By: Aarman Tarapore 10cc

 a network is a series of points or nodes interconnected by communication paths. Networks can interconnect with other networks and contains sub networks.  The most common topology or general configurations of networks include the bus, star, token ring, and mesh topologies.

 Refers to a device that is self- contained, one that does not require any other devices to function. For example, a fax machine is a stand-alone device because it does not require a computer, printer, modem, or other device. A printer, on the other hand, is not a stand-alone device because it requires a computer to feed it data

 A local area network (LAN) supplies networking capability to a group of computers in close proximity to each other such as in an office building, a school, or a home. A LAN is useful for sharing resources like files, printers, games or other applications.

 A WAN (Wide Area Network spans a large geographic area, such as a state, province or country. WANs often connect multiple smaller networks, such as local area networks (LANs) or metro area networks (MANs).

 A client is an application or system that accesses a service made available by a server. The server is often (but not always) on another computer system, in which case the client accesses the service by way of a network

 a server is a computer program running to serve the requests of other programs, the "clients". Thus, the "server" performs some computational task on behalf of "clients". The clients either run on the same computer or connect through the network.

 Client/server networking grew in popularity many years ago as personal computers (PCs) became the common alternative to older mainframe computers. Client devices are typically PCs.

 Peer-to-peer (abbreviated to P2P) refers to a computer network in which each computer in the network can act as a client or server for the other computers in the network, allowing shared access to files and peripherals without the need for a central server.

 Advantages Advantages  Disadvantages Disadvantages  Cabled LAN Cabled LAN  Hardware essential for LAN Hardware essential for LAN  LAN topology LAN topology  Three structures of topologies Three structures of topologies

 Easy to share devices (printers, scanners, external drives)  Easy to share data (homework, pictures..)  Build a complex enough one and you may get enough experience to get a new job.  Cost of LAN Setup is low.

 Power - a good LAN is required to be on all the times.  Security - each computer and device become another point of entry for undesirables.  Upkeep - when things go wrong or the software gets updated.  Frustration if having a problem setting up.  A lot of times a network shares one Internet connection - if all computers running at once, can reduce speed for each.  Area covered is limited

Cabled LAN is connected with Ethernet cables. The three types are: 1. Coaxial cable 2. Optical fiber cable 3. Twisted Pair

each desktop computer that will be networked on a LAN must have an Ethernet card, which gives the desktop computer a third, very fast, type of communications port.

 LAN topology is the layout pattern of interconnections of the various elements (links, nodes, etc.) of a computer network. LAN topologies may be physical or logical. Physical topology means the physical design of a network including the devices, location and cable installation

 Star  Ring  Line