Networking

Types of Area Network

The Network allows computers to connect and communicate with different computers via any medium. LAN, MAN, and WAN are the three major types of networks designed to operate over the area they cover. There are some similarities and dissimilarities between them. One of the major differences is the geographical area they cover, i.e. LAN covers the smallest area; MAN covers an area larger than LAN and WAN comprises the largest of all.

There are other types of Computer Networks also, like :

  • PAN (Personal Area Network)

  • SAN (Storage Area Network)

  • EPN (Enterprise Private Network)

  • VPN (Virtual Private Network)


Types of Network Topologies

  1. Bus Topology: The bus topology is designed in such a way that all the stations are connected through a single cable known as a backbone cable.

  2. Ring Topology:

  • Ring topology is like a bus topology, but with connected ends.

  • The node that receives the message from the previous computer will retransmit it to the next node.

  • The data flows in one direction, i.e., it is unidirectional.

  1. Star Topology: Star topology is an arrangement of the network in which every node is connected to the central hub, switch, or central computer.

  2. Tree Topology: Tree topology combines the characteristics of bus topology and star topology.

  3. Mesh Topology: Mesh technology is an arrangement of the network in which computers are interconnected with each other through various redundant connections.

  4. Hybrid Topology: The combination of various different topologies is known as Hybrid topology.



Components of Networking

NIC (Network Interface Card)

  • NIC is a hardware component used to connect a computer with another computer onto a network

  • Wired NIC

  • Wireless NIC


HUB


  • ALWAYS do Broadcast

  • Layer 1 device

  • Shared bandwidth

  • Less no of ports

  • Doesn’t learn mac address

Switch

  • which connects two or more computers together.

  • Many no of ports.

  • Learn mac address.

  • Two types of switch:-Manageble switch and an unmanageable switch.

  • Layer 2 devices, datalink layer ( mac address )

Router (Cisco 1760)

  • It is an internetworking device used to connect two or more different networks.

  • It works on layer 3 i.e. network layer.

  • It Performs Routing

OSI Model (7 Layers)

Open System Interconnection

  1. Physical Layer

  2. Data Link Layer

  3. Network Layer

  4. Transport Layer

  5. Session Layer

  6. Presentation Layer

  7. Application Layer