Networking

The whole point of networking is for computers to communicate to another computer. This allows for file sharing, streaming of content, storage outside the local computer, and bring up web pages. All this operates several levels in what we call the TCP/IP model – a set of standards for how computers talk to each other. It’s a modification for the OSI model, that was a competing model, yet it’s still considered the basic model for networking. For a really good explanation, here’s a YouTube of a great network guy, Chuck: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRdL1PcherM. Chuck has plenty of great videos – subscribe!

Now you’ve seen all that, there are two ways to connect to the network today: wired (Ethernet) and Wireless (Wifi). On general, wired is better – it doesn’t degrade signal based on distance, interference is almost non-existent, and it can handle MUCH more bandwidth (father connection). Wifi is radio. What happens when you get out of range of a radio – the signal degrades. You hear static or warble, and is data terms, it leads to corrupted data, so it slows down to have a better connection. Also, bandwidth in radio is dependent on the frequency – the higher the frequency, the more data that can be sent, but the distance for reliable communication goes down greatly.

OK, so I connect the computers together (layer 1 – Physical and network link – Layer 2 – Network), how do they talk? With the next two layers – IP (layer 3) and TCP (layer 4). Heeere’s Check again: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WfiTHiU4x8

Now you see how computer talk to each other. Next, we’ll cover routing.