Networking Devices
Repeater
Hub
Switch
Bridge
Router
Repeaters
• As signal travels long distance they attenuates
• Reshapes and regenerates the signal
• Used for extending the physical span of a network
• An example is the extension of the distance between a hub and a node
• Span is often limited by design considerations
• 10base5 (span is limited to 500 meters)
Repeater Connection
• Protocols must be the same on the each segment
• Will not enable communication, for example, between an 802.3
segment (Ethernet) and an 802.5 segment (Token Ring)
• Operates at the lower level of the ISO OSI model
• Physical layer
Physical Physical
Repeater
Layer Layer
Medium Medium
Hub(Multiport Repeater)
• Has multiple ports
• Used to connect multiple Ethernet devices together to form a single segment
• Has multiple input/output (I/O) ports, in which a signal introduced at the input
of any port appears at the output of every port except the original incoming
• Works on physical layer
• Use CSMA/CD to avoid collision
• Types
• Passive hub
• Active hub
• Intelligent hub
Passive hub
• Can only forward received signal without amplifying
• Doesn’t contain any additional circuit
• Are simple that receives the packet on a port and is then broadcast to
all the port.
Active hub
• Does the work of repeater to amplify signal
• Use store technology where it checks the data before sending out and
prioritizes which packet to send first
• Has the option to fix the damaged packets and hold the direction and
distribution of the rest of the packets
• If a week signal is received in port but it’s still readable then the active
hub amplifies it to a stronger signal before it is retransmitted
• If any connecting device is not functioning in the network it can boost
the signal which is viewed by other devices with passive hubs. Hence it
helps in the continuation of service in the local area network.
Intelligent Hub
• Performs function of both active and passive hub
• Quickly routes the signals between the ports of hub
• If any problem is detected with any physical device using
management data, that problem can be rectified by the hub
• Detect the centralized management tool which helps to explore the
network which runs out of the device to find the low functioning
devices
Switch
• Device that allows a LAN to be segmented
• Segments will operate under the same protocol
• Improve the network performance and reliability
• Takes incoming data packet from any multiple input ports and passes
data packet to specific output port
• Use MAC address to forward packet to particular port.
Switching Technologies
• There are two major types of switching technologies
• Cut-through
• Store-and-forward
• Cut-through
• Reads only part of the packet
• The addresses header
• Packet is forwarded accordingly
• Bad packets are not filtered
• Store-and-forward
• Entire packet is processed
• Bad packets are filtered
• In each of the two cases of switching technologies no protocol
conversion takes place
• Forwarding and filtering are done at the MAC layer
Switching Technology Comparison
Header Sender’s Add Receivers Add Data
Cut-through
Store-and-forward
Bridge
• A device used for connecting two LANs operating under the same
protocol, different protocols can also be used as well
• Facilitate the movement of data packet from one network segment to
another
• Can divide a network to isolate traffic or problems
• For example, if the volume of traffic from one or two computers or a single
department is flooding the network with data and slowing down entire
operation, a bridge can isolate those computers or that department.
• Bridges can be used to:
• Expand the distance of a segment
• Increase number of computers on the network
• Reduce traffic bottlenecks resulting from an excessive number of attached
computers
Data Data
Link Bridge Link
Layer Layer
Physical Physical
Layer Layer
X Medium X Medium
Types of Bridge
• Local
• Connects two different LANs located locally
• Remote Bridge
• Connects LAN segments that are geographically apart
• An example is a device that provide dial-up access to a LAN
Routers
• Connect LANs operating under different protocols
• The LANs connected are better known as sub-networks instead of
network segments
• The term segments is nevertheless used in practice
Router Characteristics
• A router true internetworking device
• Connects different sub-networks together
• Establishes a logical path of communication between the sub-
networks
• Contributes to the modular construction of a network
• Network itself is better managed
• Network resources are better utilized
IEEE 802.3 Router
Sub-network IEEE 802.5
Sub-network
Router Requirements
• Requires more processing power compared to switches and bridges
• Operations fall within the network layer of the ISO-OSI
communication model
NETWORK NETWORK
ROUTER
LAYER LAYER
DATA LINK DATA LINK
LAYER LAYER
PHYSICAL PHYSICAL
LAYER LAYER
X MEDIUM X MEDIUM
Layer 3
NETWORK Routers
LAYER
DATA LINK
Layer 2 Switches
LAYER
PHYSICAL
Layer 1 LAYER Repeaters
