1 Introduction to Data Communications ECI-M Methods of Teaching and Learning : Lecture, Tutorial and Workshop Assessment of the unit : 2-hour written examination -- 70% a laboratory report (BB submission) -- 30% Lecturer: Ya Bao and Vincent Siyau. Textbook: Computer Networks 4/E, by Andrew S. Tanenbaum, Publisher: Prentice- Hall, ISBN:

2 Available from Blackwell’s, London Road Benefits of purchasing this book: New problems and lab exercises at the end of each chapter helps reinforce concepts presented and pass your exams Based on real-world networks and networking challenges, enabling you to apply theory to the types of problems you are most likely to encounter in industry Companion Website containing PowerPoint slides and other learning tools Andrew Tanenbaum Computer Networks 4 th Edition e-book is available at: (access from LSBU host)

3 Background Reading (essential for students who lack of communication background) Data and Computer Communications 8/E, by W. Stalling, Publisher: Prentice- Hall, 2007.

4 Data Communications and Networking 4/E, by B. Forouzan, Publisher: McGraw-Hill, 2006.

5 Simplified Communications Model - Diagram Chapter 1 Introduction

6 Communications Tasks Transmission system utilization Addressing InterfacingRouting Signal generationRecovery SynchronizationMessage formatting Exchange managementSecurity Error detection and correction Network management Flow control

7 Networking Business Applications Home Applications Mobile Users Social Issues Point to point communication not usually practical —Devices are too far apart —Large set of devices would need impractical number of connections Solution is a communications network —Wide Area Network (WAN) —Local Area Network (LAN)

8 Classification of interconnected processors by scale Classification of interconnected processors by scale.

9 Protocols zUsed for communications between entities in a system zMust speak the same language

10 Design Issues for the Layers Addressing Error Control Flow Control Multiplexing Routing

11 Reference Models The TCP/IP reference model.

12 Hybrid Model The hybrid reference model to be used in this unit.

13 Example Networks The Internet Connection-Oriented Networks: X.25, Frame Relay, and ATM Ethernet: Wireless LANs: 802:11 Other networks PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) GSM and UMTS

14 IEEE 802 Standards The 802 working groups. The important ones are marked with *. The ones marked with  are hibernating. The one marked with † gave up.

15 Metric Units The principal metric prefixes.