Introduction
Computer networking is now in our everyday life in the current society we find ourselves. Now starting from internet to communication of data via clouds and other services, data communication has become part and parcel of our life. They support all the interactions we have with web sites, applications, and services we use in our day to day basis. This paper will attempt to capture all the key aspects of computer networking that anyone who might be remotely interested in the technology and practice should know.
The five core assets of computer networking
First of all, to gain understanding about the nature of computer networking, one must be aware of the main building blocks of the field. These include:
1. Networking Devices: Computer peripherals which allows computers to be connected in a network. Networking devices are easily recognisable and include; routers, switches, modems, and access points.
2. Network Protocols: These are procedures or protocols that determine how the devices within a network should engage themselves. The protocols are a way by which different units of the device can communicate. Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), File Transfer Protocol (FTP) and Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) are all included.
3. Network Topologies: Network topologies refer to the design that shows how a network of computers is joined or can be connected. Below are various network topologies; the bus topology, star topology, ring topology, mesh topology, and tree topology.
4. Network Services: These are basic components, which support many functions of a network. Some of the network services are folder sharing, printer, mail services including DNS and DCHP.
Transmission Process of Data in Computer Networking
The focal area of computer networking consists of data communication. Data transmission is the sharing of information from one or one group of devices to another through a network. Here’s a step-by-step look at how data transmission works in a computer network:
1. Application Layer: The process is started at the application layer where the data is created by a user or an application.
2. Transport Layer: The information then move to the transport layer that divides it into segments with a protocol chosen to regulate data flow –TCP or UDP.
3. Internet Layer: At internet layer, every packet is given an identifier in the form of IP address so that it can successfully travel through the network.
4. Network Access Layer: Finally, the data going through the networking devices (routers and switches) gets the data to the network access layer to reach the network.
Popular Networking Protocols and Ideas
Computer networking involves some significant technologies and phenomena, which have to be comprehended in order to hold a clear vision of the networking environment. Here are some of the most significant ones:
1. Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi also known as Wireless Fidelity is a technique that facilitates connection to the internet without use of veritable cables. It uses radio frequencies to transmit information, and is fundamental to connecting home and mobile broadband.
2. Ethernet: In wired network doing the job is Ethernet which uses the cables to connect the devices to the network. It is very common in homes, offices and data centers for consistent and swift data transfer.
3. IPv6: Internet Protocol version 6 or IPv6 is current version of the Internet Protocol. IPv6 provides far more number of IP addresses than its predecessor IPv4 and therefore supports far more devices that connect to the internet.
4. Network Security: Due to the increases risk of data loss or devices our network security is one of the most important aspect of computer networking. Traditional security strategies encompass the following; firewalls, antivirus, virtual private networks, and encryption.
5. Cloud Computing: Cloud computing can be described as the use of the internet to supply computing services such as storage and processing. Its use has also changed how data is stored and accessed, making available applications, data and information via the internet connection.
Conclusion
Computer networking is broad and complex field of study which lies at the root of current technological advancement. It binds the devices we use day in day out, allowing communication and incidence of businesses all over the world. The main aims of this paper are to provide untimed and detailed explanation of computer networking, its components, technologies, and concerns, so that one can fully embrace and value the impact of computer networking in enhancing life. As advancement in networking technologies is featuring more improvement day by day, the future of computer networking is very bright in coming up with a world built on a more connected society.
