‭What is a Computer Network?

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‭ etworking is the interconnection of computers, servers, and other‬
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‭devices to share resources and information. A network is a collection of‬
‭connected computers and devices to enable communication and data‬
‭exchange.‬

‭Terminologies of Computer Networks:‬

‭ odes:‬‭Nodes are devices that are connected to a network.‬‭These can‬
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‭include computers, Servers, Printers, Routers, Switches, and other‬
‭devices.‬
‭ rotocol:‬‭A protocol is a set of rules and standards‬‭that govern how‬
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‭data is transmitted over a network. Examples of protocols include‬
‭TCP/IP, HTTP, and FTP.‬
‭ ervice Provider Networks:‬‭These types of Networks‬‭give permission‬
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‭to take Network Capacity and Functionality on lease from the Provider.‬
‭Service Provider Networks include Wireless Communications, Data‬
‭Carriers, etc.‬
‭ NS:‬‭The Domain Name System (DNS) is a protocol that‬‭is used to‬
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‭translate human-readable domain names (such as www.google.com)‬
i‭nto IP addresses that computers can understand. For example, use dig‬
‭or ping command in Linux to check the domain IP.‬
‭ irewall:‬‭A firewall is a security device that is‬‭used to monitor and‬
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‭control incoming and outgoing network traffic. Firewalls are used to‬
‭protect networks from unauthorized access and other security threats.‬

‭Types of Networks:‬
‭●‬ L
‭ AN (Local Area Network): A network limited to a small geographic‬
‭area like a home or office.‬
‭●‬ W
‭ AN (Wide Area Network): A network spread over a large‬
‭geographical area, such as the Internet.‬
‭●‬ M
‭ AN (Metropolitan Area Network): Larger than a LAN but smaller‬
‭than a WAN, typically covering a city.‬

‭Types of Computer Network Architecture‬

‭Computer Network falls under these broad Categories:‬
‭●‬ ‭Client-Server Architecture:‬‭Client-Server Architecture is‬‭a type‬
‭of Computer Network Architecture in which Nodes can be‬
‭Servers or Clients. Here, the server node can manage the Client‬
‭Node Behaviour.‬
‭●‬ ‭Peer-to-Peer Architecture: ‬‭In P2P (Peer-to-Peer) Architecture,‬
‭there is not any concept of a Central Server. Each device is free‬
‭for working as either client or server.‬
‭Network Devices:‬
‭ witches:‬‭A switch is a network device that connects‬‭multiple devices‬
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‭(such as computers, servers, or printers) within the same local area‬
‭network (LAN) and enables communication between them.‬
‭ xample‬‭: In a company’s office, switches connect all‬‭employee‬
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‭computers to the network, allowing them to share resources like printers‬
‭and file servers.‬
‭ ub:‬ ‭A hub is a simple network device that connects‬‭multiple devices in‬
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‭a network but sends data to all devices rather than a specific destination.‬
‭ xample‬‭: In older networks, hubs were used to connect‬‭several‬
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‭computers, but they are largely outdated due to inefficiency.‬
‭ outer:‬‭A router is a device that forwards data packets‬‭between‬
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‭different networks. It connects devices in a local network (LAN) to the‬
‭wider internet (WAN).‬
‭ xample:‬‭A home router connects your devices (laptops,‬‭smartphones)‬
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‭to your internet service provider (ISP), allowing access to the internet.‬
‭ odem‬‭: A modem (short for modulator-demodulator) is‬‭a device that‬
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‭converts digital data from a computer into analog signals for‬
‭transmission over telephone lines or cable systems, and vice versa.‬
‭ xample:‬‭In most homes, the modem connects directly‬‭to the internet‬
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‭service provided by the ISP, allowing devices to access the internet.‬
‭ ridge:‬‭A bridge is a network device used to connect‬‭two or more LANs,‬
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‭creating a single network. It helps in dividing a larger network into‬
‭smaller segments.‬
‭ xample:‬‭A bridge can connect two buildings within‬‭the same office‬
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‭complex, allowing the computers in each building to communicate as‬
‭though they are on the same network.‬
‭ SI Model:‬‭The OSI (Open Systems Interconnection) model is a‬
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‭conceptual framework that standardizes networking functions into 7‬
‭layers.‬
‭●‬ ‭Layer 1‬‭: Physical (Cables, Hubs)‬
‭●‬ ‭Layer 2‬‭: Data Link (MAC addresses, Switches)‬
‭●‬ ‭Layer 3‬‭: Network (IP addresses, Routers)‬
‭●‬ ‭Layer 4‬‭: Transport (TCP, UDP)‬
‭●‬ ‭Layer 5‬‭: Session (Session management, Authentication)‬
‭●‬ ‭Layer 6‬‭: Presentation (Encryption, Formatting)‬
‭●‬ ‭Layer 7‬‭: Application (HTTP, FTP, DNS)‬
‭ rying to use the phrase "Please Don’t Spa" to remember the layers of‬
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‭the OSI model.‬
‭ CP/IP Model‬‭: A simplified, practical version of the OSI model,‬
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‭consisting of 4 layers.‬
‭●‬ ‭Application Layer‬‭: Handles high-level protocols (HTTP,‬‭FTP).‬
‭●‬ T
‭ ransport Layer‬‭: Provides end-to-end communication‬
‭(TCP/UDP).‬
‭●‬ ‭Internet Layer‬‭: Routes data packets (IP).‬
‭●‬ ‭Network Access Layer‬‭: Manages hardware connections.‬
‭ CP:‬‭TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) is one of the main protocols‬
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‭of the Internet protocol suite. It lies between the Application and Network‬
‭Layers which are used in providing reliable delivery services. It is a‬
‭connection-oriented protocol for communications that helps in the‬
‭exchange of messages between different devices over a network. The‬
‭Internet Protocol (IP), which establishes the technique for sending data‬
‭packets between computers, works with TCP.‬

