Networking means connecting two or more devices so they can share data and talk to each other. It can be a simple home Wi-Fi or the global Internet.
LAN vs WAN
LAN (Local Area Network): Small area like a house or office. You own the hardware.
WAN (Wide Area Network): Huge area like a country. The Internet is a WAN. You rent the lines.
Network Hardware & Topologies
NIC: The internal hardware that lets a device connect to a network. Switch: Connects devices on a LAN and sends data ONLY to the right device. Router: Connects your LAN to the Internet (WAN). WAP: Allows wireless (Wi-Fi) connections.
Star vs Mesh Layout
Star: All devices plug into a central switch. Easy to set up, but if the switch breaks, everyone is offline.
[Image of star network topology]
Mesh: Every device connects to every other device. Very reliable but expensive and complex to wire.
[Image of mesh network topology]
TCP/IP & The OSI Model
TCP/IP is the "rulebook" for the internet. IP handles the address, and TCP makes sure the data arrives perfectly in order.
Feature
OSI Model (7 layers)
TCP/IP Model (4 layers)
Use
Theoretical (for learning)
Practical (Real-world)
Focus
Standard framework
The actual Internet
The Cloud & DNS
The Cloud: Storing your files on a remote server you access via the internet.
DNS (Domain Name System): The Internet's phonebook. It turns google.com into an IP address like 142.250.190.46 so computers can find it.
Test Your Knowledge (10 Questions)
Exam-Style Practice
Try to answer these, then click to see the model answer:
1. Explain one advantage of a Star topology.
View Model Answer
If one cable breaks, only that computer is disconnected; the rest of the network stays online. It is also easy to add new devices.
2. Why is a Mesh topology more reliable than a Star?
View Model Answer
A Mesh has "redundancy," meaning there are multiple paths for data. If one connection fails, data can take another route.
3. What is the role of the DNS?
View Model Answer
It translates human-friendly domain names (URLs) into IP addresses that routers can understand.
Vocabulary Glossary
NIC: Network Interface Card. Hardware inside your device.
WAP: Wireless Access Point. Broadcasts Wi-Fi.
Bandwidth: The amount of data that can travel at once.
Protocol: A set of rules for how data is sent.
IP Address: A unique number for every device online.
Switch: Directs data to specific devices on a LAN.