Computer network

Numerous computers connected to each other, allowing information/data to be transferred and exchanged throughout that group.

Packet

A smaller amount of data stemming from a larger message of data that is sent over a network.

Local Area Network (LAN)

Numerous device connected to each other that are all in one relatively closer range.

Wide Area Network

Device connected to each other that are all connected over a wider range of area.

Node

Any device connected to a network, typically something like a phone, computer, printer, etc.

Media Access Control (MAC)

They physical address of a device made of two equal bites that are a total of 6 bytes long.

IP Address

A label connected to a certain device (such as a computer) that connect to networks using internet protocol.

Bus Topology

A specific server acts like a backbone to other nodes, and data/information is sent/travels along the backbone server until it reaches its destination.

Ring Topology

Similar to bus topology, all nodes are linked to a specific beginning server. When data is sent, it makes stops at all nodes, allowing them to extract and add information as it passes by each location, before finally returning to the original location it started in.

Network Token

A network token is like a small packet of data that is sent throughout a ring network, and can be caught by each node. Nodes can access the info in these tokens, and choose to add/remove from that data.

Star Topology

All nodes are connected to a central hub in which all data that passes through the nodes must pass through that hub.

Tree Topology

All nodes are connected to a central hub in which all data is sent along a backbone. Sort of like a mix of star and bus.

Protocol

Used for transmitting data between two devices, a protocol is a format with use agreed upon by programmers for their quality and benefit.

Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Architecture

All workstations within this type of network have equal (cap)abilities.

Client/Server Architecture 

Networks like this have devices acting like either a client or a server, servers generally acting as powerful processors/generators, and clients running applications.