Computer network

A computer network is a system for communication among two or more
computers.

Computer networks may be categorized with respect to range:

   * personal area network (PAN)
        o wireless PAN
   * local area network (LAN)
        o wireless LAN
   * metropolitan area network (MAN)
   * wide area network (WAN)
   * (Tiny area network (TAN)

Computer network applications may be categorized with respect to the
functional relationships between components:

   * client-server
   * multitier architecture
   * peer-to-peer

Computer networks may be categorized with respect to network topologies:

   * star network
   * grid network
   * toroidal networks and hypercubes
   * tree and hypertree networks

Computer networks may be categorized with respect to specialised functions

   * Storage Area Networks
   * Server farms

Computer networks may be implemented using a variety of protocol stack
architectures, computer buses or combinations of media and protocol layers,
incorporating one or more of:

   * ARCNET
   * DECNET
   * Ethernet
   * IP
   * TCP
   * Appletalk
   * Token Ring
   * IPX
   * FDDI
   * HIPPI
   * Myrinet
   * ATM
   * RS-232
   * IEEE-488
   * USB
   * IEEE 1394, aka Firewire, iLink
   * X.25
   * Frame relay
   * Bluetooth
   * IEEE 802.11
   * System network architecture

   * communication theory
   * data transmission
        o PSTN the Public Switched Telephone Network
             + Modems and dialup

   *
        o wireless transmission
             + short range
                  + Bluetooth
             + medium range
                  + WiFi, 802.11
             + long range
                  + satellite
                  + MMDS
                  + SMDS
                  + cellular telephone data transmission
                       + CDMA
                       + CDPD
                       + GSM
                       + i-Mode
                       + GSM
                       + TDMA
                  + paging networks
                       + DataTAC
                       + Mobitex
                       + Motient
        o Wired Transmission
             + dedicated lines (leased lines)
             + Time-division multiplexing
             + packet switching
             + Frame relay
             + PDH
             + Ethernet
             + RS-232
        o Fiber optic transmission
             + SONET / SDH
   * Routing
   * Bitnet