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Computer Network Fundamentals

Network Devices (Hub, Repeater, Bridge, Switch,
Physical layer
Router, Gateways and Brouter)
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Network Devices (Hub, Repeater,
Bridge, Switch, Router, Gateways GATE CS & IT 2024 CBSE Clas
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Types of Transmission Media
Network Devices: Network devices, also known as networking hardware, are physical
Transmission Modes in Computer devices that allow hardware on a computer network to communicate and interact with
Networks (Simplex, Half-Duplex and
one another. For example Repeater, Hub, Bridge, Switch, Routers, Gateway, Brouter,
Full-Duplex)
and NIC, etc.
Analog to Digital Conversion 1. Repeater – A repeater operates at the physical layer. Its job is to regenerate the
signal over the same network before the signal becomes too weak or corrupted to
Digital to Analog Conversion
extend the length to which the signal can be transmitted over the same network. An
Wireless Communication | Set 1 important point to be noted about repeaters is that they do not amplify the signal.
When the signal becomes weak, they copy it bit by bit and regenerate it at its star
Wireless Communication | Set 2
topology connectors connecting if Welcome
original strength. It is a 2-port device. 
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Analog to Analog Conversion geeksforgeeks.org
2. Hub –  A hub is a basically asks for
multi-port repeater. A hubyour consent
connects to wires
multiple
(Modulation)
useexample,
coming from different branches, for your personal data in
the connector to:star topology which
Difference between Broadband and
connects different stations. Hubs cannot filter data, so data packets are sent to all
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Baseband Transmission connected devices.  Inperm_identity
otheraudience
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the collision domain
and product of all hosts connected through
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Hub remains one.  Also, they do not have the intelligence to find out the best path for
Design Issues in Physical Layer devices Store and/or access information on a device
data packets which leads to inefficiencies and wastage. 
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Data Link layer
Types of Hub
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Computer Network Quizes

Computer Network GATE Questions

Active Hub:- These are the hubs that have their power supply and can clean, boost,
and relay the signal along with the network. It serves both as a repeater as well as a
wiring center. These are used to extend the maximum distance between nodes.
Passive Hub:- These are the hubs that collect wiring from nodes and power supply
from the 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.
Intelligent Hub:- It works like an active hub and includes remote management
capabilities. They also provide flexible data rates to network devices. It also enables
an administrator to monitor the traffic passing through the hub and to configure
each port in the hub.

3. Bridge – A bridge operates at the data link layer. A bridge is a repeater, with add on
the functionality of filtering content by reading the MAC addresses of the source and
destination. It is also used for interconnecting two LANs working on the same protocol.
It has a single input and single output port, thus making it a 2 port device.

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

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 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 the
source station and the frame specifies which route to follow. The host can discover
the frame by sending a special frame called the discovery frame, which spreads
through the entire network using all possible paths to the destination.

4. 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,
which makes it very efficient as it does not forward packets that have errors and
forward good packets selectively to the correct port only.  In other words, the switch
divides the collision domain of hosts, but the broadcast domain remains the same. 

Types of  Switch
1. Unmanaged switches: These switches have a simple plug-and-play design and do
not offer advanced configuration options. They are suitable for small networks or
for use as an expansion to a larger network.
2. Managed switches: These switches offer advanced configuration options such as
VLANs, QoS, and link aggregation. They are suitable for larger, more complex
networks and allow for centralized management.
3. Smart switches: These switches have features similar to managed switches but are
typically easier to set up and manage. They are suitable for small- to medium-sized
networks.
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4. Layer 2 switches: These switches operate at the Data Link layer of the OSI model
and are responsible geeksforgeeks.org asks for
for forwarding data between your consent
devices to network
on the same
segment. use your personal data to:
5. Layer 3 switches: These switches operate at the Network layer of the OSI model
Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement,
and can route data perm_identity
between different
audience network
insights and product segments.
development They are more advanced
than Layer 2 switches and are often used in larger, more complex networks.
devices Store and/or access information on a device
6. PoE switches: These switches have Power over Ethernet capabilities, which allows
them to supply power
expand_more toLearn
network
more devices over the same cable that carries data.
7. Gigabit switches: These switches support Gigabit Ethernet speeds, which are faster
Your personal data will be processed and information from your device
than traditional Ethernet speeds.
(cookies, unique identifiers, and other device data) may be stored by,
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8. Rack-mounted switches:
this site orThese
app. switches are designed to be mounted in a server
rack and are suitable
Somefor use in
vendors maydata centers
process or other
your personal large
data on networks.
the basis of legitimate
9. Desktop switches:interest,
Thesewhich you can are
switches objectdesigned
to by managing
for your
useoptions below. Lookor
on a desktop for in a small
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office environmentwithdraw
and are typically smaller in size than rack-mounted switches.
consent.
10. Modular switches: These switches have modular design, which allows for easy
expansion or customization. They are suitable for large networks and data centers.
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5. Routers – A router is a device like a switch that routes data packets based on their
IP addresses. The router is mainly a Network Layer device. Routers normally connect
LANs and WANs and have a dynamically updating routing table based on which they
make decisions on routing the data packets. The router divides the broadcast domains
of hosts connected through it.

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6. Gateway – A gateway, as the name suggests, is a passage to connect two networks
that may work upon different networking models. They work as messenger agents
that take data from one system, interpret it, and transfer it to another system.
Gateways are also called protocol converters and can operate at any network layer.
Gateways are generally more complex than switches or routers. A gateway is also
called a protocol converter. 

7. Brouter – It is also known as the bridging router is a device that combines features
of both bridge and router. It can work either at the data link layer or a network layer.
Working as a router, it is capable of routing packets across networks and working as
the bridge, it is capable of filtering local area network traffic. 

8. NIC – NIC or network interface card is a network adapter that is used to connect the
computer to the network. It is installed in the computer to establish a LAN.  It has a
unique id that is written on the chip, and it has a connector to connect the cable to it.
The cable acts as an interface between the computer and the router or modem. NIC
card is a layer 2 device which means that it works on both the physical and data link
layers of the network model. 

References :
Data Communications and Networking 

Please write comments if you find anything incorrect, or you want to share more
information about the topic discussed above. 

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