Intro to Computers-Networks – Part 1

abstract image of a network

Hello everyone, after a long time we are back, this time with an Intro to networks, this is the first of many following posts

What are Networks?

A network is not more that a group or systems that interconnect to exchange information
Imagine conference, you go there to meet and exchange ideas with other people of the same industry, this is commonly known as networking. Networks provide a way to interact with others to communicate ideas or to bring people or things together

What are computer Networks then?

If you look it on a simple way, a network of computer’s is like attending a conference on the example before, but instead of humans exchanging ideas and so for, in this case, imagine computers that share resources between them, like we are doing right now with this post

How do Computers Communicate?

Computers use things known as Standards, these define what protocols are, and how to use them, then protocols define how the packets move in the network, packets are like little envelopes that carry information from one computer to another, think of it like if you were to send a letter to friend or family.

1 – Follow Post office standards

2 – You send it to the Post office, where it gets validated

3- The post office sends the letter to the address you sent it to and the person that receives it can read what you sent them

What are Standards?

Standards define how things should work or behave

Is like traffic laws, if you don’t stop at the stop sing or at the red light, you can have accidents or can get a ticket, in technology, standards define how protocols allow computers to maintain a reliable, secure and fast communication

Network Protocols

Set of stablished rules that dictate how to format, transmit and receive data so computers and other devices can communicate

If we look back at the example of sending a latter, network protocols are like the way an envelope has to be prepared in order to send the latter, where the addresses have to be, if the envelope has a stamp, and so for. If you don’t have an envelope that has the defined rules you won’t be able to send the latter. In other words, protocols ensure that standards are met by the devices to ensure the communication between them.

There are many protocols out there, basically there is a model that defines the different protocols, this model is call Open Systems Interconnection or (OSI) for short

OSI Layers

Let’s go over the 7 layers starting from 7 all the way down

Layer 7 defines how applications work in a network, something like your web browser

Layer 6 defines how the data is to be presented to the network or to the application

Layer 5 defines how the devices will maintain the communications; imagine how you keep track of what’s your number in a line

Layer 4 defines the way that the data is going to be sent from your computer to another, like if you were going to go to another country, how would you go?  Would you take a plain? Or maybe a train, or your own car?, it also regulates how much data to pass, is like how many people can go in one plain at once, if there is to many people, well then, we need another plain

Layer 3 defines how the data passed from one point to another, so basically it defines the route to take

Layer 2 defines how the communications is created between 2 directly connected network devices, this layer makes sure that there are no errors passed to the physical layer

Layer 1 defines how the data is converted and sent through electricity, light or electromagnetic waves to the other devices, is what you would call a network cable or Wi-Fi

So what’s next?

In Intro to Computer Networks 2, we will be talking about protocols suits like the TCP/IP and Network devices, I look forward to sharing this with you, make sure to check out our YouTube channel and follow us on our Facebook page to keep up with the latest posts

Here is a PDF version of the presentation that I have used for the video published on out YouTube channel,

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I hope you can use this information, leave us any questions or suggestions on the comments

Thanks,

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