Categorizing
Local area network (LAN) HomePNA Power line communication (HomePlug) Metropolitan area network (MAN) Wide area network (WAN)

By functional relationship
Client-server

By network topology
Bus network Star network Ring network Mesh network Star-bus network

By specialized function
Storage area networks Server farms Process control networks Value added network SOHO network Wireless community network

Protocol stacks

Computer networks can be implemented applying the kind of protocol stack architectures, computer buses or even combinations of media & protocol shells, incorporating 1 or thomas more of:

ARCNET AppleTalk ATM Bluetooth DECnet Ethernet FDDI Frame relay HIPPI IEEE 1394 aka Firewire, iLink IEEE 802.11 IEEE-488 IP IPX Myrinet QsNet RS-232 SPX System Network Architecture Token Ring TCP TCP Tuning for discussion of improving performance of same USB UDP X.25

For the listing of thomas more watch Network protocols.

For standards look at IEEE 802.

Suggested topics

Farther reading for getting an inside-depth understanding of computer networks include:

Communication theory

Layers

Data transmission

Wired transmission
Public switched telephone network Modems and dialup Dedicated lines – leased lines Time-division multiplexing Packet switching Frame relay PDH Ethernet RS-232 Optical fiber transmission Synchronous optical networking Fiber distributed data interface Wireless transmission
Short range Bluetooth Medium range IEEE 802.11 Long range Satellite MMDS SMDS Mobile phone data transmission (channel access methods) CDMA CDPD GSM TDMA Paging networks DataTAC Mobitex Motient

Other

Computer networking device Network card Naming schemes Network monitoring