COMPUTER NETWORKING

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

PACKET

A piece of a message transmitted over a packet-switching network. 

LOCAL AREA NETWORKING

Local area network (LAN) technologies connect many devices that are relatively close to each other, usually in the same building

WIDE AREA NETWORKING

(WAN) technologies connect a smaller number of devices that can be many kilometers apart.

NODE

 A node is anything that is connected to the network. 

MEDIA ACCESS CONTROL

This is the physical address of any device -- such as the NIC in a computer -- on the network

IP ADDRESS

An IP address is an identifier for a computer or device on a TCP/IP network

BUS TOPOLOGY

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

RING TOPOLOGY

 Like a bus network, rings have the nodes daisy-chained.

NETWORK TOKEN

a token is a special series of bits that travels around a token-ring network

STAR TOPOLOGY

 In a star network, each node is connected to a central device called a hub

TREE TOPOLOGY

A tree topology combines characteristics of linear bus and star topologies. It consists of groups of star-configured workstations connected to a linear bus backbone cable

PROTOCOL

An agreed-upon format for transmitting data between two devices. 

PEER -PEER ARCHITECTURE

a type of network in which each workstation has equivalent capabilities and responsibilities.

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.

HUBS

A hub, also called a network hub, is a common connection point for devices in a network.