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NETWORK DEVICES

There are various devices used in a network. These include:
Network Interface Card (NIC): A device attached to a computer
that enables communication over a network. The NIC contains a
ROM chip that has a unique number called the Media Access
Control (MAC) address, identifies the computer on the network.

Modem: A device that allows computers and other devices to connect to
the internet. It converts digital data into analog signals for transmission over
telephone lines and vice versa.

Hub: A device that joins multiple computers to form a single network
segment. It forwards data to all connected computers.

Switch: A device that connects multiple computers within a Local
Area Network (LAN). It manages data traffic to ensure that data
reaches only the intended destination. Unlike a hub, a switch
forwards data only to the target device.

Router: A device that connects different networks and directs data
packets between them based on their IP addresses.

Network repeater: A device that boosts incoming electrical, wireless or optical
signals. It amplifies signals to prevent them from becoming too weak or corrupted
during transmission.

Gateway: A device that connects dissimilar networks those using different
protocols. A gateway takes data from one system, interprets it and
transfers it to another system.

Bridge: A device that connects similar networks, usually LANs using
the same hardware and protocols. It reduces the traffic on other
network segments as it filters the data based on the MAC addresses
of the source and destination before forwarding it.

Imagine computer networks as highways in the sky. What kinds of vehicles would
travel on these highways and what destinations would they reach?

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