What Is A Network or IP Address?

       A network address is any logical or physical address that uniquely distinguishes a network node or device over a computer or telecommunications network. It is a numeric/symbolic number or address that is assigned to any device that seeks access to or is part of a network.

Computers on a network use a network address to identify, locate and address other computers. Besides individual devices, a network address is typically unique for each interface; for example, a computer's Wi-Fi and local area network (LAN) card has separate network addresses.

A network address is also known as the numerical network part of an IP Address. This is used to distinguish a network that has its own hosts and addresses. For example, in the IP address 192.168.1.0, the network address is 192.168.1.

Common examples of IP Address

Two Versions Of An Internet Protocol (IP) Address

1. IPv4 (Standard Version)

IPv4 (Internet Protocol Version 4) is the fourth revision of the Internet Protocol (IP) used to to identify devices on a network through an addressing system. The Internet Protocol is designed for use in interconnected systems of packet-switched computer communication networks.

IPv4 is the most widely deployed Internet protocol used to connect devices to the Internet. It uses a 32-bit address scheme allowing for a total of 2^32 addresses (just over 4 billion addresses).  With the growth of the Internet it is expected that the number of unused IPv4 addresses will eventually run out because eve -ry device- including computers, smartphones and game consoles -- that connects to the Internet requires an address.

2. IPv6 (Advanced Version)

A new Internet addressing system Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) is being deployed to fulfill the need for more Internet addresses.

IPv6 (Internet Protocol Version 6) is also called IPng (Internet Protocol next generation) and it is the newest version of the Internet Protocol (IP) reviewed in the IETF standards committees to replace the current version of IPv4 (Internet Protocol Version 4).

IPv6 is the successor to Internet Protocol Version 4 (IPv4). It was designed as an evolutionary upgrade to the Internet Protocol and will, in fact, coexist with the older IPv4 for some time. IPv6 is designed to allow the Internet to grow steadily, both in terms of the number of hosts connected and the total amount of data traffic transmitted.

Binary Digit

A binary digit, or bit, is the smallest unit of information in a computer. It is used for storing information and has a value of true/false, or on/off. An individual bit has a value of either 0 or 1, which is generally used to store data and implement instructions in groups of bytes. A computer is often classified by the number of bits it can process at one time or by the number of bits in a memory address. Many systems use four eight-bit bytes to form a 32-bit word.

The value of a bit is typically stored above or below an allocated level of an electrical charge within a capacitor inside a memory module. For devices that use positive logic, value 1 (true value or high) is positive voltage relative to the electrical ground and value 0 (false value or low) is 0 voltage.

                                   Example

Whole Number	Binary Number
10	00001010
100	01100100

Classes of IP Address

                          Class A -  1 to 126

  Class B -  128 to 191

  Class C -  192 to 223

  Class D -  224 to 239

  Class E -  240 to 255

  NOTE:

    127 – Loop back function of a network

    Class D – is for multicast

    Class E – reserved for future or experimental pusposes

Creating An IP Address

1.                 Right click My Network Places

2.                 Click Properties

3.                 Right click Local Area Connection

4.                 Click Properties

5.                 Click TCP/IP

6.                 Click Properties

o  Obtain an IP address automatically

o  Use the following IP address:

IP Address

Subnet Mask

7.                 Click Okay

IP Configuration

1.                 Click Start Button

2.                 Click run

3.                 Type cmd

4.                 Type ipconfig

5.                 Type ping(IP Address)

https://www.techopedia.com/definition/20969/network-address

https://www.webopedia.com/DidYouKnow/Internet/ipv6_ipv4_difference.html
https://www.techopedia.com/definition/2678/binary-digit-bit

What are the Types of Cable?

CONNECTING DEVICES

Cable

• 
  Alternatively referred to as a cord, connector or plug, a cable is one or more wires covered in a plastic covering that allows for the transmission of power or data between devices. The picture is an example of what the power cord may look like for your computer or monitor. The power cord is just one example of thousands of other cables found in and around computers.

Types of Cables

1. Twisted-pair cable

• The use of two wires twisted together helps to reduce crosstalk and electromagnetic induction. While twisted-pair cable is used by older telephone networks and is the least expensive type of local-area network (LAN) cable, most networks contain some twisted-pair cabling at some point along the network.

a. Shielded twisted pair (STP) cable

• Was originally designed by IBM for token ring networks that include two individual wires covered with a foil shielding, which prevents electromagnetic interference, thereby transporting data faster.

 

   b. Unshielded twisted pair (UTP) cables

•  are widely used in the computer and telecommunications industry as Ethernet cables and telephone wires. In an UTP cable, conductors which form a single circuit aretwisted around each other in order to cancel out electromagnetic interference (EMI) from external sources.

2.Coaxial cable

•  Is a type of electrical cable that has an inner conductor surrounded by a tubular insulating layer, surrounded by a tubular conducting shield. Many coaxial cables also have an insulating outer sheath or jacket.

3. Fiber-optic cable

•  An assembly similar to an electrical cable, but containing one or more optical fibers that are used to carry light. The optical fiber elements are typically individually coated with plastic layers and contained in a protective tube suitable for the environment where the cable will be deployed.

Straight-through-  is the most common type and is used to connect computers to hubs or switches. They are most likely what you will find when you go to your local computer store and buy a patch cable.

