Computer Networks: LAN, WAN, and Cloud Networks

Types of Networks

• LAN (Local Area Network): connects devices within a building or campus, often used in small offices or homes, providing high-speed data transfer and full-time service connectivity.
• MAN (Metropolitan Area Network): connects devices across a city, town, or other small region, used to connect multiple LAN networks, providing high-speed regional resource sharing.
• WAN (Wide Area Network): connects devices across continents, the largest networks, using technologies like microwave, radio, and fiber optic, compatible with various access lines, and having advanced security.

The Internet

• The Internet is a worldwide network of interlinked computer networks, communicating with other networks and devices using the TCP/IP Internet protocol suite.
• It connects private, public, academic, corporate, and government networks, spanning local to global boundaries.
• The Internet provides various information resources and services, including email, phone calls, file sharing, and the World Wide Web (WWW).

World Wide Web (WWW)

• The WWW is a network of interlinked websites and documents accessible via the Internet.
• It originated in 1989 and uses protocols such as HTTP.
• The WWW is a service contained inside the Internet infrastructure.

Components of the Web

• Uniform Resource Locator (URL): a system for resources on the web.
• Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP): specifies communication between browsers and servers.
• Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML): defines the structure, organization, and content of a web page.

Wi-Fi

• Wi-Fi is a wireless networking technology, using radio frequencies to transmit data in a circular range.
• It uses electromagnetic waves to transmit networks, specifically radio frequency.
• Wi-Fi has three medium components: base station network or Ethernet connection, access point or router, and accessing devices.

Sensor Networks

• A sensor network is a group of sensors monitoring data in different locations, sending data to a central location for storage, viewing, and analysis.
• Applications of sensor networks include monitoring homes, cities, and earthquake detection.

Vehicular Communication Systems

• Vehicular communication systems are computer networks where vehicles and roadside units are communicating nodes, providing each other with information such as safety warnings and traffic information.

Cybersecurity

• Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting systems, networks, and programs from digital attacks, aimed at accessing, changing, or destroying sensitive information.
• Cybersecurity safeguards internet-connected systems, including hardware, software, and data, from malicious attacks.
• Common types of cyber attacks include malware, ransomware, viruses, and worms.

Artificial Intelligence

Computer Vision

• Computer Vision is a branch of Artificial Intelligence that teaches machines to collect information from images.
• Applications of Computer Vision include medical imaging, AR/VR, smartphones, and the Internet.

Natural Language Processing (NLP)

• NLP is a field that intersects computer science, artificial intelligence, and linguistics, focusing on the interaction between computers and human language.
• NLP enables machines to understand, interpret, and generate human language, powering applications such as text translation, voice recognition, text summarization, and chatbots.
• The NLP process involves two main stages: data preprocessing and algorithm development.