In this tutorial, we talk about What is computer network? Why do we need a network?, and Goals of network.
Table of Contents
What is Computer Network?
A computer network is a system in which two or more computers are connected using cable or wireless technology to sending and receiving data for the purpose of communication.
It is a communication between two or more computers where they share our resources, exchange files, etc.
A network is a group of interconnected computers for the purpose of communication. Interconnected computers mean computers are not directly connected to each other, there are many network devices (like routers, modems, etc.) and software protocols between them that helps to connect the computers.
In computer network, we have one sender and one receiver. Sender and receiver are the machines, where the sender is trying to send the data and the receiver is trying to receive the data.
How to create a network?
To create a network, we need some kind of connection between the sending and receiving machines. That connection can be a wired or wireless connection. So through the connection, the data will move from one device to another device.
Why do we need a network?
Just think about it why we need a network, you read this article because of the network, I share this information on the internet which is the largest network in the world and that is not possible without the network
If you want to share files we need a network or even if we want to print something then we also need a network between the computer and the printer.
So the answer is simple, we need a network for communication or to share our resources.
Some people think that the network means only the internet, but network does not mean internet. Yes, the internet is the largest network in the world where thousands of network devices are connected. But if we connect two computers (or any two devices) for the purpose of communication (or share resources) that is also a network. So a network can be as small as two computers or as big as the internet.
Goals of Network
So now we are understanding, what the benefits of computer networks are or what the goals of computer networks are.
Hardware Sharing:
We can share devices on the network such as – printers, scanners, CD-ROM, hard drives, etc.
If you see in a company or a school have one printer and all the computers can print on that single printer that is possible because we create a network between computers and printer. It’s just a single example there are many devices we share on the network.
Another example, when you need a website on the internet you need hosting, so the hosting providing company also gives us some space so we can host our site on the internet. So that hosting companies share our hardware resources on the internet this is possible because of the network.
File sharing:
We can also share our files on network means if I want to share a document with my friend, so I can easily share that document. You can download movie files or music files on network or you can share digital books online.
There are many examples of file sharing like we can upload video files on YouTube, we can buy digital books on amazon, PDF files, etc.
Application Sharing:
We can also share applications on the network means we can access applications remotely through a network.
Using a network, we can remotely access applications or documents, which runs on different computers and access different computers.
Through a network, we can also access those applications which are even not compatible with our system or the system is too weak to run that application.
Data & Information Sharing
In a networked environment, the computer on a network can access and use a computer to access data and information stores on other computers in the network.
For example, in a large company, the database of customer information is stored on a server’s hard disk. Any authorized person using a modem can connect to the network and can access the data. The capability of providing access to retrieve data from a remote computer/server and store data on a remote computer/server is an important feature on many networks.
User Communication:
Users can communicate in the network, which is the main benefit of the network.
Through the network, we can communicate written, voices, or videos.
We use email, video conferencing, newsgroups, etc for communication.
There are many services like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc, which provide communication services between users on the network.
Network Gaming:
Network also helps to play games with other people.
Today’s network plays a bigger role in the gaming industry, where many peoples are connected to each other in a game and they all play together.
Today’s in mobiles, most of the games we play through a network where two or more people play each other and also they can communicate with each other.