Networking and its types.

Computer network

A collection of computing devices that are connected in various ways in order to communicate and share resources Usually, the connections between computers in a network are made using physical wires or cables However, some connections are wireless, using radio waves or infrared signals.

The generic term node or host refers to any device on a network

TYPES OF NETWORKING:

• Local-area network (LAN)
   A network that connects a relatively small number of machines in a relatively close geographical area.
                 Various configurations, called topologies, have been used to administer LANs
                 -Ring topology   A configuration that connects all nodes in a closed loop on which messages travel in one direction
                 -Star topology   A configuration that centers around one node to which all others are connected and through which all messages are sent
                 -Bus topology    All nodes are connected to a single communication line that carries messages in both directions

• Wide-area network (WAN) A network that connects two or more local-area networks over a potentially large geographic distance. It occupies a very large area, such as an entire country or the entire world. A WAN can contain multiple smaller networks, such as LANs or MANs. The Internet is the best-known example of a public WAN.

Metropolitan-area network (MAN) :The communication infrastructures that have been developed in and around large cities. consists of a computer network across an entire city, college campus or small region. A MAN is larger than a LAN, which is typically limited to a single building or site. Depending on the configuration, this type of network can cover an area from several miles to tens of miles. A MAN is often used to connect several LANs together to form a bigger network. When this type of network is specifically designed for a college campus, it is sometimes referred to as a campus area network, or CAN.



Campus Area Network (CAN)- a network spanning multiple LANs but smaller than a MAN, such as on a university or local business campus.



Home Area Network ( HAN )- Type of LAN for residential/Home networks