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2.9 Compare and contrast network devices their functions and features.
- Hub
A hub is a central concentration point for the attachment of wires from workstations in a network. A passive hub is no more than a connection point, possibly a wiring panel or punchdown block that offers no amplification of the signal, while an active hub is powered and will regenerate signals from one device to another. Commonly referred to as a "dumb repeater", communications received by a hub through one port are sent out, or repeated, to every other available port on the hub. Typically used in a star network topology, hubs operate at the Physical Layer (Layer 1) of the OSI model.
- Switch
A network switch or switching hub is a computer networking device that connects network segments or network devices. The term commonly refers to a multi-port network bridge that processes and routes data at the Data Link Layer (Layer 2) of the OSI model.
- Router
Routers are OSI model Network Layer 3 switches that interconnect networks over local or wide areas and provide traffic control and filtering functions when more than one pathway exists between two end-points on the network. Some routers have the capability to connect networks with different physical media and translate between different network architectures.
- Access point
- Bridge
- Modem
- NAS
- Firewall
- VoIP phones
- Internet appliance
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