Introduction to Data Communication: Components and Cables Report

This report offers a comprehensive introduction to data communication, detailing the essential components and cabling systems that facilitate digital information transfer. It begins by defining data communication as the process of transmitting digital data between systems, highlighting the role of various devices like switches, hubs, routers, and bridges in establishing network infrastructure. The report then delves into the functionalities of key network components, including bridges for traffic reduction, routers for independent network connections, DSL modems for signal transmission, switches for direct message forwarding, network interface cards for connecting computers to networks, and hubs for connecting multiple systems. Furthermore, the report explores different types of networking cables, such as unshielded twisted pair, shielded twisted pair, and fiber optic cables, detailing their specifications, including size, speed, and cost, and their respective applications in various network environments. The report concludes by summarizing the key aspects of data communication and the role of its components and cables in establishing effective communication between devices.

Running head: INTRODUCTION TO DATA COMMUNICATION
INTRODUCTION TO DATA COMMUNICATION
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

2INTRODUCTION TO DATA COMMUNICATION
Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................3
Components required in network...............................................................................................3
Networking cable.......................................................................................................................4
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................5
References..................................................................................................................................6

3INTRODUCTION TO DATA COMMUNICATION
Introduction
The concept of data communication can be considered as a process of processing data,
which is in the form of digital from one system or computer to another. The approach is very
much helpful in generating a medium of communication between two systems. The
connection between two devices is mainly created using either cable media or wire. The
Internet can be considered one of the best example in this scenario. There are many devices,
which play an active role in the concept of example switch, hub, router, bridge etc. The
devices form a basic infrastructure, which is needed for communication (Sayood, 2017).
The focus point of the report is to create an understanding of the different
components, which are related to the communication concept. To explain in detail different
environment of the network are also taken into consideration. In the next part of the report,
different cables, which are engaged in the concept, are taken into consideration. The cables
mainly vary in size and the purpose. They are implemented according to the requirement of
the user.
Components required in network
Bridge
The Bridge can be used for joining two LAN workgroups. The benefit, which can be
achieved from the concept, is that it can directly reduce the traffic problem using network
division into more than one sector. In the environment of network, it is majorly seen that
when a traffic flood a network with an enormous amount of data (Uysal et al., 2016). The
issue results in slowing down of data, in this situation a bridge, can be used which would be
isolating the network flow.
Router

4INTRODUCTION TO DATA COMMUNICATION
The Router can be considered as a complex device, which can be used to more than
one device into the network separately and independently. In routers, there is a physical
interface, which can be used to connect devices to one or more network without focusing on
the part of the platform of the technology or the network. The device can be considered user-
friendly in a way due to the factor that it can be implemented in any architecture of the
network. The operation of the Router is conducted on the network layer and to implement the
functionality they use the network-addressing concept. For a UNIX device to operate with a
window based, the concept of IP address is used which is a universal common address. The
device only decides the path, which is to be selected for the router to send out the two other
router, and it does not involve user interference (Liggins et al., 2017).
DSL Modem
The full form of DSL stands for ‘Direct Subscriber Line’. The technology can be
considered as a concept of transmission of signal or information over the standard telephone
lines. Taking into consideration a normal landline, it can be used for voice calls using a
frequency range, which is low from 0 Hz to 4 Hz. This frequency range can be termed as
voice band range due to the factor of a small part of the frequency. On the other hand, it can
be stated that the DSL uses a frequency, which is higher in range as compared to voice band
frequency. The range, which is used, is for the functionality is in the range of 25 KHz to 1.5
MHz this frequency can be used for the transmission of the audible voice, which has a
frequency range of 20 KHz (Yang & Liao, 2016).
Switch
A switch is a device, which operates at the OSI layer 2 or the access level. The device
can be used for the concept of connecting more than one host to a particular network.
Comparing the device with a Hub, which does to forward a message to a host, the switch can

5INTRODUCTION TO DATA COMMUNICATION
directly forward the message to the host. A switch can send a message to another switch. The
main working in this aspect is that the switch decodes and obtains the frame and decodes the
physical address concerning the MAC address. There is a variety of switch, which can be
implemented according to the requirement, for example, stackable switches and modular
switches. The access layer switch can also be one of the varieties of the switch, which one of
the predominant players in the category of the switch (Lu et al., 2015). It facilitates the
connection between two nodes directly into the framework of the network using devices such
as Printers and modems.
Network Interface Card
The network interface can be used for the concept of connecting computers to local
data network or internet. The card can convert the data into an electrical signal, which is sent
over the concept of the internet. The popularity, which is implied to the concept in recent
times every computer device has a network interface card attached to it. The network card
can be incorporated in a computer, which is a bare bone that does not have a network card
attached to it. An example of a network environment in this context is that when a user is
logged into a system to access the internet, the computer passes the information of the site
into the network card using concerting the address into electrical pulses. The pulses are
carried by the network card to the server of the internet, which is somewhere over the internet
which response by means of sending a web page to the user in the form of electronic media
(Hayes et al., 2017).
Hub
A hub can be considered as a rectangular box, which is made up of plastic and
receives the power from an outlet for power. The main function of the hub is to connect
multiple systems into the framework of the network. The formation of the network is done in

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such a way that it can produce a means of communication between them in a secured manner.
The linking of the segments of the LAN from the system is the main function of the Hub
(Bernardos et al., 2014). The Hub consists of more than one port. The Hub and the Switch
have a similar type of functionality attached to it. The hub is capable of handling data types,
which are known as a frame. There are three types of Hub, which are attached to the concept,
which are passive, active and intelligent. The main benefit, which can be achieved from the
concept, is that it can directly replace a broken network.
Networking cable
Unshielded Twisted Pair
The Unshielded Twisted Pair cable is one of the most wide cables which are used in
the concept of computer and telecommunication. There are usually colour-coding which help
in the detection of the purpose which individual wire serve. They can be used and
implemented according to the requirement of the user and the purpose it is going to serve
(Bernardos et al., 2014).
Size – 0.43 cm (0.17 inches)
Speed – 10 to 1000 Mbps
Cost - $1 – 20 $
Shielded twisted pair
The shielded twisted pair cable is very much similar to the unshielded twisted pair
cable. The main difference is that it consists of a shield, which protects the wire or the line of
transmission from electronic interference (Lu et al., 2015).
Size – 0.73 cm

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Speed – 10 to 100 Mbps
Cost - $3 – $ 10.
Fiber optic cable
The fibre optic cable is one of the networking cables, which consist of glass fibre,
which is located inside a casing for means of protection, which is very much insulted as
protection from fire. The main concept, which can be achieved from it, is that it can be used
for telecommunication, which involves data of high performance (Bernardos et al., 2014).
Size – 0.89 cm
Speed – High into the range of gigabits
Cost - $ 5.87 per foot.
Conclusion
The reports focus point is the components, which are involved in the concept of
networking. The devices, which are discussed above, provides a basic framework for the
concept of achieving the concept of communication between two devices. Each component,
which is involved in the concept, is explained using the concept of the network environment.
In the second half of the report, the focus point is the cables, which are involved in providing
a means of communication between the devices. It can be stated in accordance to the cables
there are a variety of cables, which can be used according to the requirement of the user, and
the purpose it will be serving in the concept of the internet. The size, cost and a short
description of all the cables are highlighted in the report.

8INTRODUCTION TO DATA COMMUNICATION
References
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