1. COMMUNICATIONS AND
NETWORKS
INTERNET RESOURCES

2. UNIT OBJECTIVES
• After completing this chapter you will be able
to:
1. Discuss the purpose of the components required for
successful communications and identify various
sending and receiving devices
2. Describe various uses of computer communications
3. List the advantages of using a network, and
differentiate among LANs, MANs and WANs
4. Differentiate between client/server and peer-to-peer
networks, and describe how P2P networks work

3. UNIT OBJECTIVES
5. Differentiate among a star, bus, and ring
network
6. Describe the various network communications
standards
7. Explain the purpose of communications
software
8. Describe commonly used communications
devices
9. Discuss different ways to set-up a home network
10. Describe various physical and wireless
transmission media

4. COMMUNICATIONS
C O M M U N I C A T I O N S A N D N E T WO R K S

5. COMMUNICATIONS
• Computer communications describes a
process in which two or more computers or
devices transfer data, instructions, and
information
• Today, even the smallest devices can
communicate with each other – often via
the Internet

6. COMMUNICATIONS
• For successful communications you need:
1. A sending device that initiates an instruction to
transmit data, instructions or information
2. A communication channel or transmission
media on which the data, instructions, or
information travel
3. A communication device that connects the
communications channel to a receiving device
that accepts the transmission

7. USES OF COMMUNICATIONS
C O M M U N I C A T I O N S A N D N E T WO R K S

8. USES OF COMMUNICATIONS
• Computer communications are everywhere
• Many require that you subscribe to an Internet
access provider
• With others, organizations such as a business or
school provide the communications services

9. SUMMARY OF COMMUNICATIONS
PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED
Communications Previously Discussed
Blogs Newsgroups
Chat Rooms RSS
E-Mail Video Conferencing
Fax VoIP
FTP Web 2.0
Instant Messaging Wikis

10. WIRELESS MESSAGING SERVICES
• Users can send and receive wireless
messages to and from smartphones, cell
phones, and handheld game consoles using
three techniques
1. Text messaging
2. Picture/Video messaging, and
3. Wireless Instant Messaging
• The type of messaging depends on the on
the services offered by your wireless Internet
service provider, or WISP

11. TEXT MESSAGING
• A mobile device with text messaging allows
users to send and receive short text
messages on a phone or other mobile
device
• Services allow the user options to send and
receive:
• Mobile to Mobile
• Mobile to E-Mail
• Web to Mobile, and
• Mobile to Provider

12. PICTURE/VIDEO MESSAGING
• With picture messages users can pictures
and sound files, as well as short text
messages, to another device
• With video messages users can send short,
about :30, videos is addition to other type of
messages
• Smart phones and other devices using MMS,
typically have a built-in camera
• As a consumer, you should be aware of memory
availability and camera quality

13. WIRELESS INSTANT MESSAGING
• Wireless instant messaging (IM) is a real-time
communications service that allows mobile
devices to exchange messages with other
online users
• Some WISPs partner with IM services
• AT&T allows communications through AIM,
Windows Live Messenger, and Yahoo! Messenger