Types of Network and Various Devices - Case Study Example

Introduction Different computers use different network connections based on the scope or range of the computers in use. Computer designs are put in place to meet these different scope requirements that encompass various network types including: LAN, WAN, WLAN, SAN, CAN and PAN as discussed in this paper. According to (BEAULIEU 2002), LAN network, usually covers a short distance or limited area that maybe an office, school or residential area. However, sometimes LAN (Local Area Network) would consist of different rooms in a particular building or could be of various houses or buildings. Apart from operating in a limited area, LAN is usually privately owned, run and managed by a single person or organization. Most computers found within a LAN network do communicate with each other. The need to share some resources in the offices resulted in the extensive use of LAN which was found to be effective, especially in medium and small offices where e.g. printers and data storage had to be jointly used. It is from LAN that WLAN was developed. WLAN is simply a wireless LAN as (PARSONS & OJA 2009) puts it. (SHAW 2003) points out that more networks are developed based upon the needs of the users and as a result, besides LAN, there are other newer and more developed networks. In addition, due to the onset of the cellular generation, networks are diversifying according to the user needs, thus those that are faster and more suited to cellular devices e.g. cellular networks such as 2G, 3G and 4G networks have been developed. Types of Wireless Networks Based on the different data and connection requirements, there are various types of wireless networks that include PAN, LAN and WAN (WANG & LEDLEY 2013). PAN which stands for Personal Area Network is a type of computer network that is usually organized and managed by one individual in a particular building (SHI 2004). This could mean that the person may be at home or in an office with this type of network and various devices are included such as computers, peripheral device, telephones and consoles of video games in the house or office (ZHANG, ZHENG & MA 2008). Although the network is readily accessed by whichever device, it is mainly managed and controlled from a single computer. This network can also be referred as home area network if many individuals in a specific residence use the same network, for instance, of a typical setup where everyone in a particular residence can have internet access if one computer is connected to a modem (SMITH & MEYER 2004). Now, for the different devices present, the modem will offer not only wired connection, but also a wireless connection for the different components. The main advantage offered by this type of network the flexibility that allows to e.g. send a document to another device like a printer in another room while operating on a computer in a different room, get a file from one’s cellphone to the computer etc. (KORHONEN 2003). LAN which stands for Local Area Network comprises of a computer located at a specific single site, most often in an office building. Its usefulness is seen in an office whereby sharing of resources is a norm as suggests (LESTABLE & RAN 2011). To create a LAN, hardware that is inexpensive can be used such as network adapters, hubs and earth net cables and its smallest connection can be between just two individual computers while on the other hand, it can also run a connection for more than a thousand connected computers. For increased security and speed, LAN will mostly rely on connections that are wired (HALONEN 2003). However, those that are wireless can also be included in a LAN network. The concept of low costs and speeds that are higher are associated with this type of connection. LAN is made for a place or office whereby to share resources is necessary but has to be restricted to the building in question to avoid outsiders from using the office devices like printers. WAN (Wide Area Network) involves a connection scope that could cover a whole nation or even the whole globe. Usually a wide area network can comprise of other smaller in scope connections such as LANs and PAN (Private Area Networks). For the LAN to be connected to a WAN there has to be an internet service provider (ISP) which will necessitate the use of a broadband connection. The ISP provides the IP address. This address is also given to the other computers in the network, connected to one another, hence they can easily communicate with each other. A router is necessary for this connection to be successful. The LAN address and WAN address will both be maintained by the computers (RAUTIAINEN et al. 2012). The distinction between a WAN and LAN aside from the scope or range, is that WAN is neither owned nor managed by a specific individual or organization. Its ownership and management is distributed or collective (SHAW 2003). A WAN may use technologies such as ATM and frame relay. In summary, a wide area network will comprise of a large area covering a large geographical area and consists of many or a collection of many smaller connections such as the LAN. CELLULAR NETWORKS GSM that is a Global System for Mobile is communications technique and technology that is of digital and cellular in nature, open and mostly used in conveying data services and mobile voice. Most GSM phones use wavelengths of between 900/1,800/1,900 MHz. which are of 3 bands but alternatively can also use four bands. These are known as the tribands, for the wavelength of 3 and quad bands for the wavelength of four which makes it possible for an individual to use the same handset in various countries. Various mobile networks use different wavelengths based on the location (MULLETT 2006). Today GSM is the accepted world standard. This network allows roaming in all countries without one changing the handset in use. GSM can operate both the packet data as well as the data transport that is circuit switched and is also made better with Edge technology (DOCTER, et al 2012). PCS, which stands for Personal Communication Service comprises of a set of other wireless connections that make it possible for some terminal mobility to be combined. It also includes more precisely the various types of data communications and wireless voice communications; involving even the services that would necessitate and make it possible for one to be communicated to and be reached while they are away from their offices or homes (KORAIZOK 2005). (SAUTER 2013) points out that PCS is a form of phone technology that makes use of the services and general features mostly associated with the analog systems of phones as well as the digital systems but which exceed and better enhance the analog services provided before. This provides the user of this network with a variety and range of advantageous services such as paging, data services, messaging and wireless phone. PCS was later categorized by the international telecommunication union as part of the IMT-2000 standard. This standard does not necessarily specify the access method used or the air interface (LI XIAO & PAN 2005). Service providers can use equipment which only meets the requirements of the stated standard. Another technology is 3G that refers to the third generation in the mobile telecommunications technology. For it to run, the connection network has to be set upon the standards and qualifications that adhere to the International mobile telecommunications. This network works with the uncompromised application of wireless internet access that involves mobile, voice telephony, video calls, internet access that is fixed and that is wireless. 