Network Devices

Introduction
All networks are made up of basic hardware building blocks to interconnect network
nodes, such as Network Interface Cards (NICs), Bridges, Hubs, Switches, and Routers. In
addition, some method of connecting these building blocks is required, usually in the
form of galvanic cable (most commonly Category 5 cable). Less common are microwave
links (as in IEEE 802.12) or optical cable ("optical fiber"). An ethernet card may also be
required.

History
The history of computer networking is complex. It has involved many people from all
over the world over the past 35 years. Presented here is a simplified view of how the
Internet evolved. The processes of invention and commercialization are far more
complicated, but it is helpful to look at the fundamental development.
In the 1940s computers were large electromechanical devices that were prone to failure.
In 1947 the invention of a semiconductor transistor opened up many possibilities for
making smaller, more reliable computers. In the 1950s large institutions began to use
mainframe computers, which were run by punched card programs. In the late 1950s the
integrated circuit that combined several, and now millions, of transistors on one small
piece of semiconductor was invented. In the 1960s mainframes with terminals and
integrated circuits were widely used.
In the late 1960s and 1970s smaller computers called minicomputers were created.
However, these minicomputers were still very large by modern standards. In 1977 the
Apple Computer Company introduced the microcomputer, which was also known as the
Mac. In 1981 IBM introduced its first PC. The user-friendly Mac, the open-architecture
IBM PC, and the further micro-miniaturization of integrated circuits led to widespread
use of personal computers in homes and businesses.
In the mid-1980s PC users began to use modems to share files with other computers. This
was referred to as point-to-point, or dial-up communication. This concept was expanded
by the use of computers that were the central point of communication in a dial-up
connection. These computers were called bulletin boards. Users would connect to the
bulletin boards, leave and pick up messages, as well as upload and download files. The
drawback to this type of system was that there was very little direct communication and
then only with those who knew about the bulletin board. Another limitation was that the
bulletin board computer required one modem per connection. If five people connected
simultaneously it would require five modems connected to five separate phone lines. As

the number of people who wanted to use the system grew, the system was not able to
handle the demand. For example, imagine if 500 people wanted to connect at the same
time.
From the 1960s to the 1990s the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) developed large,
reliable, wide-area networks (WANs) for military and scientific reasons. This technology
was different from the point-to-point communication used in bulletin boards. It allowed
multiple computers to be connected together through many different paths. The network
itself would determine how to move data from one computer to another. One connection
could be used to reach many computers at the same time. The WAN developed by the
DoD eventually became the Internet.

Types
Modem: Modem is a device that converts digital signal to analog signal as a
modulator and analog signal to digital signal as a demodulator.
Hub: Hub is a connecting device in which various types of cables are
connected to centralize network traffic through a single connecting point.
Switch: Switch is a multiple LAN connecting device, which takes incoming
data packet from any multiple input ports and passes the data packet to
specific output port.
NIC: A Network Interface Card (NIC) is circuit board or a card that allows
computers to communicate over a network via cables or wirelessly.
Repeater: Repeater is a electronic device that reshapes and amplifies the
signal received from one LAN segment to another.
Bridge: Bridge is a networking device that connects two or more LAN's
together.
Router: Router is internetwork connecting device that determines most
efficient path for sending a data packet to any given network.
Gateway: Gateway is a network point that act as entry point to other network
and translates one data format to another.

Features
Equipment that connects directly to a network segment is referred to as a device. These
devices are broken up into two classifications. The first classification is end-user devices.
End-user devices include computers, printers, scanners, and other devices that provide
services directly to the user. The second classification is network devices. Network
devices include all the devices that connect the end-user devices together to allow them to

