A Simple Network Definition

If you have more than one computer, or if your one computer connects to the internet, then you have a Network. Your network probably contains Client computers, and Server computers. Your network contains one or more groups of computers (even with one computer, you have a group of one) - Domains, and / or one or more Workgroups.

• If your computer accesses data on another computer - either another computer that's yours, or that's on the Internet, then you have a Client.
  
• If your computer provides, or offers to provide, data to another computer, you have a Server.
  
• Most Windows computers perform as both clients, and servers, at the same time.
  
• Membership in a domain or workgroup gives the ability to easily identify the computers that you need access to the most. This is other computers in your domain or workgroup.
  
• If your network includes a special Server that validates access for another Server, you have a Domain.
  
• If validation of access on your Network simply consists of setting up an account on each individual Server (and maybe a matching account on the Client), then you have a Workgroup.
  

See other articles in PChuck's Network for further discussion.

• A Set Of Simple Network Components Definitions for how we connect the above objects.
  
• Windows Networking for how we use the above objects.