Networks - Research Article from Macmillan Science Library: Computer Sciences

This encyclopedia article consists of approximately 4 pages of information about Networks.

Networks - Research Article from Macmillan Science Library: Computer Sciences

This encyclopedia article consists of approximately 4 pages of information about Networks.
This section contains 1,093 words
(approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page)
Buy the Networks Encyclopedia Article

In its simplest form, networking takes place between two devices that are directly connected. However, it is often impractical for devices to be directly connected, such as when devices are far apart or when more than two devices want to communicate. The solution is to attach each device to a communication network. Communication networks can be categorized on the basis of architecture and techniques to transfer data:

  1. broadcast networks, where a transmission from any device is broadcast and received by all other stations;
  2. circuit-switched networks, where a dedicated connection is established between devices on a network across switching nodes within the network;
  3. packet-switched networks, where data are sent in smaller units, called "packets," from node to node within a network from source to destination.

Basic Configurations

The basic configuration, or topology, of a network is the geometric representation of all the links and nodes of a network. A...

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This section contains 1,093 words
(approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page)
Buy the Networks Encyclopedia Article
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Networks from Macmillan. Copyright © 2001-2006 by Macmillan Reference USA, an imprint of the Gale Group. All rights reserved.