What is Computer Networking?

A computer network is a system that connects numerous

independent computers in order to share information (data) and
resources. The integration of computers and other different devices
allows users to communicate more easily.
A computer network is a collection of two or more computer
systems that are linked together. A network connection can be
established using either cable or wireless media. Hardware and
software are used to connect computers and tools in any network.
A computer network consists of various kinds of nodes. Servers,
networking hardware, personal computers, and other specialized or
general-purpose hosts can all be nodes in a computer network.
Host names and network addresses are used to identify them.
How Does a Computer Network Work?
Computer Networks simply work using nodes and links. Data
communication equipment is simply termed as Nodes. For
example, Modems, Hubs, Switches, etc. whereas links in Computer
networks can be referred to as a connection between two nodes.
We have several types of links like cable wires, optical fibers, etc.
Whenever a Computer Network is working, nodes have the work of
sending and receiving data via the links. Computer Network
provides some set of protocols that helps in following the rules and
protocols.
What Do Computer Networks Do?
Computer Networks are one of the important aspects of Computer
Science. In the early days, it is used for data transmission on
telephone lines and had a very limited use, but nowadays, it is
used in a variety of places.
Computer Networks help in providing better connectivity that helps
nowadays. Modern computer networks have the following
functionality like
1. Computer Networks help in operating virtually.
2. Computer Networks integrate on a large scale.
3. Computer Networks respond very quickly in case of
conditions change.
4. Computer Networks help in providing data security.
Criteria of a Good Network
 1. Performance: It can be measured in many ways, including
transmit time and response time. Transit time is the
amount of time required for a message to travel from one
device to another. Response time is the elapsed time
between an inquiry and a response. The performance of the
network depends on a number of factors, including the
number of users, the type of medium & Hardware
2. Reliability: In addition to accuracy is measured by
frequency of failure, the time it takes a link to recover from
failure, and the network’s robustness in catastrophe.
3. Security: Network security issues include protecting data
from unauthorized access, protecting data from damage
and development, and implementing policies and
procedures for recovery from breaches and data loss.
Goals of Computer Networking
 Programs do not have to execute on a single system
because of resource and load sharing.
 Reduced costs – Multiple machines can share printers, tape
drives, and other peripherals.
 Reliability – If one machine fails, another can take its place.
 Scalability (it’s simple to add more processors or
computers)
 Communication and mail (people living apart can work together)
 Information Access (remote information access, access to the internet, e-
mail, video conferencing, and online shopping)
 Entertainment that is interactive (online games, videos, etc.)
 Social Networking

Types of Computer Networks

Division Based on the Communication Medium
 Wired Network: Communication done in a wired medium. Copper wire,
twisted pair, or fiber optic cables are all options. A wired network employs
wires to link devices to the Internet or another network, such as laptops or
desktop PCs.
 Wireless Network: “Wireless” means without wire, media that is made up
of electromagnetic waves (EM Waves) or infrared waves. Antennas or
sensors will be present on all wireless devices. For data or voice
communication, a wireless network uses radio frequency waves rather
than wires.
Division Based on Area Covered
 Local Area Network (LAN): A LAN is a network that
covers an area of around 10 kilometers. For example, a
college network or an office network. Depending upon the
 needs of the organization, a LAN can be a single office,
building, or Campus. We can have two PCs and one printer
in-home office or it can extend throughout the company
and include audio and video devices. Each host in LAN has
an identifier, an address that defines hosts in LAN. A packet
sent by the host to another host carries both the source
host’s and the destination host’s address.
 Metropolitan Area Network (MAN): MAN refers to a
network that covers an entire city. For example: consider
the cable television network.
 Wide Area Network (WAN): WAN refers to a network that
connects countries or continents. For example, the Internet
allows users to access a distributed system called www
from anywhere around the globe.WAN interconnects
connecting devices such as switches, routers, or modems.
A LAN is normally privately owned by an organization that
uses it. We see two distinct examples of WANs today: point-
to-point WANs and Switched WANs
 Point To Point: Connects two connecting devices
through transmission media.
 Switched: A switched WAN is a network with more
than two ends.
Based on Types of Communication
 Point To Point networks: Point-to-Point networking is a
type of data networking that establishes a direct link
between two networking nodes.
A direct link between two devices, such as a computer and
a printer, is known as a point-to-point connection.
 Multipoint: is the one in which more than two specific
devices share links. In the multipoint environment, the
capacity of the channel is shared, either spatially or
temporally. If several devices can use the link
simultaneously, it is a spatially shared connection.
 Broadcast networks: In broadcast networks, a signal
method in which numerous parties can hear a single
sender. Radio stations are an excellent illustration of the
“Broadcast Network” in everyday life. The radio station is a
sender of data/signal in this scenario, and data is only
intended to travel in one direction. Away from the radio
transmission tower, to be precise.
Based on the Type of Architecture
  P2P Networks: Computers with similar capabilities and
configurations are referred to as peers.
The “peers” in a peer-to-peer network are computer
systems that are connected to each other over the Internet.
Without the use of a central server, files can be shared
directly between systems on the network.
 Client-Server Networks: Each computer or process on
the network is either a client or a server in a client-server
architecture (client/server). The client asks for services
from the server, which the server provides. Servers are
high-performance computers or processes that manage
disc drives (file servers), printers (print servers), or network
traffic (network servers)
 Hybrid Networks: The hybrid model uses a combination
of client-server and peer-to-peer architecture. Eg: Torrent.
Types of Computer Network Architecture
Computer Network Architecture is of two types. These types are
mentioned below.
1. Client-Server Architecture: Client-Server Architecture is
basically the architecture where the clients and the server are
connected as two clients can communicate with each other and the
devices present work as servers in the network.
2. Peer-to-Peer Architecture: Peer-to-Peer Architecture ,
computers are connected to each other and each computer is
equally capable of working as there is no central server here. Each
device present here can be used as a client or server.
Types of Enterprise Computer Networks
There are three main types of Enterprise Computer Networks which
are mentioned below.
1. Local Area Network (LAN): Local Area Networks are small-
scale networks used in small companies or as test networks. It has
a limited size.
2. Wide Area Networks (WAN): Wide Area Networks are
networks that are used for a larger area than local area networks
and are used for long-distance communication.