BASIC NETWORK COMPONENTS
LTEC 4550BY: TAYLOR BAIRD
TERMS TO KNOW• NETWORK PACKET: A FORMATTED UNIT OF DATA CARRIED BY A PACKET-
SWICHED NETWORK.• PACKET SWITCHING: A DIGITAL NETWORKING COMMUNICATIONS
METHOD THAT GROUPS ALL TRANSMITTED DATA INTO SUITABLY SIZED BLOCKS CALLED PACKETS, WHICH ARE THEN TRANSMITTED AND SHARED BY MULTIPLE COMMUNICATION SESSIONS SIMULTANEOUSLY.
HUB• A DEVICE FOR CONNECTING
MULTIPLE ETHERNET DEVICES TOGETHER AND MAKING THEM ACT AS A SINGLE NETWORK SEGMEMT.
• A HUB IS A COMMON CONNECTION POINT OR DEVICE IN A NETWORK.
• HUBS SERVE AS A MAIN CONNECTION POINT FOR ALL YOUR EQUIPMENT AND DATA WITHIN YOUR NETWORK.
• DEVICES SHARE BANDWIDTH.• THIS DEVICE IS USED IN A BUSINESS OR EVEN A
HOUSEHOLD TO CONNECT MULTIPLE DEVICES TO THE INTERNET.
Price range varies from $17.99 to $34.99 or more.
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Device 2
Network Connection
SWITCH• A SWITCH IS A COMPUTER NETWORKING COMPONENT
THAT CONNECTS DEVICES TOGETHER ON A COMPUTER NETWORK BY USING PACKET SWITCHING TO FORWARD DATA TO THE DESIRED DEVICE.
• PROVIDES A MAIN CONNECTION POINT IN A NETWORK IN WHICH EACH DEVICE HAS ITS OWN INDIVIDUAL BANDWIDTH.
• DEVICES HAVE SEPARATE BANDWIDTHS.• USED IN NETWORKS WITH A LOT OF DEVICES, TO HELP
WITH A CROWDED NETWORK.
Price range varies from $29.97 to $159.99 or more.
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ROUTER• A NETWORK DEVICE THAT CONNECTS DEVICES TO A NETWORK
AND ESSENTIALLY TO THE INTERNET. • A ROUTER SENDS DATA PACKETS BETWEEN COMPUTER
NETWORKS. • THESE DATA PACKETS ARE TYPICALLY FORWARDED FROM ONE
ROUTER TO ANOTHER THROUGH THE NETWORKS THAT MAKE UP THE INTERNETWORK UNTIL IT REACHES ITS DESTINATION NODE.
• THIS DEVICE IS USEFUL IN MANY ENVIRONMENTS FROM A BUSINESS TO A HOUSEHOLD THAT HAS MULTIPLE DEVICES.
• THERE ARE EVEN ROUTERS THAT ALLOW A WIRELESS CONNECTION.
Price range varies from $21.99 to $99.99 or more.
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BRIDGE• A BRIDGE IS A NETWORK DEVICE THAT CONNECTS
MULTIPLE NETWORKS ALLOWING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE NETWORKS.
• BASICALLY A “BRIDGE” TO ANOTHER NETWORK.• GOOD FOR SMALL OFFICES THAT HAVE DIFFERENT
NETWORKS BUT WANT TO EXCHANGE FILES OR INFORMATION OVER THE NETWORKS.
Price range varies from $33.99 to $49.99 or more.
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Device 2
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GATEWAY• A GATEWAY IS A NETWORK POINT THAT
BASICALLY WORKS AS AN ENTRANCE TO ANOTHER NETWORK.
• DEVICES ARE CONNECTED TO THE NETWORK THROUGH THE GATEWAY.
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Device 2
Price range varies from $390.99 to $999.99 or more.
FIREWALL• A NETWORK SECURITY SYSTEM THAT MONITORS
AND CONTROLS THE INCOMING AND OUTGOING NETWORK TRAFFIC BASED ON SECURITY RULES PREDETERMINED BY THE CONTROLLER.
• NETWORK FIREWALLS: SECURITY PROVIDED BY A FIREWALL THAT FILTERS TRAFFIC BETWEEN ONE OR MORE NETWORKS.
• HOST-BASED FIREWALLS: SECURITY PROVIDED BY A FIREWALL ON ONE HOST THAT CONTROLS NETWORK TRAFFIC IN AND OUT OF THAT ONE MACHINE.
Price range varies from $294.65 to $1,311.86 or more.
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WIRELESS ACCESS POINT• A WIRELESS ACCESS POINT IS A NETWORKING
COMPONENT WHICH ALLOWS DEVICES TO CONNECT TO A WIRED NETWORK USING WI-FI.
• THIS DEVICE IS USEFUL IN ANY ENVIRONMENT, BUT ESPECIALLY WHEN A DEVICE IS IN A HARD TO REACH AREA FOR WIRES.
• THESE ARE BECOMING POPULAR BECAUSE OF THE BENEFITS OF NO WIRES.
Price range varies from $28.42 to $85.26 or more.
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ALL COMPONENT DIAGRAM
Device 1
Device 2
Device 1
Device 2
Network 1
Network 2
Hub
Switch
Bridge
GatewayRouter/Wireless
APFirewall