Uhleloxhumano lesiCikizi
Uhleloxhumano lesiCikizi luyiqoqo leziCikizi ezabelana ngezinsiza ezitholakala noma ezihlinzekwa amaqhuzu wamahleloxhumano. IziCikizi zisebenzisa amagumelo wokuxhumana avamile kuxhakaxhumano lwezezibhangqiwe ukuze zixhumane zodwa. Amaqhuzu wamahleloxhumano (network nodes) esicikizi angahlanganisa izicikizi zasendlini, iziphakeli, izimpahla zamahleloxhumano, noma ezinye izisingathi (hosts) zekhethelo zenjongo ebanzi. Zihlonzwa ngamakheli wamahleloxhumano, futhi zingaba namagama ezisingathi. Izisingathii zikhonza njengemigqabo yenkumbulo yamaqhuzu, eziguqulwa kancane emva kwesabelo sokuqala.
Amahleloxhumano wesicikizi angajinjwa ngezindlela eziningi, kuhlanganise insiza yokufufukisa (transmission medium) esetshenziswa ukuthwala iziyabizo, uyacabanzi, imibandela yoqanguzo yokuhlela isinyokotho sohleloxhumano (network traffic), umumo, izindlela zokulawula isinyokotho, kanye nenhloso yohlelo lonke.
Amahleloxhumano wesicikizi aseka izinhlelokusebenza eziningi nezinkonzo, ezifana nofikelelo kusindalwazi somhlaba, izilalelwa zezezibhangqiwe, ukusetshenziswa okwabiwe kwezinhlelokusebenza neziphakeli zokulondoloza, izinguxa zomqhafazo (fax machines), kanye nokusetshenziswa kwencwazuba nezinhlelokusebenza zokuthumela imiyalezo ngokuphazima.
uMlando
hlelaUkwakha uxhoxho lwesiCikizi kungathathwa njengegatsha lenzululwazi yesicikizi, umNgcikisho wesiCikizi, nezokuxhumana, njengoba kuncike emibonweni nasekusebenzeni koqeqesho oluhlobene nakho. Ukwakha uxhoxho lwesiCikizi kwathonywa uyaca olubanzi lokuthuthukiswa kobuchwepheshe nezingqophamlando.