The interconnection of two or more networks, usually {local area networks} so that data can pass between hosts on the different networks as though they were one network. This requires some kind of router or gateway. (1994-11-30)

Internetworking is the practice of interconnecting multiple computer networks, such that any pair of hosts in the connected networks can exchange messages irrespective of their hardware-level networking technology. The resulting system of interconnected networks are called an internetwork, or simply an internet.

The Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF) is a prominent non-profit consortium that was founded in 1998. It promotes the development and deployment of interoperable computer networking products and services through implementation agreements (IAs) for optical networking products and component technologies including SerDes devices.

The Hierarchical internetworking model is a three-layer model for network design first proposed by Cisco. It divides enterprise networks into three layers: core, distribution, and access layer.

In computer networking, hypercube networks are a type of network topology used to connect multiple processors with memory modules and accurately route data. Hypercube networks consist of nodes, which form the vertices of squares to create an internetwork connection.

The Recursive InterNetwork Architecture (RINA) is a new computer network architecture proposed as an alternative to the architecture of the currently mainstream Internet protocol suite. RINA's fundamental principles are that computer networking is just Inter-Process Communication or IPC, and that layering should be done based on scope/scale, with a single recurring set of protocols, rather than based on function, with specialized protocols.

<networking> (IPX) A network layer protocol initially developed at XEROX Corporation and made popular by {Novell, Inc.} as the basic protocol in its Novell NetWare {file server} operating system. A router with IPX routing can interconnect {Local Area Networks} so that Netware clients and servers can communicate. The SPX transport layer protocol runs on top of IPX. (1997-03-04)

<networking> The software and/or hardware environment of two or more communications devices or computers in which a particular network protocol operates. A network connection may be thought of as a set of more or less independent protocols, each in a different layer or level. The lowest layer governs direct host-to-host communication between the hardware at different hosts; the highest consists of user application programs. Each layer uses the layer beneath it and provides a service for the layer above. Each networking component hardware or software on one host uses protocols appropriate to its layer to communicate with the corresponding component (its "peer") on another host. Such layered protocols are sometimes known as peer-to-peer protocols. The advantages of layered protocols is that the methods of passing information from one layer to another are specified clearly as part of the protocol suite, and changes within a protocol layer are prevented from affecting the other layers. This greatly simplifies the task of designing and maintaining communication systems. Examples of layered protocols are TCP/IP's five layer protocol stack and the OSI seven layer model. (1997-05-05)

A communication protocol is a system of rules that allows two or more entities of a communications system to transmit information via any kind of variation of a physical quantity. The protocol defines the rules, syntax, semantics and synchronization of communication and possible error recovery methods.