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Networking Devices

This document provides an overview of common network devices and terms, including definitions of Network Interface Cards (NICs), MAC and IP addresses, and the functions of hubs, switches, and bridges. It explains how NICs facilitate network connections, the role of MAC addresses in local networks, and the structure of IP addresses. Additionally, it describes how data packets are transmitted across networks and the differences between hubs and switches in managing data traffic.

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3 views13 pages

Networking Devices

This document provides an overview of common network devices and terms, including definitions of Network Interface Cards (NICs), MAC and IP addresses, and the functions of hubs, switches, and bridges. It explains how NICs facilitate network connections, the role of MAC addresses in local networks, and the structure of IP addresses. Additionally, it describes how data packets are transmitted across networks and the differences between hubs and switches in managing data traffic.

Uploaded by

emmanuelztmln
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Common network

devices and terms


By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:-
 Define a Network Interface Card
 Differentiate between MAC and IP addresses
 Describe how data is moved around networks in form of data packets
 Explain the functions of a Hub, Switch, Bridge and Router
NETWORK INTERFACE CARD
• This is a hardware component that enables a computer to connect to
a network.
• It is installed inside a computer and provides the necessary interface
between the computer and the network, allowing data to be
transmitted and received.
• NICs are commonly used to connect computers to Local Area
Networks (LANs), and Wide Area Networks (WANs).
• The NIC acts as the intermediary between the computer's internal
data processing and the external network communication.
NETWORK INTERFACE CARD
• The NIC acts as the intermediary between the computer's internal
data processing and the external network communication.
• It converts digital data from the computer into electrical or optical
signals suitable for transmission over the network and vice versa.
Media Access Control(MAC) Address
• It is a unique identifier assigned to network interfaces of network
devices.
• MAC Addresses are 48-bit (6-byte) hexadecimal numbers.
• They consist of six pairs of digits or characters separated by colons or
hyphens.
• The first three pairs represent the Organizationally Unique Identifier
(OUI) assigned to the device manufacturer.
• The last three pairs are the unique identifier assigned to the specific
network interface.
• MAC Addresses are essential for communication between devices on
a local network.
• They are used for addressing and identifying devices during data
transmission.
IP addresses
• IP Address stands for Internet Protocol Address.
• It is given to a computer when it connects to the internet
• An IP address essentially identifies the location of a device on a
network e.g. country, city, street.
• The IP of a computer connected on the internet changes as you also
change location
• IP Addresses are classified into two types: IPv4 and IPv6.
• IPv4 addresses are 32-bit numbers and are the most commonly used
format.
• IPv4 addresses are typically written as four sets of numbers separated
by periods (e.g., 192.168.0.1).
• IPv6 addresses are written as eight groups of four hexadecimal digits
separated by colons (e.g.,
2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334).
Data Packets
• Each data packet has two important parts: a header and a payload.
• The header is like the address on an envelope. It tells the network
where the data packet is coming from and where it needs to go.
• The payload is the actual message you want to send, like the words
you write in a letter.
• Along the way, routers and switches help the data packets find the
right path to reach the destination.
• The destination device receives the data packets and puts them back
together in the right order to read the full message.
hubs
• A hub is like a central meeting point where devices can connect and
share information in a Local Area Network
• Hubs have multiple ports where devices like computers, printers, or
game consoles can plug in.
• When a device sends data to the hub, the hub broadcasts it to all the
other connected devices.
• All devices connected to a hub receive the data, even if it's not
intended for them.
• They are not as smart or efficient as other devices like switches or
routers.
• Because of this, hubs can create more network traffic and slower
communication.
Switches
• Intelligent version of hub
• Unlike a hub, a switch stores the MAC addresses of all devices on the
network
• When a device sends data to the switch, the switch looks at the
destination address and sends the data only to the device it's meant
for.
• They keep track of which devices are connected to which ports and
remember their unique addresses.
• Switches can handle multiple data transmissions simultaneously,
making communication faster and more reliable.
Bridges
• They connect one LAN to another LAN that uses the same protocol.
• When a device sends data across a bridge, the bridge looks at the
destination address and decides whether to forward the data or not.
• Bridges learn which devices are on each side of the bridge by listening
to network traffic.
• They build a table of device addresses, making it faster to send data
to the correct destination.

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