What is network

What is network

A network is a collection of computers, servers, mainframes, network devices, peripherals, or other devices connected to one another allowing for data to be shared and used. A great example of a network is the internet, connecting millions of people all over the world together. Below is an example image of what a home network with multiple computers and other network devices all connected to each other and the internet. There are many types of computer networks, including the following:  local-area network (LAN) : The computers are geographically close together, wide-area network (WAN): The computers are farther apart and are connected by telephone lines or radio waves,  campus-area network (CAN): The computers are within a limited geographic area, such as a campus or military base, metropolitan-area network (MAN): A data network designed for a town or city, home-area networks: A network contained within a user is home that connects a person is digital devices. In a home network, you will generally have at least one of the following devices a modem or  router (wireless or wired), network switch. The modem is the device that sends all of your data to your ISP so that you can communicate on the internet.  The router "routes" between different networks.  In the home setup, there will generally be the outside network and your home network (inside network).  In addition to routing traffic between two networks, your router will generally have NAT (network address translation) and a firewall. The switch allows you to expand your wired network by giving you more Ethernet ports that you can use.  It switches which ports are communicating at one time at a very high speed.