the mystery of networks how they work

Basic Computers 101Created by Beashua Spearman

Image Courtesy of Microsoft Clip Art

After completing this lesson, students will be able to…

Explain what a computer network is Identify the key terms related to

computer networking. Understand the terminology associated

with computer networking

Local Area Network (LAN) Wide Area Network(WAN) Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) Workstation/Workgroups Wireless Area Network(WLAN) Wi-Fi Clusters

Clients Hosts Servers Network interface Cables 802.11 a 802.11 b 802.11 g 802.11 n

Computer Networks Part I: The Mystery of Computer Networks… How They Work!

A Network is a system of two or more computers that are connected through a series of cables

Examples: Infrared light beams, satellite connections, wireless towers, or telephone lines

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Image Courtesy of Microsoft Clip Art

The Local Area Network (a.k.a) LAN is a…

Smaller network limited to a geographic setting.

The computers are connected through cables.

Examples: 1 Home or 1 School computer lab or library

Source:Screen shot Image

Courtesy of Microsoft Clip Art

The Wide Area Network(WAN) is… Any area over 30 miles It connects a larger geographic area Examples: Arkansas, the United

States, and the Global World Includes global networks(e.g. The Internet)Source:

Image Courtesy of Microsoft Clip Art

The MAN network is the Metropolitan Area Network.

It has a span of 30 miles Its reach is about 2 buildingsSource:

Screenshot Courtesy of: Learn-networking.com

A Workstation is a personal home computer

It can be a desktop computer used in a business.

It connects human beings together through the use of the desktop computer.

E.g. A Tokyo stockbroker communicates with a Wall Street stockbroker through email communication.

A Node is a device that is connected to a computer

Example: Printer, Scanner, Server, Laptop The Internet is not required within a

network Most Common Node: Desktop Style

computer(Workstation)Source:

A Cluster is a group of server operating systems.

Computers connected to be viewed as a “Single System”

Within a Local Area Network (LAN) Runs on its own operating system

Screenshot Courtesy of Cluster Computing

Client: A Part of the network that receives the data.

Host: A part of the network that gives the data.

The data is accessed from the Host

Server: The same data or information different users receive.

E.g. Five different people in various countries search for the word Red Rose in the Google Search Engine and they all receive the same results.

Network Interface Cables (NIC): A card that is installed in a computer that allows wireless or Ethernet cable usage to access the internet.

Computer Networks Part II: The Mystery of Computer Networks… How They Work!: A Wireless World

The Wireless Network (WLAN) is the…

Image Courtesy of Microsoft Clip Art

Wi-Fi is another name for the wireless local area network.

Image courtesy of Starbucks.com

802.11 a, 802.11b are the first regulations within the wireless networking standards.

802.11g, 802.11n are the recent Wi-Fi regulations within the original Wi-Fi 802.11b

The 11 represents the speed of the network connection.

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