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"What Is a Peer-To-Peer Network? {With Examples}"

A peer-to-peer (P2P) network is a way for two or more computers to share files and for computers to access devices such as printers.

The earliest examples of P2P networks came from the first freestanding PCs in the 1980s
– when computers no longer needed to be linked to a central system but were completely
self-contained. While this meant more freedom for the user, it was also much more difficult
to share data or send something to be printed without having to save it to a floppy disk
and physically take it to the user who had a PC connected to the printer.
The development of peer-to-peer (P2P) networks allowed all computers to be connected
to each other and share resources, such as printer access.
Each computer on a P2P network is called a 'peer' or 'node'.

Each node serves as both a client and a server – they make use of the resources while
simultaneously providing resources to others. These might be files, access to a printer,
storage, bandwidth or processing power. Each user can decide what can be shared from
their PC with access rights.
Other networks, such as client/server networks, might have a separate server computer or
need server software – but these are unnecessary for P2P networks.

In direct opposition to client/server networks, no specific peer in a P2P network has
authority. This egalitarian network means that each PC has the same rights regarding
communication, finding and using resources, and validating other users.

A P2P network can be as simple as linking two computers using an ad-hoc connection through USB or a permanent connection using copper wires like in a small office, or up to a much larger network operating across the internet using special protocols and
applications.
 

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