Due to research and development, technology has improvised at lightning speed. Gone are the days when two people had to carry floppy disks and CD Rom’s along with them when the need aroused to share data. Those were the old ages, today computer networking has grown by leaps and bounds. Transmission of data between remote computers is not a barrier in this modern era. Computer networking has made it possible for users to share data not between movable disks but between independent computers.
How is computer networking achieved?
Computers are connected to each other by means of cables. These cables are connected to the ports present on the computer. When you want to share files with your friend in the same vicinity, you need not make a CD but you can share files directly with your friend through the computer because all the computers of a particular area are connected to the same hub. A hub is a machine which takes care and maintains all the transmissions. Every file to be shared or downloaded goes through the hub. It is possible to share files across the vast network because of the hub.
Types of networks:
There are three types of networks that assist in Computer networking. It is important for a user to understand the fundamentals of computer networks. Knowledge never goes waste, once you understand the basics of computer networking it will be easier to configure your computer based on the knowledge acquired.
Computer networks are classified according to the geographical area, this means that each network is measured and monitored in terms of occupancy and size. The three kinds of networks are LAN, WAN and MAN.
LAN:
Local Area Network (LAN) is comparably smallest in size than the other networks. A Local Area Network occupies a room, a floor or a building at most a group of buildings. Small offices, homes and educational institutions can utilize Local Area Network. This network is also accommodates peer-to-peer network as all the files of a particular office needs to be shared with the entire staff and clientele. Ethernet cables, wireless networks, power cables or phone lines can be used to connect computers under Local Area Network.
WAN:
Wide Area Network (WAN) distributes variety of resources. This network spans out across countries and continents. The connectivity of a computer situated in a branch office in Africa can be easily accessed from Italy this is because of Wide Area Network. Corporate organizations are under the Wide Area Network blanket. The greatest WAN in the world is Internet, which comprises of innumerable smaller networks and apart from that is the Public Switched Telephone Network which is has improved enormously due to internet.
MAN:
Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) caters to an entire city or a state. Metropolitan Area Network is achieved my fusing two Local Area Networks together.
Other wireless networks:
Wireless networks transmit data using radio transceivers. It is quite similar to Local Area Network and Wide Area Network the difference being absence of wires between clients and servers. This set-up is prominent in places where wired networks are expensive or cause inconveniences.
Computer networking
answers all your questions regarding communication with the rest of the world.