Define what a network is, discuss its advantages, and briefly explain the main types of networks.

What will be an ideal response?

A network is a collection of computers and devices connected together, often wirelessly, via communications devices and transmission media. When a computer connects to a network, it is online. Networks allow users to share resources, such as hardware, software, data, and information. Sharing resources saves time and money. For example, instead of purchasing one printer for every computer in a company, the firm can connect a single printer and all computers via a network; the network enables all of the computers to access the same printer. Most business computers are networked. These networks can be relatively small or quite extensive. A local area network (LAN) is a network that connects computers and devices in a limited geographical area such as a home, school computer laboratory, office building, or closely positioned group of buildings. A wireless LAN (WLAN) is a LAN that uses no physical wires. Often, a WLAN communicates with a wired LAN. A wide area network (WAN) is a network that covers a large geographic area (such as a city, country, or the world) using a communications channel that combines many types of media such as telephone lines, cables, and radio waves. The Internet is the world's largest WAN.