6.1 Network as a System
A computer network is a system of linked devices and computers that may exchange data and operate together. Networks can range from small, Local Area Network (LANs, Local Area Networks) to large area network, WANs, including the Internet. Networks are arranged of various elements that work together to facilitate communication depicted in Figure 6.1.
Figure 6.1: Network Diagram
The primary components include:
- Nodes: Devices that are connected to the network, such as computers, smartphones, and printers.
- Links: The connections between nodes, which can be wired (like Ethernet cables) or wireless (like Wi-Fi).
- Switches: Devices that connect multiple nodes within a network to forward data.
- Routers: Devices that connect different networks and direct data packets between them.
Did You Know
The Internet is the largest network, connecting all the networks worldwide!
Example of Using Switches
- Imagine a file transfer in an office network. You send a file from your computer to a colleague's computer in another room.
- The file is split into packets, and each packet has the destination MAC address (your colleague's computer).
- The packets are sent to a network switch.
- The switch examines the Media Access Control address and forwards the packets only to the port where your colleague's computer is connected.
- Once all packets are received, your colleague's computer reassembles them into the original file.
Example: Air Travel System
Think of sending people via air travel. Here's how it relates:
- When traveling, passengers (data) might be split into groups (packets) and assigned different flights (paths). In packet switching each group has a ticket with the final destination (IP address).
- These groups might take different routes, through various airports (routers), to reach the final destination.