               

         Crossover- is more commonly used to connect a computer to a computer and may be a little harder to find since they aren’t used nearly as much as straight through cable.

Source: http://www.whichvoip.co.za/types-cabling

What are the Types of Network Topologies?

What is a Network Topology?

• Network Topology is the schematic description of a network arrangement, connecting various nodes(sender and receiver) through lines of connection.

TYPES OF NETWORK TOPOLOGY

1. Bus Topology

• In this arrangement computers and devices are connected to a single linear cable called a trunk. The trunk is also referred to as the backbone or a segment. Each end of the trunk must be discharged to prevent the signal from rebounding back up the cable.

2. Star Topology

• All computers and devices are connected to a main hub or switch. The hub or switch amasses and disburses the flow of data within the network. Star topology is the most common type of network and follows the Ethernet standard.
  

3. Ring Topology

• Computers and devices are connected to a closed loop cable. Here there are no terminating ends so if one system crashes the entire network goes down. Each computer functions as a repeater and charges the signal before sending it to the next station.
  
• In Ring topology data is sent through the network by way of a token. If the token isn’t carrying any data, a computer waiting to send data seizes it, attaches the data and the electronic address to the token and sends it on. Once the token is received by the destination computer it strips the data and the token is sent on. This is why it’s named a token ring network.

4. Mesh Topology

• Is a type of networking where all nodes cooperate to distribute data amongst each other.  This topology was originally developed 30+ years ago for military applications, but today, they are typically used for things like home automation, smart HVAC control, and smart buildings. Within this article, we’ll provide a general overview of how mesh topology works, the benefits and considerations associated with mesh networks, industry standards, and alternatives.
  

5. Hybrid Topology

• Is an interconnection of two or more basic network topologies, each of which contains its own nodes. The resulting interconnection allows the nodes in a given basic topology to communicate with other nodes in the same basic topology as well as those in other basic topologies within the hybrid topology. Advantages of a hybrid network includes increased flexibility as new basic topologies can easily be added or existing ones removed and increased fault tolerance.
  

Source: https://www.computerhope.com/jargon/n/network.htm

What are the Types of Computer Network?

What is a Network?

A network, in computing, is a group of two or more devices that can communicate. In practice, a network is comprised of a number of different computer systems connected by physical and/or wireless connections

There are several different types of computer networks. Computer networks can be characterized by their size as well as their purpose.

The size of a network can be expressed by the geographic area they occupy and the number of computers that are part of the network. Networks can cover anything from a handful of devices within a single room to millions of devices spread across the entire globe. 

Some of the different networks based on size are:

Personal area network, or PAN

Local area network, or LAN

Metropolitan area network, or MAN

Wide area network, or WAN

             TYPES OF COMPUTER NETWORKS

PERSONAL AREA NETWORK

    A personal area network, or PAN, is a computer network organized around an individual person within a single building. This could be inside a small office or residence. A typical PAN would include one or more computers, telephones, peripheral devices, video game consoles and other personal entertainment devices.

If multiple individuals use the same network within a residence, the network is sometimes referred to as a home area network, or HAN. In a very typical setup, a residence will have a single wired Internet connection connected to a modem. This modem then provides both wired and wireless connections for multiple devices. The network is typically managed from a single computer but can be accessed from any device.

This type of network provides great flexibility. For example, it allows you to:

• Send a document to the printer in the office upstairs while you are sitting on the couch with your laptop.
• Upload a photo from your cell phone to your desktop computer.
• Watch movies from an online streaming service to your TV.

If this sounds familiar to you, you likely have a PAN in your house without having called it by its name.

              LOCAL AREA NETWORK

   A local area network, or LAN, consists of a computer network at a single site, typically an individual office building. A LAN is very useful for sharing resources, such as data storage and printers. LANs can be built with relatively inexpensive hardware, such as hubs, network adapters and Ethernet cables.

The smallest LAN may only use two computers, while larger LANs can accommodate thousands of computers. A LAN typically relies mostly on wired connections for increased speed and security, but wireless connections can also be part of a LAN. High speed and relatively low cost are the defining characteristics of LANs.

LANs are typically used for single sites where people need to share resources among themselves but not with the rest of the outside world. Think of an office building where everybody should be able to access files on a central server or be able to print a document to one or more central printers. Those tasks should be easy for everybody working in the same office, but you would not want somebody just walking outside to be able to send a document to the printer from their cell phone! If a local area network, or LAN, is entirely wireless, it is referred to as a wireless local area network, or WLAN.

  METROPOLITAN AREA NETWORK

 

         A metropolitan area network, or MAN, consists of a computer network across an entire city, college campus or small region. A MAN is larger than a LAN, which is typically limited to a single building or site. Depending on the configuration, this type of network can cover an area from several miles to tens of miles. A MAN is often used to connect several LANs together to form a bigger network. When this type of network is specifically designed for a college campus, it is sometimes referred to as a campus area network, or CAN.

                                   WIDE AREA NETWORK

        A wide area network, or WAN, occupies a very large area, such as an entire country or the entire world. A WAN can contain multiple smaller networks, such as LANs or MANs. The Internet is the best-known example of a public WAN.

As the world is increasingly interconnected, everyone shares the responsibility of securing cyberspace

~Newton Lee

Source: https://www.techopedia.com/definition/5537/network 

How To Be A Responsible Netizen?

"Every good citizen adds to the strength of a nation"

~Gordon B. Hinckley