A computer network is comprised of different devices to share, transmit, and boost this signal, voice and data. Network devices or components are the physical parts connected to a network. There is a large number of the network devices and are increasing daily. The basic network devices are: Individual Computers, Server, Hub, Switch, Bridges, Routers, Modems, Printers, DSL Modems & Routers, Gateways, Network Interface Cards, Cabling & Wireless access point. The following is a overview of each of these network devices.
INDIVIDUAL PC'S: The personal computer is usually a desktop computer, a work station or a laptop. The personal computers are most widely used in any organization and / or for personal use. The individual computers are the most common types of the microcomputers.
SERVER: A server is a computer on a network, which process request and is used to share the results and resources among the opposite computers in a 'network '. A server stores all the necessary information and provides the different services like, workstation computer’ s logon access, internet spreading, print sharing, disk space or room sharing etc. There are different types of servers e. g Data and print server, database server, proxy server, Fax server, backup server etc. A database server stores all the data and software, which may related to the certain database and it also allows other network devices to view and process the customer base queries. A file server is required to store the data files of any user within the network and a print server manages one or more printers in a 'network '. Similarly a network server is a server that manages the network traffic.
NETWORK PROGRAM CARD: Network interface cards are attached with the computer or other network devices and are generally used to provide the connectivity relating to the two computers. Each network card is created for the different types of the network like Ethernet, FDDI, Token Ring and Wireless Cpa affiliate networks. The Network card operates on the first and second layers of your OSI models i. e Physical layer and datalink part specifications. NIC basically defines your physical connection methods and the control signals that provides the timings of the data transfer in the network.
HUBS: Hub is a simplest network device. The function of the hub is broadcasting my spouse and i. e data is forwarded towards the all ports of the hub, regardless of whether the data was intended for any particular systems in any network or not. Computers in a network are connected to a hub with a turned pair (CAT5) cables. There are two types of the hubs. 1. Active Hubs. 2. Passive Hubs.
SWITCHING SWITCH: The Switching hub (also termed “ switch” is the best advance shape of the usual hub. In a basic hub all the computers are connected together with the hub and the speed of the network is defined by slowest computer network account connected. For example if you have 10/100 Mbps cards in a network and only one card of 10Mbps speed then this system cannot run faster than the 10 Mbps. Now if you have a switching hub inside of a network, it will allow all the faster connections in the network in order to at the higher speed whilst still being interact with the 10Mbps technique.
SWITCHES: Switch is some sort of intelligence device than switch. Switch is a part 2 device. Swith provides the same function as a hub or maybe a bridge but it has the advance functionality of connecting the 2 main computers together temporarily. Switch contains the switch matrix or switch fabric which will connect and disconnect vents. Unlike hubs, switch only transmit or forwards the feedback to the destined computer and it does not broadcasts the data to every one its ports.
MODEMS: Modems are the devices, which are used to translate the digital data into your analog format and vice versa. It performs the two main functions. Modulation and demodulation. A modulated data can travel across the conventional telephone lines. The modem modulates the signals at the sending end and demodulates along at the receiving end. Modems are required for different types of the access methods this kind of ISDN, DSL and 56K details modem. Modem can be the internal devices that plug into your expansion slots in a process or can be external usb devices that plug on the serial or USB slots. In Laptops, PCMCIA cards are used for this purpose and many new laptops finding the built in integrated modems. The specialized devices are designed for use in the systems like handheld computers. In ISPs where the large scaled modems are crucial, rack-mounted modems are used.
ROUTERS: Routers route the data between two logically along with physically different networks. A Router has the capability to determine the destination address for your data and hence provides the best ways for the data to keep its journey. Router gets this capability through it has the software called routing software package. Unlike Switches and Links, which use hardware configured MAC address to determine the destination of the data, router uses logical network address just like IP address to make the decision in determining the destination of the data.
GATEWAY: A gateway performs a function of translating the data from one format to another format without changing the results itself. A gateway can be a device, system, software. A computer with two NIC cards can work as a gateway. Router acts as a gateway e. g a router that routes the data from a IPX network to a IP network is technologically a gateway. The same is often said of translational switch converts from a Ethernet network to your token ring network.
CABLES: There are two most commonly encountered types of the wires and cables. 1. 10baseT and 10base2. 10baseT is a four paired cable. 10baseT has further two types 1. UTP (unshielded twisted pair) and 2. STP (shielded twisted pair. STP is most secure cable covered with a silver coated twisted paper to protect the cable. On other end Thin 10base2 looks like the copper coaxial cabling that often helpful to connect TV sets not to mention VCR. 10baseT/Cat5 cables are most commonly used cables to get in touch the computers. It offers the connector, (like a cellphone connector) called RJ45 connector.
Twisted pair cables are ideal for the small, medium and also large networks. My recommendation for working with cables for networking is to use 10baset/Cat5 cables
