Computer Networking

A network is a group of computers connected together in a way that allows information to be exchanged between the computers.

Packet

A piece of a message transmitted over a packet-switching network.

Local Area Network (LAN)

 Local area network (LAN) technologies connect many devices that are relatively close to each other, usually in the same building.

WAN

Wide area network (WAN) technologies connect a smaller number of devices that can be many kilometers apart

NODE

A node is anything that is connected to the network. While a node is typically a computer, it can also be something like a printer or CD-ROM tower.

Media Access Control (MAC) address

 This is the physical address of any device -- such as the NIC in a computer -- on the network. The MAC address, which is made up of two equal parts, is 6 bytes long. The first 3 bytes identify the company that made the NIC. The second 3 bytes are the serial number of the NIC itself.

IP ADRESS

An IP (Internet Protocol) Address is an alphanumeric label assigned to computers and other devices that connect to a network using an internet protocol. This address allows these devices to send and receive data over the internet. Every device that is capable of connecting to the internet has a unique IP address.

BUS

 Each node is daisy-chained (connected one right after the other) along the same backbone, similar to Christmas lights. Information sent from a node travels along the backbone until it reaches its destination node. Each end of a bus network must be terminated with a resistor to keep the signal that is sent by a node across the network from bouncing back when it reaches the end of the cable.

RING

Like a bus network, rings have the nodes daisy-chained. The difference is that the end of the network comes back around to the first node, creating a complete circuit. In a ring network, each node takes a turn sending and receiving information through the use of a token.

TOKEN

In programming languages, a single element of a programming language. For example, a token could be a keyword, an operator, or a punctuation mark.

STAR

 In a star network, each node is connected to a central device called a hub. 

TREE

 A tree topology combines characteristics of linear bus and star topologies. It consists of groups of star-configured workstations connected to a linear bus backbone cable.

Protocol

An agreed-upon format for transmitting data between two devices. The protocol determines the following:

Peer-To-Peer Architecture

a type of network in which each workstation has equivalent capabilities and responsibilities. 

Client-Server Architecture

Client-server architecture (client/server) is a network architecture in which each computer or process on the network is either a client or a server.

HUB

A network hub is a device that allows multiple computers to communicate with each other over a network. The computers connect through ethernet ports built into the network hub