Basics of Computer Networking
• Computer Networking is the practice of
connecting computers together to enable
communication and data exchange between
them. In general, Computer Network is a
collection of two or more computers.
• It helps users to communicate more easily.
• How Does a Computer Network Work?
• Basics building blocks of a Computer network are Nodes
and Links.
• A Network Node can be illustrated as Equipment for Data
Communication like a Modem, Router, etc., or Equipment
of a Data Terminal like connecting two computers or more.
Link in Computer Networks can be defined as wires or
cables or free space of wireless networks.
• The working of Computer Networks can be simply defined
as rules or protocols which help in sending and receiving
data via the links which allow Computer networks to
communicate. Each device has an IP Address, that helps in
identifying a device.
Basic Terminologies of Computer
Networks
• Network: A network is a collection of computers and
devices that are connected together to enable
communication and data exchange.
• Nodes: Nodes are devices that are connected to a
network. These can include computers, Servers,
Printers, Routers, Switches, and other devices.
• Protocol: A protocol is a set of rules and standards that
govern how data is transmitted over a network.
Examples of protocols include TCP/IP, HTTP, and FTP.
• Topology: Network topology refers to the physical and
logical arrangement of nodes on a network. The
common network topologies include bus, star, ring,
mesh, and tree.
• Service Provider Networks: These types of Networks give
permission to take Network Capacity and Functionality on
lease from the Provider. Service Provider Networks include
Wireless Communications, Data Carriers, etc.
• IP Address: An IP address is a unique numerical identifier that
is assigned to every device on a network. IP addresses are used
to identify devices and enable communication between them.
• DNS: The Domain Name System (DNS) is a protocol that is
used to translate human-readable domain names (such as
[Link]) into IP addresses that computers can
understand.
• Firewall: A firewall is a security device that is used to monitor
and control incoming and outgoing network traffic. Firewalls
are used to protect networks from unauthorized access and
other security threats.
• Protocol
A protocol is a set of rules or algorithms which
define the way how two entities can
communicate across the network and there
exists a different protocol defined at each layer
of the OSI model. A few such protocols are
TCP, IP, UDP, ARP, DHCP, FTP, and so on.
TCP/IP Model
• The OSI Model we just looked at is just a
reference/logical model. It was designed to describe the
functions of the communication system by dividing the
communication procedure into smaller and simpler
components.
• TCP/IP was designed and developed by the
Department of Defense (DoD) in the 1960s and is
based on standard protocols. It stands for Transmission
Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. The TCP/IP
model is a concise version of the OSI model. It contains
four layers, unlike the seven layers in the OSI model.
Difference between TCP/IP and OSI
Model