Computer Network

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

Link: https://computer.howstuffworks.com/lan-switch1.htm

Packet

-"A piece of a message transmitted over a packet-switching network. See under packet switching. One of the key features of a packet is that it contains the destination address in addition to the data. In IP networks, packets are often called datagrams."

Link: https://www.webopedia.com/TERM/P/packet.html

Local Area Network (LAN)

"A LAN is a network of computers that are in the same general physical location, usually within a building or a campus. If the computers are far apart (such as across town or in different cities), then a Wide Area Network (WAN) is typically used."

Link: https://computer.howstuffworks.com/lan-switch1.htm

Wide Area Network (WAN)

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

Link: https://computer.howstuffworks.com/ethernet2.htm

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."

Link: https://computer.howstuffworks.com/lan-switch1.htm

Media Access Control (MSC)

"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."

Link: https://computer.howstuffworks.com/lan-switch1.htm



IP Address

"An IP addressis an identifier for a computer or device on a TCP/IP network. Networks using the TCP/IP protocol route messages based on the IP address of the destination. Contrast with IP, which specifies the format of packets, also called datagrams, and the addressing scheme."

Link: https://www.webopedia.com/TERM/I/IP_address.html

Bus topology

"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."

Link: https://computer.howstuffworks.com/lan-switch2.htm

Ring Topology

"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. The token, along with any data, is sent from the first node to the second node, which extracts the data addressed to it and adds any data it wishes to send. Then, the second node passes the token and data to the third node, and so on until it comes back around to the first node again. Only the node with the token is allowed to send data. All other nodes must wait for the token to come to them."

Link: https://computer.howstuffworks.com/lan-switch2.htm

Network Token 

"A token is a special series of bits that travels around a token-ring network. "

Link: https://www.webopedia.com/TERM/T/token.html

Star Topology

"In a star network, each node is connected to a central device called a hub. The hub takes a signal that comes from any node and passes it along to all the other nodes in the network. A hub does not perform any type of filtering or routing of the data. It is simply a junction that joins all the different nodes together."

Link: https://computer.howstuffworks.com/lan-switch2.htm

Tree Topology

 "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."

Link: https://www.webopedia.com/TERM/T/topology.html

Protocol

"An agreed-upon format for transmitting data between two devices. "

Link: https://www.webopedia.com/TERM/P/protocol.html

Peer-Peer Architecture

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

Link: https://www.webopedia.com/TERM/P/peer_to_peer_architecture.html

Client/server architecture

"network architecture in which each computer or process on the network is either a client or a server."

Link: https://www.webopedia.com/TERM/C/client_server_architecture.html