Network Architecture
CSE05C303
Computer Network Architecture
• Computer Network Architecture is defined as the physical and logical
design of the software, hardware, protocols, and media of the
transmission of data.
• There are two types of Network Architecture used:
i)Peer-to-Peer Network
ii)Client/Server Network
Peer-To-Peer Network
• Peer-To-Peer network is a network in
which all the computers are linked
together with equal privilege and
responsibilities for processing the data.
• Peer-To-Peer network is useful for small
environments, usually up to 10
computers.
• Peer-To-Peer network has no dedicated
server.
• Special permissions are assigned to each
computer for sharing the resources, but
this can lead to a problem if the
computer with the resource is down.
Advantages Of Peer-To-Peer Network:
• It is less costly as it does not contain any dedicated server.
• If one computer stops working , other computers will not stop
working.
• It is easy to set up and maintain as each computer manages itself.
Disadvantages Of Peer-To-Peer Network
• In the case of Peer-To-Peer network, it does not contain the
centralized system . Therefore, it cannot back up the data as the data
is different in different locations.
• It has a security issue as the device is managed itself
Client/Server Network
• Client/Server network is a network model
designed for the end users called clients, to
access the resources such as songs, video, etc.
from a central computer known as Server.
• The central controller is known as a server while
all other computers in the network are
called clients.
• A server performs all the major operations such
as security and network management.
• A server is responsible for managing all the
resources such as files, directories, printer, etc.
• All the clients communicate with each other
through a server.
• For example, if client1 wants to send some data
to client 2, then it first sends the request to the
server for the permission. The server sends the
response to the client 1 to initiate its
communication with the client 2.
Advantages Of Client/Server network
• A Client/Server network contains the centralized system. Therefore we can back
up the data easily.
• A Client/Server network has a dedicated server that improves the overall
performance of the whole system.
• Security is better in Client/Server network as a single server administers the
shared resources.
• It also increases the speed of the sharing resources.
Disadvantages Of Client/Server network
• Client/Server network is expensive as it requires the server with large memory.
• A server has a Network Operating System(NOS) to provide the resources to the
clients, but the cost of NOS is very high.
• It requires a dedicated network administrator to manage all the resources.
Computer Network Components
• Computer network components are the major parts which are needed
to install the software. Some important network components
are NIC, switch, cable, hub, router, and modem.
• Following are the major components required to install a network
• NIC-stands for network interface card.
• NIC is a hardware component used to connect a computer with another
computer onto a network
• It can support a transfer rate of 10,100 to 1000 Mb/s.
• The MAC address or physical address is encoded on the network card
chip which is assigned by the IEEE to identify a network card uniquely.
The MAC address is stored in the PROM (Programmable read-only
memory).
There are two types of NIC:
i)Wired NIC
ii)Wireless NIC
• Wired NIC: The Wired NIC is present inside the
motherboard. Cables and connectors are used
with wired NIC to transfer data.
• Wireless NIC: The wireless NIC contains the
antenna to obtain the connection over the
wireless network. For example, laptop computer
contains the wireless NIC.
HUB
• A Hub is a hardware device that divides the
network connection among multiple
devices. When computer requests for some
information from a network, it first sends
the request to the Hub through cable. Hub
will broadcast this request to the entire
network. All the devices will check whether
the request belongs to them or not. If not,
the request will be dropped.
• The process used by the Hub consumes
more bandwidth and limits the amount of
communication.
• Nowadays, the use of hub is obsolete, and
it is replaced by more advanced computer
network components such as Switches,
Routers.
Switch
• A switch is a hardware device that
connects multiple devices on a computer
network. A Switch contains more advanced
features than Hub.
• The Switch contains the updated table that
decides where the data is transmitted or
not.
• Switch delivers the message to the correct
destination based on the physical address
present in the incoming message.
• A Switch does not broadcast the message
to the entire network like the Hub.
• It determines the device to whom the
message is to be transmitted.
• It increases the speed of the network.
Router
• A router is a hardware device which is
used to connect a LAN with an
internet connection. It is used to
receive, analyze and forward the
incoming packets to another network.
