Network Devices
NETWORK DEVICES AND THEIR CORRESPONDING LAYERS
Definition
► Devices that are used to connect computers, printers,
fax machines and other electronic devices to
a network are called network devices.
These devices transfer data in a fast, secure and correct
way over same or different networks. Network
devices may be inter-network or intra-network.
Types Of Network Devices
► There are different types of network devices used in a computer network which include the
following.
o Cables
o Network Hub
o Network Switch
o Modem
o Network Router
o Bridge
o Repeater
o Gateway
o IDS
o Firewall
Cables
► UTP/STP 10BASE-T , 100Base-T
► Coaxial 10 BASE 2 , 10Base5
► Fiber Optic 100Base Fx
Repeater
► A repeater operates at the physical layer.
► Repeater’s job is to regenerate the signal over the same network before
the signal becomes too weak or corrupted so as to extend the length to
which the signal can be transmitted over the same network.
► An important point to be noted about repeaters is that they do not
amplify the signal. When the signal becomes weak, they copy the signal
bit by bit and regenerate it at the original strength.
► It is a 2 port device.
Network Hub
► A hub is basically a multiport repeater. A hub connects multiple
wires coming from different branches, for example, the
connector in star topology which connects different stations.
► Hubs cannot filter data, so data packets are sent to all
connected devices. In other words, collision domain of all hosts
connected through Hub remains one.
► A hub works at the physical layer (layer 1) of the OSI model.
► They do not have intelligence to find out best path for data
packets which leads to inefficiencies and wastage.
Types Of Hubs
► Active Hub:- These are the hubs which have their own power
supply and can clean, boost and relay the signal along with the
network. It serves both as a repeater as well as wiring center.
These are used to extend the maximum distance between
nodes.
► Passive Hub :- These are the hubs which collect wiring from
nodes and power supply from active hub. These hubs relay
signals onto the network without cleaning and boosting them
and can’t be used to extend the distance between nodes.
Switch
► A switch is a multiport bridge with a buffer and a design that can boost
its efficiency(a large number of ports imply less traffic) and
performance.
► A switch is a data link layer device.
► The switch can perform error checking before forwarding data, that
makes it very efficient as it does not forward packets that have errors
and forward good packets selectively to correct port only. In other
words, switch divides collision domain of hosts, but broadcast
domain remains same.
Switch Working
Bridge
► A bridge operates at data link layer and Physical Layer.
► A bridge is a repeater, with add on the functionality of filtering content
by reading the MAC addresses of source and destination.
► It is used for interconnecting two LANs.
► It has a single input and single output port, thus making it a 2 port
device.
Bridge
Types Of Bridges
► Transparent Bridges:- These are the bridge in which the stations are
completely unaware of the bridge’s existence i.e. whether or not a
bridge is added or deleted from the network, reconfiguration of
the stations is unnecessary. These bridges make use of two processes i.e.
bridge forwarding and bridge learning.
► Source Routing Bridges:- In these bridges, routing operation is performed
by source station and the frame specifies which route to follow. The hot
can discover frame by sending a special frame called discovery frame,
which spreads through the entire network using all possible paths to
destination.
Pictorial Representation
Modem
► With respect to the OSI model of network design, a cable modem is
both Physical Layer (Layer 1) device and a Data Link Layer (Layer 2)
forwarder. As an IP addressable network node,
cable modems support functionality at other layers.
► Modem is a hardware device that converts data into a format
suitable for a transmission medium so that it can be transmitted from
one computer to another.
► The modem takes signals from your ISP and translates them into
signals your local devices can use, and vice versa.
► Modem shares connection with a computer or a router via an Ethernet
cable.
Modem Working Diagram
Router
► A router is a device like a switch that routes data packets based
on their IP addresses. Router is mainly a Network Layer device.
► Routers normally connect LANs and WANs together and have a
dynamically updating routing table based on which they make
decisions on routing the data packets.
► Router divide broadcast domains of hosts connected through it.
► A router is a Network Layer device as it connects two networks
together.
Router Working
Gateway ,IDS ,Firewall
► A gateway is a network node used in telecommunications that connects
two networks with different transmission protocols together
► Instrusion Detection System
► A firewall is a network security device that monitors incoming and
outgoing network traffic and permits or blocks data packets based on a
set of security Rules.
All Devices Working Diagram
