Network

Devices: Types &

Functions
Telecommunication Systems-CS-412
 Objectives
• The way networks are created, maintained and secured is constantly
evolving.
• To manage a network responsibly and effectively, security professionals
and web engineers must stay abreast of what different types of devices
exist, what their functionality is and how they interact.
• In this lecture, we’ll dive into the various network devices, loosely
grouped by the ISO layer at which they function and when they were
first introduced.
• Reviewing these network device examples can help you understand
what’s available so you can fashion the most modern, protected and
reliable network.
 Network devices: Definition
• A network device is a piece of hardware or software
integral to communication between a computer and
an internet network.
• Network devices play two roles.
i. The first is establishing a network connection, as a router
or a modem does.
ii. The second one is maintaining, protecting and enhancing
that connection, as with a hub, repeater, switch or
gateway.
Functions of Network Devices

• Networking devices serve the following general purposes:

• Facilitate data transmission and communication between
devices
• Enable efficient and secure network connectivity
• Enhance network performance and optimize traffic flow
• Provide network security by enforcing access control and
threat prevention
• Simplify network management and configuration
• Extend network coverage and overcome signal limitations
 Types of Network Devices

• Many types of network devices go into creating a network.

• Some are necessary for connections, while others are
enhancers.
• Below is a list of network devices that can play a role in
enabling your organization to transfer information as
securely as possible:
• Bridges, hubs, NICs, modems (used for analog phone lines) and
repeaters are the earliest types of network devices; they were
ubiquitous in the 1990s.
 Cont.

• DSL modems, leased line routers, WAPs and

firewalls became common in the early years of the
third millennium, with IDS and IPS as standalone
functionality and VPN appliances becoming a
standard around 2010.
 Hubs

• Hubs are networking devices operating at a physical layer of the

OSI model that are used to connect multiple devices in a
network.
• They are generally used to connect computers in a LAN.
• A hub has many ports in it.
• A computer which intends to be connected to the network is
plugged in to one of these ports.
• When a data frame arrives at a port, it is broadcast to every other
port, without considering whether it is destined for a particular
destination device or not.
 Features of Hubs

• 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.
 Features of Hubs(Cont.)

• 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.
 Types of Hubs

• Initially, hubs were passive devices.

• However, with development of
advanced technology, active hubs and
intelligent hubs came into use.
 Types of Hubs(cont.)

• Passive Hubs −
• Passive hubs connects nodes in a star
configuration by collecting wiring from nodes.
• They broadcast signals onto the network
without amplifying or regenerating them.
• As they cannot extend the distance between
nodes, they limit the size of the LAN.
 Types of Hubs(cont.)

• Active Hubs
• Active hubs amplify and regenerate the incoming
electrical signals before broadcasting them.
• They have their own power supply and serves both
as a repeater as well as connecting centre.
• Due to their regenerating capabilities, they can
extend the maximum distance between nodes, thus
increasing the size of LAN.
 Types of Hubs(cont.)

• Intelligent Hubs
• Intelligent hubs are active hubs that
provide additional network management
facilities.
• They can perform a variety of functions of
more intelligent network devices like
network management, switching,
providing flexible data rates etc.
 Switches

• A switch is a hardware component in network

infrastructure that performs the switching process.
• The switch connects network devices, such as computers
and servers, to one another.
 Switches (Cont.)

• There are two major types of switches:

• Modular switches allow systems to expand as needed or if network
requirements change.
• Fixed configuration switches have a set number of ports and cannot be
expanded. They are cheaper but less flexible.

• Switches can be managed or unmanaged. Managed switches let

users tweak settings like LAN traffic and channel prioritization.
• Unmanaged switches are for basic connection and do not allow
users to control settings.
 Switches (Cont.)

• A switch enables multiple devices to share a network

while preventing each device's traffic from interfering
with other devices' traffic.
• The switch acts as a traffic cop at a busy intersection.
• When a data packet arrives at one of its ports, the switch
determines which direction the packet is headed.
• It then forwards the packet through the correct port for
its destination.
 Switches (Cont.)

• Some data packets might come to the switch

from devices, like computers or voice-over-IP
(VoIP) phones, that are attached directly to
it.
• Other data packets might come to the switch
from indirectly connected devices, through a
network element such as a hub or router.
 Switches (Cont.)

