A network is

A network is

• A. A single device
• B. A protocol
• C. A way for different technology devices to communicate with each other
• D. A type of software

Answer: (C)

A network is a system that connects different devices so they can communicate and share resources. It isn’t just one device; it’s the collection of hardware (like cables, switches, routers, and access points) and software that create paths for data to travel. Protocols provide the rules that govern how data is formatted, addressed, transmitted, and interpreted within that system, but they are part of how the network operates rather than the network itself. It’s not software by itself, since software needs the connection and hardware to enable actual communication between devices. For example, computers, phones, and printers communicating over Wi‑Fi or Ethernet to print a document or access the internet illustrate a network in action.