‭ DP:‬‭User Datagram Protocol (UDP) is a Transport Layer‬‭protocol. UDP‬

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‭is a part of the Internet Protocol suite, referred to as the UDP/IP suite.‬
‭Unlike TCP, it is an unreliable and connectionless protocol. So, there is‬
‭no need to establish a connection before data transfer. The UDP helps‬
‭to establish low-latency and loss-tolerating connections established over‬
‭the network. The UDP enables process-to-process communication.‬

‭Difference between TCP & UDP:‬

‭TCP (Transmission Control Protocol)‬‭:‬
‭●‬ ‭Connection-oriented, reliable, ensures data is received in order.‬
‭●‬ ‭Used for: Web browsing (HTTP), File transfers (FTP).‬
‭UDP (User Datagram Protocol)‬‭:‬
‭●‬ ‭Connectionless, faster but less reliable.‬
 ‭●‬ ‭Used for: Streaming, Online gaming, VoIP.‬

‭ etwork Protocols:‬
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‭A‬ ‭protocol‬ ‭is‬ ‭a‬ ‭set‬ ‭of‬ ‭rules‬ ‭or‬‭algorithms‬‭which‬‭define‬‭the‬‭way‬‭how‬‭two‬
‭entities‬‭can‬‭communicate‬‭across‬‭the‬‭network‬‭and‬‭there‬‭exists‬‭a‬‭different‬
‭protocol‬ ‭defined‬ ‭at‬ ‭each‬ ‭layer‬ ‭of‬ ‭the‬ ‭OSI‬ ‭model.‬ ‭A‬ ‭few‬ ‭such‬ ‭protocols‬
‭are TCP, IP, UDP, ARP, DHCP, FTP, and so on.‬
‭ RP:‬ ‭ARP‬ ‭(Address‬ ‭Resolution‬ ‭Protocol)‬ ‭is‬ ‭an‬ ‭important‬ ‭protocol‬ ‭that‬
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‭plays‬‭an‬‭important‬‭role‬‭in‬‭the‬‭networking‬‭world.‬‭When‬‭working‬‭with‬‭your‬
‭network‬ ‭systems,‬ ‭this‬ ‭protocol‬ ‭helps‬ ‭to‬ ‭identify‬ ‭specified‬ ‭network‬
‭devices‬ ‭and‬ ‭find‬ ‭their‬ ‭addresses.‬ ‭Its‬ ‭main‬ ‭purpose‬ ‭is‬ ‭to‬ ‭duly‬ ‭transport‬
‭data‬ ‭packets‬ ‭over‬‭the‬‭network,‬‭allowing‬‭them‬‭to‬‭move‬‭between‬‭devices‬
‭connected‬ ‭to‬ ‭your‬ ‭heritage‬ ‭network.‬ ‭Run‬ ‭the‬ ‭arp‬ ‭-a‬ ‭command‬ ‭in‬ ‭your‬
‭windows/linux terminal to check your arp tables.‬

