Types Of Networks

Local Area Network - is a computernetwork that spans a relatively small area. Most often, a LAN is confined to a single room, building or group of buildings, however, oneLAN can be connected to other LANs over any distance via telephone lines and radio waves.

Wide Area Network - A computer network that spans a relatively large geographical area. Typically, a WANconsists of two or more local-area networks(LANs). Computers connected to a wide-area network are often connected through publicnetworks, such as the telephone system. They can also be connected through leased lines or satellites.

The There's a huge difference between client/server and peer-to-peer networks. For instance, a peer-to-peer network has no central server. Each workstation on the network shares its files equally with the others. There's no central storage or authentication of users.

Network Hardware

Modem - a combined device for modulation and demodulation, for example, between the digital data of a computer and the analog signal of a telephone line.

Network Interface Card (NIC) - is a circuit board or card that is installed in a computer so that it can be connected to a network.

Wireless Adapter - A device that adds wirelessconnectivity to a laptop or desktop computer. All of the adapters below are available as external USB modules as well as PCI or PCI Express (PCIe) cards that plug into an empty slot on the motherboard.

Router - a power tool with a shaped cutter, used in carpentry for making grooves for joints, decorative moldings, etc.

Network Operating System

Microsoft Windows Server - is a brand name for a group of server operating systems released by Microsoft. It includes all Windows operating systems branded "Windows Server", but not any other Microsoftproduct. The first Windows server edition to be released under that brand was Windows Server 2003.

Linux - (pronounced i/ˈlɪnəks/ LIN-əks or, less frequently, /ˈlaɪnəks/ LYN-əks) is a Unix-like and mostly POSIX-compliant computer operating system (OS) assembled under the model of free and open-source software development and distribution.

Mac OS X - is a development platform that supports multiple development technologies including UNIX, Java, the proprietary Cocoa and Carbon runtime environments, and a host of open source, Web, scripting, database and development technologies.

Novell Open Enterprise - is a server operating system designed for shared network resources and a virtualization computing environment.

Apache - (or "Apache HTTP Server") is the component used to configure and run theweb server.