Hey guys!
Recently, as part of my A2 Computing course, I've been studying the basic principles of networking and how it works at a basic level. Fortunately I'm pretty good with my networks, however I've noticed a large proportion of my class are unfamiliar with even the very basic concepts of how a network works. Hell, one of them didnt even know what a network was!

I guess there's a lot of people out there in the same boat as some of my fellow students, so I've decided rather than jump straight into the deep end, I'd take my time and teach those people who dont know anything about networks everything they need to know. Dont worry, I'll start very simple. I wont be patronising, but I'll keep at a nice slow pace so you can get a grasp of the basics.

So, what exactly is a network?
Essentially a network is simply a group of computers or devices that are connected together so that they can exchange data and share resources. They dont have to have the same operating systems, or even be similar types of computers. For example, a handheld PDA (Personal Data Assistant) can connect to a desktop PC over a network, as can an internet enabled fridge.

How are computers and devices connected?
There's a whole host of different ways to connect computers and devices to a network. The most common method of connecting computers to a network is using cables. There's a plethora of different types of cables, each with their own advantages and disadvantages.We'll cover them shortly! With the increase in modern technology, wireless connections are also becoming more and more popular, especially in family households where it's often inconvenient and dangerous to have wires trailing all over the house. Below is a relatively thorough list of the different types of connections:

UTP Cable (Unshielded Twisted Pair Cable)
This is one of the most common types of cable for use in LAN (Local Area Networks) networks. It consists of two insulated and unshielded copper wires twisted around each other to decrease electrical interference. One of the most popular types of this type of cable is CAT-5 Ethernet Cable. CAT-5 simply stands for Catagory 5. The advantages of using this cable include high-bandwidth(we'll cover this shortly), good flexibilty, low costs and easy installation and maintainance. Unfortunately UTP does have it's downsides, it suffers quite badly from electrical interference, and also is limited in it's length. The latter is, however, a problem that can be solved.

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