‭Common Networking Protocols‬

‭●‬ H ‭ TTP/HTTPS‬‭: Hypertext Transfer Protocol (Secure) used‬‭for web‬

‭traffic.‬
‭●‬ ‭FTP/SFTP‬‭: File Transfer Protocol (Secure) used for‬‭transferring files.‬
‭●‬ ‭DNS‬‭: Domain Name System, translates domain names to‬‭IP addresses.‬
‭●‬ ‭DHCP‬‭: Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol, assigns‬‭IP addresses‬
‭automatically.‬
‭●‬ ‭ICMP‬‭: Internet Control Message Protocol, used for‬‭diagnostic tools like‬
‭ping.‬
‭●‬ ‭SSH‬‭: Secure Shell, used for secure remote connections.‬

I‭P Addressing‬‭: An IP (Internet Protocol) address is‬‭a unique identifier‬

‭for a device on a network. Also known as the Logical Address, the IP‬
‭Address is the network address of the system across the network. To‬
‭identify each device in the world-wide-web, the Internet Assigned‬
‭Numbers Authority (IANA) assigns an IPV4 (Version 4) address as a‬
‭unique identifier to each device on the Internet‬‭.‬‭In Windows Type‬
‭“ipconfig” in the command prompt and press ‘Enter’, this gives us the IP‬
‭address of the device. For Linux, Type “ifconfig” in the terminal and‬
‭press ‘Enter’ this gives us the IP address of the device.‬
‭●‬ I‭Pv4‬‭: A 32-bit address format like 192.168.1.1. It‬‭has four groups‬
‭of numbers between 0 and 255.‬
 ‭●‬ I‭Pv6‬‭: A 128-bit address format like‬
‭2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334. It allows more‬
‭unique addresses compared to IPv4.‬
‭●‬ ‭Public vs. Private IPs‬‭:‬
o‬‭Public IP‬‭: Routable on the internet and globally unique.‬
‭
o‬‭Private IP‬‭: Used within a local network (e.g., 192.168.x.x).‬
‭

‭ ubnetting‬‭: Subnetting divides a large network into‬‭smaller‬

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‭subnetworks (subnets) to improve efficiency and security.‬
‭●‬ S
‭ ubnet Mask‬‭: Used to determine which portion of an‬‭IP address is‬
‭the network and which is the host. Example: 255.255.255.0 (for‬
‭Class C networks).‬
‭●‬ ‭CIDR Notation‬‭: Represents IP ranges (e.g., 192.168.1.0/24).‬

‭ AC Address (Media Access Control address):‬‭Also known‬‭as‬

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‭physical address, the MAC Address is the unique identifier of each host‬
‭and is associated with its NIC (Network Interface Card). A MAC address‬
‭is assigned to the NIC at the time of manufacturing. The length of the‬
‭MAC address is: 12-nibble/ 6 bytes/ 48 bits Type “ipconfig /all” in the‬
‭command prompt and press ‘Enter’, this gives us the MAC address.‬

‭Format:‬‭T‭y‬ pically written in hexadecimal as 00:1A:2B:3C:4D:5E.‬