Understanding Networking Hardware

A router is networking hardware.

Networks involve different specialized equipment in order to function. Natworking hardware includes bridge, hub, router, gateway and switch. These all have very similar functions.

Function

A router distributes packets around a network. A gateway is a type of router that stands on the boundary between a private network and the Internet. A bridge joins two segments of a divided private network. A bridge is a type of switch. A switch connects several different cables together and provides an element of routing. A hub is like a splitter, branching a cable into several outlets.

Features

Another distinction between these devices is the layer of the networking stack upon which they are found and the type of addressing they handle. A router and a gateway operate at the network, or Internet, level and handle IP addresses. A switch and a bridge work at the data link layer and work with MAC (Media Access Control) addresses. A hub is a physical layer device and does not operate on addresses.

Other Equipment

Other hardware found on networks includes Network Attached Storage (NAS), which has no input devices and can only be accessed over a network. File servers and proxy servers are other examples of hardware that, though not directly involved in creating a network, cannot exist in any other environment.

References

• Cap Lore: Hub Bridge Router Switch
• Ybet: 5. Hub, switch, network router