A network connects two or more points together by a communication channel. The points connected together are called nodes.
Special components required by computer for connecting them to the network are:
Modem an acronym for modulator-demodulator. It interfaces the computer digital data to the analog telephone line. They are used for networking computers via phone lines.
Network adapter cards: connects each node to a network. It controls the flow of digital data between the node and the network.
Cables or wires: this produces the physical connection to the network.
Types of cables are coaxial, shielded twisted pair(STP), unshielded twisted pair(UTP) and fibre optics.