NETWORK
A network consists of two or more computers that are linked in order to share
resources (such as printers and CD-ROMs), exchange files, or allow electronic
communications. The computers on a network may be linked through cables, telephone
lines, radio waves, satellites, or infrared light beams.
There are three basic types of networks which includes the following:
Personal Area Network – 10meters
Local Area Network (LAN) – 100 meters
Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) – whole metropolitan
Wide Area Network (WAN) – worldwide
Enterprise Private Network - worldwide
Local Area Network
A Local Area Network (LAN) is a network that is confined to a relatively small
area. It is generally limited to a geographic area such as a writing lab, school, or
building. Rarely are LAN computers more than a mile apart.
In a typical LAN configuration, one computer is designated as the file server. It
stores all of the software that controls the network, as well as the software that can be
shared by the computers attached to the network. Computers connected to the file
server are called workstations. The workstations can be less powerful than the file
server, and they may have additional software on their hard drives. On most LANs,
cables are used to connect the network interface cards in each computer.
Metropolitan Area Network
A metropolitan area network (MAN) is a network that interconnects users with
computer resources in a geographic area or region larger than that covered by even a
large local area network (LAN) but smaller than the area covered by a wide area
network (WAN). The term is applied to the interconnection of networks in a city into a
single larger network (which may then also offer efficient connection to a wide area
network). It is also used to mean the interconnection of several local area networks by
bridging them with backbone lines. The latter usage is also sometimes referred to as a
campus network.
Wide Area Network
Wide Area Networks (WANs) connect larger geographic areas, such as Florida,
the United States, or the world. Dedicated transoceanic cabling or satellite uplinks may
be used to connect this type of network.
Networking Devices
Consist of, but are not limited to non-local printers, workstations, servers,
webcams, data loggers, instruments, dial-in devices, and, in general anything that
requires an Ethernet connection. These devices are supported on a best-effort basis
limited by the staffing and equipment level available.
Hub is a small, simple, inexpensive device
that joins multiple computers together. Many
network hubs available today support
the Ethernet standard. Other types
including USB hubs also exist, but Ethernet
is the type traditionally used in home
networking.
Source: [Link]
Ethernet switch is a device that gathers the
signals from devices that are connected to it, and
then regenerates a new copy of each signal.
Source: [Link]
Bridge is a device filters data traffic at a
network boundary. Bridges reduce the
amount of traffic on a LAN by dividing it into
two segments.
Source: [Link]
Routers are small physical devices that join multiple
networks together.
Source: [Link]
Network gateway is an internetworking system
capable of joining together two networks that use
different base protocols. A network gateway can be
implemented completely in software, completely in
hardware, or as a combination of both.
Network interface is a device that
connects a client computer, server, printer
or other component to your network. Most
often, a network interface consists of a
small electronic circuit board that is
inserted into a slot inside a computer or
printer. Alternatively, some computers,
Source:
printers, or other services include network
[Link]
interfaces as part of their main circuit
boards (motherboards).
Modem is a contraction of the terms
modulator and demodulator. Modems
perform a simple function: They translate
digital signals from a computer into analog
signals that can travel across conventional
phone lines. The modem modulates the
signal at the sending end and
Source:[Link] demodulates at the receiving end.
Network firewall protects a computer
network from unauthorized access.
Network firewalls may be hardware
devices, software programs, or a
combination of the two. Network firewalls
guard an internal computer network
(home, school, business intranet) against
malicious access from the outside.
Network firewalls may also be configured
Source:[Link] to limit access to the outside from internal
users.