A home network is a small sized LAN that is used to connected devices within the small area of a home. It facilitates sharing of files, peripheral devices, programs and Internet access among the computers in a home. Home networks may be wired, i.e. connections within devices are done with cables; or wireless, i.e. connections are provided using Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.Purpose of Home NetworksModemRouterNetwork SwitchNetwork BridgeHome Automation Controller

A wide area network (WAN) is a computer network that covers a large geographical area comprising a region, a country, a continent or even the whole world. WAN includes the technologies to transmit data, image, audio and video information over long distances and among different LANs and MANs.The distinguishing features of WAN areWANs have a large capacity, connecting a large number of computers over a large area, and are inherently scalable.They facilitate the sharing of regional resources.They provide uplinks for connecting LANs and MANs to the Internet.Communication links are provided by public carriers like telephone networks, network providers, cable systems, ... Read More

A metropolitan area network (MAN) is a network with a size greater than LAN but smaller than a WAN. It normally comprises networked interconnections within a city that also offers a connection to the Internet.The distinguishing features of MAN areNetwork size generally ranges from 5 to 50 km. It may be as small as a group of buildings in a campus to as large as covering the whole city.Data rates are moderate to high.In general, a MAN is either owned by a user group or by a network provider who sells service to users, rather than a single organization as ... Read More

A Local Area Network (LAN) is a private network that connects computers and devices within a limited area like a residence, an office, a building or a campus. On a small scale, LANs are used to connect personal computers to printers. However, LANs can also extend to a few kilometers when used by companies, where a large number of computers share a variety of resources like hardware (e.g. printers, scanners, audiovisual devices etc), software (e.g. application programs) and data.The distinguishing features of LAN areNetwork size is limited to a small geographical area, presently to a few kilometers.Data transfer rate is ... Read More

The basic computer hardware components that are needed to set up a network are as follows −Network CablesNetwork cables are the transmission media to transfer data from one device to another. A commonly used network cable is category 5 cable with RJ – 45 connector, as shown in the image below:RoutersA router is a connecting device that transfers data packets between different computer networks. Typically, they are used to connect a PC or an organization’s LAN to a broadband internet connection. They contain RJ-45 ports so that computers and other devices can connect with them using network cables.Repeaters, Hubs, and ... Read More

Computer networks have become invaluable to organizations as well as individuals. Some of its main uses are as follows −Information and Resource Sharing − Computer networks allow organizations having units which are placed apart from each other, to share information in a very effective manner. Programs and software in any computer can be accessed by other computers linked to the network. It also allows sharing of hardware equipment, like printers and scanners among varied users.Retrieving Remote Information − Through computer networks, users can retrieve remote information on a variety of topics. The information is stored in remote databases to which ... Read More