Computer Science
Network Hardware
Network Interface Card (NIC):
- Allows a device to connect to the a network i.e. internet
- It contains the Media Access Control address generated at the manufacturing stage.
Network Interface Card Wireless Network Interface Card
1. Connects device to internet or other 1. Connects device to internet or other
networks networks
2. Uses wired connectivity 2. Uses wireless connectivity. Uses
antennas to communicate with networks
using microwaves.
-May be plugged via USB port or built-in
Media Access Control (MAC)
- Made up of 48 bits, divided into 6 groups of hexadecimal digits in
NN-NN-NN-DD-DD-DD (N’s for manufacturer code and D’s for device serial number)
NB: When the NIC card is replaced the MAC address also changes.
TYPES OF MAC address:
1. Universally Administered MAC address (UAA)
Set by the manufacturer
2. Locally Administered MAC address (LAA)
NB: The MAC address needs to be changed using the LAA, why?
Certain software used on mainframe systems need all MAC addresses to be in
the strict format, therefore it may be necessary to change the MAC address of
some devices to follow the correct format.
It may be necessary to bypass a MAC address filter on a router on a firewall (Only
MAC addresses of the certain format are allowed otherwise the device maybe
blocked)
To get past certain types of network restrictions it may be necessary to emulate
unrestricted MAC addresses.
Internet Protocol address
Note:
1. The router assigns a private IP address to a device connected to a private network.
2. The IP address is unique on a network but maybe the same on a different network.
Computer Science
When the router connects to the network it is given a unique public IP address
by the Internet Service Provider.
Devices connected to a router have the same public IP address as the router but
they all have unique private IP addresses
NB: All devices on the internet have unique public IP addresses
There are two types of protocols:
1. IPv4
Based on 32 bits
Address written as 4 groups of eight bits
The groups are separated by periods.
2. IPv6
Based on 128 bits
Address divided into 8 groups of hexadecimal digits
The groups are separated by colons.
IPv6 allows for more number of hosts and increase the amount of traffic.
Advantages of IPv6:
1. Removes the risk of IP address collisions
2. Has built-in authentication checks
3. Allows for more efficient packet routes
Computer Science
Note: IP addresses can either be static (don’t change) or dynamic (change every time a device
connects to the internet).
Static IP addresses:
Permanently assigned to a device by the ISP. Usually assigned to;
Remote servers hosting a website
An online database
A File Transfer Protocol server
Dynamic IP addresses:
They assigned by the ISP each time a device logs on the internet.
The dynamic assignment is done by the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP).
There is a computer on the internet configured to be the DHCP server, it is used by the ISP to
automatically assign an IP address to a device.
Computer Science
Routers
- They allow data packets to be routed between different networks.
- The router takes data transmitted in one format from a network and converts it to a
protocol and format understood by another network, allowing for communication.
- A router has an internet cable plugged into it and several cables connecting to
computers and other devices in a LAN.
Computer Science
NB: Routers can either be wired or wireless.
Broadband router sits behind a firewall and the firewall protects the computer on a
network.
NB:
1. The router transmits internet and transmission protocols between two
networks.
2. The router allows private networks to be connected.
The router inspects data package sent to it from any computer on its network.
Every computer on the network has same part of the IP address enabling the
router to send the package to the correct switch.
Data is then delivered to the correct device using the destination MAC address.
NB: If the MAC address does not match any device connected to the switch, it passes
to the next switch on the same network until the correct device is found.