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Networking
According to computer terminology, Networking is the linking of two or more computing devices together for the purpose of sharing data. Different types of network according to geographic area are Local Area Network (LAN) which covers a small physical area, Wide Area Network (WAN) which covers a broad area and Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) which usually cover a city or large campus. Computer networks are also classified according to their design which is client-server and peer-to-peer. Client-server networks feature one centralized server computers that is used to store Web pages, email, files and applications. On the other hand in peer-to-peer network, all computers tend to support the same functions. Client-server networks are more common in business areas where as peer-to-peer networks are common in homes.
Network topology represents the layout of the data flow. Different topologies include bus, star, ring, tree and mesh. In bus networks all the computers are shared and communicate through one common channel. In a star network, all computers share data from one centralized device. In a ring network, there are exactly two neighbors of each device for communication purposes. In a tree network, multiple star topologies integrate together onto a bus. Another term used in networking is protocol which is a set of rules used by computer devices to communicate with each other across a network. It is just another way to classify computer networks. These protocols are implemented in a network to support applications. The most common protocol found on Internet is TCP/IP. There are many protocols which work in both wired and wireless networks like TCP/IP. Different kind of network equipment includes routers, hubs, switches, network cables, network adapters, modems, and lag switch. Networks with Ethernet cables predominated in schools, businesses and homes, but in these days wireless networking has emerged as leading technology for new computer networks.
