Mobile Network
Network Administration
Network Hardware

Computer Networking Courses and Lessons

Students interested in information technology will find great value in these college-level computer networking courses.

Study.com has many courses on the basics of computer networking, including types of networks, relevant networking technologies, and basic networking concepts. Even more courses deal with the specific details of networks, their analysis and security; there is more than enough information for the burgeoning computer scientist no matter their level of learning.

Explore our full library of computer networks courses:
Computer Science 108: Introduction to Networking
Computer Science 202: Network and System Security
Computer Science 302: Systems Analysis & Design
Computer Science 323: Wireless & Mobile Networking
Computer Science 336: Network Forensics
Create an account to begin studying Computer Networks
Used by over 30 million students worldwide
Create An Account

Computer Networking Overview

Computer networking can be defined as the connection of two or more computers by either wired, wireless, or mobile means. Computer networks are the means by which people share information and data between computers, and they do so in many different ways for many different purposes, virtually every second of the day. Setting up a wired network requires ad hoc networking cables and the computers' internal network interfaces, along with a network switch that physically connects all the computers on the network. Wireless networks need no cables, relying instead on a wireless switch or router along with the wireless network adapters built-in to most modern computers to connect and communicate with the other computers on the same network via wireless radio signals. In either case, a network router is then used to connect the computer network to the internet.

The importance of computer networking to life in the 21st century, and therefore the benefit of an education in networking, cannot be overemphasized. At this point, the internet is necessary for efficient and pleasurable operation of nearly every aspect of human life, and the internet consists of little more than a massive globally interconnected network (hence, inter-net) of computer networks. Put another way, computers would hold little value for society if they were unable to connect with each other, especially at a distance, thereby transmitting data from one person to another. Among more specialized data, computer networks allow one to share files, programs, and resources with others, a level of functionality that many people's jobs rely on.

Some of the subfields and applications of an education in computer networking include:

  • Network Architecture — The designing and building of various computer networks (PANs, LANs, MANs, WANs).
  • Network Management — The maintenance and management of established computer networks.
  • Cybersecurity — The protection and security of the network and any data (particularly sensitive data) that may be on it.
  • Forensics — The investigation and analysis of digital crime that has taken place on a given network.