Categorization of Networks Based on Geographical Distance

A network can be categorized on the basis of the geographical distance it covers, and the role that each computer plays in a network. On the basis of their geographic scale, networks have evolved into three categories:
LAN (Local Area Network)
WAN (Wide Area Network)
MAN (Metropolitan Area Network)

Resource Sharing through a Network

In addition to exchanging information, a network enables you to share resources. Sharing of resources enables you to make applications, equipment, and data of a computer available to other computers on the network. Additionally, resource sharing facilitates better utilization of resources. For instance, you do not need to attach expensive hardware resources, such as printers and fax machines, to each computer. Instead, these resources can be attached to a single computer and made available to other computers in a network

NETWORKING BASIC

Introduction
Modern organizations are widely dispersed with their branches located in different parts of the globe. To facilitate effective communication between different branches and to gain a competitive edge in the market, organizations need to constantly share information. To share information, you can set up a network that connects various computers of your organization, thereby, making their data and hardware resources available to others. A network can be categorized on the basis of the geographical distance it covers and the roles computers play in a network. To set up a network suitable for your organizational needs, it is important to understand the types and the components of a network.
At the end of this topic, you will be able to:
list different types of networks
list the components of a network

Network
In today's world, business cannot be carried out in isolation. Organizations need to constantly share information to remain competitive in the market. To meet this basic requirement of information sharing, you can set up a network of computers. A network is a collection of interconnected computers that are capable of exchanging information and operating independently. For instance, a company with geographically separated units has computers at each unit to keep track of inventories. The company can set up a network to facilitate data exchange among all these computers