• The switch knows which of the network's devices

are connected to it, and it can transfer data
packets between those devices directly.
• In other cases, data packets may be going to more-
distant destinations, on other networks.
• A switch in such a scenario forwards the packets to
a router, which then forwards them to their
destinations on the network.
 Bridge

• Bridges are used to connect two sub-

networks that use interchangeable protocols.
• It combines two LANs to form an extended
LAN.
• The main difference between the bridge and
repeater is that the bridge has a penetrating
efficiency.
 Working of Bridge

• A bridge accepts all the packets and amplifies

all of them to the other side.
• The bridges are intelligent devices that allow
the passing of only selective packets from them.
• A bridge only passes those packets addressed
from a node in one network to another node in
the other network.
 Features of Bridges

• A bridge performs in the following aspect −

• A bridge receives all the packets or frame from both LAN
(segment) A and B.
• A bridge builds a table of addresses from which it can identify
that the packets are sent from which LAN (or segment) to which
LAN.
• The bridge reads the send and discards all packets from LAN A
sent to a computer on LAN A and that packets from LAN A send
to a computer on LAN B are retransmitted to LAN B.
• The packets from LAN B are considered in the same method.
 Type of Bridges

• Transparent Bridges
• Transparent bridges are invisible to other devices
on the network.
• This bridge doesn’t reconfigure the network on
the addition or deletion of any station.
• The prime function of the transparent bridge is to
block or forward the data according to the MAC
address.
 Type of Bridges(Cont.)

• Source Routing Bridge

• Source routing bridges were developed and
designed by IBM specifically for token ring
networks.
• The frame’s entire route is embedded with the data
frames by the source station to perform the routing
operation so that once the frame is forwarded it
must follow a specific defined path/route.
 Type of Bridges(Cont.)

• Translational Bridge:
• Translational bridges convert the received data from
one networking system to another.
• Or it is used to communicate or transmit data between
two different types of networking systems.
• Like if we are sending data from a token ring to an
Ethernet cable, the translational cable will be used to
connect both the networking system and transmit data.
 Uses of Bridges

• The main uses of bridges are −

• Bridges are used to divide large busy networks into
multiple smaller and interconnected networks to
improve performance.
• Bridges also can increase the physical size of a network.
• Bridges are also used to connect a LAN segment
through a synchronous modem relation to another LAN
segment at a remote area.
 Routers

• Router is a layer 3 device.

• The main job of a router is to direct traffic.
• 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.
 Features of Routers

• A router is a layer 3 or network layer device.

• It connects different networks together and sends
data packets from one network to another.
• A router can be used both in LANs and WANs.
• It transfers data in the form of IP packets.
• In order to transmit data, it uses IP address
mentioned in the destination field of the IP packet.
 Features of Routers(Cont.)

• Routers have a routing table in it that is refreshed

periodically according to the changes in the network.
• In order to transmit data packets, it consults the table and
uses a routing protocol.
• In order to prepare or refresh the routing table, routers
share information among each other.
• Routers provide protection against broadcast storms.
• Routers are more expensive than other networking devices
like hubs, bridges, and switches.
 Routing Table

• The functioning of a router depends largely upon the routing

table stored in it.
• The routing table stores the available routes for all destinations.
• The router consults the routing table to determine the optimal
route through which the data packets can be sent.
• A routing table typically contains the following entities −
• IP addresses and subnet mask of the nodes in the network
• IP addresses of the routers in the network
• Interface information among the network devices and channels
 Types of Routers

• Static Routing Table

• Here, the routes are fed manually and are not refreshed
automatically.
• It is suitable for small networks containing 2-3 routers.
• Dynamic Routing Table
• Here, the router communicates with other routers using routing
protocols to determine the available routes.
• It is suited for larger networks having large number of routers.
 Gateways
• A gateway is a network node that forms a passage between two
networks operating with different transmission protocols.
• The most common type of gateways, the network gateway operates at
layer 3, i.e. network layer of the OSI (open systems interconnection)
model.
• However, depending upon the functionality, a gateway can operate at
any of the seven layers of OSI model.
• It acts as the entry – exit point for a network since all traffic that flows
across the networks should pass through the gateway.
• Only the internal traffic between the nodes of a LAN does not pass
through the gateway.
 Features of Gateways

• Gateway is located at the boundary of a network and

manages all data that inflows or outflows from that network.
• It forms a passage between two different networks operating
with different transmission protocols.
• A gateway operates as a protocol converter, providing
compatibility between the different protocols used in the two
different networks.
• The feature that differentiates a gateway from other network
devices is that it can operate at any layer of the OSI model.
 Features of Gateways (Cont.)

