Internet connectivity types
Bus topology
This topology is characterized as a multi-point medium. That all station is being attached through this hardware (a network adaptors) as a linear transmission medium. This bus topology is a full duplex that operates between different station s allowing data to be transmitted onto the bus and to receive other signal from bus. At every station a terminator is attached at the end of a bus that will absorbs every signals and discarding them from bus.
Wireless mesh networks
These are emerging wireless networks, which use small radio transmitters to send signals to neighborhood radio devices. These devices act as access points that make connection to each other and communicate the network connections that exist in the network. The nodes use common Wi-Fi standards to communicate with each other.
Star topology
It is a connection where each of the nodes is connected directly to the central network. The data in a start topology will go through a concentrator before going to the destined location. The concentrator/hub controls everything that takes place in a network. The topology is common with twisted-pair cables.
Ring topology
Characterized multipoint medium consists of asset of hardware devices (repeaters) that are joined by point-to-point links at closed loops. A repeater is a device, which receives a signal and retransmits to link without any form of buffering. The links are found to be unidirectional. Data is transmitted in one direction. The data goes round in one direction in the ring.
FDDI
The technology makes use of fiber cabling. It is based on counter-rotating rings, which are dual. The operations of the ring are that the ring transmits data packets while the secondary ring gives a backup for the primary ring. When there is a fault in one point, the two stations will realize this break and will therefore redirect the packets to pass through the secondary ring.
Ethernet networks
Token ring
In this network, the token ring maintains one data frame, which goes round the ring in the network. The frames are shared by all devices, which are connected in the network.
Ethernet
This is a network, which is a collection of networks, which are operating in a single building. It operates in close proximity. It has been improved so that the connections span wide geographical areas. Within this wireless network are devices used for various connections.
Wireless networks
These are wireless networks, which provide wireless connections to mobile devices. They are gaining popularity due to the flexibility that comes with it. Wireless networks operate in wireless standards in the specification of 802.11a, b, g, and n standards. With the emergence of smart phones and mobile devices, the use of wireless networks is getting a wide use.
A thin client is a computer that lies between a dumb terminal and a personal computer. It is used to refer to connectivity between a terminal and a server where the terminal does minimal tasks. Most of the processing power is done by the server. In this case, the terminal is just used for connectivity. The advantage of this is that it is cheap to set up as the terminal has less processing powers and therefore it is cheap to acquire. The disadvantage is that operations will be grounded and great loss will be experienced if the server fails.
Fat client on the other hand is a computer which performs most of the data processing. In this scenario, the data is stored on the server but processing is done at the terminal client. The advantage of this is that if there is failure of the server, there will still be operations of tasks. The disadvantage of this is that it is hard to setup both in cost and technical skills. The client will be required to have high processing powers thus the price of purchasing the client will be almost comparable to that of the server.
References
FitzGerald, J., & Dennis, A. (2008). Business data communications and networking. London: John Wiley and Sons.
Rainer, J. R., Turban, E., & Poter, R. (2006). Introduction to information systems: Supporting and transforming business. London: John Wiley and Sons.
Stallings, W. (2007). Data and computer communications. London: Prentice Hall.
