Networking 101

Networking is the practice of connecting two or more devices—like computers, smartphones, servers, or printers—so they can share data, resources, and services. It’s the digital equivalent of building roads between villages: once connected, villagers can trade, communicate, and collaborate.

At its core, networking enables:

• Communication: Devices can send and receive messages.

• Resource Sharing: Printers, files, and internet connections can be shared.

• Data Exchange: Information flows between users, apps, and systems.

Fig1.1 Interconnected devices

🧠 Analogy: The Village Network

Imagine a group of Fijian villages connected by footpaths. Each village represents a device. The paths are the network cables or wireless signals. Messages, goods, and services travel along these paths—just like data packets do in a computer network.

In this foundational post, we’ll explore the building blocks of modern networking:

• What the Internet really is (beyond the memes and megabytes)

• The different types of computer networks that shape our homes, schools, and businesses

• How data transmission works, from bits to bandwidth

• And why bandwidth and throughput aren’t just tech jargon—they’re the pulse of performance

This isn’t just about cables and routers. It’s about understanding the digital pathways that empower everything from Fijian communities to global tech ventures.

What is the Internet?

The internet is a worldwide collection of interconnected computers and devices which allows users to connect, access, exchange and share information using common standards. It is not owned by an individual or group.

Fig1.2 The Internet

Types of Computer Networks

A system that connects may individual computers together to share information and resources is known as an computer network. In order to communicate and share information, these devices need to be connected to a network. This is done through either cables or wireless media. Networks can range from small ones e.,g your homes to large complex ones e.g businesses in one location or across the world. The internet is an example which is a worldwide collection of interconnected networks. Network types are classified based on factors like geographical area, topology, ownership, transmission technology, and architecture. Let's look at these network types:

Geographical Area Classification

1. Personal Area Network (PAN)

   The most common basic type of computer network. It links devices within an individual's workspaces, typically around 1m - 10m. PAN often use wireless technologies like Bluetooth connections enabling communications between personal devices like smartphones, laptops, and wearable smart gadgets. Transmission speed is usually high with low power consumption and easy configurations.

2. Local Area Network (LAN)

   The Local Area Network (LAN) is a type of network used to connect devices—like computers, printers, or phones—within a small area such as a home, school, or office. It allows these devices to share data and resources quickly and efficiently.

   LANs typically use Ethernet cables or Wi-Fi to link everything together. They’re known for being fast, affordable, and easy to manage. Most LANs cover short distances (up to 2km), making them ideal for local setups where speed and reliability matter.

   
   

3. Campus Area Network (CAN)

   A Campus Area Network (CAN) connects multiple buildings within a school, college, or university. It’s larger than a Local Area Network (LAN) but smaller than a Metropolitan Area Network (MAN), making it ideal for linking labs, libraries, and offices across a single campus.

   CANs typically rely on Ethernet for fast data transfer over a few kilometers. They offer high-speed communication with moderate setup and maintenance costs—perfect for educational environments that need reliable connectivity across several facilities.

   
   

4. Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)

   A Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) connects computers and devices across a city or large town. It’s bigger than a LAN or CAN, but not as vast as a WAN. Think of it as a network that links multiple buildings or campuses across an urban area.

   MANs often use technologies like FDDI, CDDI, or ATM to transmit data over distances ranging from 5 to 50 kilometers. While they offer decent speed, they can be complex to manage and usually come with higher setup and maintenance costs.

   
   

5. Wide Area Network (WAN)

   A Wide Area Network (WAN) links computers and networks across vast distances—often between cities, countries, or even continents. Unlike LANs or MANs, WANs aren’t limited to one location. They connect multiple smaller networks (like LANs) so they can communicate over long ranges, typically beyond 50 kilometers.

   WANs often rely on technologies like Leased Lines or Dial-up connections. While they enable global communication, they tend to be slower, more complex to manage, and come with high setup and maintenance costs.

   
   

   Transmission Technology Classification

   1. Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN)

   A Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) works just like a regular LAN, but without the cables. Instead of using physical connections, it relies on Wi-Fi to let devices like laptops, phones, and tablets communicate and share data wirelessly within a limited area—like a home, school, or office.

   WLANs offer flexibility and convenience, making it easy to move around while staying connected.

2. System Area Network (SAN)

   A System Area Network (SAN) links powerful computers in a small, high-speed setting—like a data center or supercomputing lab. It’s built for performance, allowing machines to share resources and data with minimal delay.

   SANs are especially useful for accessing block-level storage, which means data is handled in chunks—ideal for tasks that demand speed and precision. e.g network of disks accessed by a network of servers

3. Passive Optical Local Area Network (POLAN)

   A Passive Optical LAN (POLAN) is a modern alternative to traditional LAN setups. Instead of using copper cables, it relies on optical fiber and splitters to send data from one central point to many devices—like a tree branching out.

   This setup is called point-to-multipoint architecture, and it’s known for being energy-efficient, space-saving, and ideal for large buildings or campuses that need fast, reliable connections without bulky wiring.

Ownership and Access Control Classification

Networks can be classified into three main types based on how access is controlled and ownership type: Private, Public and Hybrid networks.

1. Private Networks

   A Private Network is a secure setup owned and managed by one organization or individual. It’s closed off from public access, meaning only approved users and devices can connect. The owner decides who gets in, what they can do, and how data flows.

