What is a Computer Network? – Types & Definition

A computer network is a set of computers connected together for the purpose of sharing resources. The most common resource shared today is connection to the Internet. Other shared resources can include a printer or a file server. The Internet itself can be considered a computer network.
Computer Network Defined
A computer network is a set of connected computers. Computers on a network are called nodes. The connection between computers can be done via cabling, most commonly the Ethernet cable, or fiber optic cable. Connections can also be wireless; you’ll hear the term wi-fi to describe information sent via radio waves.

Connected computers can share resources like access to the Internet, printers, file servers, and others. A network is a multipurpose connection, which allows a single computer to do more than it could without any connection (what could you really do without an Internet connection?)

Types of Network Connections
Computer networks can be broken down historically into topologies, which is a technique of connecting computers. The most common topology today is a star topology.

Star Topology
A star topology is a design of a network where a central node extends a cable (or wireless) to each computer on the network. On a star network, computers are connected independently to the center of the network.

A star topology allows straightforward management of the entire network from one place. Since each node has its own connection, the loss of one node won’t break the whole thing. If you need to add a device to the network, it plugs right in, without additional extra effort.

The only problem is that there is a single point of failure in the star network. If there’s only one hub, the whole thing goes down. However, networking professionals will often have fail-over servers–backups–that keep things running while they fix the main server.

Bus Topology
A bus topology is another type of design where a single cable connects all computers and the information intended for the last node on the network must run through each connected computer. If a cable is broken, all computers connected down the line cannot reach the network. The benefit of a bus topology is a minimal use of cabling.

Ring Topology
A similar topology is called a ring. In this design, computers are connected via a single cable, but the end nodes also are connected to each other. In this design, the signal circulates through the network until it finds the intended recipient. If a network node is not configured properly, or it is down temporarily for another reason, the signal will make a number of attempts to find its destination.

A collapsed ring is a topology where the central node is a network device called a hub, a router, or a switch. This device runs a ring topology internally and features plugins for cables. Next, each computer has an independent cable, which plugs into the device. In offices that have the collapsed ring, there will be a cabling closet, or a space containing a switch device that connects the network. All computers in the office connect to the cabling closet and the switch. Even if a network plug is near a desk, the plug is connected via a cable to the cabling closet.

With the increase of wireless technology, many nodes on the network will connect to a wireless access point. This then connects to the main server(s)–the hubs–of a star network. Still, many business are set up with Ethernet cables connecting computers to a type of ring network.

Cable Types
Cables are conductive media that allow the signal to flow. The signal can be an electric pulse or a light flicker. The type of signal carried through the cable is defined by the material the cable is made out of. All cables have a limitation as to how far they can carry a signal without a natural process of signal loss called attenuation.

Looking for a Similar Assignment? Order now and Get 10% Discount! Use Coupon Code "Newclient"