communicate.
End-user devices that provide users with a connection to the network are also referred to
as hosts. These devices allow users to share, create, and obtain information. The host
devices can exist without a network, but without the network the host capabilities are
greatly reduced. NICs are used to physically connect host devices to the network media.
They use this connection to send e-mails, print reports, scan pictures, or access databases.
A NIC is a printed circuit board that fits into the expansion slot of a bus on a computer
motherboard. It can also be a peripheral device. NICs are sometimes called network
adapters. Laptop or notebook computer NICs are usually the size of a PCMCIA card.
Each NIC is identified by a unique code called a Media Access Control (MAC) address.
This address is used to control data communication for the host on the network. More
about the MAC address will be covered later. As the name implies, the NIC controls host
access to the network.
There are no standardized symbols for end-user devices in the networking industry. They
appear similar to the real devices to allow for quick recognition.
Network devices are used to extend cable connections, concentrate connections, convert
data formats, and manage data transfers. Network devices provide extension of cable
connections, concentration of connections, conversion of data formats, and management
of data transfers. Examples of devices that perform these functions are repeaters, hubs,
bridges, switches, and routers. All of the network devices mentioned here are covered in
depth later in the course. For now, a brief overview of networking devices will be
provided.
A repeater is a network device used to regenerate a signal. Repeaters regenerate analog or
digital signals that are distorted by transmission loss due to attenuation. A repeater does
not make intelligent decision concerning forwarding packets like a router or bridge.
Hubs concentrate connections. In other words, they take a group of hosts and allow the
network to see them as a single unit. This is done passively, without any other effect on
the data transmission. Active hubs concentrate hosts and also regenerate signals.
Bridges convert network data formats and perform basic data transmission management.
Bridges provide connections between LANs. They also check data to determine if it
should cross the bridge. This makes each part of the network more efficient.
Workgroup switches add more intelligence to data transfer management. They can
determine if data should remain on a LAN and transfer data only to the connection that
needs it. Another difference between a bridge and switch is that a switch does not convert
data transmission formats.

Routers have all the capabilities listed above. Routers can regenerate signals, concentrate
multiple connections, convert data transmission formats, and manage data transfers. They
can also connect to a WAN, which allows them to connect LANs that are separated by
great distances. None of the other devices can provide this type of connection.

Working
Most networks are smallthink of a small office or homeand even large networks are
often divided into smaller segments. That smaller segment is set apart from the larger
network by a device that can filter data and help the network be more efficient.

These devices that filter traffic are called connectivity devices, and there are several
different types:
Here's what these connectivity devices, working together, are primarily responsible for:
- Controlling traffic. Large networks need a way to filter and isolate data traffic.
- Connectivity. These devices can connect different types of networks using different
types of network protocols.
- Hierarchical addressing. Segmenting the network with connectivity devices provides an
actual (physical) example of delivering actual data to the right destination through the IP
address's network ID and host ID.
Here's a brief description of these different devices:
Bridge
Definition: A connectivity device that forwards data based on a physical address.
In networking terms, a bridge filters and forwards packets by physical address. Bridges
operate at the Network Access Layer in the TCP/IP protocol stack.
Hub
Definition: A connectivity device to which network cables are attached to form a network
segment. Hubs typically do not filter data, but instead retransmit incoming data packets
or frames to all parts.
Almost all networks today use a central hub or switch to which the computers on the
network connect. In a hubbed network, each computer is connected to the hub through a
single line. That makes adding a host to the network, or taking it off, a simple task.

Switch
Definition: A switch is aware of addresses associated with each of its ports and forwards
each incoming data frame to the correct port. Switches can base forwarding decisions on
guidelines that are provided in the headers of the TCP/IP protocols.
A switch, simplified, is a smarter version of a hub. On a switch, as with a hub, each
computer is connected through a single line. However, the switch is smarter about where
it sends data that comes in through one of its ports.
Router
Defined: A connectivity device that filters and forwards data based on a logical address.
In the case of TCP/IP networks, that would be the IP address.
Routers are an essential part of any larger TCP/IP network. In fact, without the
development of network routers and TCP/IP routing protocols, the Internet (the biggest
network in the world) would not have become as extensive. Routers play a vital role in
controlling traffic and keeping the network efficient.
Working independently and working together, connectivity devices do a remarkable job
of handling your specific Internet requests...simultaneously, with millions more being
handled every second around the world.
So wherever you are and whatever computer you are using, you can rely on networking
hardware to bring the world to your fingertips.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages
- Sharing devices such as printers saves money.
- Site (software) licences are likely to be cheaper than buying several standalone licences.
- Files can easily be shared between users.
- Network users can communicate by email and instant messenger.
- Security is good - users cannot see other users' files unlike on stand-alone machines.
- Data is easy to backup as all the data is stored on the file server.
Disadvantages
- Purchasing the network cabling and file servers can be expensive.

- Managing a large network is complicated, requires training and a network manager

usually needs to be employed.
- If the file server breaks down the files on the file server become inaccessible. Email
might still work if it is on a separate server. The computers can still be used but are
isolated.
- Viruses can spread to other computers throughout a computer network.
- There is a danger of hacking, particularly with wide area networks. Security procedures
are needed to prevent such abuse, eg a firewall.

Comparison table