Communication Methods

Communication Methods

Traditional Methods

  • Landline telephones use copper wires for communication. The voice signal is converted into an electrical signal, transmitted, then reconverted at the receiver’s end.
  • Mobile telephones use radio waves to transmit voice and data signals. They connect to a local antenna, which is part of a wider network.
  • Television and radio broadcasting use high frequency electromagnetic waves that can travel long distances through air, for one-way communication.

Internet-based Methods

  • Email, a method where messages are sent over the network and can be read at the recipient’s convenience.
  • Instant messaging systems allow for real-time text conversations.
  • VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) systems allow for voice and video communications through the internet. An example of this is Skype.
  • Forums, blogs, and online social networks such as Facebook or WhatsApp allow user-generated content to be shared and discussed.
  • File Sharing, includes both P2P (Peer to Peer) and cloud storage sharing like Google Drive.

Network Structures

  • Peer-to-peer networks immolate a flat topology with no dedicated servers, only equal peers with equal privileges and responsibilities.
  • Client-server networks operate on the principle that certain devices (servers) provide services and other devices (clients) consume them.

Network Topologies

  • Bus topology has each device connected to a single central line, or bus.
  • Ring topology has each device connected to two other devices, forming a ring for signals to travel along.
  • Star topology has each device connected directly to a central device, usually a switch or hub.
  • Mesh topology has multiple connections between devices ensuring no single point of failure.
  • Tree topology is a ‘hybrid’ topology which is made from combinations of other topologies.

Wire and Wireless Communication Protocols

  • TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) suite is the foundation of the Internet and consists of five layers: physical, data link, network, transport, and application.
  • HTTP/HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol/Secure) are used for transmitting hypertext over the internet.
  • FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is used for transferring files over the internet.
  • SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) is used for email communication.
  • Wi-Fi is a wireless standard for networking devices.
  • Bluetooth is a wireless technology for exchanging data over short distances.