• It also stores information about the routing paths of the

communicating networks.
• When used in enterprise scenario, a gateway node may be
supplemented as proxy server or firewall.
• A gateway is generally implemented as a node with multiple
NICs (network interface cards) connected to different
networks. However, it can also be configured using software.
• It uses packet switching technique to transmit data across
the networks.
 Types of Gateways

• On basis of direction of data flow, gateways are broadly

divided into two categories −
• Unidirectional Gateways
• They allow data to flow in only one direction.
• Changes made in the source node are replicated in the destination
node, but not vice versa.
• They can be used as archiving tools.
• Bidirectional Gateways
• They allow data to flow in both directions.
• They can be used as synchronization tools.
 Types of Gateways(Cont.)
• On basis of functionalities, there can be a variety of gateways, the
prominent among them are as follows −
• Network Gateway
• This is the most common type of gateway that provides as interface between two
dissimilar networks operating with different protocols.
• Whenever the term gateway is mentioned without specifying the type, it indicates a
network gateway.
• Cloud Storage Gateway
• It is a network node or server that translates storage requests with different cloud
storage service API calls, such as SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) or REST
(REpresentational State Transfer).
• It facilitates integration of private cloud storage into applications without necessitating
transfer of the applications into any public cloud, thus simplifying data communication.
 Types of Gateways(Cont.)
• Internet-To-Orbit Gateway (I2O)
• It connects devices on the Internet to satellites and spacecraft orbiting the earth.
Two prominent I2O gateways are Project HERMES and Global Educational
Network for Satellite Operations (GENSO).
• IoT Gateway
• IoT gateways assimilates sensor data from IoT (Internet of Things) devices in the
field and translates between sensor protocols before sending it to the cloud
network. They connect IoT devices, cloud network and user applications.
• VoiP Trunk Gateway
• It facilitates data transmission between plain old telephone service (POTS)
devices like landline phones and fax machines, with VoIP (voice over Internet
Protocol) network.
 Repeaters

• Repeaters are network devices operating

at physical layer of the OSI model that
amplify or regenerate an incoming signal
before retransmitting it.
• 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.
 Types of Repeaters
• According to the types of signals that they
regenerate, repeaters can be classified into two
categories −
• Analog Repeaters − They can only amplify the analog
signal.
• Digital Repeaters − They can reconstruct a distorted
signal.
• According to the types of networks that they
connect, repeaters can be categorized into two
types −
• Wired Repeaters − They are used in wired LANs.
 Types of Repeaters(Cont.)

• According to the domain of LANs they

connect, repeaters can be divided into
two categories −
• Local Repeaters − They connect LAN
segments separated by small distance.
• Remote Repeaters − They connect LANs
that are far from each other.
 Firewalls

• A firewall restricts the internet traffic of a private

network, controlling what goes in and out. They analyze
and restrict data packets based on programmed
parameters, either whitelists or
blacklists. Whitelists only allow information that falls
within a certain set of parameters, while blacklists deny
all information that falls inside the parameters.
• Firewalls are essential for private networks, especially
those operating with sensitive information. They are also
used within internal networks to block access between
subgroups, such as a sales department being denied
access to files pertaining to IT or HR.
 Conti…

Several types of firewalls exist, and which one is right for

you depends on your operation. Some of the most common
firewall types include:
• Packet filtering:
• Stateful inspection
• Next-generation:
 Conti…
• Packet filtering: Acts as a network layer checkpoint, analyzing data
packets by IP address, packet type, port number or network protocols
• Stateful inspection: Analyzes data at network and transport layers,
inspecting source IP, destination IP, source port and destination port
• Next-generation: Analyzes actual packet content and all TCP
handshake checks, checking for malware, and detects advanced threats
(see the section on IDS and IPS below)
Any type of firewall is helpful, but packet filtering is the most basic. A
stateful inspection takes defenses to the next level. Next-generation
firewall methods are the most thorough and secure, often used in highly
regulated industries like finance and healthcare.
 Modems

A modem (modulator-demodulator) converts digital signals

into analog signals of different frequencies and transmits
them to a modem at the receiving location. The receiving
modem performs the reverse transformation and provides a
digital output to a device connected to a modem, usually a
computer. The digital data is usually transferred to or from
the modem over a serial line through an industry-standard
interface, RS-232.
 Conti…

There are three main types of modems:

