A Computer network is comprised of dissimilar gimmicks to share, transmit, and boost the signal, voice and data. Network gimmicks or elements are the physical elements connected to a network. There is a big number of the network gimmicks and are increasing daily. The basic network gimmicks are: Individual Computers, Server, Hub, Switch, Bridges, Routers, Modems, Printers, DSL Modems & Routers, Gateways, Network Interface Cards, Cabling & Wireless access point. The following is a overview of each of these network devices.
INDIVIDUAL COMPUTERS: The personal computer is commonly a desktop computer, a work station or a laptop. The personal computers are most widely used in any institution or for personal use. The person computers are the most mutual types of the microcomputers.
SERVER: A server is a computer on a network, which routine request and is used to part the data and resources amidst the other computers in a network. A server stores all the necessary info and provides the dissimilar services like, workstation computer’s logon access, internet sharing, print sharing, disk space sharing etc. There are dissimilar types of servers e.g File and print server, database server, proxy server, Fax server, backup server etc. A database server stores all the info and software, which may affiliated to the sure database and it allows other network appliances to access and procedure the database queries. A file server is used to store the selective information of any user on the network and a print server manages one or more printers in a network. Similarly a network server is a server that manages the network traffic.
NETWORK INTERFACE CARD: Network interface cards are attached with the computer or other network gadgets and are applied to provide the connectivity amidst the two computers. Each network card is quintessentially designed for the dissimilar types of the network like Ethernet, FDDI, Token Ring and Wireless Networks. The Network card operates on the basi and second layers of the OSI models i.e Physical layer and datalink layer specifications. NIC fundamentally defines the physical connection methods and the control signals that provides the timings of the info transfer over the network.
HUBS: Hub is a simplest network device. The function of the hub is broadcasting i.e data is forwarded towards the all ports of a hub, no matter of whether the info was intended for the queer systems in the network or not. Computers in a network are connected to a hub with a twisted pair (CAT5) cables. There are two types of the hubs. 1. Active Hubs. 2. Passive Hubs.
SWITCHING HUB: The Switching hub (also called “switch” is the most advance shape of the basic hub. In a basic hub all the computers are connected with the hub and the speed of the network is specified by the slowest computer network card connected. For example if you have 10/100 Mbps cards in a network and only one card of 10Mbps speed then the system can not run more quickly than the 10 Mbps. Now if you have a switching hub in a network, it will concede all the rapidly and without delay connections in the network to stay at the higher speed and still interact with the 10Mbps system.
SWITCHES: Switch is a intelligence device than hub. Switch is a layer 2 device. Swith provides the same function as a hub or a bridge but it has the advance functionality of connecting the two computers together temporarily. Switch holds the switch matrix or switch fabric that may connect and disconnect ports. Unlike hubs, switch only transmit or forwards the selective information to the destined computer and it does not broadcasts the data to all it is ports.
MODEMS: Modems are the devices, which are used to translate the digital selective information into the analog format and vice versa. It performs the two main functions. Modulation and demodulation. A modulated data may travel all over the traditionalisti telephone lines. The modem modulates the signals at the sending end and demodulates at the receiving end. Modems are required for dissimilar types of the access methods such ISDN, DSL and 56K selective information modem. Modem may be the internal widgets that plug into the elaboration slots in a system or may be external gadgets that plug into the serial or USB ports. In Laptops, PCMCIA cards are used for this intent and a good deal of new laptops having the built in integrated modems. The specialized gimmicks are designed for use in the schemes such as handheld computers. In ISPs where the huge scaled modems are required, rack-mounted modems are used.
ROUTERS: Routers route the info among two logically and physically dissimilar networks. A Router has the capability to determine the destination address for the selective information and accordingly provides the best way for the info to carry on it is journey. Router gets this capability through it is software called routing software. Unlike Switches and Bridges, which use hardware setup MAC address to determine the destination of the data, router uses logical network address such as IP address to make the decision in determining the destination of the data.
GATEWAY: A gateway performs the function of translating the data from one format to another format without altering the info itself. A gateway may be a device, system, software. A computer with two NIC cards may function as a gateway. Router acts as a gateway e.g a router that routes the info from a IPX network to a IP network is technically a gateway. The same may be said of translational switch converts from a Ethernet network to a token ring network.
CABLES: There are two most mutual types of the cables. 1. 10baseT and 10base2. 10baseT is a four paired cable. 10baseT has further two types 1. UTP (unshielded twisted pair) and 2. STP (shielded twisted pair. STP is most secure cable covered with the silver coated twisted paper to protect the cable. On the other end Thin 10base2 looks like the copper coaxial cabling that often employed to connect TV sets and VCR. 10baseT/Cat5 cables are most ordinarily employed cables to connect the computers. It has the connector, (like a telephone connector) called RJ45 connector.
Twisted pair cables are idealisti for the small, medium or big networks.
My recommendation for using cables for networking is to use 10baset/Cat5 cables
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