Network devices
A home network may consist of the following components:
Infrastructure devices
A modem for connection to an Internet access service (either a DSL modem using the phone line, or cable modem using the cable internet connection).
A residential gateway (sometimes called a broadband router) connected between the broadband modem and the rest of the network. This enables multiple devices to connect to the internet simultaneously. Residential gateways, hubs/switches, DSL modems, and wireless access points are often combined.
A wireless access point, usually implemented as a feature rather than a separate box, for connecting wireless devices
Client devices
A PC, or multiple PCs including laptops, Netbooks and Tablet PC’s
Entertainment peripherals - an increasing number of devices can be connected to the home network, including DVRs like TiVo, digital audio players, games machines, stereo system, and IP set-top box as well as TVs themselves.
Internet Phones (VoIp)
Smart Phones connected via Wifi.
A network bridge connects two networks together, often giving a wired device, e.g. Xbox, access to a wireless network.
A network hub/switch - a central networking hub containing a number of Ethernet ports for connecting multiple networked devices
A network attached storage (NAS) device can be used for storage on the network.
A print server can be used to share printers among computers on the network.
Home networking may use
Ethernet Category 5 cable, Category 6 cable - for speeds of 10 Mbit/s, 100 Mbit/s, 1 Gbit/s, or 10Gbit/s.
Wi-Fi Wireless LAN connections - for speeds up to 450 Mbit/s, dependent on signal strength and wireless standard.
Coaxial cables (TV antennas) - for speeds of 270 Mbit/s (see Multimedia over Coax Alliance or 320 Mbit/s see HomePNA)
Electrical wiring - for speeds of 14 Mbit/s to 200 Mbit/s (see Power line communication)
Phone wiring - for speeds of 160 Mbit/s (see HomePNA)
Fiber optics - although rare, new homes are beginning to include fiber optics for future use. Optical networks generally use Ethernet.
All home wiring (coax, powerline and phone wires) - future standard for speeds up to 1 Gbit/s being developed by the ITU-T (see G.hn)
Organizational scope
Networks are typically managed by organizations which own them. According to the owner's point of view, networks are seen as intranets or extranets. A special case of network is the Internet, which has no single owner but a distinct status when seen by an organizational entity – that of permitting virtually unlimited global connectivity for a great multitude of purposes.
Intranets and extranets
Intranets and extranets are parts or extensions of a computer network, usually a LAN.
An intranet is a set of networks, using the Internet Protocol and IP-based tools such as web browsers and file transfer applications, that is under the control of a single administrative entity. That administrative entity closes the intranet to all but specific, authorized users. Most commonly, an intranet is the internal network of an organization. A large intranet will typically have at least one web server to provide users with organizational information.
An extranet is a network that is limited in scope to a single organization or entity and also has limited connections to the networks of one or more other usually, but not necessarily, trusted organizations or entities—a company's customers may be given access to some part of its intranet—while at the same time the customers may not be considered trusted from a security standpoint. Technically, an extranet may also be categorized as a CAN, MAN, WAN, or other type of network, although an extranet cannot consist of a single LAN; it must have at least one connection with an external network.