By: Benedict Smythe
Submitted: 2008-11-20 01:58:48 | Word Count: 516
It seems as if almost everything we own somehow has a computer of its own. Our cars, watches, music players, and even our homes have computers in them. What’s convenient is that all of these can be connected through computer networking. There are a number of types of computer networks. Some of them are larger than others, but all have their own functions.
Computer networking: personal area network
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This type of computer networking includes devices such as scanners, printers, and webcams. These are all devices that are connected to your own computer, and are controlled by it. Because of the number of devices that you can connect to your computer, it has become difficult to manage all the wires that are flying around. It’s great that there have been a lot of advances in wireless technology. This saves a lot of space, and the hassles of wires as well. A lot of devices now have infrared and Bluetooth technology so that you are no longer burdened by tangling wires.
Computer networking: local area network
A local area network (LAN) is a number of computers that are connected within the vicinity (room, office, building, house, etc.). They are connected through the use of a LAN cable and are able to exchange information with each other. An example of this is the security system of a building. For example, a museum could have a number of security cameras, security sensors, alarms, and monitors that are all connected into one network.
Another great use for LAN is for gaming. A lot of gaming enthusiasts have been raving about multiplayer games through LAN. This way, they are able to play with a number of players, in the same game, at the same time. This has created a whole new experience with gamers because they are able to interact with 20 to even 50 players at a time. It has become an increasingly social activity because they are no longer limited to playing by himself or herself or with one other player.
Computer networking: the Internet
The Internet is said to be the largest network in the world. It is a collection of networks that are connected together. It is spelled with the capital case “I” to distinguish it from other inter networks such as intranet and extranet. It has become a part of everyday society and so many things can be done through this phenomenon. It all started out as a program by the military so that they are able to exchange information with each other.
It wouldn’t be too long until keen eyed businessmen saw it’s potential and brought it to the everyday consumer. This is how Internet service providers were formed. Now, you can have food delivered, go shopping, find a mate, watch movies, participate in fantasy basketball leagues, and download music through the Internet.
Computer networking has really created a lot of opportunities for other industries to flourish. Life has definitely become easier because of computers, and their connection with each other. With each development in computer networking, higher productivity comes as a positive result.
