Networking

Introduction

Usually between people networking is simply the exchange of information for the building and development of relationships. 

In the same way too, a computer network is a group of connected computers that can interact and exchange data and information. A computer network will allow the sending and receiving of all types of data and information electronically between two or more computers. 

There are 6 types of computer networks. Each of them performs the same function but differs in terms of capacity. They are:

Personal Area Network (PAN)

This is the smallest computer network and it is for a single user. You can usually connect a small number of devices like a laptop and a printer or a speaker and a computer. It can work within a small building. Moving farther than that will disconnect you. Bluetooth is an example of a personal area network. If you have used this to connect a speaker to a computer before, you will notice that you can’t connect more than a single device to your computer at once. 

Local Area Network (LAN)

This is bigger than PAN. It can work for more than just a single building. It can work over three to four buildings depending on how close the computers are to the network provider. An example is a wired router in an apartment complex or an office. A disadvantage of a router however is that some have a number limit to stop people from connecting.

Wireless local area network (WLAN)

Some WLANs are wireless. You don’t have to worry about cables and wires. You just have to be close enough to get a great signal. An example of a WLAN is wifi. Phones and computers that have wifi can act as network providers for other computers. Wireless routers also fall into WLAN.

Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)

For MAN, it is not LAN or PAN that comes from a single source. It just connects various LANs. MAN goes farther than buildings or streets. It can span over towns and cities. It can be done by an individual but it is mostly handled by companies. An example of MAN is a telephone company. They may supply to a whole country but they work in geographic regions or divisions. That’s why the network in one place in terms of speed and strength differs from another. 

Wide Area Network (WAN)

This is the biggest type of area network. It is worldwide, covering all countries. An example is the internet. With the internet, you can be in one country and still communicate with someone in another country. You may be connected to a LAN but the LAN is connected to a WAN that allows you to communicate over these long distances. Due to how large it is, some people are put in place to manage and administrate its distribution.

Virtual Private Network (VPN)

The sole purpose of a VPN is to hide your identity. By doing this you can protect yourself from hackers. It will increase your privacy and give you cybersecurity. It is important to always use a VPN when you connect to the internet, especially over a public network. Here is a good example of what a VPN can do: If I am in India and I am trying to access a particular educational website, I am not allowed access due to my location. With a VPN I can change my location to another country and the VPN will give me access to the website to continue learning. 

Computer network and operating system

While a computer network will connect you to other computers to send and receive information, a program called the operating system will help to manage them. Without an operating system, a computer is almost useless as there is very little that can be done. That said, what is an operating system?

Operating system 

An operating system is a program whose function is to coordinate and manage all other application programs. Application programs are programs that are made to perform specific tasks for the user.

Operating systems exist for many technological devices like phones, laptops, computers, and some televisions. There are examples of operating systems too like Windows. Let’s look at three types of operating systems: Linux operating system, Unix operating system, and real-time operating system.

Linux Operating System

Linux operating system that can be found in many computers, phones, and televisions. It was first released on September 17, 1991, its programming language is assembly language. Linux also powers some household appliances and even supercomputers. 

Linux powers Android that is used in most mobile phones. It is similar to UNIX. Linux can receive input, send it to the processor for processing, and thereafter displays it on the hardware.

Unix Operating System 

The Unix operating system is used on personal computers and servers. It was released on 3rd November 1971. Its programming language is an assembly language. It is easier to use than Linux. 

A feature of Unix is that it is always developing. While Linux can be used for more things than Unix, Unix is known for being able to function on many systems and multitasking. Unix comes in many versions so it can work on many computers and servers.

Real-Time Operating System

The real-time operating system carries out multiple tasks at the same time without interrupting others. This means that if your computer is loading a webpage and it has to scan for a virus, the webpage will keep loading and the anti-virus scan will still be running. It does everything it is told to do without delay and interruption. It is used in robotics and airplane flights. 

Conclusion

Without operating systems to coordinate application programs, networking between computers will not be possible. The operating system will perform tasks, organize the system and produce results. It will also allow the computer to connect to a computer network allowing it to interact with other computers. The operating system comes in different types like Linux, Unix, and Windows, and they function based on the type of computer and the tasks they are given. When operating systems are put in place they can allow the computer to connect to different computer networks no matter how small or big i.e. PAN to WAN and VPN.