COMPUTER NETWORKS

2.0      COMPUTER NETWORKS

There are times in which computer users would want to share resources from a computer to another. Networking in actual sense is the act of connecting two or more devices/people in order to establish effective communication.

Computer network therefore is a system of connecting two or more computers in order to share available resources.

 

  • Types of Network

 

  • LAN (Local Area Network): This is a process of connecting two or more computers within a small geographical area which includes a building, an office or a company.

 

  • MAN (Metropolitan Area Network): This is interconnection of different LANs which extend to a large geographical area like a state or a region. Example of MAN, is Network of a bank with branches within a state.

 

  • WAN (Wide Area Network); This is a network that extends over a very large geographical area, interconnecting different LANs and MANs together to form a larger network. Examples of WAN are the Internet, Inter-state network, inter-regional network.

 

2.2              NETWORKING DEVICES

These are devices use in computer networking. They are as listed below:

 

  • Cables: These are wires that can be used as a line of connection for two or more computers. Examples are Twisted pair cable, coaxial cable, Optic fiber cable.

 

  • Hub: This is a passive and multi-repeater port device that repeats data or signal across all ports even after getting to its right destination. It can be used to connect different devices together in order to form a network. It is regarded as a passive device because it does not have power of its own.

 

  • Switch: This is a multi-port device that can be used to connect different network devices together in order to form a larger network. It is safe and secure because it doesn’t repeat a signal across the entire network but get it to the right destination at once. It is an active device because it has power of its own (i.e. its needs electricity to power on).

 

  • Router: A router is a network device that is specifically meant for connecting two or more networks together.

 

A router is different from a switch in the sense that switches are just mere network devices for enlarging a single network while routes interconnect two or more networks together. Nevertheless, Both routers and switches are regarded as active devices.

 

  • Modem (Modulator & Demodulator): it is a network device that helps to get internet access. It also convert analogue to digital signal.