Network Devices

1. NIC
A network interface card (NIC) is a hardware component without which a
computer cannot be connected over a network. It is a circuit board installed in a
computer that provides a dedicated network connection to the computer. It is
also called network interface controller, network adapter, or LAN adapter.

Types of NIC Cards

NIC cards are of two types –

I. Internal NIC

In internal networks cards, motherboard has a slot for the network card
where it can be inserted. It requires network cables to provide network
access.

II. External NIC

In desktops and laptops that do not have an internal NIC, external NICs are
used. External network cards are of two types: Wireless and USB based.
Wireless network card needs to be inserted into the motherboard, however
no network cable is required to connect to the network. They are useful while
traveling or accessing a wireless signal.
 2.Repeater

A repeater is a network device that retransmits a received signal with more power and to an
extended geographical or topological network boundary than what would be capable with the
original signal.

Repeaters are network devices operating at physical layer of the OSI model. They are
incorporated in networks to expand its coverage area. They are also known as signal boosters.

Why are Repeaters needed?

When an electrical signal is transmitted via a channel, it gets attenuated depending upon the
nature of the channel or the technology. This poses a limitation upon the length of the LAN or
coverage area of cellular networks. This problem is alleviated by installing repeaters at certain
intervals.

Repeaters amplifies the attenuated signal and then retransmits it. Digital repeaters can even
reconstruct signals distorted by transmission loss. So, repeaters are popularly incorporated to
connect between two LANs thus forming a large single LAN.

3.HUB

Hub is a device that links multiple computers and devices together. Hubs can also be referred
to as repeaters or concentrators, and they serve as the center of a local area network (LAN).
In a hub, each connected device is on the same subnet and receives all data sent to the hub.
The hub then forwards that data out to all other connected devices, creating an efficient
 system for sharing data between users. It is a non-intelligent network device that sends
message to all ports.

Features of Hub

 A hub operates in the physical layer of the OSI model.

 A hub cannot filter data. It is a non-intelligent network device that sends
message to all ports.
 It primarily broadcasts messages. So, the collision domain of all nodes
connected through the hub stays one.
 Transmission mode is half duplex.
 Collisions may occurs during setup of transmission when more than one
computers place data simultaneously in the corresponding ports.
 Since they lack intelligence to compute best path for transmission of data
packets, inefficiencies and wastage occur.
 They are passive devices, they don’t have any software associated with it.
 They generally have fewer ports of 4/12.
4.Switch
Switches are multiport networking devices that receive data and relay it via MAC addresses.
A network switch connects network devices (printers, computers, and wireless devices/access
points, and enables users to exchange data packets.
Switches are networking devices operating at layer 2 or a data link layer of the OSI model.

Features of Switches
 A switch operates in the layer 2, i.e. data link layer of the OSI model.
 It is an intelligent network device that can be conceived as a multiport
network bridge.
 It uses MAC addresses (addresses of medium access control sublayer) to
send data packets to selected destination ports.
 It is supports unicast (one-to-one), multicast (one-to-many), and broadcast
(one-to-all) communications.
 Transmission mode is full duplex, i.e. communication in the channel
occurs in both the directions at the same time. Due to this, collisions do
not occur.
  Switches can perform some error checking before forwarding data to the
destined port.
 The number of ports is higher – 24/48

5.Router
A router works on the third layer of the OSI model, and it is based on the IP address of a
computer. It is also known as an intelligent device as it can calculate the best route to pass the
network packets from source to the destination automatically
o A router is used in LAN (Local Area Network) and WAN (Wide Area Network)
environments. For example, it is used in offices for connectivity, and you can also
establish the connection between distant networks.
o It shares information with other routers in networking.
o It uses the routing protocol to transfer the data across a network.
o Furthermore, it is more expensive than other networking devices like switches and hubs
o router provides high-speed internet connectivity with the different types of
ports like gigabit, fast-Ethernet,

Wireless Router: Wireless routers are used to offer Wi-Fi connectivity to laptops,
smartphones, and other devices with Wi-Fi network capabilities, and it can also
provide standard ethernet routing for a small number of wired network systems.

Wireless routers are capable of generating a wireless signal in your home or office,
and it allows the computers to connect with routers within a range, and use the
internet. If the connection is indoors, the range of the wireless router is about 150
feet, and when the connection is outdoors, then its range is up to 300 feet.

Furthermore, you can make more secure wireless routers with a password or
get your IP address. Thereafter, you can log in to your router by using a user
ID and password that will come with your router.

MODEM
A modem in computer networks is an electronic device designed to facilitate the conversion of
digital signals into analog signals and vice versa. Its primary purpose is to transmit data through
various communication channels, including telephone lines, cable lines, or wireless networks.
The modem possesses the ability to encode digital signals into an analog format for transmission
over the communication channel. Upon reaching the receiving modem, the analog signal is
decoded back into digital signals, which can be understood and processed by computers or other
digital devices. main function of a modem is to convert the analog signals that come from
telephone wire into a digital form.