Computer Networks / Data Communications Basics

Running Head: DATA COMMUNICATIONS BASICS

Computer Networks

Kaplan University

Abstract

This paper will discuss the basics of data communication.

Computer Networks

Service providers, signal levels, compressions and wiring are all fundamental basics of data communications. These fundamentals are discussed below along with other topics.

Three Disciplines of Data Communications

Physics, Mathematics and Electrical Engineering are the three disciplines involved in data communications.

Physics: Data communications relates to physics because it engages the data transmittal over physical media.

Mathematics: Data communications utilizes mathematics when it converts data (pictures, sounds and etc) into a digital format that can be processed by a computer (digitize).

Electrical Engineering: Data communications intertwines with electrical engineering because the objective is to invent ways to develop transmission systems which is a technique derived from electrical engineers.

Conceptual Pieces of Data Communications

Conceptual structure was developed as an instrument to identify the mixture of data being transmitted from various sources and making sure that information from one source is not intentionally perplexed with data from another source. The conceptual structure connects with data communications via the following subtopics:

Information Sources: Information Source deals with the transformation of analog and digital data or digitizing information.

Source Encoder and Decoder: The conversion of data (data compression) in this step takes place after data has been digitized.

Encryptor and Decryptor: At this stage, the importance of keeping the privacy or security of data is important by mixing up/scrambling data through encryption and once the data is received at the recipient source, the information goes through decryption (unscramble).

Channel Encoder and Decoder: Encoder and Decoder deals with error detection. During data transmission, the method of channel coding is utilized to minimize and detect errors and correcting the errors so that information is received correctly.

Multiplexor and Demultiplexor: Multiplexing deals with the process of allowing multiple sources simultaneously sharing a medium during transmission. A multiplexor takes multiple signals