NETWORKING DEVICES

Computer networking devices are known by different names such as networking devices, networking hardware, network equipment etc. However, all of the names mean the same but have got different purposes.

1.HUB
2.SWITCH
3.ROUTER
4.MODEM
5.BRIDGE
6.NIC CARD
7.GATWAY
8.REPEATER

1. HUB:

Network Hub is a networking device which is used to connect multiple network hosts. A network hub is also used to do data transfer. The data is transferred in terms of packets on a computer network. So when a host sends a data packet to a network hub, the hub copies the data packet to all of its ports connected to. Like this, all the ports know about the data and the port for whom the packet is intended, claims the packet.

However, because of its working mechanism, a hub is not so secure and safe. Moreover, copying the data packets on all the interfaces or ports makes it slower and more congested which led to the use of network switch

2. SWITCH:

Like a hub, a switch also works at the layer of LAN (Local Area Network) but you can say that a switch is more intelligent than a hub. While hub just does the work of data forwarding, a switch does ‘filter and forwarding’ which is a more intelligent way of dealing with the data packets.

So, when a packet is received at one of the interfaces of the switch, it filters the packet and sends only to the interface of the intended receiver.

3. ROUTER

A router is a network device which is responsible for routing traffic from one to another network. These two networks could be a private company network to a public network. You can think of a router as a traffic police who directs different network traffic to different directions.

4. MODEM:

A Modem is somewhat a more interesting network device in our daily life. So if you have noticed around, you get an internet connection through a wire (there are different types of wires) to your house. This wire is used to carry our internet data outside to the internet world.

However, our computer generates binary data or digital data in forms of 1s and 0s and on the other hand, a wire carries an analog signal and that’s where a modem comes in.

A modem stands for (Modulator+Demodulator). That means it modulates and demodulates the signal between the digital data of a computer and the analogue signal of a telephone line

If a hub connects two different types of networks, then a bridge connects two subnetworks as a part of the same network. You can think of two different labs or two different floors connected by a bridge.

6. NIC CARD:

NICs (Network Interface Card) is also known as network card are hard device that connect computer with network. They are fixed on motherboard. They are responsible for developing physical connection between network and computer.Computer data is translated into electrical signals send to the network through NIC card.

7. GATEWAY:

Gateway is a device which is used to connect multiple networks and passes packets from one packet to the other network.A gateway is device which form a link between different networking system or computers.It allows the computer programs,either on the same computer or on different computers to share information across the network through protocols.Gateway is viable tool to translate the data format,although the data itself remains unchanged.Gateway might be installed in some other device to add its functionality into another.

8. REPEATER:

A Repeater is a an electronic device that receives a network signal,clean it of unnecessary noise and regenerates it.The signal is retransmitted at a higher power level,or to the other side of an obstruction,so that the signal can cover longer distances without degradation.In most twisted pair Ethernet configuration,repeaters a required for cable that runs longer than 100meters.With fiber optics cable repeater can be ten or even hundreds of kilometers apart.

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