1.2.1 Components of a Network
peer-to-peer networks
Some networks are designed to connect a set of similar computers that share their data and software with each other
There are three basic hardware components
for a data communications network: a server (e.g., personal computer, mainframe), a client (e.g., personal computer, terminal), and a circuit (e.g., cable, modem) over which messages flow
The router
is a special device that connects two or more net- works. The router enables computers on this network to communicate with computers on other networks (e.g., the Internet).
The print server
is connected to a printer, manages all printing requests from the clients on the network
The client
is the input-output hardware device at the user's end of a communication circuit.
The circuit
is the pathway through which the messages travel.
The file server
stores data and software that can be used by computers on the network.
The server
stores data or software that can be accessed by the clients.
The Web server
stores documents and graphics that can be accessed from any Web browser, such as Internet Explorer.