Topic 2- History Of The internet Flashcards
Main motivation
Resource sharing
Firstly to connect each user to a Large and powerful central computer
Then to allow sharing the peripheral devices.
Biggest changes in the internet that contributed to its phenomenal growth
- Speed increased dramatically (large amount of data can be transferred quickly)
- new applications arose that appealed to many parts of the society.
- affordable personal computers with powerful computational power and graphical display eliminates the need for resource sharing.
From resource sharing (mostly for scientists and engineers) to communication purposes.
The data type sent over the internet (in the past vs today)
Originally- static text documents
Today- dynamic high quality multimedia (= a combination of text with audio, graphics, video).
Text- graphic images- video clips- full motion video
Audio
Higher quality due to higher bandwidth
Alert sounds-human voice-audio clips- vey reliable audio
Static vs dynamic
The Internet has transitioned from transfer of static textual documents to dynamic high-quality
multimedia.
• Offline (word) vs real-time requirements(drive)
Analogue vs digital
The Internet has transitioned from transfer of static
textual documents
• Now the Internet can transfer dynamic high-quality
multimedia
• Offline vs real-time requirements
Telephone
Before: analog transmission of audio
• Use the analog telephone circuits to
communicate • Known as the Public Switched Telephone
Network (PSTN)
• After: digital transmission of audio
• Uses the Internet infrastructure to communicate
• Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) ex. Zoom, FaceTime
Television
• Before: wired analog channel
• Can also make use of satellite dishes to receive
TV broadcasts
• After: wired/wireless digital
• Can be received wireless
• Digital transmission
• Uses Internet Protocol (IP) for transmission
Cellular
- Before: analog wireless cellular services
- Satellite dishes on Earth
- No connection to the Internet
- After: digital cellular services
- 3G onwards
- High speed mobile data
Internet Access
- Before: wired, dial-up modem
- Make use of telephone circuits
- Cannot use telephone while connected
- After: wireless, broadband, fibre optic
- Wi-Fi
- Separate/shared channel from telephone
Significance of Wi-Fi
• Before: mobile devices has to have mobile data
connectivity
• Additional hardware needed for Internet Access
• Incurs mobile data charges
connect to the Internet • Save on mobile data charges
• After: any device near a Wi-Fi broadcast can access
the Internet
• Allows for less powerful electronic devices to
Data Access
- Before: centralised
- Single server, multiple users
- Bottleneck performance
- After: distributed, peer-to-peer (P2P)
- User can act as servers (Torrent)
- Can be used as backups
Content Delivery
- Before: requires download to view
- Sometimes slow download
- Impact work efficiency
- After: streaming
- Can view content on browser
- Video streaming
Applications
- Before: standalone, download and install
- Updates requires additional download
- Manual updates
- After: cloud, auto-updates
- Low cost computers, good productivity
- No need to install applications, save space
- Auto updates
Teleconferencing Systems
Definition And benefits
Teleconferencing system: combination of software and hardware to allow virtual meetings
• Made possible by technological changes- faster communication
• Benefits
Reduces travel expenses/costs
Communicate anywhere
Navigation System
• Navigation system: combination of software and
hardware that provides users with map functions
• Enabled by cloud technologies
• Benefits
Can navigate to new locations
No need for standalone GPS system
Social Media
Social Media: community or platform that facilitates sharing and creation of multimedia • Enabled by availability and accessibility of the Internet • Benefits Creates and maintains social connections Meet new people Entertainment purposes
Forums
• Forums: platform that engage participants in some form of discussions • Contributes to community development • Benefits Get help easily Mostly free to use
Ex. Reddit
Wikis
• Wikis: platforms facilitates and maintain knowledge
creation and sharing
• Enabled by growing capacity and reduction in price
of storage devices available on the Internet
• Benefits
Public access knowledgebase
Contains plenty of content
Blogs
• Blogs: customisable website that allows individual to share and create contents • Can be used to review products or act as a personal diary • Benefits Can be designed to suit individual needs Often free to create Easily accessible to most people
• Email: electronic mail system that facilitates sending
of multimedia messages
• Important form of communication and can be used
in courts as evidence
• Benefits
Supported on most devices
Almost instant delivery
E-commerce
• E-commerce: online retail platform that facilities sales transactions • Enabled by online payment services • Benefits Shop anywhere Shop anytime Cost effective transactions
Remote Working
• Remote Working: ability to work and remain
productive anywhere
• Enabled by remote access services , high bandwidth
• Benefits
Can access to complex software running on
powerful computers Allows mobile devices to be productive
Cable TV Network
• Original cable TV networks used copper coaxial cables • From RCH via a series of splitters and amplifiers to homes
• Modern networks have been re-engineered
• To use optical fibre cables
• But cost of running it to each home is prohibitive
• As such, optical network is converted back to copper at
Fibre Nodes in street cabinets
Tv cable
Original cable TV networks used copper coaxial cables from the RCH via a series of splitters and amplifiers to homes. Modern networks have been re-engineered to use optical fibre cables. However, the cost of running optical fibre to each home is prohibitive. As such, optical network is converted back to copper at Fibre Nodes in street cabinets. The RCH feeds several distribution hubs and can support about 40,000 subscribers via switches and Fibre Nodes. Fibre Node will then split TV signals and transmit over coaxial cable. This can provide service to about 1,000 homes using a tree topology.
Due to the use of optical fibre and copper cables, the modern cable TV networks are known as Hybrid Fibre-Coaxial networks. This hybrid network can be adapted to provide a backwards channel to support interactive services. Most cable TV companies have also adapted their networks to support broadband services using cable modems. Coaxial cables carrying TV signals also carry downstream and upstream data channel. On top of broadband services, cable TV companies also supports voice services, usually via a separate cable. Voice services are carried over separate channels to RCH where these voice channels are connected to the telephone network circuits. Cable TV companies also offer similar products to enterprises as network operators. Some examples are private circuits, LAN extension, and IP VPNs. Access charges for use of the cable TV network are subsumed within prices charged for the WAN services.
