Exactly what is networking?

[wumply]

Hi:

Networking, as I understand it, is when you have 2 or more computers connected together through a router and all are able to be on the internet simultaneously.

OK, that's straightforward but am I networking when I use an ethernet or network card to connect my one computer through a modem to my ISP (broadband). I mean a pile of computers from my ISP's area must be connected to the net through the ISP.

So are both these situations networking?. And is being connected to my ISP being on a LAN or does a LAN just mean a ton of computers from some company (all connected together) in 1 huge building or 2 or 3 buildings

[phishhead]

your first description is a peer to peer network...P2P is basically a network that is not being controlled by a dedicated server....now your second description is what is called a wan...wide area network. and the building description is considered a lan local area network.

[Tinker]

How Internet Infrastructure Works (http://computer.howstuffworks.com/internet-infrastructure.htm)

One of the greatest things about the Internet is that nobody really owns it. It is a global collection of networks, both big and small. These networks connect together in many different ways to form the single entity that we know as the Internet. In fact, the very name comes from this idea of interconnected networks.

:D