Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
How are
computers
connected?
Have you ever taken a new computer out of its shipping carton
and tried to hook it up? If so, you likely found that the computer
manufacturer had organized and connected the various components
inside the computer's cabinetry. Your responsibility was to connect
wires and cables to electric power, printers and other devices, and
perhaps the Internet. At that moment, you likely learned that a
modern computer typically contains many types of builtin plug
sockets, and that plugs and cables come in an assortment of sizes
and shapes. A quick walk around your favorite computer store
would further demonstrate that today's market contains hundreds
of devices that could connect to computers. The wide variety can
seem quite confusing—so why are there so many choices, and what
are the differences between one type of plug or cable and another?
This chapter addresses many of those questions, including the basics
of how computers are connected, what the most common types of
cables look like, and how wireless communications work. In addi
tion to some practical mechanics, we'll explore the ideas behind
how computers are connected.
How do you physically connect computers?
As you might expect, the simplest way to connect two comput
ers involves running wires between them, much as landbased tele
phones are connected by wires. To understand the use of various
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