A computer
network consists of two or more computers that are linked in order to
share resources such as printers and CD-ROMs, exchange files, or allow
electronic communications. The computers on a computer network may be
linked through cables, telephone lines, radio waves, satellites, or
infrared light beams.
Computer network can be classified on the basis of following features :
By Scale:Computer networks may be classified according to the scale :
Local Area Network (LAN)
Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
Wide Area Network (WAN)
Computer network can be classified on the basis of following features :
By Scale:Computer networks may be classified according to the scale :
Local Area Network (LAN)
Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
Wide Area Network (WAN)
By Connection Method: Computer
networks can also be classified according to the hardware technology
that is used to connect the individual devices in the network such as Optical fibre, Ethernet, Wireless LAN.
By Functional Relationship (Network Architectures) : Computer
networks may be classified according to the functional relationships
which exist between the elements of the network. This classification
also called computer architecture. There are two type of network
architecture :
- Client-Server
- Peer-to-Peer Architecture
