A network is a system of computers and other devices connected for the purpose of data/information exchange, and consists of hardware and software. Hardware on a network includes physical devices such as the computer itself, printers and file servers. These are commonly referred to as nodes on a network.
Unless the nodes are connected to one physical cable, which is unlikely and inefficient, software devices must be used to connect the nodes and share information effectively. A network bridge connects network cables without making decisions as to the best route for a message to take. Alternatively, a router contains addressing and routing information that decides from a message’s address the most efficient route to take. A message can be passed from router to router several times before being delivered to its destination.
