DEVICES USED IN NETWORK

  1.MODEM: It stands for Modulator- Demodulator. A   modem is a peripheral device which modulates ( convert   digital signals to analog signals) and demodulates( convert   analog signals into digital signals) at the local workstation.   The sending and receiving ends of the communication must   have a modem. Now a days mobile phones have inbuilt   modem devices that help to browse internet.

    2.Switch: A network switch is a small hardware device that is used to amplify data signals & create smaller network segment or several subnets of bigger network. It is used to prevent overloading of data in the traffic of a network. It is also responsible for forwarding and transforming data packets between the sub networks.

   3.HUB:  A hub is a hardware device which provides common connection point to connect several devices together in a network. It contains multiple ports on which workstations, servers, peripherals can be connected.

    ·   Hub can be either active or passive.

    · Passive hub passes the signal without any change.

  ·  Active hub amplifies the signal as it moves from one device to another. It is also known as ‘REPEATER’.

   · Amplifies means increasing the strength of signals.

4. BRIDGE: A bridge is a networking device that connects two network together which have same protocol. It improves the data traffic in a LAN as it receives only those data packets which are destined for them.

5. ROUTER: It is an electronic device that has the ability to connect LAN which have different Protocol. Router forwards packets on the basis of address of destination. It also has the ability to limit the flow of broadcast.

6.GATEWAY: It is a device that joins two network of different protocols. Gateway serve as the entry and exit point of a network.

  · A Router can also be considered as a Gateway, since it interprets data from one network protocol to another.