Some basic networking definitions

• A computer network is an interconnected collection of autonomous computers.

• Computers are interconnected if they are capable of exchanging information. The connections can be over copper wire, radio frequencies, optical fibre, infra-red, satellite, microwaves, pigeons, barbed wire, wet string, a station wagon, or a sequence of these.

• Computers are autonomous if there is not a permanent master/slave relationship between them. Hence, a mainframe computer and its traditional peripherals do not constitute a computer network, but a desktop computer able to interogate a more modern printer does.

Logically (and more interesting and relevant, here), a network is the software which connects and secures the computers their data, and services.