Introduction to Computers

Computer network Connects two or more computers in order to share: Data which may be located on another computer Use the Internet to look up the definition of computer network on Wikipedia Displays data located on the Wikipedia server Devices not connected directly to that computer Use the HCC local area network (LAN) to print documents from your computer to the printer located in the lab Allows many computers to share this device Definition varies a bit depending on the source

Local area network (LAN) Computer network in a limited geographic area This definition also varies somewhat Most would call the HCC network of computers a local area network (LAN) HCC stretches the definition of local by connecting the High Tech Center several miles away For simplicity, we’ll refer to HCC’s network as a LAN

Local area network connectivity One common type of LAN uses Ethernet technology for wired connectivity Client must have a network interface card (NIC) NIC provides RJ45 port to connect to the network RJ45 connector looks like a phone connector but is wider, providing 4 wires instead of 2 The other common type of LAN uses WiFi technology for wireless connectivity WiFi uses radio waves to send network signals Nearly all laptops & mobile devices can use WiFi Desktop computers usually don’t have WiFi capability

Wide area network (wan) Computer network covering a broad geographic area, such as between cities The Internet is a WAN It spans the entire world Shortened from the term internetwork meaning a network of smaller networks Uses a completely different set of hardware and rules for communication than a LAN A WAN is typically a network of LANs

Personal area network (PAN) Brought about by broadband internet access Use a router to allow multiple computers to share the same broadband internet connection Typically found in homes Also used in public internet access points such as a coffeehouse or internet café Improves security by providing firewall from internet Can be wired but is usually wireless (WiFi) Can be secured or unsecured Avoid sensitive data on an unsecured, wireless PAN

Clients and servers A file server is a computer that provides (or serves) data to other computers on a network A client is a computer that requests and receives data from a server The client-server relationship is very common in today’s networks Virtually any computer can be a client or server The computer’s role as client or server determined by software configuration, not hardware

Network storage Computers in the HCC labs are all clients Can request and receive data from servers on the network Each student has their own storage space allocated to them on the network Your best & most reliable storage option on campus Listed as your M: drive in File Explorer M: drive available from any computer on campus Not available via the internet from off-campus