Nodes

Nodes are computers that are part of the network. To become a node, users

download and install the relevant software. The software itself is free, and once

installed it opens up a port on the host computer and automatically connects it to

a number of other nodes within the network. Each node connects directly to any

node in the network, usually only around six at a time. At the last count, there were

almost 12,000 of these nodes and each node connects to six others. It may not seem

like much, but if you wanted to send a message to the entire network, all you have

to do is send it to the six you are connected to and they will relay it to the six each

of them is connected to and those nodes will relay that message on, and within 5 to 6

hops, your message will have spread to all 12000 nodes.

Why are messages important? Because the message is the root of the transaction.

We will look atthe transaction next.