Types of network devices
- Hub
An Ethernet hub, active hub, network hub, repeater hub, multi-port repeater, or simply hub is a network hardware device for connecting multiple Ethernet devices together and making them act as a single network segment.
Hubs are devices commonly used to connect segments of a LAN. The hub contains multiple ports. When a packet arrives at one port, it is copied to the other ports so that all segments of the LAN can see all packets.
- Switch
A switch is a device in a computer network that connects other devices together. … An Ethernet switch operates at the data link layer (layer 2) of the OSI model to create a separate collision domain for each switch port.
The basic function that any switch is supposed to perform is to receive information from any source connected to it and dispatch that information to the appropriate destination only. This thing differentiates switches from hubs. Hub gets the information and forwards that to every other device in the network.
- Router
A router is a networking device that forwards data packets between computer networks. Routers perform the traffic directing functions on the Internet. Data sent through the internet, such as a web page or email, is in the form of data packets.
- Bridge
A network bridge is a computer networking device that creates a single aggregate network from multiple communication networks or network segments. This function is called network bridging. Bridging is distinct from routing.
- Gateway
A gateway is a piece of networking hardware used in telecommunications for telecommunications networks that allows data to flow from one discrete network to another.
- Modem
Modem is a device that enables a computer to send or receive data over telephone or cable lines. The data stored on the computer is digital whereas a telephone line or cable wire can transmit only analog data. The main function of the modem is to convert digital signal into analog and vice versa.
- Repeater
Repeaters are network devices operating at physical layer of the OSI model that amplify or regenerate an incoming signal before re-transmitting it. They are incorporated in networks to expand its coverage area. They are also known as signal boosters.
- Access Point
An access point is a device that creates a wireless local area network, or WLAN, usually in an office or large building. An access point connects to a wired router, switch, or hub via an Ethernet cable, and projects a Wi-Fi signal to a designated area.
The router acts as a hub that sets up a local area network and manages all of the devices and communication in it. An access point, on the other hand, is a sub-device within the local area network that provides another location for devices to connect from and enables more devices to be on the network.
