What is a Computer Network?

A computer network is a group of computers (hosts/nodes) and a group of computer peripherals connected via a transmission media and connecting devices. In this lesson you will learn more about a computer network and what all the moving parts within a network are responsible for.

Computer Types

• Personal Computers (PCs)
  • Desktop Computer
• Laptops
• Tablets
• Smart Mobile Phones
• Embedded Systems in Machines
  • Internet of Things (IoT)
    • Allows things/machines to exchange information between each other in order to offer a certain service required by human users

Computer Peripherals

• Hardware connected to computer – the following can be directly connected to the computer network and be part of the network to act as sources and destinations of data being transferred
  • Printers
  • Scanners
  • Storage Media
• Cloud Computing and Data Center – the following can be seen as connected through transmission media in a local network inside the center to offer a certain type of service required by the computer user
  • Servers
  • Storage Devices
  • Managing Terminals
  • Offers several types of services

Transmission Media

• Wired (Cables)
  • Copper
    • Coaxial Cables
    • Twisted Pair Cables – shielded [STP]/Unshielded [UTP]
  • Fiber Optic – does not transmit electricity, it transmits light
    • Single Made
    • Multi-mode
• Wireless
  • Used air as Transmission Media
  • Frequency Band
  • Area of Coverage

Network Benefits and Services

• Resources Sharing
  • Hardware resources – one device can be shared across many users. Hardware resources saves cost and time.
    • Computer Peripherals
    • Printers/scanners
    • Storage Media
    • Processors
  • Software Resources
    • File Sharing
    • Databases
    • Applications
      • Example: a game that can be used by several users over the internet
• Services
  • Browsing and E-mail
  • Voice Calls and Video Conferences

Basic Network Elements

• End Devices
  • Communicating devices with each other (Send/Receive)
• Connecting Devices
  • Switches, routers, and access points
    • Not meant to be sources or destinations of information but rather act as transferring entities for the information to help or facilitate the moving process of information across the network
• Medium
  • Distinguishes how elements are connected
    • Wireless or wired
• Messages
  • Information travelling through network
• Protocols
  • Rules governing how information is transferred