The document discusses computer networks and data communication. It defines a computer network as a group of interconnected computers that allows sharing of resources and information. The key components of a data communication system are sender, receiver, message, medium, and protocol. Communication can be simplex, half-duplex or full-duplex depending on the direction of data flow. Common network topologies include bus, star, ring and mesh. Local area networks (LANs) connect devices within a building, metropolitan area networks (MANs) span a city, and wide area networks (WANs) encompass large geographic areas or the entire world. The Internet is an example of interconnected networks.