15.1 Networking
A computer network is a collection of computing devices that are connected in various ways to communicate and share resources. Email, instant messaging, and web pages all rely on communication that occurs across an underlying computer network. We use networks to share both intangible resources, such as files, and tangible resources, such as printers.
Usually, the connections between computers in a network are made using physical wires or cables. However, some connections are wireless, using radio waves or infrared signals to convey data. Networks are not defined only by physical connections; they are defined by the ability to communicate.
Computer networks contain devices other than computers. Printers, for instance, can be ...
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