Cyber Security For Beginners : Part 8
Hello everyone! Hope you are all doing well as you can be. We are back with yet another blog after a short break. This blog focuses on one of the primary concepts that we have to get acquainted with to prosper in the field of Cyber Security : Networking. Here, we are going to go over some basics of Networking to get you guys started.
What is a Computer network and why is it important?
A computer network defines how various digital devices can communicate with each other using a shared medium. Computer networks are found almost everywhere these days. Most of us have small networks set up at our homes while using the Wi-fi router to access the Internet. Networks exist for the purpose of sharing resources with each other. Networks not only includes devices like Laptops and mobile phones. All digital devices which provide/access resources to/from other devices is said to be connected to that particular network. These include devices like scanners & printers, PDA’s, Switches, Personal assistant devices etc. ‘
Networks can be classified into various categories based on various factors like scale, size, medium etc. The most common classification of computer networks is based on their size and spatial locality. Based on the span of a network, we can categorize computer networks as:
- PAN
- LAN
- MAN
- WAN
The first category of networks is called Personal Area Network (PAN). This network comprises of an individual’s own devices. PAN network is very small, typically around a few meters. An example of a PAN network would be blue-tooth connected devices like headphones, keyboards etc. which are connected together.
A network which is larger than PAN and spans over a larger area is called Local Area Network (LAN). As the name suggests, this particular network is local to the area in which it resides. LAN networks can range over distances of maximum 100 meters. Beyond that point, additional cabling needs to be provided to extend the LAN. These networks are present in smaller localized areas like an office building, the floor of a building or even a small campus.
A MAN (Metropolitan Area Network) is one which spans over a small city or metropolitan area. The average range of a MAN is 5–50kms. MANs may consist of several LANs which are connected together. A typical application of a MAN network is when one or more office buildings of a company need to be connected together, given that they all exist within the range of a city.
Finally, the largest network type is called the WAN (Wide Area Network). This is a very large network which spans across cities, countries or even continents. The internet is a very popular example for a WAN. A WAN may connect multiple LANs or other WANs together.
Now that we have discussed briefly about the different types of computer networks that we use, lets learn a bit about how data flows through a typical network. A network, as mentioned earlier, is a collection of devices connected together. These connections may be wired or wireless. In any case, the process of exchanging information remains the same. Networked computers can share data, resources, services etc. with each other. When a computer wants to communicate with another computer on the same network, it generates data packets destined for that particular computer. Then this data packet flows through various networking devices like switches, routers etc. and finally reaches the destination computer, where the data gets processed.
Of course, the above mentioned process includes various concepts and steps. But we are only briefly describing the working of a typical network. We will learn more about the various processes involved in communication in the upcoming blogs.
With this, we have come to the end of this small and informational blog on computer networks. Understanding the working of a network and the flow of data between devices is crucial for a Cyber Security professional. In the upcoming blogs, we will discuss about various topics related to networks and network security. Adios!
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