Network hardware in computer networks

• The ring topology looks like a circle of connected devices, where each device is connected to two neighbors (one on either side). • The mesh topology looks like a circle with lines inside it, showing that every device is connected to every other device. • The star topology has a device at the center and then a connection between that center device and the other five devices. • The bus topology shows a center line with connections coming off the line for each device. No device is directly connected to another device, but they are all connected via the central line. • The tree topology starts with a single device at the top which branches to connect with two more devices. The left child device branches to connect with two more devices, while the right child only has one branch connecting it to a child device. There are three layers to the tree. The largest type of network is a Wide Area Network (WAN), a network that extends over a large geographic area and is composed of many, many LANs. Oftentimes, the networks in a WAN can only be connected by leasing telecommunications lines from different companies, since no single company owns all the infrastructure across the wide geographic area. However, there are networks that use other protocols that are more suited for their task. Data center networks often opt to use networking protocols that take advantage of the incredibly closely knit architecture of the data center. That enables data centers to more efficiently run intensiv...

How does network security work? Network security combines multiple layers of defenses at the edge and in the network. Each network security layer implements policies and controls. Authorized users gain access to network resources, but malicious actors are blocked from carrying out How do I benefit from network security? Digitization has transformed our world. How we live, work, play, and learn have all changed. Every organization that wants to deliver the services that customers and employees demand must protect its network. Network security also helps you protect proprietary information from attack. Ultimately it protects your reputation. Not every user should have access to your network. To keep out potential attackers, you need to recognize each user and each device. Then you can enforce your security policies. You can block noncompliant endpoint devices or give them only limited access. This process is network access control (NAC). • Any software you use to run your business needs to be protected, whether your IT staff builds it or whether you buy it. Unfortunately, any application may contain holes, or vulnerabilities, that attackers can use to infiltrate your network. Application security encompasses the hardware, software, and processes you use to close those holes. • • • • To detect abnormal network behavior, you must know what normal behavior looks like. Behavioral analytics tools automatically discern activities that deviate from the norm. Your security team can ...

Computer networking refers to connected computing devices (such as laptops, desktops, servers, smartphones, and tablets) and an ever-expanding array of IoT devices (such as cameras, door locks, doorbells, refrigerators, audio/visual systems, thermostats, and various sensors) that communicate with one another. • How does a computer network work Specialized devices such as switches, routers, and access points form the foundation of computer networks. Switches connect and help to internally secure computers, printers, servers, and other devices to networks in homes or organizations. Access points are switches that connect devices to networks without the use of cables. Routers connect networks to other networks and act as dispatchers. They analyze data to be sent across a network, choose the best routes for it, and send it on its way. Routers connect your home and business to the world and help protect information from outside security threats. While switches and routers differ in several ways, one key difference is how they identify end devices. A Layer 2 switch uniquely identifies a device by its "burned-in" MAC address. A Layer 3 router uniquely identifies a device's network connection with a network-assigned IP address. Today, most switches include some level of routing functionality. MAC and IP addresses uniquely define devices and network connections, respectively, in a network. A MAC address is a number assigned to a network interface card (NIC) by a device's manufactur...

Jason Fitzpatrick Senior Smart Home Editor Jason Fitzpatrick is the Senior Smart Home Editor at How-To Geek. He has over a decade of experience in publishing and has authored thousands of articles at How-To Geek, Review Geek, LifeSavvy, and Lifehacker. Jason served as Lifehacker's Weekend Editor before he joined How-To Geek. Today we’re taking a look at the home networking hardware: what the individual pieces do, when you need them, and how best to deploy them. Read on to get a clearer picture of what you need to optimize your home network. When do you need a switch? A hub? What exactly does a router do? Do you need a router if you have a single computer? Network technology can be quite an arcane area of study but armed with the right terms and a general overview of how devices function on your home network you can deploy your network with confidence. Understanding Home Networking Through Network Diagrams Rather than start off with a glossary of networking terms—and in the process slam you with a technical terms with no easy point of reference—let’s dive right into looking at network diagrams. Here is the simplest network configuration available: a computer linked directly to a modem which is in turn linked through a phone line/cable/fiber optic uplink to the individual’s internet service provider. It doesn’t get less complicated than this arrangement but there is a price to pay for the ultra-simplicity of the setup. This user cannot access the internet with a ...

Devices can be networked using different hardware, such as routers, hubs, switches, gateways and bridges. They can cover local areas (LANs) or wider areas (WANs). Networks are constructed using different topologies, including ring, bus, star and mesh. All of these differences have advantages and disadvantages to users. Local area network hardware To connect a computer or device to a local area network (LAN) , several hardware components are required: • a network interface card (NIC) or wireless network interface controller (WNIC) • a transmission medium , either wired or wireless • a network connection device, such as a router , hub , switch , wireless access point (WAP), gateway or bridge Network interface card A network interface card (NIC) provides a method of connecting to a network. A NIC offers an interface port for a wired connection. A wireless network interface controller (WNIC) provides a radio transceiver for connecting wirelessly. Most modern PCs come with a NIC and WNIC built in, providing the option of either connection method. However, mobile devices such as tablets, smartphones and many embedded devices feature only a WNIC, giving only wireless connection. Transmission media Transmission media carry data signals from one computer to another. Media are either wired or wireless. In modern networks, wired media use either twisted copper wiring or fibre-optic cable . Each wired medium has particular characteristics: Twisted copper wire Fibre-optic cable Cost Ch...