network A group of two or more computer
systems linked together. There are many types of computer networks, including:
- local-area networks
(LANs): The computers
are geographically close together (that is, in the same building).
- wide-area networks
(WANs): The computers
are farther apart and are connected by telephone lines or radio
waves.
In addition to these types,
the following characteristics are also used to categorize different
types of networks:
- topology: The geometric arrangement of
a computer system. Common topologies include a bus, star, and
ring.
- protocol:
The protocol defines a common set of rules and signals that computers
on the network use to communicate. One of the most popular protocols
for LANs is called Ethernet. Another popular LAN protocol
for PCs is the IBM token-ring network
.
- architecture: Networks can be broadly classified
as using either a peer-to-peer or client/server architecture.
Computers on a network
are sometimes called nodes. Computers and devices that
allocate resources for a network are called servers.