• A router works in a Layer 3 (Network
layer) of the OSI Reference model.
• A router forwards the packet based
on the information available in the
routing table.
• It determines the best path from the
available paths for the transmission
of the packet.
Advantages of Router
• Security: The information which is
transmitted to the network will traverse
the entire cable, but the only specified
device which has been addressed can read
the data.
• Reliability: If the server has stopped
functioning, the network goes down, but
no other networks are affected that are
served by the router.
• Performance: Router enhances the overall
performance of the network. Suppose
there are 24 workstations in a network
generates a same amount of traffic. This
increases the traffic load on the network.
Router splits the single network into two
networks of 12 workstations each, reduces
the traffic load by half.
MODEM
•A modem is a hardware device that allows
the computer to connect to the internet
over the existing telephone line.
•A modem is not integrated with the
motherboard rather than it is installed on
the PCI slot found on the motherboard.
•It stands for Modulator/Demodulator. It
converts the digital data into an analog
signal over the telephone lines.
Cables and Connectors
• Cable is a transmission media
used for transmitting a signal.
• There are three types of cables
used in transmission:
• Twisted pair cable
• Coaxial cable
• Fibre-optic cable
2. Coaxial Cable
1. Twisted Pair Cables
• Copper core with insulating and shielding layers.
• Widely used in LAN (Local Area Network). Older technology, but still used in TV cable networks and
Two insulated copper wires are twisted together to some broadband.
reduce electromagnetic interference. Types:
Types: • Thicknet (10Base5) – Used in older Ethernet (500m).
• Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) • Thinnet (10Base2) – More flexible, cheaper, but shorter
distance (185m).
• Most common, cheaper, easy to install.
• Categories (Cat) determine speed: Connector Used:
• Cat5 → up to 100 Mbps • T-connector, barrel connector, and terminators.
• Cat5e → up to 1 Gbps 3. Fiber Optic Cable
• Cat6 → up to 10 Gbps (short distance)
• Transmits data as light signals instead of electrical signals.
• Cat7/Cat8 → higher speeds, data centers.
Extremely high speed and long distance, immune to
• Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) interference.
• Has metallic shielding for protection from Types:
interference. • Single-Mode Fiber (SMF)
• Used in noisy environments (factories, near heavy • Small core (8–10 microns), uses laser light, long distance (up to
machines). 40+ km).
Connector Used: • Multi-Mode Fiber (MMF)
• Larger core (50–62.5 microns), uses LED light, shorter distance
• RJ-45 (Registered Jack-45) → Standard connector (up to 2 km).
for Ethernet. Connector Used:
• RJ-11 → Smaller connector, used for telephones • MTP/MPO – Used in data centers for high-density
and modems. connections.
In computer networking, when we say straight-through cable or crossover cable,
we’re usually talking about Ethernet copper cables (UTP/STP with RJ-45
connectors). • 🔀 Crossover Cable
• One end follows T568A, the other end T568B.
• Straight-Through Cable • Meaning: Transmit pins on one end connect to
• The most common Ethernet cable used. Receive pins on the other.
• Used to connect similar devices directly:
• Both ends have the same wiring • Computer ↔ Computer
standard (either T568A–T568A or • Switch ↔ Switch
T568B–T568B). • Router ↔ Router (old times)
• 👉 Nowadays, most modern devices support Auto-
• Meaning: Pin 1 connects to Pin 1, Pin 2 MDI/MDIX, so even if you use a straight cable, it
to Pin 2, … Pin 8 to Pin 8. auto-adjusts (so crossover cables are rarely
• Used to connect different types of needed).
devices: • 🔌 Copper Straight-Through Cable
• Computer → Switch • When someone says “copper straight” or “copper
straight-through”, they usually mean:
• Computer → Hub
• A straight-through Ethernet cable made of copper
• Router → Switch wires (not fiber).
• ✅ Example: Your PC connected to a Wi-Fi • Standard Cat5e / Cat6 UTP or STP cable with RJ-45
router with a LAN cable. connectors.
thank you for your patience
