Updated March 2, 2023
Difference Between Computer Network vs Data Communication
A computer network is basically a set or group of the computer system and other related hardware devices that are interrelated through different communication channels to implement proper communication procedures and related networking methodologies. Data Communication is basically a transmission process that includes digital data transfers between two or more computers or similar devices and vice versa. This transmission process is generally independent of technical medium, interphases, and geographical locations. It revolves around the different technologies and approaches with the objective of enabling any form of electronic communication.
Computer Network
There are different types of implementation of computer networks in the current market and software industry standards. Find below different types of networks that are used in the current industry:
- Local Area Network (LAN)
- Wide Area Network (WAN)
- Home Area Network (HAN)
- Metropolitan Area Networks (MAN)
- Personal Area Networks (PAN)
- Enterprise Private Networks
- Global Area Networks (GAN)
- Internetworks
- Internet
- Campus Networks
Find below few important uses of computer networks:
- It is used for communication among multiple devices and transforms the output into a single device and thus the output becomes more customized.
- It implements file sharing features on a more convenient and easier way,
- It implements communication processes through email, video chatbox, messaging, etc.
- It helps the web information to traverse more easily and conveniently.
Data communication
Data Communication normally deals with the transaction between the different nodes to transact and communicate with each other and vice versa. While transmitting data across the different physical mediums, it can be discriminated through different signals and processes.
Both analog and digital data can be transferred through mainly these two processes:
- Analog Signal: These are mainly continuous waveforms in nature and transmitted across different mediums and all of these can be done through electromagnetic waves.
- Digital Signal: These are mainly discrete in nature and used to represent different voltage pulses. These are mainly associated with the inter-related circuit system and play one of the important roles regarding the communication processes.
Find below a few important technologies for Data Communication:
- Satellite Communication.
- Telecommunications.
- Computer Networking and Communication Methodologies.
Head To Head Comparison Between Computer Network and Data Communication (Infographics)
Below are the top 7 comparisons between Computer Network and Data Communication:
Key differences between Computer Network and Data Communication
Let us look at the differences between Computer Network and Data Communication:
- A computer network is basically a set or group of a computer system and other related hardware devices which are interrelated through different communication channels to implement proper communication procedures and related networking methodologies whereas data communication is basically a transmission process that includes digital data transfers between two or more computers or similar devices and vice versa.
- There are different types of computer networks that are used in the current industry to process the digital and electronic medium of data transmission and communication.
- Computer Networks can be considered as a subset of Data Communication. There can be different ways of transmission procedures for data and among which computer network medium is one of them
- Computer networks are mainly dealing with the singles node transmission across different geographies whereas Data communication deals with the transmission of data through multiple nodes and through different mediums.
- Data Communication evolves around the different technologies and approaches with the objective of enabling any form of electronic communication whereas computer networking plays one of the most important roles for the same.
- Computer networking transfers information through different sharing process and interphases whereas data communication deals with the inter-related methodologies for transferring data and information for the same.
- Data Communication deals with the communicating process across different regions and through different process whereas Computer Networking transfers information, files across different localities to communicate data along with it.
Computer Network and Data Communication Comparison Table
Let’s look at the top comparisons between Computer Network and Data Communication.
| Basis of Comparison Between Computer Network and Data Communication Performance | Computer Network | Data Communication |
| Basic Performance | Computer Network is one of the known and best networking methodologies to transfer data and information across different geographies. | Data Communication deals with the communication and data transfers across different nodes and which helps in networking methodologies for the same. |
| Architectural Performance | Computer networks can be defined into different types of architectural layers such as Client-Server, peer-to-peer or hybrid and all of them is primarily depending upon its architecture and the interconnected layers | Data Communication uses mainly 3 layers of architectural designs and then deals with the multi-node transmission across different regions and communicating with the same also |
| Geographical Performance based on Templating | Computer Network offers to template through different geographies across different cities and locations. The performance can be based on the layers of networking | Data Communication uses different magnetic multimedia and three layers of structures. The twisted pair cable can be used to transfer across different layers and cables and communication performance depends on the same |
| Performance Testing | Performance testing is more preferred in Computer Network than Data Communication | Data Communication doesn’t provide any data binding process and direct interrelated testing for the communication parameter is a bit difficult than networking. |
| Support and Performance Upgradation | Computer Network has large community support and extensive documentation libraries. | Data Communication also has one of the largest community supports. |
| Routing Performance | Computer Network implements a two-way binding process and thus it is a bit complex and less preferable than Data Communication in terms of routing perspective | Data Communication doesn’t provide any data binding and has a simple and easier approach towards routing than Computer Network |
| Transmission Performance | Computer Network has a different set of transmission methodologies across different locations and regions | Data Communication has three layers of transmission approaches and different sets of wireless methodologies for the same. |
Conclusion
Both Computer Network vs Data Communication is important in transmission methodologies and communication industries. Data Communication mainly consists of different transmission methodologies and computer networking is one of them. Computer networking is used to transfer both digital and electronical data to communicate that information across different geographies and mediums. Thus it can be concluded that both are very important and inter-related to each other with their own importance and plays one of the most important roles in the communication and software industries.
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