Computer hardware is the collection of physical parts of a computer system.

Physical parts of a computer are those parts that you can see and touch. It may also be referred to as the 'equipment of the computer'.

When the computer case is opened (with a screwdriver), one would see the different hardware components inside of it. It's important to state that some other hardware components are present outside the computer case; and these are termed peripherals.

Below are hardware components seen inside the computer case:

• Motherboard

• Central Processing Unit (CPU)

• Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)

• Power supply Unit (PSU)

• Northbridge

• Southbridge

• Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) slots

• Network Interface Card (NIC)

• Random Access Memory (RAM)

• Ventilation fans

• Heat sink

• Hard Disc Drive (external present)

• Solid State Drive (SSD)

• CMOS battery

• Optical Disc Drives (external present)

• USB port, PS2 port, Ethernet port and other ports

• Expansion Ports / Slots

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Hardware components seen outside the computer case are called peripherals. The peripherals are grouped into the following:

1. Input devices: They provide information to the computer.

2. Output devices: Brings out information from the computer.

3. Storage devices: They store information or data.

Below are examples of some peripherals:

• Keyboard (input)

• Monitor (output)

• Mouse (input)

• Webcam (input)

• Touch Pad (input)

• Universal Serial Bus (USB) flash drive or memory card (storage)

• Hard disc drive (storage)

• Stylus (input)

• Joystick(input)

• Printer (output)

• Speaker (output)

• Headphones (output)

Computer Network is a group of computers that are linked to each other such that they can share resources.

Generally, these groups of computers that form a network are called nodes.

Some of these nodes will function to store information which will be served to other computers. The nodes that function to store and serve such information are known as servers.

Some of the computers (nodes) will request information from the server. The computers that functions to request information from the server are known as clients.

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The internet and the world wide web (www) isn't the same thing.

The internet is formed from the joining or linking of different networks.

For instance, Google's network, Facebook's network and Yahoo's network are among the many other networks that make up the internet.

World Wide Web on the other hand is a collection of linked pages (for instance, this page you're on).

There are actually billions of linked pages in various servers around the world.

You require the internet and a web browser to get to access the World Wide Web

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Types of Networks based on geographical size

1. Personal Area Network (PAN): An instance is a Bluetooth connection between two devices.

2. Local Area Network (LAN): This is the network under a single administrative control and usually within a building.

3. Campus Area Network (CAN): This network connects various devices within a campus or college

4. Metropolitan Area Network (MAN): This network connects two offices or companies within a city.

5. Wide Area Network (WAN): This network connects devices throughout the globe. The internet is a typical example of a WAN.

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Functions of a router:

1. They ensure that data (preferably called packets) make it to their intended destination.
2. They ensure the security of data to some extent.
3. When a network becomes too big within a Local Area Network (LAN), routers are used to separate such networks.
4. They connect different networks. This is the very reason why you are able to access the internet. (The internet's network and your service provider's network are different; but thanks to the router for connecting them).
5. Multiple devices in the home or office can access the internet through the router, (and with a single IP Address). The term associated with this process is referred to a Network Address Translation (NAT)

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