Networking Devices
The Networking devices are intelligently designed to connect two or more trough a data path.Apart from sharing files,these devices enable printers and machine sharing.The communicating devices set up a path that connects all computers in the network.Network is a collaboration or connection of two or more zones or devices through a common linking method. The network allows the nodes to share resources between the linked systems. This is applicable in telecommunication ,internet and even offline data sharing.
What is the use of network devices?
Network devices or internet working devices are used to establish a network connection inside the corporate environment.
In this image , HUB,Bridge and Switches are used to implement a switched network of the devices,while router is used to interconnect multiple switched networks.
There are certain hardware devices used within the network to connect two or more computers or peripherals.
- NIC
- Repeater
- HUB
- Switch
- Gateway
- Router
- Modem
1. NIC
NIC stands for NETWORK INTERFACE CARD. Sometimes it is also called by the name "NETWORK INTERFACE CONTROLLER".It is indeed a circuit board or a card that is installed in a computer so that it can be connected to a network. Actually the network interface card provides the computer with a dedicated, full time connection to a network. Personal computers and Workstations on a local area network(LAN)typically contain a network interface card specifically designed for the LAN transmission technology.
2. REPEATER
Repeater is a network devices, which used to regenerate or replicate a signal. It removes the unwanted noise in an incoming signal.Unlike an analog signal, the original digital signal,even if weak or distorted ,can be clearly perceived and restored.With analog transmission, signals, are re-strengthened with amplifiers which unfortunately also amplify noise as well as information. Repeater operates at Layer 1 of OSI.
3. HUB
Basically a hub is a common connection point for devices in a network. Hubs are commonly used to connect segments of a LAN. A hub contains multiple ports. When a packet arrives at one port, it is copied to the other ports so that all segments of the LAN can see all packets. HUB operates at Layer 1 of OSI.
4. BRIDGE
Bridge devices inspect incoming network traffic and determine whether to forward or discard it according to its intended destination. An Ethernet bridge, for example , inspects each incoming Ethernet frame-including the source and destination MAC address, and sometimes the frame size - in making individual forwarding decisions.Bridge devices operates at the data link layer(Layer 2) of OSI model.
6.GATEWAY
A Gateway is a network node which connects two networks in a different protocols. Gateways can take several forms including routers or computers and can perform a variety of tasks. These range from simply passing traffic on to the next hop on its path to offering complex traffic filtering, proxies or protocol translations at various network layers. The most common Gateway is the internet gateway, which connects home or enterprise network to the internet .An internet gateway also often acts as a security node ,variously filling one or more security roles,such as proxy server, firewall or Network Address Translation(NAT)server.Software-defined WAN(SD-WAN) and virtual WAN systems server as gateways between an enterprise network and two or more wide area network(WANs).
7.ROUTER
Router is one of the most used networking device used to sharing internet connection between two devices.The operation of router is complicate as it can both Software and Hardware and operates at layer 3 of OSI
The connections established through router can be
3. HUB
Basically a hub is a common connection point for devices in a network. Hubs are commonly used to connect segments of a LAN. A hub contains multiple ports. When a packet arrives at one port, it is copied to the other ports so that all segments of the LAN can see all packets. HUB operates at Layer 1 of OSI.
4. BRIDGE
Bridge devices inspect incoming network traffic and determine whether to forward or discard it according to its intended destination. An Ethernet bridge, for example , inspects each incoming Ethernet frame-including the source and destination MAC address, and sometimes the frame size - in making individual forwarding decisions.Bridge devices operates at the data link layer(Layer 2) of OSI model.
5. SWITCH
switch is very common types of networking devices that channels coming data from any of multiple input ports to to specific output port that will take the data toward, its intended destination in a telecommunications network. In the traditional circuit switched Telephone Network ,one or more switch are used to set up a dedicated communication through temporary connection for circuit for data exchange between two or more network devices .O n an Ethernet LAN ,the switch determines from the physical device like MAC address in each incoming message frame which output port to forward it to and out of . In an internet, a switch determines from the IP address in in each packet and the output port of switch is connected to the next part of the the intended destination.
A Gateway is a network node which connects two networks in a different protocols. Gateways can take several forms including routers or computers and can perform a variety of tasks. These range from simply passing traffic on to the next hop on its path to offering complex traffic filtering, proxies or protocol translations at various network layers. The most common Gateway is the internet gateway, which connects home or enterprise network to the internet .An internet gateway also often acts as a security node ,variously filling one or more security roles,such as proxy server, firewall or Network Address Translation(NAT)server.Software-defined WAN(SD-WAN) and virtual WAN systems server as gateways between an enterprise network and two or more wide area network(WANs).
7.ROUTER
Router is one of the most used networking device used to sharing internet connection between two devices.The operation of router is complicate as it can both Software and Hardware and operates at layer 3 of OSI
The connections established through router can be
- Ethernet to Ethernet- The main router can either be Linksys or a third party and will be referred to as the main router .The second router should be Linksys and will be called secondary router.If you want to cascade a non Linksys router to the main router you need to call its manufacturer for support
- MAN to WAN- Connecting one of the Ethernet ports of the main router(MAN) to the internet port (WAN)of the secondary router. This type of spilling required the main router and the secondary router to have different it segments. This connection makes it easier to identify which router the computer and other devices in the network are connected to since they will have different LAN IP segments. However, computers that are connected to the main router will not be able to communicate with the secondary router and vice versa since there are two different networks. Before you connect a Linksys router to another router ,make sure that both routers have different IP address. This is necessary to avoid conflict and connectivity issue in the Local Network if they have similar IP addresses.
- TOKEN RING to ETHERNET - Token ring Local area network(LAN) technology is a Communications protocol for local area networks.
8.MODEM
Modem stands for modulator-demodulator. A modem is a device or program that enables a computer to transfer data over for example telephone or cable lines. Computer information is stored digitally whereas information transmit over telephone lines is transmitted in the form of analog waves. A modem converts between these two forms analogue to digital and vice versa.
