What is a Network? How Does a Network Work?

Understanding a network and what a network does requires knowing what the two parts of the word mean. A net is a “combination of filaments, lines, veins or passages.” That description covers a lot of things: fishing nets, subway systems, a system of organization within a large company and so on. Lines or filaments connect at certain points to form the net itself, a larger entity that has a certain job to do.

That’s where the “work” comes in. In computing, telecommunications and on the World Wide Web a “net” of communications lines are connected at various points such as computer terminals, printers, even telephones and other video/audio devices. Networks also include more mechanical/static items such as hubs, routers and bridges that handle information in particular ways. These all work together. If we could actually see the connections and the lines we might envision the entire structure as a net.

In pure Internet-computing terms, a network is made up of our personal computers, printers, cable that brings the Internet to us, the modem that alters and distributes the incoming information and any other devices that are used. This could take place over an entire community, a nation or even around the world. Networks are common within corporations, with access restricted to employees and others given passwords or “keys” to work within the company’s net.

It may be best to take a look at a hypothetical computer/Web network. Somewhere far from your individual computer there is an individual or a business that has another, probably larger computer. Stored on this company’s computers are thousands of pieces of information – in the form of simple text, pictures, video, Web pages etc. This company’s computers are connected to the “outside world” by cable or by wireless signal. In one case, the cable carries information in and out. In the other case, the signal is sent from a tower to another receiving tower or point (maybe to a satellite that can send the signal on to a computer on the other side of the globe).

The cable or wireless signal connects to the receiving tower or sometimes to a modem or computer in another location. The user at this workstation can display the information on that screen, print it on a printer that is thousands of miles from the source or whatever he or she chooses to do. This is a simple explanation that can also exist within a building or series of buildings dedicated to one company.

When all computers, printers, fax machines and other telecommunications devices work together in a smaller are they are commonly called a local area network (LAN). If the “net” of connected individual components covers a much larger are it may be a wide area network (WAN). It’s also possible to see a LAN within a small company as one connecting point in a larger network. When the concept of a telecommunications network gets too confusing, think of an actual fishing net and you should be able to get a good idea of what modern electronic networks are.