Internet and Web | Class 12 Informatics Practices Notes

5.1 INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER NETWORKS

In today's connected world, information is produced, exchanged, and traced globally in real time due to the interconnection of digital entities. A network is defined as a group of two or more similar things or people interconnected with each other. Networks are prevalent in everyday life, such as social networks, mobile networks, computer networks, and networks in airlines, railways, banks, and hospitals. Specifically, a computer network is an interconnection among two or more computers or computing devices that allows sharing of data and resources. The size of a network can vary from a few computers in a room to millions of devices spread worldwide. Hosts or nodes in a network can be servers, desktops, laptops, or mobile devices. Data communication in networks is achieved by dividing data into smaller chunks called packets, which are transmitted over wired or wireless media. Nodes in a network include any device capable of receiving, creating, storing, or sending data, such as modems, hubs, switches, routers, printers, or computers. The interconnectivity enables simultaneous information exchange through emails, websites, audio/video calls, and resource sharing like printers or storage. Personal networks can be created using hotspots, connecting devices wirelessly in a small area.

📊 Diagram: Figure 5.1: Interconnection forming a social network; Figure 5.2: A computer network; Identify some other networks in the real world.

🧪 Activity: Activity 5.1: Identify some other networks in the real world.

🔗 Connection: This section introduces the concept of networks and nodes, leading to the next section which classifies types of computer networks based on size and coverage.