It is time to explore the different types of networks. There are many configurations and even more ways of categorizing them. However, for our purposes, they are organized from the most local area (smallest geographical area) to widest area (largest geographical area).

In order to function as needed, a physical network is comprised of a variety of different network devices. Below, are six of the most commonly encountered:

Understanding these two models is absolutely essential for troubleshooting network problems. To pinpoint a problem and identify a solution, the functionality of each layer is tested by systematically and strategically iterating down the layers. Here are the basics: