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Network Devices

Network devices allow computers and other electronic devices to connect and communicate over a network. They include network interface cards (NICs), hubs, switches, routers, bridges, and gateways. NICs provide a physical connection to the network and allow data to be transmitted. Hubs connect multiple computers but do not filter or manage data traffic. Switches operate at the data link layer and can determine the destination of data packets to improve network efficiency. Routers operate at the network layer and direct data traffic between different networks. Bridges connect multiple local area networks, while gateways translate between different network protocols or data formats.

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249 views9 pages

Network Devices

Network devices allow computers and other electronic devices to connect and communicate over a network. They include network interface cards (NICs), hubs, switches, routers, bridges, and gateways. NICs provide a physical connection to the network and allow data to be transmitted. Hubs connect multiple computers but do not filter or manage data traffic. Switches operate at the data link layer and can determine the destination of data packets to improve network efficiency. Routers operate at the network layer and direct data traffic between different networks. Bridges connect multiple local area networks, while gateways translate between different network protocols or data formats.

Uploaded by

Muse Mohamed
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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How to

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Presentation
Network Devices
HowWhat
to are Network Devices?
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Hardware devices that are used to connect computers, printers, fax

Presentation
machines, and other electronic devices to a network are called network
devices. These devices transfer data in a fast, secure, and correct way
over the same or different networks. Network devices may be inter-
network or intra-network. Some devices are installed on the device, like
an NIC card or RJ45 connector, whereas some are part of the network,
like a router, switch, etc. Let us explore some of these devices in greater
detail.
Network Devices include:
How to
Use This
• Network Interface Card (NIC)
• Hub
Presentation
• Switch
• Router
• Bridge
• Gateway
Network Interface Card (NIC)
The network interface card (NIC), as its name suggests,
is the expansion card you install on your computer to
connect, or interface, your computer to the network. This
device provides physical, electrical, and electronic
connections to the network media. A NIC is either an
expansion card (the most popular implementation) or built
into the motherboard of the computer. NIC provides the
physical interface between computers and cabling. It
prepares data, sends data, and controls the flow of data.
It can also receive and translate data into bytes for the
CPU to understand
Hub

A typical Ethernet LAN uses unshielded twisted-


pair (UTP) cables with RJ-45 connectors.
Because these cables have only two ends, an
intermediary device is needed to connect more
than two computers. That device is a hub. Hubs
are devices used to link several computers
together. A hub works at Layer 1 and connects
multiple devices so that they are logically all on
one LAN.
Switch

Switches are networking devices operating at


layer 2 or a data link layer of the OSI model.
They connect devices in a network and use
packet switching to send, receive or forward data
packets or data frames over the network.
A switch has many ports, into which computers
are plugged. When a data frame arrives at any
port of a network switch, it examines the
destination address, performs necessary checks,
and sends the frame to the corresponding
device(s). It supports unicast, multicast as well
as broadcast communications.
Router

Routers are networking devices operating at


layer 3 or a network layer of the OSI model.
They are responsible for receiving, analyzing,
and forwarding data packets among the
connected computer networks. When a data
packet arrives, the router inspects the
destination address, consults its routing tables to
decide the optimal route, and then transfers the
packet along this route.
Bridge

A bridge is a network device that connects


multiple LANs (local area networks) together to
form a larger LAN. The process of aggregating
networks is called network bridging. A bridge
connects the different components so that they
appear as parts of a single network. Bridges
operate at the data link layer of the OSI model
and are hence also referred to as Layer 2
switches.
Gateway

Any device that translates one data format to


another is called a gateway. Some examples of
gateways include a router that translates data
from one network protocol to another, a bridge
that converts between two networking systems,
and a software application that converts between
two dissimilar formats. The key point about a
gateway is that only the data format is
translated, not the data itself. In many cases, the
gateway functionality is incorporated into another
device.

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