Module # :5

Course Number : NET 101

Course Title : NETWORKING 1
Credits : 3 Units (2 hours lecture; 2 hours laboratory)
Week :7
Instructor : Paul P. Libag, MIT

I. TOPICS: The Physical Components of a Network and Characteristics of Common Network Cables

II. LEARNING OUTCOMES:

After reading this module, you are expected to:

 describe the physical components of a network.

III. COURSE CONTENT

The Physical Components of a Network

Many devices can be used in a network to provide connectivity, as shown in Figure 10. Which
device you use depends on how many devices you are connecting, the type of connections they use,
and the speed at which the devices operate. These are the most common devices on a network:

 Computers
 Hubs
 Switches
 Routers
 Wireless access points

Figure 10 - Physical Network Components

The physical components of a network are needed to move data between these devices. The
characteristics of the media determine where and how the components are used. These are the most
common media used on networks:
 Twisted pair
 Fiber-optic cabling
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  Radio waves

Identify the Names, Purposes, and Characteristics of Network Devices

To make data transmission more extensible and efficient than a simple peer-to-peer network, network
designers use specialized network devices such as hubs, switches, routers, and wireless access points
to send data between devices.

Hubs

Hubs, shown in Figure 11, are devices that extend a network’s range by receiving data on one
port and then regenerating the data and sending it out to all other ports. This process means that all
traffic from a device connected to the hub is sent to all the other devices connected to the hub every
time the hub transmits data. This causes a large amount of network traffic. Hubs are also called
concentrators because they serve as a central connection point for a LAN. They are also sometimes
called multiport repeaters because they send data out all the ports.

Figure 11 - Hub

Bridges and Switches

Files are broken into small pieces of data, called packets, before they are transmitted over a
network. This process allows for error checking and easier retransmission if the packet is lost or
corrupted. Address information is added to the beginning and end of packets before they are
transmitted. The packet, along with the address information, is called a frame. LANs are often divided
into sections called segments, similar to how a company is divided into departments. The boundaries
of segments can be defined using a bridge.

A bridge is a device used to filter network traffic between LAN segments. Bridges keep a record
of all the devices on each segment to which the bridge is connected. When the bridge receives a frame,
it examines the destination address to determine if the frame is to be sent to a different segment, or
dropped. The bridge also helps improve the flow of data by keeping frames confined to only the
segment to which the frame belongs.

Switches, shown in Figure 12, are sometimes called multiport bridges. A typical bridge may
have just two ports, linking two segments of the same network. A switch has several ports, depending
on how many network segments are to be linked. A switch is a more sophisticated device than a
bridge. A switch maintains a table of the MAC addresses for computers that are connected to each
port. When a frame arrives at a port, the switch compares the address information in the frame to its
MAC address table. The switch then determines which port to use to forward the frame.

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 Figure 12 – Switch

Routers

Whereas a switch connects segments of a network, routers, shown in Figure 13, are devices
that connect entire networks to each other. Switches use MAC addresses to forward a frame within a
single network. Routers use IP addresses to forward frames to other networks.

A router can be a computer with special network software installed, or it can be a device built
by network equipment manufacturers. Routers contain tables of IP addresses along with optimal
destination routes to other networks.

Figure 13 - Router

Wireless Access Points

Wireless access points, shown in Figure 14, provide network access to wireless devices such as
laptops and PDAs. The wireless access point uses radio waves to communicate with radios in
computers, PDAs, and other wireless access points. An access point has a limited range of coverage.
Large networks require several access points to provide adequate wireless coverage.

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 Figure 14 - Wireless Access Points

Multipurpose Devices

Some network devices perform more than one function. It is more convenient to purchase and
configure one device that serves all your needs than to purchase a separate device for each function.
This is especially true for the home user. In your home, you would purchase a multipurpose device
instead of a switch, a router, and a wireless access point. The Linksys 300N, shown in Figure 15, is an
example of a multipurpose device.

Figure 15 - Multipurpose Devices

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IV. ASSESSMENT

A. Describe the physical components of a network.

1. What hubs can do?
2. What is another name for a hub?
3. Why are files broken up into packets before they are transmitted over the
network?
4. What is a bridge?
5. What is another name for a switch?
6. What does a switch do when a frame arrives at a port?
7. What do switches connect?
8. What do bridges connect?
9. What do routers use to forward frames?
10. What do wireless access points provide?
11. What do wireless access points use to communicate?
12. What is a multi-purpose device?

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