Basics of networking

Networking is simply a practice of connecting multiple computing devices in order to share resources, Exchange files and allow electronic communication. The computer network can be linked through a medium such as cables, telephone lines, radio waves, satellites or infrared waves. 

It requires a medium the medium can be aided a wired medium or a wireless medium if it is a wired medium the devices can be connected by fiber cables, copper cables, telephone lines etc. In case of a wireless medium for wireless communication the radio waves, satellite or infrared beams are used so this is networking.

Types of networks:

1. 
   

   LOCAL AREA NETWORK (LAN):

   
   

Is used to connect devices that are in short range, such as within buildings, School or home.

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   WIDE AREA NETWORK (WAN):

   
   

Is used to connect devices across large geographical area, such as communication between different countries.

3. 
   

   METROPOLITIAN AREA NETWORK (MAN):

   
   

Is a network designed for a town or city.

4. 
   

   STORAGE AREA NETWORK (SAN):

   
   

Is a network designed to share the storage area to multiple devices in general it would be used in corporate, they will be having their storage area in a particular place and all the devices in the company will be making use of this.

Network topology- Topology refers to virtual layout or arrangement of the devices in a network. In order to establish network these are the 5 basic topologies that is:

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  Bus topology : Utilizes a common backbone, In general single cable will be used to connect all the devices on a network. Dis-advantage- if the backbone is down the entire network will be down.

  
  


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  Ring topology:  Each device will have 2 neighbors for communication. All data travels in a ring, and a failure of that ring will bring the whole network down.

  
  


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  Star topology: The central connection known as “hub”, it will be connected to all the devices on the network. This hub could be a router or a switch.

  
  


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  Tree topology: It contributes characteristics of linear bus and star topologies. It consists of group of star- configured workstations connected to a linear bus backbone cable.

  
  


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  Mesh topology: In mesh, each devices in the network are interconnected to other devices. Every node not only sends its own signals but also relays data from other node.

  
  

Advantages of networks:

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  Communication

  
  


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  Data sharing

  
  


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  Internet Services

  
  


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  Video conferencing

  
  


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  Broad casting

  
  


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  Remote Access

  
  


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  Flexible

  
  


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  Reliable