Network Devices - Router and Switches

Network devices, also known as networking hardware, are physical devices that allow hardware on a computer network to communicate and interact with one another.

Types Of Network Devices

Network Devices

Switches

The Switch is a network device that is used to segment the networks into different subnetworks called subnets or LAN segments.

It is responsible for filtering and forwarding the packets between LAN segments based on MAC address.

Different types of communication are supported here like unicast, multicast, and broadcast communication.

Why Are Network Switches Valuable?

• Switches are having full-duplex communication which helps in making effective use of bandwidth.

• Switches help to provide a wired connection to printers, IoT devices, wireless points, and many more devices.

• IoT Devices send data through Network Switches that help in making smarter surroundings with the help of Artificial Intelligence.

• Network Devices are made with the help of Switches that carry a large number of traffic in telecommunication.

Types of Switches

1. Virtual Switches

2. Routing Switches

3. Unmanaged Switches

4. Managed Switches

5. LAN Switches

6. POE Switches

7. Smart Switches

8. Stackable Switches

Switching Techniques

Switching techniques are used to decide the best route for data transmission between source and destination. These are classified into three categories :

1. Circuit Switching

2. Message Switching

3. Packet Switching

Router

A Router is a networking device that forwards data packets between computer networks.

One or more packet-switched networks or subnetworks can be connected using a router.

By sending data packets to their intended IP addresses, it manages traffic between different networks and permits several devices to share an Internet connection.

Types of Router

1. Broadband Router

2. Wireless Router

3. Wired Router

4. Edge Router

5. Core Router

6. Virtual Router

7. Portable Router

Functions of Router

• Forwarding

• Routing

• NAT(Network Address Translation)

• Quality of Service(QoS)

• VPN(Virtual Private Network)

• Bandwidth Management

• Monitoring