network

network

1. Electronics a system of interconnected components or circuits

2. Computing a system of interconnected computer systems, terminals, and other equipment allowing information to be exchanged

Collins Discovery Encyclopedia, 1st edition © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

network

A group of computer systems situated at different locations and interconnected in such a way that they can exchange information by following agreed procedures. The information is transmitted as an encoded signal at high speed over communication lines. See also computing.

Collins Dictionary of Astronomy © Market House Books Ltd, 2006

Network

Any set of interconnected elements that form an overall organization; also a diagram representing a series of interconnected events, as in the representation of the critical tasks in a building project.

Illustrated Dictionary of Architecture Copyright © 2012, 2002, 1998 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

network

[′net‚wərk]

(communications)

A number of radio or television broadcast stations connected by coaxial cable, radio, or wire lines, so all stations can broadcast the same program simultaneously.

(electricity)

A collection of electric elements, such as resistors, coils, capacitors, and sources of energy, connected together to form several interrelated circuits. Also known as electric network.

(engineering)

net

(mathematics)

The name given to a graph in applications in management and the engineering sciences; to each segment linking points in the graph, there is usually associated a direction and a capacity on the flow of some quantity.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

network

1. An aggregate of interconnected electric conductors consisting of high-voltage feeders, step-down transformers, protective devices, mains, and services.

2. In CPM terminology, the same as arrow diagram.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Architecture and Construction. Copyright © 2003 by McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

network

(networking)

Hardware and software data communication systems.

The OSI seven layer model attempts to provide a way of partitioning any computer network into independent modules from the lowest (physical) layer to the highest (application) layer. Many different specifications exist at each of these layers.

Networks are often also classified according to their geographical extent: local area network (LAN), metropolitan area network (MAN), wide area network (WAN) and also according to the protocols used.

See BITNET, Ethernet, Internet, Novell, PSTN, network, the.

[Tanenbaum, A., "Computer Networks; 2nd ed.", Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1989.]

This article is provided by FOLDOC - Free Online Dictionary of Computing (foldoc.org)

network

(1) Any arrangement of elements that are interconnected. See neural network and network database.

(2) A system that transmits data between users, which includes the client devices (computers, tablets and phones) and the network equipment (servers, switches, routers and cables). In wireless systems, antennas replace the cables.

LANs and WANs
Local area networks (LANs) are internal to a home, building or complex, and are almost exclusively Ethernet for cabled devices and Wi-Fi for wireless. Wide area networks (WANs) span large distances, such as a state or nation. See LAN, WAN, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, client, server, switch, router, enterprise networking and communications.

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