A computer network is
a
collection of two or more computers with communication between them
through a medium. The communication medium can be through radio waves,
wires, infrared, optical fibers etc.
Computer network is an integral part of our daily lives, with the most
important reason being that of communication. The use of computer
networking is to share resources like fax machines, printers, modems,
files etc., and its other uses are database server, computer server,
email, chat, internet etc. The computer to which the resources are
attached is called the server and the other computers that access the
resource are called clients. In peer-to-peer computer networks there
are no servers.
The sharing of fax machines, printers, and modems amongst many
computers and users reduce the operational cost. A database on a
computer network is a very important application as it stores and runs
many important data and jobs. Emails and chats can be used for
instantaneous communication and sending of files on a computer network.
The computer networks are classified, depending upon the size, as Local
Area Networks (LAN), Wide Area Networks (WAN), Metropolitan Area
Networks (MAN) and Personal Area Networks (PAN). The topology (topology
is the way the computer networks and network resources are connected)
of the networking can be classified as Bus Network, Ring Network and
Star Network.
The networking hardware basically consists of wiring, network cards and
a hub. Computer network cards are required so that one computer can
understand what the other computer is "talking". Network cards have a
unique MAC address to identify computers on a computer network. Hubs
connect all the computers in the network. Hubs can also be used to
connect to other hubs to increase the size of the computer network. Two
computers can be connected using Ethernet cards or phone lines or power
lines for communication, with hardware kits available at roughly a cost
of $100.
As the number of computers in an office or a home increases, so do the
number of cables, so wireless networking is a viable solution. In
wireless networking radio transreceivers or infrared signals are used
to communicate between computers and devices. Examples of wireless
networking include Wi-fi and Bluetooth technology, though there may be
security issues involved in wireless networking. However there
definitely is a stronger preference towards wireless networking
nowadays among consumers.
Computer networks have added a new dimension to the 21st century. Today
the cyber world is much faster and wider than the real world. This has
all been made possible due to computer networks. Computer networks have
revolutionized business, communication, travel, research, defense,
society and almost all human endeavors. The evolution of computer
networks has helped the technological revolution take a big leap
forward.
