computer networking

What is computer Networking ?

 A network is a group of two or more computer systems linked together. The Internet is a computer network that millions of people use every day. computers on a network may be linked through cables, telephone lines, radio waves, satellites, or infrared light beams.

Types of computer Networing :

Local Area Networks (LANs)

Wide Area Networks (WANs)

Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs)

Local Area Networks (LAN)

A local area network (LAN) is a group of computers and associated devices that share a common communications line or wireless link. Typically, connected devices share the resources of a single processor or server within a small geographic area  Usually, the server has applications and data storage that are shared in common by multiple computer users.

                                                

Types of Local Area Networks
Bus Topology
Ring Topology
Star Topology

Bus Topology

In LAN where bus topology is used, each node is connected to a single cable. Each computer or server is connected to the single bus cable. A signal from the source travels in both directions to all machines connected on the bus cable until it finds the intended recipient. If the machine address does not match the intended address for the data, the machine ignores the data. Alternatively, if the data matches the machine address, the data is accepted. 

                                         

Ring Topology

A ring network is a local area network in which the nodes are connected in a closed loop configuration. Adjacent pairs of nodes are directly connected. Other pairs of nodes are indirectly connected, the data passing through one or more intermediate nodes.The illustration shows a ring network with five nodes. Each node is shown as a sphere, and connections are shown as straight lines. The connections can consist of wired or wireless link.          

Star Topology

A star network is a local area network (LAN) in which all nodes are directly connected to a common central computer. Every workstation is indirectly connected to every other through the central computer. A star topology is one of the most common network setups where each of the devices and computers on a network connect to a central hub. A major disadvantage of this network topology is that if the central hub fails, all computers connected to that hub would be disconnected.

                                                            

Wide Area Networking (WANs)

Computers connected to a wide-area network are often connected through public networks, such as the telephone system. They can also be connected through leased lines or satellites. The largest WAN in existence is the Internet. A WAN is different from a MAN because of the distance between each of the networks. In a WAN, one network may be anywhere from several hundred miles away, to across the globe in a different country.

Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs)

A Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) is a large computer network that spans a metropolitan area or campus. Its geographic scope falls between a WAN and LAN. MANs provide Internet connectivity for LANs in a metropolitan region, and connect them to  WAN like the Internet.