3G offers faster connections and services that are far better than those of the previous networks like 2G networks. 3G networks offer better services ranging over different regions and can also be used in various ranges. This is also inclusive of the fastest rates of data transfers, possible over this network. This connection also offers mobile data connection in modems, making its use easier, faster, and efficient; which makes it possible to even have video calls and multimedia messages sent faster. To add to that, the messages are also digitally encrypted, makes it possible for the sender to be certain that only the recipient to be reached receives the message, making this network preferred over many others in the provision as far as data security is concerned hence Smartphones dominate commercially. As (KHAN 2009) puts it, 4G is a fourth generation stage in the development of mobile technology and is the improvement of the third generation technology and has indeed better and more efficient services as compared to the 3G networks. This connection has all the services provided by the 3G connection and has a wider mobile broadband called ultra-broadband; which makes it possible for the laptops to use wireless modems for internet access, including other mobile devices and even the smart phones. Although 4G is an improvement on the 3G, upgrading from 3G to 4G is a challenge due to the compatibility issues. The two are not that easily compatible since they weren’t built on forward compatibility. The upgraded applications offered by this network are those such as: video conferencing, IP telephony, gaming services, video conferencing, mobile television that is high definition, 3D television, cloud computing and mobile internet access that has been upgraded etc. Commercially, there are two 4G systems that have been deployed. These two systems are: long term release and the mobile wimax standard. The efficacy of both these standards depends on the device used. The services provided by this connection and network are by far the most developed and seem to offer the users more faster and convenient services, making it preferred over the previous connections. D-AMPS (Digitally Advanced Mobile Phone Service) This is related to AMPS though the only difference is that it is digital. AMPS is the advanced mobile phone service, which is the most common and preferred standard that is set for the cellular phones. It is usually associated with being analog and as such has major shortcomings in terms of service provision. An AMP was developed by a company known as Bell labs and was introduced to Australia, America and other countries after its introduction. However, these countries have stopped the use of this communication system since it is analog and yet are now dealing with more advanced systems and networks (NICOPOLITIDIS et al. 2003). D-AMPS has proved to be more effective, in that it offers time division multiple access which offers at most 3 channels for every one channel offered by AMPS. This makes it possible for a single one channel to receive up to three times as many calls as were being received by the previous AMPS system. Both D-AMPS and AMPS use the frequencies that are the same even though the services offered are different in both these networks. The wavelength used in both falls between this range of up to 900 Megahertz. Service providers take advantage of this as only half of the megahertz are used for transmitting cellular signals and even receiving the cellular signals. These electromagnetic bands are divided and these divisions created are then referred as channels (PATIL 2003). The channels known as reverse channels are those that are necessary for signal reception whereas those known as forward are those channels that are necessary for the sending purposes. Frequency division multiple accesses are what is used to group or divide these bands into sub bands that are either used for reception or sending purposes by the network (GOW & SMITH 2006). Future Wireless Technology PCELL means personal cell that aims at the creation of independent 4G LTE for each user who uses this network. It’s a form of technology that is in the cellular transmission development. Its development is compatible with the current LTE tablets and phones. One of the improved services offered by the PCELL is that the users can stream high definition videos with strengths of up to 5 bars, making the stream uninterrupted (BIDGOLI 2006). PCELLS technology is that it makes use of the interference instead of rushing to counter it. A combination of radio signals is done to come up with a single cell which is of a size of a single centimeter, which is created each for a single mobile device (SHOREY 2006). There is also DIDO, which is a network system that works in the same manner as the PCELL. PCELL is only a recent development of the DIDO. It works on the basis of making the most out of a destructive interference. The capacity of a wireless spectrum is improved by DIDO while it also reduces the cost that would have otherwise been incurred from wireless devices. This is a major form of development since it makes room for the capacity to increase while not making it more expensive (WEBB 2007). DIDO will not only make it easier for users to access the internet, but rather it works in such a manner that allows data users to have full simultaneous access to the internet. This allows the network connection system to suit and accommodate more users at a time. It is a system that uses orthogonal frequency division multiplexing and proceeding in order for the communication, over distributed output and input for users and clients. This network system is less expensive since it is wireless and thus the infrastructure required is not an expensive venture, making it faster, better, effective, less expensive and dependable (WIRELESS WORLD RESEARCH FORUM, TAFAZOLLI & DAVID 2008). Conclusion LAN and PAN: Advantage: These forms of network are very convenient for office users and home users because they make sharing of resources available easier and faster, but disadvantage is that its limited by the range or extent, thus cannot cover a larger geographical area. WAN: Advantage of WAN is that it is not limited to a particular area but its scope is widespread. This makes connection easier and faster. Its disadvantage is that it requires a router for the LAN to be connected to it which can be expensive. Cellular networks: D-AMPS, 3G and 4G - A disadvantage to the cellular networks is that they are not made in a compatible manner with each other even with upgrades, making them expensive. Though an advantage with them is that offers easier and faster connectivity to the internet with more faster and efficient services. Preferred network: Cellular networks are to be preferred due to their potential in increasing capacity without necessarily being more expensive. This is evident in the fact that they are mostly relying on wireless connections and not on wired connections. References BEAULIEU, M. (2002). Wireless Internet applications and architecture: building professional wireless applications worldwide. Boston, Addison-Wesley. SHIMONSKI, R., CROSS, M., & HUNTER, L. E. (2005). Network+ study guide & practice exams exam N10-003. Rockland, MA, Syngress. http://www.books24x7.com/marc.asp?bookid=10707. PARSONS, J. J., & OJA, D. (2009). Computer concepts. Mason, Ohio, South-Western. SHAW, R. (2003). Wireless networking made easy: everything you need to know to build your own PANs, LANs, and WANs. New York, American Management Association. WANG, S. P., & LEDLEY, R. S. (2013). 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