What is Network Devices? Network Devices in Computers.?

 Network Devices:-

Let's understand what is network devices?

The network devices are required to amplify the signal to restore the original strength of signal and to provide an interface to connect multiple computers in a network. There are many types of network devices used in networking.

The devices which are used for communication between different hardware’s used in the computer network are called network devices. 
These devices are also known as physical devices, networking hardware, and 
computer networking devices. In a computer network, each  network device plays a key role based on their functionality, and also works for different purposes at different segments.

Types of Network Devices:-

There are different types of network devices used in a computer network as follows:-

  • Repeater
  • Network Hub
  • Gateway
  • Switch
  • Router
  • Bridge
  • Modem
computer network devices definition
network devices



Some of them are described below:-

1.Repeater:-
Repeaters have two ports and can connect two segments of a LAN. It amplifies the signals when they are transported over a long distance so that the signal can be as strong as the original signal. A repeater boosts the signal back to its correct level.

The main function of this device is to reproduce the 
signal on a similar network before the signal gets weak otherwise damaged. The significant point to be noted regarding these devices is that they do not strengthen the signal. Whenever the signal gets weak, then they reproduce it at the actual strength. A repeater is a two-port device.

2.Hub:-
Hub is a like a repeater with multiple ports used to connect the network channels. It acts as a centralised connection to several computers with the central node or server. When a hub receives a packet of data at one of its ports from one network channel, it transmits the packet to all of its ports to all other channel.
The transferring of data in a computer network can be done in the form of packets.

The network hub is one kind of networking device in a computer network, used to communicate with various network  hosts and also for data transferring. 

3.Gateway:-
It is an interconnecting device, which joins two different network protocols together. They are also known as protocol converters. It accepts packet formatted for one  protocol and converts the formatted packet into another protocol.

The gateway is a node in a network which serves as a proxy server and a firewall system and prevents the unauthorised access.

4.Switch:-
It is small hardware device that joins multiple computers together within one LAN. It helps to reduce overall network traffic.
Whenever a data packet is obtained from the interfaces in the switch, then the data packet can be filtered & transmits to
the interface of the receiver. Due to this reason, a switch maintains a content addressable memory table to maintain system configuration as well as memory.

Switch forwards a data packet to a specific route by establishing a temporary connection between the source and the destination. There is a vast difference between a switch and a hub. A hub forwards each incoming packet(data) to all the hub  ports, while a switch forwards each incoming packet to the specified recipient.

5.Router:-
Router is a hardware device which is designed to take incoming packets, analyse packets, moving and converting packets to the another network interface, dropping the packets, directing packets to the appropriate locations, etc.

6.Bridge:-
It serves a similar function as switches. A bridge filters data traffic 🚥 at a network boundary. Bridges reduce the amount of traffic on a LAN by dividing it into two segments. Traditional bridges support one network boundary, whereas switches usually offer four or more hardware ports. Switches are sometimes called multiport bridges.

A Bridge in the computer network is used to group two or more network segments.
The main function of a bridge in network architecture is to store as well as transmit frames among the various segments. Bridges use MAC (Media Access Control) hardware for transferring frames.

7.Modem:-
It stands for Modulator-Demodulator(MODEM). It is a device that converts digital signal into analog signal(modulator) at the sender's end and convert back analog signal to digital signal 📶(demodulator) at the receiver's end, in order to make communication possible via telephone lines.

A modem is the most important network device that we used in our daily life.
A Modem is always placed between a telephone line and a computer.

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