WHAT IS NETWORKING

For best describing the answer of this question fist we have to learn what is network, its characteristic and how its is work.

WHAT IS NETWORK:- 

A Computer Network is a group of network that are connect together to communicate ans share resources such as files,printers and email, a network protocol control the network communication.

                             "A Network consists of two or more computers that are linked in order to share resources(such as printer and CD's), exchange and transfer files or allow electronic communication. The Computers on a network may be linked through cables, telephone lines, radio waves, satellite, or infrared light beams."

                                                                                                In actually network is like a way that we use for networking. if we want to doing networking we must have connected all computers in a manner to connect a specific network, is called networking.

NETWORK MODELS:-

(i)Centralized Network:

A type of Network where all users connect to a central server, which is the acting agent for all communication and the user account information. Most public instant messaging platforms use a centralized network also called a centralized server structure. Centralized network are also called. "hierarchical networks" and "host based networks".

(ii) Client-Server Network:

A Client-Server network is a network in which computer functionality is divided  in to two roles: Server computer, which provide services and control network operations and client computer.

(iii) Peer to Peer Network:

A peer to peer network, sometimes called a work-group, is a network in which resources sharing, processing and communications are completely decentralized. All clients and computers are equal in terms and permission.

NETWORK INTERFACE CARD  

A Network Interface Card or N.I.C. is an electronic device that provide a platform to a computer to connect to connect on the network. It is considered as a hardware part of Computer. 

Characteristic of N.I.C.

All network adapter have a globally unique physical address burned on to the card, its mean at the time of making card manufacture registered  it. The physical address uniquely identifies every individual card that connects to the network cable or media, that's why the physical address is also called the "MEDIA ACCESS CONTROL" , MAC address.

What is MAC

The MAC address is a unique value associated with a network adapter. MAC addresses are also known as hardware addresses or physical addresses. They uniquely identify an adapter on a LAN.
MAC addresses are 12-digit hexadecimal numbers (48 bits in length). By convention, MAC addresses are usually written in one of the following two formats:

                                          MM:MM:MM:SS:SS:SS

                                          MM-MM-MM-SS-SS-SS

The first half of a MAC address contains the ID number of the adapter manufacturer. These IDs are regulated by an Internet standards body. The second half of a MAC address represents the serial number assigned to the adapter by the manufacturer. In the example, 00:A0:C9:14:C8:29

   The prefix 00-00-0E indicates the manufacturer is Fujitsu Limited, Japan

Why MAC is must:

Recall that TCP/IP and other mainstream networking architectures generally adopt the OSI Model. In this model, network functionality is subdivided into layers. MAC addresses function at the data link layer (layer 2 in the OSI model). They allow computers to uniquely identify themselves on a network at this relatively low level.

Difference between MAC and IP:

Whereas MAC addressing works at the data link layer, IP addressing functions at the network layer (layer 3). It's a slight oversimplification, but one can think of IP addressing as supporting the software implementation and MAC addresses as supporting the hardware implementation of the network stack. The MAC address generally remains fixed and follows the network device, but the IP address changes as the network device moves from one network to another.

IP networks maintain a mapping between the IP address of a device and its MAC address. This mapping is known as the ARP cache or ARP table. ARP supports the logic for obtaining this mapping and keeping the cache up to date.

       Hardware Vendors and Registered MAC Address IDs 

Company                                                                                                                   Hex Address

Xerox Corporation, USA	00-00-00 – 00-00-09
Omron Tateisi Electronics Co., Japan	00-00-0A
Matrix Corporation, USA	00-00-0B
Cisco Systems, Inc., USA	00-00-0C
Fibronics LTD., Israel	00-00-0D
Fujitsu Limited, Japan	00-00-0E
Next, Inc., USA	00-00-0F
Sytek Inc., USA	00-00-10
Normerel Systemes, France	00-00-11
Information Technology Limited, United Kingdom	00-00-12
Camex, USA	00-00-13
Netronix, USA	00-00-14
Datapoint Corporation, USA	00-00-15
Du Pont Pixel Systems, United Kingdom	00-00-16
Tekelec, USA	00-00-17
Webster Computer Corporation, USA	00-00-18
Applied Dynamics International, USA	00-00-19
Advanced Micro Devices, USA	00-00-1A
Novell Inc., USA	00-00-1B
Bell Technologies, USA	00-00-1C