Advantages & Disadvantages of Computer Networking; 20 Pros & Cons
Computer networking refers to the interconnection of computing devices that can exchange data and share resources. Get familiar with Advantages & Disadvantages of Computer Networking.
What are Computers?
Computers are the main device that almost everyone uses for exchanging knowledge with each other every day.
Such machines come in many varied types and sizes.
They are part of many things, including automobiles.
When you network these machines together, you can do some spectacular stuff.
A computer network is a group of computers interconnected with each other to exchange data between them or their users.
There is a wide range of computer networking and their Advantages & Disadvantages depend primarily on the form of the network.
Below are the main focal points to think about when contemplating the Advantages & Disadvantages of Computer Networking.
Read Also: Best Ways You Can Recycle Computers for Cash.
Advantages of Computer Networking
A network is extremely beneficial for connecting and communicating.
Not only that, but it also has a slew of other benefits. Here are a few of the most notable:
1. You can Share Information Freely
In the US, the average user spends around $50 a month to provide a broadband internet connection.
The expense is about 10 dollars higher per month than what customers charged about 10 years ago.
ISP packages which include TV and uncapped access which be as high as $150 a month.
But there are also providers that offer minimum activation fee providers and no ongoing fees.
FreedomPop offers a $19.99 activation fee-free of charge to consumers with 500 MB of 4 G service.
2. Computer Networks are Open to Everyone
If you want to join a network of computers then you have the right to do so.
The only obstacle in place is owning a computer or getting access to it to be able to connect.
And though not every person on the planet can afford a machine, there are public places where you can still use it.
However, when the information a network can contain is limited due to politics, access to technology is still possible.
Only North Korea has limited experience with the Internet.
3. It Allows Anyone to Become a Global Influence
Gandhi created the expression, “Be the change you want to see in the world,”
But it’s more of a bumper sticker saying than anything else.
Yet in the age of computer networks, the transition can be inevitable.
There are several ways, across a network, to positively affect the environment.
People may crowdfund to pay for expensive medical bills or emergency emergencies across the networks.
Remote villages can have basic needs available.
Individuals are encouraged to express their spiritual experiences.
We can learn from each other by introducing ourselves to new cultures, and this can really be a constructive force of change in the winds of global influence.
4. They Enhance Individual Productivity Levels
Imagine being on a sales call.
Your client asks you a question, for which you have no definitive answer.
Owing to computer networks, the knowledge that the client needs can be found instantly without letting go of the conversation.
That means a better chance of securing a contract.
The same idea applies today even to most occupations.
Computer networks offer an incentive for true multitasking in order to maximize individual productivity levels.
5. It Takes Minimal Computer Knowledge to Network
Most computers are built on an experience with WYSIWYG-what you see is what you get.
If you know how to turn on a machine and can read the instructions given, then you can access all of the networking experience’s benefits.
It just takes a few minutes for the average person with no experience to get up and running with the network.
6. Collaboration is Possible with Computer Networks
One of the major advantages of a computer network is that it helps individuals to work together on various types of projects.
This can be intimate, recreational, or professional collaboration.
Networks allow humans to function concurrently on the same text.
Organizers of events will network principles and proposals to launch campaigns that can have national and global political effects.
This is because of computer networks that families can schedule outings or organize a shopping list.
7. Computer Networks Provide Personalized Experiences
Historically, computer networks have been a standardized take-it-or-leave-it method.
The space program had less total computing power than the current smartphone, which landed astronauts on the moon.
We have reached the stage of technical evolution where we can personalize every computer network.
Wherever you wish you can access the details you want or need.
8. File Sharing in Bulk is Very Easy to do
In the 1990s, you could exchange files with others.
All you had to do was bring a bunch of disks to the new machine with you, and then wait a few minutes before you can transfer the files.
Flash drives have replaced floppy disks but thanks to the cloud, file sharing has become much simpler.
You can upload a file to a public folder using a program like Dropbox, and then create a connection to it.
Pass the connection to anyone and they can access the file instantly at their convenience.
9. Networking Increases Personal Security
People build computer networks to provide a protective buffer for sensitive information.
This is especially true for non-Internet linked networks.
A safe network offers advantages of knowledge sharing without revealing information identifiable to the general public.
It is a benefit that enables the elimination of fraud while simultaneously increasing efficiency practices.
10. It Offers People Flexible Learning and Sharing Options
There are several different approaches to sharing information through computer networks.
You can exchange Emails that contain attachments from person-to-person or simultaneously to a large group of people.
Facebook chat allows uploading and sending files to others too.
You can send unique details through social media networks to people.
In addition, you can also sync files over the clouds to multiple approved devices.
The modern network is versatile enough to support virtually any kind of learning or sharing choice which works best for each person.
