Network devices connect computers and electronic devices to share files and resources. A LAN requires a hub, router, cabling or radio technology, network cards, and a modem for online access. The router manages data traffic between computers using unique network card addresses. Online access can be shared by all computers on the network through a single account. All network devices must be compatible, and wireless devices may carry Wi-Fi certification.
Network devices are components used to connect computers or other electronic devices so that they can share files or resources such as printers or fax machines. Devices used to set up a local area network (LAN) are the most common type of network devices used by the public. A LAN requires a hub, a router, cabling or radio technology, network cards, and, if online access is desired, a high-speed modem. Luckily this is much less complicated than it might seem to someone new to networking.
In a network, one computer is designated as a server and the others as clients. The server is connected to an external hub, to which the clients are also connected. Now that the computers each have one foot in a common electronic port (the hub), they can use the hub to pass signals back and forth. To direct these signals, the hub contains a device known as a router. The router is the equivalent of an electronic traffic cop that manages data traffic between computers.
Sounds good, but how does the router recognize one computer from another? The answer is that every computer on the network must have a network card installed. These network devices each contain a unique address. In a wired network, special cabling called Ethernet runs from the network adapter to the hub. In a wireless network, network cards and the router/hub communicate using radio waves.
Network adapters identify themselves to the network, sending all requests to the router with the unique return address included. The router reads the “To” and “From” address and routes traffic accordingly. In other types of networks all requests made on the local network are broadcast by the router to all machines on the network, but only the machine with the matching address replies, however this is not so secure because other machines can intercept traffic that is not is addressed to them.
Online access is optional on a local network, but if included, a single online account can be shared by all computers on the network. When online access is available, the router not only directs traffic on the local network, but also handles requests made to the Internet and subsequent responses. The router acts as a gateway to the internet and also acts as a hardware firewall to prevent unwanted traffic from flowing back into the network from the wild.
You can add online access to a LAN by connecting a router/hub to a high-speed modem or by acquiring a high-speed modem with a built-in router/hub. The high-speed modem must be compatible with online service. Most modems are designed specifically for use with DSL, cable, or fiber optics, although some models may be made to work with more than one technology, such as DSL and cable compatibility.
When setting up a LAN, all network devices must be compatible. If you build a wired LAN using Ethernet cables, your network cards will be designed with an Ethernet port. If you are building a wireless LAN, all network devices must not only be designed for wireless use, but must speak the same wireless language or protocol. As of Spring 2009, the fastest and most up-to-date protocol available is 802.11n, while the oldest protocol still in widespread use is 802.11g. Your router/modem and network cards must be compatible with the same protocol to communicate with each other.
Wireless network devices may also carry Wi-Fi® certification, guaranteed to fully comply with the standards or protocols supported by the product. Wi-Fi certification comes from the Wi-Fi Alliance, the organization responsible for developing wireless protocols. Many wireless network devices are marketed as compatible with one or more protocols, but lack certification. Warranty might be an important consideration when setting up a corporate LAN, but it probably isn’t an issue for home LANs.
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