The meaning of network in a dictionary is web, organization, structure, grid, system, web, net, interconnections and so on. Networking or computer networking has several definitions, but it all constitutes one meaning which is connecting two or more computers or systems through a medium so that they can share data with wired or wireless technology. This ‘medium’ might be a collection of computers, servers, mainframes, network devices, peripherals, or other devices. The types of computer networks are mentioned below:
Local Area Network (LAN): A Local Area Network is a network that is confined to a relatively small area. It is generally limited to a geographic area such as a writing lab, school, or building. Computers connected to a network are broadly categorized as servers or workstations. Servers are run continuously to provide "services" to the other computers or users on the network. Services provided might include printing and faxing, software hosting, file storage and sharing, messaging, data storage and retrieval, complete access control (security) for the network's resources, and many others.
Wide Area Network (WAN): WAN or Wide Area Network is a computer network that extends over a large geographical area, although it might be confined within the bounds of a state or country. A WAN could be a connection of LAN connecting to other LAN’s via telephone lines and radio waves and may be limited to an enterprise (a corporation or an organization) or accessible to the public.
Metropolitan Area Network (MAN): Metropolitan area Network covers a larger area than that of a LAN and smaller area as compared to WAN. It connects two or more computers that are apart but resides in the same or different cities. It covers a large geographical area and may serve as an ISP (Internet Service Provider). MAN is designed for customers who need high-speed connectivity.
Home Area Network (HAN): A home area network connects devices within a home environment. It might include personal computers, tablets, smartphones, printers, TVs and other devices. A home area network (HAN) is a network that is deployed and operated within a small boundary, typically a house or small office/home office.
Components of a Computer Network:
Computer networks components comprise both physical parts as well as the software required for installing computer networks, both at organizations and at home. The hardware components are the server, client, peer, transmission medium, and connecting devices. The software components are operating system and protocols.
Servers: Servers are computers with a high configuration that manage the resources of the network. The network operating system is typically installed in the server and so they give user accesses to the network resources. Servers can be of various kinds: file servers, database servers, print servers, etc.
Clients: Clients are computers that request and receive service from the servers to access and use the network resources.
Peers: Peers are computers that provide services as well as receive services from other peers in a workgroup network.
Transmission Media: Transmission media are the channels through which data is transferred from one device to another in a network. Transmission media may be guided media like coaxial cable, fiber optic cables, etc.; or maybe unguided media like microwaves, infra-red waves, etc.
Connecting Devices: Connecting devices act as middleware between networks or computers, by binding the network media together. Some of the common connecting devices are:
