A computer network is an interconnection of computers and computing equipment

using either wires or radio waves.

Wireless networks that use radio waves and can involve broadcast radio,
microwaves, or satellite transmissions.
Personal area networks networks spanning an area of several meters around an
individual.
Local Area Network networks that are a little larger in geographic size.
Metropolitan Area Network high speed networks that interconnect business with
other businesses and the Internet.
Wide Area Network large networks encompassing parts of states, multiple states,
countries, and the world.
Data information that has been translated into a form more conducive to storage,
transmission and calculation.
Data Communications the transfer of digital or analog data using digital or analog
signals.
Interfacing required in connecting devices to a computer, or a computer to a
network.
Multiplexing transmission of multiple signals on one medium.
Compression another technique that can maximize the amount of data sent over a
medium. Also involves squeezing data into a smaller package.
Network management is the design, installation, and support of a network and its
hardware and software.
Workstations personal computers/microcomputers where users reside
Servers computers that store network software and shared or private user files.
Switches the collection points for the wires that interconnect the workstations
Routers the connecting devices between local area networks and wide area
networks.
Nodes computing devices that allow workstations to connect to the network and
make the decisions about where to route a piece of data.
Subnetwork/ Cloud consists of the nodes and transmission lines.
Protocols sets of rules used by communication devices

Network Architecture places the appropriate network pieces in layers.

TCP/IP Protocol
*Application Layer supports the network applications and might in some
cases include additional services such as encryption or compression.
-> Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HHTP) allow Web browsers and servers to
send and receive World Wide Web pages
-> Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) allow users to send and receive
electronic mail.
-> File Transfer Protocol (FTP) transfer files from one computer system to
another.
-> Telnet allow a remote user to log in to another computer system.
-> Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) allow the numerous
elements within a computer network to be managed from a single point.
*Transport Layer uses TCP to maintain an error-free end-to-end connection.
*Network Layer used to transfer data within and between networks.
*Network Access Layer gets the data from the user workstation to the
internet.
- also called the data link layer
*Physical Layer where the actual transmission of data occurs.