What is Networking & How Does it Work?

What is Networking and How Does it Work?

Networking refers to the process of connecting computers, systems, and other devices together to facilitate communications, resources sharing, and collaboration. Networking involves two or more devices connected via cables, wireless mediums, or both in order to form a network. These networks can be used for communication and sharing of data and resources between two or more parties.

Types of Networks

Networks can be broadly divided into two categories: wired and wireless. Wired networks use physical cables connected between two or more devices while wireless networks use radio waves to transmit data between devices. In addition, networks are categorized based on the geographic area they connect such as local area networks (LANs) which span a small-to-medium sized area, and wide area networks (WANs) which span larger areas such as cities and even countries.

How Networks Work

Networks rely on several protocols or sets of rules and standards to enable communication between connected devices. These protocols typically provide guidelines on message framing and addressing, media access control, error detection and correction, routing, flow control, and other aspects of network communication. In addition, most networks rely on intermediary devices such as routers and switches that forward messages from one device to another over the network.

Networks also require unique identifiers for each device, known as an IP address, which allows the network to recognize and route messages to the intended device. Ultimately, networks provide a platform for users to share data, resources, and applications with other users on the network.