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Parts of a Network: Parallels with UIUCnet

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UIUCnet basics

In essence, the entire UIUCnet network matches this model. The same elements are present: computers, printers, Ethernet or wireless network connections, routers, firewalls, and a connection to the rest of the Internet. There are thousands of computers and printers within the campus firewalls, and the campus firewalls protect the computers in the UIUCnet network while the campus routers send information back and forth.

When your on-campus computer makes a request (over either an Ethernet cable or a wireless connection), the routers interpret whether the request is for a location inside or outside UIUCnet. If it's an internal request, an on-campus computer is contacted; if not, the request is sent through the firewalls to an external computer, and then the reply is sent back to your computer.

However, the difference in scale is enormous. Because there are so many computers (and so many subnetworks within the campus firewalls), the system becomes a great deal more complex in terms of both hardware and software. For an overview of how the campus network is put together, see Networking 101.

Back to Parts of a Network