ROUTER

A router is hardware device designed to receive, analyze and move incoming packets to another
network. It may also be used to convert the packets to another network interface, drop them, and
perform other actions relating to a network. The picture shows the Linksys BEFSR11 wireless
router and is what many home routers resemble.

A router has a lot more capabilities than other network devices, such as a hub or a switch that
are only able to perform basic network functions. For example, a hub is often used to transfer
data between computers or network devices, but does not analyze or do anything with the data it
is transferring. By contrast, routers can analyze the data being sent over a network, change how it
is packaged, and send it to another network or over a different network. For example, routers are
commonly used in home networks to share a single Internet connection between multiple
computers.

In the above example, of a home network, there are two different types of a router: the router and
the wireless router. In this example, the router allows all the computers and other network
devices to access the Internet. The wireless router allows a laptop to wirelessly connect to the
home network and access the Internet as well. Below are some additional examples of different
types of routers used in a large network.

GATEWAY
A gateway is a node (router) in a computer network, a key stopping point for data on its way to
or from other networks. Thanks to gateways, we are able to communicate and send data back and
forth. The Internet wouldn't be any use to us without gateways (as well as a lot of other hardware
and software).
In a workplace, the gateway is the computer that routes traffic from a workstation to the outside
network that is serving up the Web pages. For basic Internet connections at home, the gateway is
the Internet Service Provider that gives you access to the entire Internet.

A node is simply a physical place where the data stops for either transporting or reading/using.
(A computer or modem is a node; a computer cable isn't.) Here are a few node notes:

 On the Internet, the node that's a stopping point can be a gateway or a host node.
 A computer that controls the traffic your Internet Service Provider (ISP) receives is a
node.

If you have a wireless network at home that gives your entire family access to the Internet, your
gateway is the modem (or modem-router combo) your ISP provides so you can connect to their
network. On the other end, the computer that controls all of the data traffic your Internet Service
Provider (ISP) takes and sends out is itself a node.

When a computer-server acts as a gateway, it also operates as a firewall and a proxy server. A
firewall keeps out unwanted traffic and outsiders off a private network. A proxy server is
software that "sits" between programs on your computer that you use (such as a Web browser)
and a computer server—the computer that serves your network. The proxy server's task is to
make sure the real server can handle your online data requests.

Techopedia explains Gateway

Any network has a boundary or a limit, so all communication placed within that network is
conducted using the devices attached to it, including switches and routers. If a network node
wants to communicate with a node/network that resides outsides of that network or autonomous
system, the network will require the services of a gateway, which is familiar with the routing
path of other remote networks.

The gateway (or default gateway) is implemented at the boundary of a network to manage all the
data communication that is routed internally or externally from that network. Besides routing
packets, gateways also possess information about the host network's internal paths and the
learned path of different remote networks. If a network node wants to communicate with a
foreign network, it will pass the data packet to the gateway, which then routes it to the
destination using the best possible path.

Default Gateway
Definition - What does Default Gateway mean?
A default gateway serves as an access point or IP router that a networked computer uses to send
information to a computer in another network or the internet. Default simply means that this
gateway is used by default, unless an application specifies another gateway. The default server
does not even need to be a router; it may be a computer with two network adapters, where one is
connected to the local subnet and the other is connected to an outside network.

Techopedia explains Default Gateway

A default gateway allows computers on a network to communicate with computers on another
network. Without it, the network is isolated from the outside. Basically, computers send data that
is bound for other networks (one that does not belong to its local IP range) through the default
gateway.

Network administrators configure the computer’s routing capability with an IP range's starting
address as the default gateway and point all clients to that IP address.

SWITCH
A switch is a device in a computer network that connects together other devices. Multiple data
cables are plugged into a switch to enable communication between different networked devices.
Switches manage the flow of data across a network by transmitting a received network packet
only to the one or more devices for which the packet is intended. Each networked device
connected to a switch can be identified by its network address, allowing the switch to direct the
flow of traffic maximizing the security and efficiency of the network.

A switch is more intelligent than an Ethernet hub, which simply retransmits packets out of every
port of the hub except the port on which the packet was received, unable to distinguish different
recipients, and achieving an overall lower network efficiency.

An Ethernet switch operates at the data link layer (layer 2) of the OSI model to create a separate
collision domain for each switch port. Each device connected to a switch port can transfer data to
any of the other ports at any time and the transmissions will not interfere.[a] Because broadcasts
are still being forwarded to all connected devices by the switch, the newly formed network
segment continues to be a broadcast domain. Switches may also operate at higher layers of the
OSI model, including the network layer and above. A device that also operates at these higher
layers is known as a multilayer switch.

HUB
An Ethernet hub, active hub, network hub, repeater hub, multiport repeater, or simply hub
is a network hardware device for connecting multiple Ethernet devices together and making them
act as a single network segment. It 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.[1] A hub works at the physical layer (layer 1) of the OSI model.[2] A repeater hub also
participates in collision detection, forwarding a jam signal to all ports if it detects a collision. In
addition to standard 8P8C ("RJ45") ports, some hubs may also come with a BNC or an
Attachment Unit Interface (AUI) connector to allow connection to legacy 10BASE2 or
10BASE5 network segments.

Hubs are now largely obsolete, having been replaced by network switches except in very old
installations or specialized applications. As of 2011, connecting network segments by repeaters
or hubs is deprecated by IEEE 802.3.[3][4][5]

NIC
Short for Network Interface Card, the NIC is also referred to as an Ethernet card and
network adapter. It is an expansion card that enables a computer to connect to a network; such
as a home network, or the Internet using an Ethernet cable with an RJ-45 connector.

