1.Network
Network consists of two or more computers linked in order to share resources (such as printers and CD-ROMs), exchange files, or allow electronic communications. The computers on a network may be linked through cables, telephone lines, radio waves, satellites, or infrared light beams. The three basic types of networks include: Local Area Network (LAN), Wide Area Network (WAN). [1]
2.1 Local Area Network
A Local Area Network (LAN) is a network confined to a relatively small area. It is generally limited to a geographic area such as a lab, school, or building. Rarely LAN computers are more than a 1km apart. In a typical LAN configuration, one computer is designated as the file server. It stores all of the software which controls the network, as well as the software that can be shared by the computers attached to the network. Computers connected to the file server are called workstations. The workstations can be less powerful than the file server, and they may have additional software on their hard drives. Mostly LANs, cables are used to connect the network interface cards in each computer. [1]
2.2 Wide Area Network
Wide Area Network (WAN) is a computer network covering a broad areas, such as counties, countries, or the world. WANs [a] are used to connect LANs and other types of networks together, so that the users and computers in one location can communicate with the users and computers in other locations. Many WANs are built for one particular organization and are private. Others, built by the Internet service providers, provide connections from an organization's LAN to the Internet. Dedicated transoceanic cabling or satellite uplinks may be used to connect this type of network. A WAN is complicated. It uses multiplexers to connect local and metropolitan networks to global communications networks like the Internet. [2]…
