Friday

COMPUTER NETWORKING

Computer networking is the practice of linking two or more computing devices together for the purpose of sharing data. Networks are built with a mix of computer hardware and software.

A computer network is a telecommunication network that allows computer to exchange data. In computer networks, networked computing devices pass data to each other along data connections. The connections between nodes are established using either cable media or wireless media. Computer network supports application such as access to World Wide Web, storage servers, printers and fax machines. It differs in the physical media used to transmit their signals, the communications protocols to organize network traffic, network’s size, topology and organizational intent.

Two devices are said to be networked together when one device is able to exchange information with the other device, whether or not they have direct connection to each other.

Networks can be categorized in several different ways. One approach defines the type of network according to the geographical area it spans. Local Area Networks (LANs) for example typically span a single home, school, or small office building, whereas Wide Area Networks (WANs) reach across cities, states or even across the world. The internet is the World’s largest public WAN.

PROPERTIES OF COMPUTER NETWORK

* Facilitates interpersonal communications

* Allows sharing of files, data and other types of information.

* Allows sharing of network and computer resources.

* It may be insecure

* It may interfere with other technologies.

* It may be difficult to setup.

NETWORK NODES

NETWORK INTERFACE CONTROLLER (NIC)

This is a computer hardware that provides computer with the ability to access the transmission media, and ha the ability to process low level network information.

MODEMS

Modems (MOdulator-DEModulator) are used to connect network nodes via wires not...