11. Third-party Storage Enhances the Sharing Aspect of Networks
One of the key concerns that have troubled computer networks historically is capacity.
One of the most popular computers in a home during their infancy was the Commodore 64 for kids of the 1980s.
It only had RAM 64 kb and ROM 20 kb.
Even in the 1990s computers like Tandy 1000 didn’t have hard drives because they were too costly.
Today, you can obtain 5 GB of free storage across the cloud from Dropbox, Amazon, and other providers.
Storage Terabytes are available at nominal rates from third-party providers.
The largest regularly available PC HDD comes with 16 TB of storage.
Disadvantages of Computer Networking
1. There are Fewer Safeguards in Place for Computer Networks
The rules that regulate our computer networks have not caught up with the way they are routinely used.
Tyler Barriss, who lives in California, has been charged with a felony false alarm charge.
This is for faking a false police report because of an accident that happened on one of his computer networks.
The incident reported a false hostage and domestic shooting and a resident, Andrew Finch, was shot by one officer because of the shared information.
Finch had been living in Wichita, Kansas.
Computer networks provide many conveniences but without the same protection outside the network that rules society.
2. It can Lead to Serious Mental Health Concerns
The World Health Organization will list gaming addiction as a disease according to a BBC report.
Networks provide knowledge-sharing opportunities but also provide various options for entertainment.
Gaming can become addictive and over time create important mental health problems for individuals.
Electronic screen use can also interrupt sleep habits, cause insomnia, and can contribute to physical health problems such as obesity.
Like all things, computer networks should be enjoyed in moderation, in order to take advantage of the many benefits that are possible.
3. Computer Networks Rely on a High-quality Installation Process
There must be minimum electromagnetic interference to provide sufficient coverage for a computer network.
Buildings with multiple wireless networks may sometimes cause interference which interferes with user access to the information they can need.
Some buildings, such as those using steel frames, can make it difficult for computers to pick up the frequencies required for data sharing.
For a network to operate efficiently, great care must be taken to eliminate interference problems during the installation process.
4. Computer Networks are not Always Secure
There are several ways to interrupt a computer network.
Hackers can inject malicious software into computer networks and then encrypt the data that they contain to keep for ransom.
A simple power failure will make the use of your computers difficult for individuals when they may need access to information.
Viruses, computer theft, network outages, and DDoS attacks are all typical examples of daily disruptions.
Even offline, a network of computers is never 100 percent free.
5. Computer Networks Might Provide too Much Information
From a global viewpoint, they estimate the cost of identity fraud across computer networks at about $100 billion per annum.
The IP Commission Report includes an estimate of damages of up to $600 billion resulting from intellectual property theft.
Computer networks provide access to information, and that can be a positive thing.
It can also put in the network too much information which can harm others, steal funds, and more.
Most computer networks are secure, but only because practical attempts have been made to protect them.
Not every network is getting this protection.
6. Not Everyone has Access to Computer Networks
Although modern computer networks have free connection options, not every person has access to the technology they need.
Fewer than 2 out of every 5 people in so-called “developing” countries have regular access to a computer network.
Niveaus of saturation in computer networking has increased.
In 2005, in developing countries, only 8 percent of people had access to a computer.
There are still connectivity issues beyond the developed world that need to be tackled for a truly global network to be built.
7. They Can Cause More Downtime than Productive Time
With computer networks, multitasking can be possible but not everyone is an effective multitasker.
Task switching will cause a productivity loss of 40 percent, according to Wrike.
The amount of information that can be processed by individuals is finite.
Just 2 percent of people can perform multiple complex tasks at the same time without losing productivity levels.
There needs to be a deliberate effort for everyone involved to take on one job at a time and take advantage of what computer networks deliver.
8. They Change our Perspectives on Relationships
According to a survey conducted by the American Psychological Association, nearly half of the staff living in the U.S. are professionally involved while on vacation.
This could include checking work emails, talking to colleagues about a current project, or even telecommuting from their hotel room.
And if not on holiday, the average person checks their phone about 100 times a day whether or not there are alerts.
Communicating through a computer network isn’t the same as communicating face-to-face with someone.
9. Computer Networks Create Recall Dependence
It’s not just addiction that the computer networks need to worry people about.
For certain individuals, the amount of knowledge we have access to each day may become the primary source of memory.
A study conducted by Harvard, the University of Wisconsin, and Columbia University on The Daily Mail in 2012 found that participants in research groups would not consciously attempt to recall anything if they thought they could look it up via a search engine.
These advantages and disadvantages of computer networking provide the resources humanity requires for future development.
With such development, there are always new threats, security issues, and unforeseen problems.
By learning from the various negatives we’ve seen in past growth measures, we will be ready for a future where everyone can be linked through computers if that is what they want to do.