in which all the 1-bits in the data packet
payload are added and the total is stored in the packet trailer; the same calculation is repeated at the
receiving station
payload – the actual data being carried in a data packet
node – stages in a network that can receive and transmit data packets; routers are nodes in
communication networks
packet switching – a method of transmission in which a message is broken into many data packets which
can then be sent along pathways independently of each other
router – a device that enables data packets to be moved between different networks, for example to join
a LAN to a WAN
real time streaming – the transmission of data over a network for live events where the data is sent as
soon as it is received or generated
hopping/hop number – a number in a data packet header used to stop data packets that never reach
their destination from ‘clogging up’ the data paths/routes
simplex – data that can be sent on one direction only
half-duplex – data that can be sent in both directions but not at the same time
full-duplex – data that can be sent in both directions at the same time (simultaneously) serial
data transmission – sending data down one channel/wire one bit at a time parallel
data transmission – sending data down several channels/wires several bits at a time (usually 1 byte)
skewed (data) – data that arrives at the destination with the bits no longer synchronised
universal serial bus (USB) – a type of serial data transmission which has become the industry standard for
connecting computers to devices via a USB port
parity check – a method used to check if data has been transferred correctly; it makes use of even parity
(an even number of 1-bits) or odd parity (an odd number of 1-bits)
parity bit – a bit (either 0 or 1) added to a byte of data in the most significant bit position; this ensures
that the byte follows the correct even parity or odd parity protocol
parity block – a horizontal and vertical parity check on a block of data being transmitted
parity byte – an extra byte of data sent at the end of a parity block; it is composed of the parity bits
generated from a vertical parity check of the data block
checksum – a verification method used to check if data transferred has been altered or corrupted;
calculated from the block of data of data being sent; the checksum value is sent after each data block
automatic repeat request (ARQ) – a method of checking transmitted data for errors; it makes use of
acknowledgement and timeout to automatically request re-sending of data if the time interval before
positive acknowledgement is too long
acknowledgement – a message sent to the receiver indicating that data has been received correctly (used
in the ARQ error detection method)
timeout – the time interval allowed to elapse before an acknowledgement is received (in the ARQ error
detection method)
echo check – a method used to check if data has been transferred correctly; data is sent to a receiver and
then immediately sent back to the sender; the sender then checks if the received data matches the sent
data check digit – an additional digit appended to a number to check if the entered number is error-free;
check digit is a data entry check and not a data transmission check
eavesdropper – another name for a hacker who intercepts data being transmitted on a wired or wireless
network
encryption – the process of making data meaningless using encryption keys; without the correct
decryption key the data cannot be decoded (unscrambled)
plaintext – the original text/message before it is put through an encryption algorithm
ciphertext – encrypted data that is the result of putting a plaintext message through an encryption
algorithm
encryption algorithm – a complex piece of software that takes plaintext and generates an encrypted
string known as ciphertext
symmetric encryption – a type of encryption in which the same encryption key is used both to encrypt
and decrypt a message
asymmetric encryption – a type of encryption that uses public keys and private keys to ensure data is
secure
public key – a type of encryption key that is known to all users
private key – a type of encryption key which is known only to the single computer/user
quantum computer – a computer that can perform very fast calculations; it can perform calculations that
are based on probability rather than simple 0 or 1 values; this gives a quantum computer the potential to
process considerably more data than existing computers