Computer networks are the basis of communication in IT. They are used in a huge variety of ways and can include many different types of network. A computer network is a set of computers that are connected together so that they can share information. The earliest examples of computer networks are from the 1960s, but they have come a long way in the half-century since then.

There are also different types of network connections that concern how elements in a network are connected to each other. Topologies are used to connect computers, with a collapsed ring being the most common type due to the Ethernet supporting the internet, local area networks and wide area networks.

A central node connects a cable to each computer in the network in a star topology. Each computer in the network has an independent connection to the center of the network, and one connection breaking won't affect the rest of the network. However, one downside is that many cables are required to form this kind of network.

In a bus topology network connection, one cable connects the computer. The information for the last node on the network has to run through each connected computer. There is less cabling required, but if the cable breaks it means that none of the computers can reach the network.