• A DSL modem uses telephone cables and is considered
the slowest connection.
• A cable modem transmits information over TV lines and
is faster than DSL.
• A wireless modem transfers information between the
local network and an internet service provider; it is the
fastest transmitter.
 Network interface cards
(NICs)
• A network interface card is an internal
hardware chip that connects a device to the
internet. At the TCP/IP layer, the NIC
connects a device to a network. At the
physical layer, the NIC transmits a signal that
sends information to the network layer. Then
all data passes through the NIC to the server
and back to the device.
 Conti…

There are two main types of NICs:

• An Ethernet NIC comes with an 8P8C socket for
connecting an ethernet cable.
• A Wi-Fi NIC connects to a wireless network.
• Mobile devices have only a wireless NIC, but most
computers still incorporate an Ethernet chip. Ethernet
ports are more reliable but limit a user’s mobility while
handling the device.
 Wireless access points
(WAPs)
• A wireless access point consists of a transceiver (transmitter and receiver) device
used to create a wireless LAN (WLAN). WAPs are separate network devices with a
built-in antenna, transmitter and adapter. WAPs use the wireless infrastructure
network mode to provide a connection point between WLANs and a wired ethernet
LAN. They also have several ports, allowing you to expand the network to support
additional clients.
• Depending on the size of the network, one or more WAPs might be required to
provide full coverage. Additional WAPs allow access to more wireless clients and
expand the wireless network range. Each WAP is limited by its transmission range
— the distance a client can be from an WAP and still obtain a reasonable signal and
data process speed. The distance depends on the wireless standard, the obstructions
and the environmental conditions between the client and the WAP. Higher-end WAPs
have high-powered antennas, enabling them to extend how far the wireless signal
can travel.
 Conti…
• WAPs might also provide many ports for increasing a network’s size, firewall
capabilities and Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) service. Therefore,
an WAPs can be a switch, DHCP server, router and firewall.
• A service set identifier (SSID) name is necessary to connect to a wireless network.
The SID is used to identify all systems belonging to the same network, and client
stations must be configured with the SSID to be authenticated to the WAP. The WAP
might broadcast the SSID, allowing all wireless clients in the area to see the WAP’s
SSID. However, for security reasons, APs can be configured not to broadcast the
SSID, meaning an administrator needs to give client systems the SSID instead of
allowing it to be discovered automatically. Wireless devices ship with default SSIDs,
security settings, channels, passwords and usernames. For security reasons,
changing these default settings as soon as possible is strongly recommended
because many internet sites list the default settings used by manufacturers.
 Conti…

• WAPs can be fat or thin. Fat APs, sometimes called

autonomous FAPs, must be manually configured with
network and security settings. They are left alone to serve
clients until they can no longer function. Thin APs allow
remote configuration using a controller. Since thin clients
are not manually configured, they can be easily
reconfigured and monitored.
 IDS and IPS
• Intrusion detection and intrusion prevention systems monitor the network for
signs of intrusion. They do so by applying signatures to the monitored
network traffic or identifying traffic anomalies compared to normal network
activity. Intrusion prevention systems are one of the earliest implementations
of machine learning concepts in information security.
• An IDS will send alerts to an administrator and/or another security system
(such as a SIEM) but will not directly interfere with the network traffic. In
contrast, an IPS will use a defined set of actions to block a suspected
intrusion from progressing further into the network and onward to connected
devices, typically by resetting the network connection at the TCP/IP layer.
• There also host-based implementations of IDS and IPS systems, which aim to
protect the device they are running on.
 VPN
• A virtual private network is used to securely connect endpoints,
usually a computer and a company’s network, over an insecure
medium such as the public internet. In order to establish such a secure
point-to-point connection, VPN uses tunneling protocols. (That term
refers to the human interpretation of how data packets are encrypted
and encapsulated when transmitted over the insecure connection.)
• Several types of VPNs exist; remote access is the most common one.
Indeed, widespread work-from-home (WFH) adoption has led to broad
use of VPN. Since attackers often try to misuse these “gates to the
kingdom,” knowing the basic concepts of virtual private networking is
vital for security engineers
 Transmission Media

For any networking to be effective, raw stream of data is to

be transported from one device to other over some medium.
Various transmission media can be used for transfer of data.
These transmission media may be of two types:
• Guided − In guided media, transmitted data travels
through cabling system that has a fixed path. For example,
copper wires, fibre optic wires, etc.
• Unguided − In unguided media, transmitted data travels
through free space in form of electromagnetic signal. For
example, radio waves, lasers, etc.