TOPIC ONE
INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER NETWORKS
HISTORY, DEFINITIONS (PART ONE)
Exchange of information through the use of speech, signs or symbols is called
communication. When early humans started speaking, some 5,00,000 years ago,
that was the first mode of communication. Before we dive into modern
technologies that drive communication in contemporary world, we need to know
how humans developed better communication techniques to share knowledge
with each other.
History of Communication
Communicating with people over a distance is known as telecommunication. The
first forms of telecommunication were smoke signals, drums or fire torches. The
major disadvantage with these communication systems was that only a set of pre-
determined messages could be transmitted. This was overcome in the 18th and 19th
century through development of telegraphy and Morse code.
1
, Invention of telephone and establishment of commercial telephony in 1878 marked
a turnaround in communication systems and real telecommunication was born.
International Telecommunication Union (ITU) defines telecommunication as
transmission, emission and reception of any signs, signals or messages by
electromagnetic systems. Now we had the communication technology to connect
with people physically located thousands of kilometers away.
Telephones slowly gave way to television, videophone, satellite and finally
computer networks. Computer networks have revolutionized modern day
communication and communication technologies. That will be the subject of our
in-depth study in subsequent chapters.
History Of Networking
ARPANET - the First Network
ARPANET − Advanced Research Projects Agency Network − the granddad of
Internet was a network established by the US Department of Defense (DOD). The
work for establishing the network started in the early 1960s and DOD sponsored
2
INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER NETWORKS
HISTORY, DEFINITIONS (PART ONE)
Exchange of information through the use of speech, signs or symbols is called
communication. When early humans started speaking, some 5,00,000 years ago,
that was the first mode of communication. Before we dive into modern
technologies that drive communication in contemporary world, we need to know
how humans developed better communication techniques to share knowledge
with each other.
History of Communication
Communicating with people over a distance is known as telecommunication. The
first forms of telecommunication were smoke signals, drums or fire torches. The
major disadvantage with these communication systems was that only a set of pre-
determined messages could be transmitted. This was overcome in the 18th and 19th
century through development of telegraphy and Morse code.
1
, Invention of telephone and establishment of commercial telephony in 1878 marked
a turnaround in communication systems and real telecommunication was born.
International Telecommunication Union (ITU) defines telecommunication as
transmission, emission and reception of any signs, signals or messages by
electromagnetic systems. Now we had the communication technology to connect
with people physically located thousands of kilometers away.
Telephones slowly gave way to television, videophone, satellite and finally
computer networks. Computer networks have revolutionized modern day
communication and communication technologies. That will be the subject of our
in-depth study in subsequent chapters.
History Of Networking
ARPANET - the First Network
ARPANET − Advanced Research Projects Agency Network − the granddad of
Internet was a network established by the US Department of Defense (DOD). The
work for establishing the network started in the early 1960s and DOD sponsored
2
