Internetworking

Internetworking is the practice of interconnecting multiple computer networks,^[1]^: 169 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 is called an internetwork, or simply an internet.

The most notable example of internetworking is the Internet, a network of networks based on many underlying hardware technologies. The Internet is defined by a unified global addressing system, packet format, and routing methods provided by the Internet Protocol.^[2]^: 103

The term internetworking is a combination of the components inter (between) and networking. An earlier term for an internetwork is catenet,^[3] a short-form of (con)catenating networks.

^ Peterson, Larry L.; Davie, Bruce S. (2012). Computer Networks: a systems approach. Elsevier, Inc. ISBN 978-0-12-385059-1.
^ Cite error: The named reference CDKB2012 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Vint Cerf (July 1978). "IEN 48: The Catenet Model for Internetworking". IETF. The term "catenet" was introduced by L. Pouzin in 1974.

[PD2012-1] Peterson, Larry L.; Davie, Bruce S. (2012). Computer Networks: a systems approach. Elsevier, Inc. ISBN 978-0-12-385059-1.

[CDKB2012-2] Cite error: The named reference CDKB2012 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[ien48-3] Vint Cerf (July 1978). "IEN 48: The Catenet Model for Internetworking". IETF. The term "catenet" was introduced by L. Pouzin in 1974.

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