Due to the popularity and low cost of the Ethernet standard, most new computers have a network
interface build directly into the motherboard. The top image shows the SMC EZ Card 10/100
PCI network card, one of the more common examples.

The bottom picture shows a PC Card, more specifically the SMC EZ Card 10/100 wireless
network card; found in laptop computers that do not have onboard wireless capabilities.

How does a computer with a network card connect to a

network?
A network card can communicate with each other over the same network using a network switch
or if only two computers a direct connection. If computers on your network need to connect to a
different network (e.g., the Internet) they must be eventually connected to a router that allows
networks to communicate with each other.

COMPUTER NETWORK
Computer Network
Definition - What does Computer Network mean?
A computer network is a group of computer systems and other computing hardware devices that
are linked together through communication channels to facilitate communication and resource-
sharing among a wide range of users. Networks are commonly categorized based on their
characteristics.

Techopedia explains Computer Network

One of the earliest examples of a computer network was a network of communicating computers
that functioned as part of the U.S. military's Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) radar
system. In 1969, the University of California at Los Angeles, the Stanford Research Institute, the
University of California at Santa Barbara and the University of Utah were connected as part of
the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET) project. It is this network that
evolved to become what we now call the internet.

Networks are used to:

 Facilitate communication via email, video conferencing, instant messaging, etc.

 Enable multiple users to share a single hardware device like a printer or scanner
 Enable file sharing across the network
 Allow for the sharing of software or operating programs on remote systems
 Make information easier to access and maintain among network users

There are many types of networks, including:

 Local Area Networks (LAN)

 Personal Area Networks (PAN)
 Home Area Networks (HAN)
 Wide Area Networks (WAN)
 Campus Networks
 Metropolitan Area Networks (MAN)
 Enterprise Private Networks
 Internetworks
 Backbone Networks (BBN)
 Global Area Networks (GAN)
 The Internet

TYPES OF LAN
Personal Area Network (PAN)
The smallest and most basic type of network, a PAN is made up of a wireless modem, a
computer or two, phones, printers, tablets, etc., and revolves around one person in one building.
These types of networks are typically found in small offices or residences, and are managed by
one person or organization from a single device.

2. Local Area Network (LAN)

We’re confident that you’ve heard of these types of networks before – LANs are the most
frequently discussed networks, one of the most common, one of the most original and one of the
simplest types of networks. LANs connect groups of computers and low-voltage devices together
across short distances (within a building or between a group of two or three buildings in close
proximity to each other) to share information and resources. Enterprises typically manage and
maintain LANs.

Using routers, LANs can connect to wide area networks (WANs, explained below) to rapidly and
safely transfer data.

3. Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN)

Functioning like a LAN, WLANs make use of wireless network technology, such as WiFi.
Typically seen in the same types of applications as LANs, these types of networks don’t require
that devices rely on physical cables to connect to the network.

4. Campus Area Network (CAN)

Larger than LANs, but smaller than metropolitan area networks (MANs, explained below), these
types of networks are typically seen in universities, large K-12 school districts or small
businesses. They can be spread across several buildings that are fairly close to each other so
users can share resources.

5. Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)

These types of networks are larger than LANs but smaller than WANs – and incorporate
elements from both types of networks. MANs span an entire geographic area (typically a town or
city, but sometimes a campus). Ownership and maintenance is handled by either a single person
or company (a local council, a large company, etc.).
6. Wide Area Network (WAN)
Slightly more complex than a LAN, a WAN connects computers together across longer physical
distances. This allows computers and low-voltage devices to be remotely connected to each other
over one large network to communicate even when they’re miles apart.

The Internet is the most basic example of a WAN, connecting all computers together around the
world. Because of a WAN’s vast reach, it is typically owned and maintained by multiple
administrators or the public.

7. Storage-Area Network (SAN)

As a dedicated high-speed network that connects shared pools of storage devices to several
servers, these types of networks don’t rely on a LAN or WAN. Instead, they move storage
resources away from the network and place them into their own high-performance network.
SANs can be accessed in the same fashion as a drive attached to a server. Types of storage-area
networks include converged, virtual and unified SANs.

8. System-Area Network (also known as SAN)

This term is fairly new within the past two decades. It is used to explain a relatively local
network that is designed to provide high-speed connection in server-to-server applications
(cluster environments), storage area networks (called “SANs” as well) and processor-to-
processor applications. The computers connected on a SAN operate as a single system at very
high speeds.

9. Passive Optical Local Area Network (POLAN)

As an alternative to traditional switch-based Ethernet LANs, POLAN technology can be
integrated into structured cabling to overcome concerns about supporting traditional Ethernet
protocols and network applications such as PoE (Power over Ethernet). A point-to-multipoint
LAN architecture, POLAN uses optical splitters to split an optical signal from one strand of
singlemode optical fiber into multiple signals to serve users and devices.

10. Enterprise Private Network (EPN)

These types of networks are built and owned by businesses that want to securely connect its
various locations to share computer resources.

11. Virtual Private Network (VPN)

By extending a private network across the Internet, a VPN lets its users send and receive data as
if their devices were connected to the private network – even if they’re not. Through a virtual
point-to-point connection, users can access a private network remotely.

If you have questions about which type of network is right for your organization, or want to learn
more about Belden’s network solutions that improve uptime, maintain security, and help improve
user access, check out info.belden.com/lan.