   Because it’s isolated from the outside world, a private network is highly secure—often protected by firewalls, access controls, and strict internal policies. These networks are common in businesses, schools, and data centers where privacy and control are essential.

2. Public Networks

   A Public Network is open for anyone to join. These are typically provided by cafés, airports, city centers, or Internet Service Providers (ISPs). They’re convenient—but not always safe.

   Since public networks often have little or no login security, they’re vulnerable to hackers and data snooping. That’s why it’s risky to access sensitive information (like banking or private emails) on public Wi-Fi without protection.

3. Hybrid Networks

   A Hybrid Network combines both private and public access. It’s designed to give different users different levels of access depending on their role.

   Some parts of the network are restricted—like internal systems for staff or secure databases. Other parts are open—like guest Wi-Fi or public-facing websites. This setup offers flexibility while keeping sensitive areas protected e.g A university network where staff and students access internal resources, while guests can only use limited Wi-Fi.

   
   

   Now that we have looked at the different type of networks, let's discuss about what data is and how it is transmitted via the network.

   
   

Data Transmission

What is data?

Data is any information that a computer can store, process, or send—like text, numbers, images, sounds, or videos. But computers don’t understand words or pictures the way we do. Instead, they use binary code—a series of 0s and 1s—to represent everything.

Each bit (short for binary digit) is the smallest unit of data and can only be a 0 or a 1. When bits are grouped together (usually in sets of 8), they form a byte, which can represent a letter, number, or symbol. This is how computers turn human input into digital instructions and output it back in a form we recognize.

Classification of Personal Data

1. Volunteered data - Information created and explicitly shared by individuals e.g social network profiles. Can include video files, text or audio files

2. Observed data - Information captured by recording individual actions e.g location data when using mobile phones.

3. Inferred data - Information based on analysis of volunteered or observed data e.g credit score.

   

   Fig1.3 Types of Personal Data

The Bit

Computers and networks operate using binary digits—0s and 1s. Every piece of data, whether it’s a photo, a word, or a sound, is stored and transmitted as a series of bits, the smallest unit of digital information. A bit can only be 0 or 1, representing two physical states like voltage levels or light intensity—similar to a light switch being On (1) or Off (0).

Input devices like keyboards and microphones convert human actions into binary code for the computer to process. Output devices like monitors and speakers then translate that binary back into something we can see or hear.

To represent characters, computers use codes like ASCII, where each letter, number, or symbol is made up of 8 bits (a byte). For example:

• A = 01000001

• 9 = 00111001

Common Methods of Data Transmission

Once data is broken down into bits (0s and 1s), it needs a way to move from one device to another. That’s where signals and media come in.

Media is the physical path the signal travels—like copper wires, fiber-optic cables, or even the air itself. The signal carries the data as patterns of electricity, light, or radio waves. Depending on the setup, signals might change form several times before reaching their final destination.

Here are the three main ways data is transmitted:

• ⚡ Electrical signals: Data moves as electrical pulses through copper cables (common in homes and offices).

• 💡 Optical signals: Data is converted into light pulses and sent through fiber-optic cables (ideal for long distances).

• 📶 Wireless signals: Data travels through the air using infrared, microwave, or radio waves (like Wi-Fi and mobile networks).

In everyday life, we mostly use copper cables and Wi-Fi. But for larger networks—like universities or data centers—fiber optics offer speed and reliability across long distances.

Bandwidth

Bandwidth is the amount of data that can move through a network connection in a given time—like the width of a road for digital traffic.

The wider the bandwidth, the more data can travel at once. That means faster downloads, smoother video calls, and less waiting around.

Think of it like this:

• A narrow road = slow traffic (low bandwidth)

• A multi-lane highway = fast traffic (high bandwidth)

Bandwidth is usually measured in megabits per second (Mbps) or gigabits per second (Gbps). More bandwidth doesn’t always mean faster speed—but it does mean your network can handle more data at once, especially when multiple devices are connected.

Throughput

Throughput is the actual amount of data that successfully travels across a network in a given time. It’s often confused with bandwidth, but while bandwidth is the maximum capacity, throughput is what really gets through.

Think of bandwidth as the size of a pipe, and throughput as how much water actually flows through it.

Throughput can be affected by:

• How much data is being sent

• The type of data (video vs. text)

• Latency—delays caused by devices along the path

• Network traffic and control messages that don’t reach end users

Even if most parts of a network are fast, one slow link can drag down the overall throughput—like a traffic jam on a single-lane road in an otherwise smooth highway.

You can check your network’s throughput using online speed tests, but remember: it’s not just about speed—it’s about how efficiently your data moves from point A to point B.

Conclusion

Networking is the backbone of digital communication, connecting devices through various network types—from small LANs to global WANs. At its core, it’s all about data transmission, where bits travel across media using protocols that ensure delivery, accuracy, and efficiency.

Understanding bandwidth (the maximum capacity) and throughput (the actual performance) helps us measure how well a network handles data. While bandwidth sets the ceiling, throughput reflects the real-world experience—often shaped by latency, congestion, and device limitations.

As a look forward, we will start diving deeper into Networking covering Network components, connections including wireless and mobile networks. Until then, stay tuned!!