Communication Device - SkyNet-SH

Hello and welcome to our first blog entry, here at 'SkyNet - SH'. Today we will be discussing the different types of communication devices and their limitations. 

DTE - Data Terminal Equipment
Data Terminal Equipment is a device that controls the flow of data, going to or from a computer. The DTE can be a computer. A related factor is the DCE which is usually the modem, however, nowadays they are part of the same device. The DTE is also the interface that computer uses to exchange data with a modem or other serial devices. Common examples of Data Terminal Equipment are printers, routers and application servers.

Limitations of a DTE can be the RAM capacity, as if the device doesn't have enough RAM it can limit the speed of the flow of data. This is a limitation because without enough RAM, certain tasks cannot be fulfilled, therefore this will limit the functions and tasks that can be carried out via the DTE. Another limitation of DTE, would be that if there isn't enough onboard RAM, this would limit the amount of data that could be transferred over the network. Also due to the wired connectivity, if a cable/wire were to be damaged, this could potentially limit the functionality.
DCTE/DCE -  Data Circuit Terminating Equipment or Data Communications Equipment
Data Communication Equipment is the RS-232C interface that a modem or other serial device uses in exchanging data with the computer. DCE's and DTE's are related and are now found to be part of the same device. Data Communications Equipment refers to computer hardware devices used to establish, maintain and terminate communication network sessions between a data source and its destination. The DCE is connected to the DTE and the Data Transmission Circuit (DTC) to convert transmission signals.

Limitations of a DCTE and DCE are that if there were viruses and other issues on the DCE (modem), then it would be rendered non-functional, also if a cable was damaged or plugged into the wrong port, then it could cause problems for the device and other connected devices. The reason as to why this is a limitation is that if the modem contracted a virus, then the user or network manager would be unable to transfer data in a safe environment. This is because the data would then be at a risk of potential unauthorised viewings or a breach of important and/or confidential data.

 Another potential issue would be incompatible software and hardware and this may lead to users unable to access the internet or even get online. This is an issue because due to the forever growing lead of technology and protocols, older software and hardware is no longer needed or necessary. This means that companies have begun to use newer technologies, which means that support and compatibility of older software is concluded. Meaning when devices are used, only the latest software and hardware is recognised.

Laptops (Wired)

Wired laptops which are connected via an Ethernet cable are connected directly to the DCE (modem). The reason for having a wired connection would be that the connection would be faster, stronger and more efficient because usually on a wireless network at some times the internet speed may be slow, so the alternative is to use a wired connection. However, the limitations of having a wired connection would be the location of the modem and the laptop computer, for example, if the modem was encased in a box or cupboard, it would be difficult to access the ports depending on the length of the cable which would affect the portability. Other limitations would be unauthorised access to the laptop, in which the unauthorised user could infect the laptop or network with a virus.

Smartphones (Wireless)

The latest smartphones include wireless technologies, which allow for a wireless connection to the internet and network, an Ethernet cable which allows for a wired connection is not required and is also non-compatible. Even though the connection may be slower than wired connections, it is still fast enough for quick and easy browsing. 

The limitations of wireless connections on smartphones are that the user must be in a fairly close range in proximity to the modem, because the further away from the modem, the slower and weaker the connection. Another limitation would be that during peak times (most internet traffic), the connection would be slow causing time consuming loading of webpages and websites, which also cause overload issues on servers. Another limitation regarding wireless smartphones would be due to wireless networks, which are known for having an unsteady connection. This means that the connection could potentially drop or fail at any given time, sometimes without notice. This could cause loss of work and/or network lag, which is the slowing of connection rates. 

Functionality:

Switch

A switch divides the bandwidth and creates virtual circuits between each device and allows forwarding decisions to be made. It is mainly used to network multiple computers together. Switches and routers are similar, but switches don't provide the firewall and logging capabilities that routers do.

Router
A router routes data from a LAN (Local Area Network) to another separate network. Regarding security, a router only allows authorised systems to connect to the device. Most routers also keep log files about the local network activity.

Wireless Access Point

An access point is a device, such as a wireless router that allows devices that have a wireless capability. Most access points have built-in routers, while other access points need to be connected to a separate router. In both instances the wireless access point is wired to a network switch or broadband modem. Most access points allow the user to gain entry to a wireless network; the internet, but others can provide a gateway to Bluetooth devices, such as; headsets, smartphones and handheld games consoles. 

Modem

Modem is a shortened form of 'Modulator-Demodulator' and is a communication device that can be either internal or external, regarding your computer. The functionality of a modem is that it allows one computer to connect to another and then send data to each other via a telephone line. The original dial-up modems are becoming obsolete because of their slow speeds and are being replaced by the much faster cable and DSL modems. An example of a DSL modem would be ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line).

Server

A server is a computer system that provides data for other computers and they can operate over a LAN network or a WAN network. There are many types of servers, including web servers, mail servers, and file servers. Each type of server requires its own specific piece of software in order to be able to cater for the jobs it needs to do. While software is specific to a server, hardware isn't.

The hardware needed to create and maintain a server are; a working host PC, a switch, cables, a router, back-up servers and possibly a printer (although its not necessary to have one.).

Thank you
Thank you all for taking your time to read through our very first blog post, I hope you have enjoyed and learnt something new from all the newly found information that I have inputted in this post. Looking over this post and through all the above information you may now begin to understand what aspects can make up a network.