When you are considering building a network, think of it as a large-scale application on your computer. You need to build that network in the most basic way possible with what is essentially a set of wires and some form of technology. It will be simple at first, but then it won’t be. Your data needs to be protected and there needs to be redundancy built into the system. This means it can fail (or become corrupted) in an instant. Then it must be replicated to another location via routers or by installing a connection point of some sort. These connections take up space that would otherwise be free for other purposes. As a result, we have the Internet protocol (IP) to enable networks between computers. What makes any given IP work is the fact that all packets must contain information. The internet contains millions upon millions of emails that each one of which contains specific information that needs to be transferred over the net. We must transfer the necessary information from source to destination. If the information isn’t sent, the transfer fails. This is a crucial part of our everyday life. Think about transferring money and files. All forms of digital file transfers rely on the ability to send content via the Internet Protocol. Most people have no idea what this protocol is but many know how to use them. So here is a short guide to creating a PC network over internet protocols.
The first thing to understand about this process is that TCP/IP works through “layer 7”. This refers to the general concept of working between two layers. For example, if we were to look at a layer 1 physical cable for a wire or Ethernet connection, we would see individual atoms. On the other hand, in a layer 2 computer we would see rows of cells and an electrical current passing. Layer 3 computer is where everything gets complex (for now).
Layer 4 is used for high level protocols such as HTTP and FTP. Layer 5 is known as Transport Control Protocol and allows packet control over speed and latency — this is the basis of SSL and TLS. Another common term here is layer 6, commonly referred to as MAC (Media Access Control). Both these protocols work via 802.11 technologies which are found on top of TCP/IP. Layers 7 to 8 are often referred to as Application Level Protocols (ALPAs) because they provide functionalities needed to communicate applications (e.g. email) over the network. In essence, ALPs have a responsibility for handling interactions within programs and applications. At their core are middleware systems which do not allow direct access to data packets. They are mainly responsible for controlling incoming traffic. One popular hardware implementation of ALPAs is called FireWire.
The most common method of implementing the LAN model is to create a local area network (LAN) which connects various devices with the help of switches. Routers and switches ensure that you can connect multiple devices using standard interfaces such as USB. However, this can be done easily and quickly. There will be some additional requirements required as well. Such as having a modem connected to your router to ensure connectivity. While this may seem like a minor requirement for connecting PCs to one another, it is actually quite important. An easy way to get around this problem is to connect a secondary device such as a printer or copy machine to the same network. But in order to do that you will need something different than those mentioned earlier. Using printers requires cables and ports to connect them. Other connections are required to power the machines and supply power to the printer itself and other peripherals which require power. Modems are also a requirement since they can connect to the network with a single cable. Some printers connect via serial port which needs to be configured before printing can be done. Again, these devices are plugged into the same network as the other endpoints. Finally, let’s add in some components which allow us to communicate over USB. The first component is a small keyboard. Since this is already a plug and play solution there is little to no setup required. Simply insert the key into the USB port on the back of the keyboard and click connect. To remove this component, simply hold down the button that corresponds to the key. Once the device connects successfully, you should now be able to type and enter text across all the key presses connected to the device. The next step would be to print out whatever you want to print. The only thing to remember here is to connect your printer to the same device you inserted the keyboard into. Connecting a printer requires a special adapter which has one of its connectors clipped onto the connector you have just selected. After connecting, try printing anything you desire. The last part of setting up this system is to connect external input devices. Without one, this networking setup falls flat. The easiest place to find this kind of equipment is a specialized office supplies store near home. The manufacturer also sells adapters for scanners and printers. By adding the right peripherals to this network, you can easily create a complete and functioning computer network.
