Você está na página 1de 3

Vocational Training Course-2008

8
LAN/WAN NETWORK DEVICES

Computer network consist of different devices such as router, hub, switch, gateway
and others. Without these network devices data cannot be transmitted from one
computer to another in a LAN or WAN network. These devices link up all the local
and remote network segments with each other to make data communication from
one segment to another. The two important devices of a big network are routers and
switches. A computer network with good infrastructure with properly placed and
configured network devices such as routers, switches etc. are helpful in reducing the
overall operational cost, improve the performance, manageability and reliability.

LAN Devices

Hub

A hub is a networking device, which is used to connect the two segments of a wired
network. In star topology, every computer is directly connected with the hub. In
case of any fault in the hub, the data communication in the network computers
stops. In an Ethernet-based network a hub is a central device that is used to
connect all the computers with each other.

A hub has multiple ports such as 6, 8, 16 and 24 etc. When data packets are
reached at hub, they are broadcasted to all the computers unlike a switch and only
the destined computer receives the data. When you want to connect more than
computers with each other a hub or switch is required in a local area network. There
are two types of a hub passive hub and active hub.

LAN Card

LAN card, network interface card or NIC is used to join the computers in a network.
A NIC card is installed in any available PCI port inside the computer. A unique MAC
(Media Control Access) address is assigned to LAN card. A MAC address is
consists of two portions manufacture’s id and the card id (PROM on the network
interface card holds the addresses). LAN card operates on the physical and data
link layer of the OSI model. A LAN card usually has twisted pair, BNC and AUI
sockets where the Ethernet cables are connected.

Switch

AIR GWALIOR C.P.Harikumar-2008


Vocational Training Course-2008

A network switch performs the same functionality in a network as a hub except a


different that switch does not broadcast the data packets to all the computers in a
network like a hub. A network switch has multiple ports like 4, 8, 16 and 24 etc. All
the computers in a wired network are directly connected with the switch through
Ethernet cable. Switches limit the traffic to and from each port and all the devices
connected to the switch has maximum available bandwidth. Switch doesn’t provide
the built-in firewall capabilities like the routers. In the telecommunication and packet
switched infrastructure switches play an important role. They transmit the data
towards its destination based on the IP address.

Gateway

A gateway can be hardware or software and it acts as a bridge between two


networks. A gateway is an entrance point of a network. A gateway connects a LAN
with internet. A router acts as a gateway device in a network. In big networks, a
computer server, which acts as a gateway, also acts as a proxy server and a firewall
server. A gateway computer is usually attached with the router and switch.

Repeater

A repeater is a network device that is used to retransmit the weaker signals in a


network. A repeater receives the signals on the electromagnetic or optical
transmission mediums. Repeater removes the unwanted noise from the incoming
signals. A series of the repeaters is used to amplify the signals in the big network.
The can also relay the messages between subnetworks that use different protocols
but a repeater can’t perform intelligent routing like the routers.

WAN Devices

Routers

A router is a network communication device that is used to connect two or more


logically and physically different networks. A router can be used to connect a LAN-
to-LAN, LAN to WAN and LAN to internet. A router acts as a post office where
sorting and distribution of the posts (packets in case of routers) is done. A router
works on the basis of an IP address. Every router has built-in operating system
known as IOS. A router works on the network layer of the OS model and it routes the
data towards the optimal path. Router uses the header information of the packets
and forwarding table to define the best shortest possible path of the data.

ISDN Adaptors

ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) is a data communication method and it is


used over the regular telephone lines. To use the ISDN lines, you need to install
add-on adapters known as ISDN terminal adapters. ISDN Terminal Adapter works
like a digital modem i.e. it converts the signals from digital to analog and vice versa.
ISDN Terminal adapter is plugged into the serial port of the system. Some ISDN
adapters have the feature of switching between digital and analog modes.

CSU/DSU

AIR GWALIOR C.P.Harikumar-2008


Vocational Training Course-2008

CSU/DSU stands for channel service unit and data service unit. CSU is used to
connect a terminal to a digital line. DSU is used to perform the protective and
diagnostic functions of the telecommunication line. CSU/DSU is a network device of
the size of an external modem. The Channel service unit receives and transmits the
signals from the wide area network line. CSU/DSU are two separate devices and
they are sometimes used in conjunction with the T1 LAN cards.

Bridges

A bridge is a network communication device that is used to connect two segments of


a LAN that uses the same protocol. Bridge is like a router but it doesn’t analyze the
data before sending. A bridge operates at the data link layer of the OSI model and it
can be used to connect the physically different networks and the networks that use
the different protocols such as Ethernet and Token Ring.

Modems

A modem is communication device that performs two different functions such as


modulation and demodulation i.e. it converts the digital data into analog and analog
into digital. The faster types of the modems are used by the internet such as DSL
modem, cable modem and optical modems. The features like BPS, auto answer,
data compression, voice/data, fax capability and flash memory distinguish one
modem from the other.

Brouter

Network bridge and router combined together to form a device known as brouter.

****

AIR GWALIOR C.P.Harikumar-2008

Você também pode gostar