This document provides an introduction to data communications and computer networks. It defines key terms like telecommunications, data communications, and discusses the basic components of a data communication system including transmission medium and data flow types. It also defines what a computer network is, describes different physical structures for networks including topology types, and categories of networks like local area networks and wide area networks. Finally, it provides an overview of the Internet and its hierarchical organization, and defines what a communication protocol is and its key elements of syntax, semantics and timing.