WHAT IS A COMPUTER NETWORK?

·       Network is a collection of two or more computers as well as other related devices.

Advantages and Disadvantages

ADVANTAGES:

Ø Reduce costs

§  Everyone in your home or office can share a single printer and a single high speed internet connection at the same time.

Ø Increased Efficiency

§  You can access data, pictures, and many other files on any connected computer without having to save them into a flash drive or USB flash drive or burning them in a CD.

Ø Economical

§  Purchasing software network license is relatively cheaper than purchasing individual license.

Ø More productivity

§  Shared internet access means no one needs to wait to use the Internet or email. Everyone can work simultaneously.

Ø Increase access to communication channels

§ You can communicate with others in the network using the email or an Instant Messaging (IM) software.

Ø More efficient patching of software

§  Software updates need only to be installed once. A patch is a piece of software design to fix or update the data of the computer program.

DISADVANTAGES:

Ø Network Failures

§  If the network fails, the users lose access to information and the ability to communicate electronically

Ø Server Error

§  In a server/client relationship network, server faults may prevent you from using some applications, or even accessing your computer

Ø Prone to hackers

§  Your system is open to hackers, especially if it is connected to the Internet at all times.

Ø Prone to virus

§  Networks are vulnerable to virus attacks. A virus is introduced in one workstation can spread quickly to other workstations.

Ø Distance Problem

§  Resources, such as printers, might be located too far from your table.

Network Media Types:

Ø Wired Network

·       It is the most efficient and practical method of networking where computers are connected with cables.

Ø Wireless Network

·       It is a computer network that is not connected by cables of any kind.

Types of Network

PAN (Personal Area Network)

v A personal area network, or PAN, is a computer network that enables communication between computer devices near a person. PANs can be wired, such as USB or FireWire, or they can be wireless, such as infrared, ZigBee, Bluetooth and ultra wideband, or UWB.

LAN (Local Area Network)

v A computer network that links devices within a building or group of adjacent buildings.

MAN (Metropolitan Area Network)

v Is a network that interconnects users with computer resources in a geographic area or region larger than that covered by even a large local area network (LAN) but smaller than the area covered by a wide area network (WAN).

WAN (Wide Area Network)

v Is simply a network consisting of interconnected LAN. It is usually dispersed over a very wide area, and it is not uncommon to see WANs reaching across continents to link office networks with one another in serval international branch offices.