A computer network can also consist of, and is usually made for, more than two computers:
Characteristics of a Computer Network
The primary purpose of a computer network is to share resources:
- You can play a CD music from one computer while sitting on another computer
- You may have a computer that doesn’t have a DVD or BluRay (BD) player. In this case, you can place a movie disc (DVD or BD) on the computer that has the player, and then view the movie on a computer that lacks the player
- You may have a computer with a CD/DVD/BD writer or a backup system but the other computer(s) doesn’t (don't) have it. In this case, you can burn discs or make backups on a computer that has one of these but using data from a computer that doesn’t have a disc writer or a backup system
- You can connect a printer (or a scanner, or a fax machine) to one computer and let other computers of the network print (or scan, or fax) to that printer (or scanner, or fax machine)
- You can place a disc with pictures on one computer and let other computersaccess those pictures
- You can create files and store them in one computer, then access those files from the other computer(s) connected to it
Peer-to-Peer Networking
Based on their layout (not the physical but the imagined layout, also referred to as topology), there are various types of networks. A network is referred to as peer-to-peer if most computers are similar and run workstation operating systems.
In a peer-to-peer network, each computer holds its files and resources. Other computers can access these resources but a computer that has a particular resource must be turned on for other computers to access the resource it has. For example, if a printer is connected to computer A and computer B wants to printer to that printer, computer A must be turned On.
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