Terms to include in my book:

1. Computer Network

2. Packet

3. Local Area Network (LAN)

4. Wide Area Network (WAN)

5. Node

6. Media Access Control (MSC)

7. IP Address

8. Bus Topology

9. Ring Topology

10. Network Token

11. Star Topology

12. Tree Topology

13. Protocol

14. Peer-Peer Architecture

15. Client/Server Architecture

16. Hubs

17. Network Routers

18. Switches or Switching Hub

19. Network Interface Card

20. Twisted-Pair Cable

21. Coaxial Cables

22. Fiber Optic

23. Wireless Network

24. Main Distribution Frame (MDF)

25. Intermediate Distribution Frame (IDF)

1. Computer Network

Network - A network is a group of computers connected together in a way that allows information to be exchanged between the computers.

2. Packet

(Pak it) (n.) A piece of a message transmitted over a packet-switching network. See under packet switching. One of the key features of a packet is that it contains the destination address in addition to the data. In IP networks, packets are often called datagrams.

3. Local Area Network (LAN)

We can classify network technologies as belonging to one of two basic groups. Local area network (LAN) technologies connect many devices that are relatively close to each other, usually in the same building. The library terminals that display book information would connect over a local area network. Wide area network (WAN) technologies connect a smaller number of devices that can be many kilometers apart. For example, if two libraries at the opposite ends of a city wanted to share their book catalog information, they would most likely make use of a wide area network technology, which could be a dedicated line leased from the local telephone company, intended solely to carry their data.

4. Wide Area Network (WAN)

We can classify network technologies as belonging to one of two basic groups. Local area network (LAN) technologies connect many devices that are relatively close to each other, usually in the same building. The library terminals that display book information would connect over a local area network. Wide area network (WAN) technologies connect a smaller number of devices that can be many kilometers apart. For example, if two libraries at the opposite ends of a city wanted to share their book catalog information, they would most likely make use of a wide area network technology, which could be a dedicated line leased from the local telephone company, intended solely to carry their data.

5. Node
Node - A node is anything that is connected to the network. While a node is typically a computer, it can also be something like a printer or CD-ROM tower

6. Media Access Control (MSC)This is the physical address of any device -- such as the NIC in a computer -- on the network. The MAC address, which is made up of two equal parts, is 6 bytes long. The first 3 bytes identify the company that made the NIC. The second 3 bytes are the serial number of the NIC itself.

7. IP Address

An IP (Internet Protocol) Address is an alphanumeric label assigned to computers and other devices that connect to a network using an internet protocol. This address allows these devices to send and receive data over the internet. Every device that is capable of connecting to the internet has a unique IP address.

8. Bus Topology

Bus - Each node is daisy-chained (connected one right after the other) along the same backbone, similar to Christmas lights. Information sent from a node travels along the backbone until it reaches its destination node. Each end of a bus network must be terminated with a resistor to keep the signal that is sent by a node across the network from bouncing back when it reaches the end of the cable.

9. Ring Topology
Ring - Like a bus network, rings have the nodes daisy-chained. The difference is that the end of the network comes back around to the first node, creating a complete circuit. In a ring network, each node takes a turn sending and receiving information through the use of a token. The token, along with any data, is sent from the first node to the second node, which extracts the data addressed to it and adds any data it wishes to send. Then, the second node passes the token and data to the third node, and so on until it comes back around to the first node again. Only the node with the token is allowed to send data. All other nodes must wait for the token to come to them.

10. Network Token

1) In programming languages, a single element of a programming language. For example, a token could be a keyword, an operator, or a punctuation mark.

(2) In networking, a token is a special series of bits that travels around a token-ring network. As the token circulates, computers attached to the network can capture it. The token acts like a ticket, enabling its owner to send a message across the network. There is only one token for each network, so there is no possibility that two computers will attempt to transmit messages at the same time.

11. Star Topology
Star - In a star network, each node is connected to a central device called a hub. The hub takes a signal that comes from any node and passes it along to all the other nodes in the network. A hub does not perform any type of filtering or routing of the data. It is simply a junction that joins all the different nodes together.

12. Tree Topology
Topology means the shape of a local-area network (LAN) or other communications system. Topologies are either physical or logical.

13. Protocol

An agreed-upon format for transmitting data between two devices. The protocol determines the following:

14. Peer-Peer Architecture
Often referred to simply as peer-to-peer, or abbreviated P2P, a type of network in which each workstation has equivalent capabilities and responsibilities. This differs from client/server architectures, in which some computers are dedicated to serving the others. Peer-to-peer networks are generally simpler, but they usually do not offer the same performance under heavy loads.

15. Client/Server Architecture

Client-server architecture (client/server) is a network architecture in which each computer or process on the network is either a client or a server.

Servers are powerful computers or processes dedicated to managing disk drives (file servers), printers (print servers), or network traffic (network servers). Clients are PCs or workstations on which users run applications. Clients rely on servers for resources, such as files, devices, and even processing power.