Computer Networking Basics

Computer Networking Basics

Every time we surf in cyberspace, interact, send data or just open an application, then all of that can happen thanks to a computer network. This network will be interconnected between several computers connected through transmission media or communication media. This network relationship makes our activities on the internet smooth, accessible applications and computer hardware.

This computer network can also be said as a collection of a number of communication terminals consisting of two or more computers that are connected to each other. All these networks are built and collected so that the information and data carried by the sender (transmitter) can reach the recipient (receiver) quickly, precisely and accurately directly to both parties.

In addition, computer networks also play a major role in integrating data between client computers so that they can produce relevant data results. Some computer network terms are LAN, MAN and WAN, let’s learn and understand more about computer networks, their types and topologies.

Understanding of Computer Networks
A computer network is two or more computers that are connected to each other and used for various data. The existence of a computer network is built using a combination of hardware and software. In the manufacture of computer networks, switches and routers use protocols and algorithms so that they can exchange information and can carry data to the end point as desired.

Each of the endpoints, sometimes also known as hosts on the network, has a unique identifier, often an IP address or a Media Access Control address, which is used to identify the source or destination of transmission. Endpoints can include servers, telephones, personal computers, as well as many types of hardware in the network.

Computer networks may be created using a combination of wired and wireless technologies. Network devices always communicate via wired and even wireless transmission medium. For networks that use cables, you may need optical fiber, copper cables, or coaxial cables. On the other hand, if the wireless network path is included in a computer network that uses a connection from wireless data in order to be able to connect to the end point, here what is meant by the end point is cellular radio, broadcast radio, satellite, and microwave.

Networks can be private or even public. The existence of a private network generally requires the user to enter credentials in order to access the network. Usually this is provided manually from the network administrator or obtained directly by users via passwords or using other credentials. It is different with public networks, for example the internet does not limit various accesses.

Computer networks are not just one type, there are several types of computer networks that you often see and you are with, namely:

Local Area Networks (LANs)
LAN becomes a liaison between network devices in a short distance. A school building, office, also a house whose network contains one LAN. But sometimes in one building there will be many LANs located maybe per room. Sometimes a LAN can reach a group of surrounding buildings. TCP/IP networks, LANs are often found but cannot be implemented in a single IP subnet.

In addition to operating in a confined space, a LAN is usually owned, controlled, and managed by one or even an organization. You will tend to use different technologies in specific connectivity, especially by Ethereum and Token Ring. There are LANs that already use technology in wireless using Wi-Fi which is known as Wireless Local Area Network or WLAN.

Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
MAN is a computer network in charge of connecting 2 or more LAN networks in one city. If the distance is the link in building the network, it means that the MAN network has been used. MAN is actually bigger than LAN, but smaller than WAN. The existence of a MAN uses special devices and cables in order to connect the LAN.

Wide Area Network (WAN)
WAN is often referred to as a group of LANs that are geographically dispersed. There is a network device known as a router that functions to connect between LANs to the WAN. In an IP network, there is a router that is used to store the LAN address as well as the WAN address.

WANs differ from LANs in several important ways, generally WANs are like the internet and are not owned by any one organization, but are under the auspices of collective ownership and even distributed management. This WAN computer network tends to use technologies such as Frame Relay, ATIM, and X.25 in connectivity with longer distances.

Person Area Network (PAN)
Not much different from a LAN, a PAN generally covers a smaller area, for example a network at the office or home. In general, this type of network is used for resources, for example, printers and the internet.

Campus Area Network (CAN)
CAN computer network is said to be similar to MAN, but is limited to universities and even colleges. This one network is usually set up in educational activities, such as lab practices, class updates, exams, emails, notifications and so on.

Internet
The Internet is the largest type of computer network ever created by humans. The existence of the internet can connect millions of devices with computing included in laptops, PCs, workstations, webcams, tablets, TV, CCTV, smartphones. In order to be able to connect between these devices, there is a lot of infrastructure and technology that must be used. The use of the internet is available to many people, because anyone can connect to the internet and the internet is considered an unsafe network.

Virtual Private Network (VPN)
VPN is a solution in providing various connections on the internet more securely. For example, a company has 2 offices, one is in Jakarta and the other is in Bandung. This means that each company can use a VPN to connect the two offices. VPN uses to create a secure path on the internet and can be used in data transmission.

Topology on a computer network
Computer networks have a topology that refers to the layout of a device that must be connected. Usually the topology is known as the virtual structure of the network. The shape is uncertain according to the actual physical layout of the network device. For example, a computer on a home network can be arranged with a circle in the family room. However, it is not possible to find various ring topologies there.

There are several types of network topologies:

Bus Topology
The bus network uses a cable for its backbone, this cable functions as a medium in communicating and communicating with other devices on the network by sending broadcast messages via a cable that is connected by 2 devices, but only the intended recipient and actually receives and processes the message.

Ring Topology
The ring network has two neighbors for the purpose of communication. Book a trip through the ring in the same direction as “clockwise” and even “counter-clockwise”.

Star Topology
Home networks often use this topology which has a central connection point known as a “hub node” and may be network hubs, routers, and switches. This topology is connected to the hub via Unshielded Twisted Pair or UPT Ethernet.

Tree Topology
This topology combines with the star topology to form a bus topology. In its simplest form, usually only jun devices can connect directly to the tree bus and per hub has a function as a root rather than a device tree.

Mesh Topology
This topology is introduced with the concept of routes, unlike other topologies, various quantities that can be sent on a mesh network can take one or more possible paths from the source to the destination.

Conclusion and closing
Computer networks will always be connected before they can work optimally to surf the internet, so it’s no wonder this network is also very dependent on internet access, both in speed and in the number of speeds.

The creation of this computer network is able to share resources without problems even though they are far apart. You can share data in the form of document data, videos, images and others with people who are farthest away or outside the country without any limitations on the number and access as long as the network is connected to the internet.

In addition you can also share storage and hardware by using hardware sharing. You can also share an existing internet connection with many people or what is called Internet Access Sharing using a router with the ability to easily allocate bandwidth to any computer that needs it.