Introduction To Computer Networking

Computer Networking is linking two or more computers with each other. The connectivity can be wired or wireless.Computer Networking is divided in to Local Area Network (LAN), networking between computers in a same office,building,home etc.Wide Area Network (WAN) networking between the computers, one is locally placed and the other can be thousands of miles away in another city or another country in the world.WAN connectivity is achieved by a device known as “Router”. The internet is the world’s largest WAN, where millions of computers from all over the globe are connected with each other.

There are two main types of the computer networking client-server and peer to peer. In the client server computing, a computer plays a major role known as server, where the files, data in the form of web pages, docs or spread sheet files, video, database & resources are placed.All the other computers in the client/server networks are called clients and they get the data from the server. In the peer to peer networks all the computers play the same role and no computer act as a centralized server. In the major businesses around the world client-server networks model is in major use.

In the computer age, no organization can work perfectly without a computer network. The concept and working of the whole internet is due to the computer networking. A computer network is a basic need for any organization to share data and resources on the small to big level such as banks, insurance companies, universities, colleges, multinational companies, corporate offices and small businesses etc. The network is made up of different components, protocols, devices, topologies and mediums such as cables, routers, leased lines and air.

Network Cabling

Computer Networking can be wireless or cabled. In a cabled network, there are a certain types of the cables required depending on the type of the network. The most commonly used cables are the UTP/STP .Ethernet cables also known as CAT5 cables. In the CAT5 cables, there are eight cables and four pairs. Each cable is twisted with its corresponding cable and thus forms a pair. From these eight cables, there are two major types of cables are formed known as straight over cable and cross over cable. A straight over cable is used to connect a computer with a hub or switch and a cross over cable is used to connect the computers with each other and to connect the communication devices with each other such as routers, switches and hubs.