A collection of electrically connected components defines a network. Networks may span many arcs, or they may reside on only a single export on a single node. Because networks are stored in the Electric database, they can be immediately accessed when needed.

Whenever a port on a node is selected, the highlighting indicates the entire network that is connected to that port. Another way to see an entire network is to use the Show Network command (in menu Tool / Network. This will highlight all arcs on the currently selected networks. If the design is very dense, you can select one or more networks by name with the Select Object... command (in menu Edit / Selection).

The Resistor can be treated as a connecting or nonconnecting node. By default, it does not connect the networks on its two ends, so identification of the extent of a network ends at the resistor. To ignore resistors and treat them as wires, use the "Network" preferences (in menu File / Preferences..., "Tools" section, "Network" tab), and check "Ignore Resistors". Then highlighted networks will pass through them. See section Section 7-5-1 for more on resistors.

There are many commands that can be used to get information about the networks in a cell:

- The List Networks command shows a list of the named nets in the current cell.
- The List Exports on Network command lists all export names on the currently highlighted network. This list contains the names of exports at all levels of the hierarchy, above and below the current cell. The facility is useful if, for example, you have propagated clock lines throughout the circuit and wish to make sure that all of the export names on this network have some variant of the name "phi". By quickly examining this list, you can see all of the names that have been used on the network, throughout the hierarchy.
- The List Exports below Network command lists all export names on the currently highlighted network. This list is similar to the one generated by List Exports on Network except that it works only on cells below the current one.
- The List Connections on Network command lists all nodes in the current cell that are connected to the current network. This list includes only those nodes at the ends of the net, and not the pin or contact nodes used inside of the network. The command is useful if you are at one end of a wire and want to check to see what is at the other end.
- The List Geometry on Network command lists all geometry in the current cell that is connected to the current network. This reports the area and perimeter of all attached layers.