Network Questions

[nixbin]

I believe I have done my fair share of reading from various sources. Here comes my very newbie questions.

1. Who/what is considered a bitcoin node ?

I believe when my freshly installed Multibit software with a wallet opened, connected to Internet, that makes my laptop an active node? When I close Multibit, my laptop is no more a node? Ipads, smartphones with bitcoin wallets, are those nodes too?

2. Which is better/healthier to the Network?
Having a wallet in my own laptop(serves as a node?), or simply open a web/online wallet?

I still have many questions, hope these basic ones can be answered first to sort things out for me.

Thanks in advance.

[Akka]

1. Only the Bitcoin-QT client functions as a full Node.

All other clients (Multibit too) are not full nodes.


2. The Healthiest for the Network is to run a full node (Bitcoin-QT with Port 8333 forwarded), because all other clients need connects to full nodes to get their information from.

Web wallets are neutral, because the provider operates a very well connected full node.

All other Clients need resources from Full Nodes, but don't do anything to facilitate the network them self.

[nixbin]

Thanks Akka, I will go with the Bitcoin-QT client.