Node Devices in a Computer Network

computer network is a term used to refer to any group (or system) of

interconnected nodes (computers, printers, or any other devices) connected by
communication links known as transmission media (or channels) usually meant
for the exchange of information and resource sharing. In a computer network, a
node is any device that is capable of sending or receiving data, to and from other
nodes at definite and desired flow rates securely and reliably.
On the basis of functionality and usage, the node devices can be broadly
classified into the following types –
1.​ End Devices
2.​ Intermediary Devices

End Devices :
End devices are the node devices that serve as a source point or a destination
point in the communication that occurs on a computer network. With the coming
advancements in computer networking systems, we have nodes that can act as a
client, a server, or both. The rest of the network is built around these end devices
to establish communication links between them. Software installed on the node
devices determines the role they offer to play in a computer network. According
to their usage, the end devices can be broadly grouped into the following
categories –
 ●​ End Devices as Clients –​
Perform the tasks of requesting data, displaying received data, etc.
meant usually for the usage by end clients.
●​ End Devices as Servers –​
Equipped with programs that provide information and services such as
webpages or e-mails to other nodes (or hosts) on the network.
Functions of End Devices :
1.​ They serve as the originator of the data or information that flows
through the network.
2.​ Act as an interface between end-users (humans) and the
communication network having several node devices.
Examples of the End Devices :
Workstations, Laptops, Desktop Computers, Printers and Scanners, Servers
(File Servers, Web Servers), Mobile Phones, Tablets, Smart Phones, etc.
Intermediary Devices :
Intermediary devices are node devices that are designed to forward the data
from one side to another side in a computer network. These intermediary devices
work as a connecting medium (along with other services being offered) for other
nodes and handle the tasks in the background ensuring that the data flows
effectively at desired flow rates across the entire computer network.
The intermediary devices for the management of the data flowing through them
use various addressing systems such as IP Address, MAC Address, and Port
Numbers (or Port Address) along with the information about the network
interconnections. Further various types of switching in the computer networks
determine the path that messages take through the network during the
communication.
Functions of Intermediary Devices :
●​ Signal damping is a common phenomenon that is overcome via
regeneration and retransmission of the data signals done by these
devices.
●​ To ensure successful transfers these devices keep record of information
of source address, destination address or different pathways existing
through the network depending upon the switching technique being
employed.
●​ They also detect faults and errors effectively using redundancy bits, etc.
and notify the devices to further ensure fault tolerance by performing
corrections while transferring data in a computer network.
●​ Maintenance of a definite desired flow control and response timeout
during the entire course of the communication.
●​ Setup, grouping and direction of messages (or packets) according to
their priorities is done by these devices.
 ●​ Provide network security by permitting or denying the flow of data,
based on security settings.
Examples of the intermediary devices :
Hubs, switches, wireless access points, and other devices used for accessing the
network, file servers, web servers, print servers, modems, devices using for
internetworking such as routers, bridges, repeaters, and security firewalls, etc.

Network Devices: Network devices, also known as networking hardware, are

physical devices that allow hardware on a computer network to communicate and
interact with one another. For example Repeater, Hub, Bridge, Switch, Routers,
Gateway and NIC, etc.

Routers in Computer Network

Routers are networking devices operating at layer 3 or a network layer of the OSI
model. They are responsible for receiving, analysing, and forwarding data packets
among the connected computer networks. When a data packet arrives, the router
inspects the destination address, consults its routing tables to decide the optimal
route and then transfers the packet along this route.
Features of Routers
●​ A router is a layer 3 or network layer device.
●​ It connects different networks together and sends data packets from one
network to another.
●​ A router can be used both in LANs (Local Area Networks) and WANs
(Wide Area Networks).
●​ It transfers data in the form of IP packets. In order to transmit data, it uses
IP address mentioned in the destination field of the IP packet.
●​ Routers have a routing table in it that is refreshed periodically according
to the changes in the network. In order to transmit data packets, it
consults the table and uses a routing protocol.
●​ In order to prepare or refresh the routing table, routers share information
among each other.
●​ Routers provide protection against broadcast storms.
●​ Routers are more expensive than other networking devices like
hubs,bridges and switches.
 Hubs
A hub is a physical layer networking device which is used to connect multiple devices
in a network. They are generally used to connect computers in a LAN.
A hub has many ports in it. A computer which intends to be connected to the network
is plugged in to one of these ports. When a data frame arrives at a port, it is broadcast
to every other port, without considering whether it is destined for a particular
destination or not.

Switches
A switch is a data link layer networking device which connects devices in a network
and uses packet switching to send and receive data over the network.
Like a hub, a switch also has many ports, to which computers are plugged in.
However, when a data frame arrives at any port of a network switch, it examines the
destination address and sends the frame to the corresponding device(s). Thus, it
supports both unicast and multicast communications.
Differences between Hub and Switch
Hub Switch

They operate in the physical layer of the OSI model. They operate in the data link layer of
the OSI model.

It is a non-intelligent network device that sends message It is an intelligent network device that
to all ports. sends message to selected
destination ports.

It primarily broadcasts messages. It is supports unicast, multicast and

broadcast.

Transmission mode is half duplex. Transmission mode is full duplex.

Collisions may occurs during setup of transmission when Collisions do not occur since the
more than one computers place data simultaneously in communication is full duplex.
the corresponding ports.

They are passive devices, they don’t have any software They are active devices, equipped
associated with it. with network software.
 Hub Switch

They generally have fewer ports of 4/12. The number of ports is higher – 24/48.

Repeaters in Computer Network

A repeater is a dynamic network device used to reproduce the signals when they
transmit over a greater distance so that the signal’s strength remains equal. It can be
used to create an Ethernet network. A repeater that occurs as the first layer of the OSI
layer is the physical layer.

Features of Repeaters
●​ These repeaters are linked to each other at the physical layer.
●​ It sends the signals for the unsteady areas to enlarge the system signals.
●​ These receptors linked the various network signals to convert the data
between the two devices.
●​ These repeaters can eliminate the distance between the two devices.
●​ The repeaters can frequently monitor the signals that are created between
the two LANs.
●​ Repeaters can support dynamic networking.
●​ Multi-site connection solutions provide the 30 repeaters linked to it.
●​ The IP network links all the repeaters with an IP site relation network.
●​ This IP network can support a fast response to any issue in the repeater
network.
●​ These receptors can support 100 % digital communication so that they do
not require to wait for analog voice calls.
Advantages of Repeater
The main advantages of repeaters are −
●​ The signals get weaker as they transit to greater distances. The repeater
provides the stability of the signals.
●​ These repeaters are cost-effective and easy to use.
●​ The repeaters don’t influence network performance.
●​ It is not all signals that can be linked using physical media.
●​ These repeaters can retransmit the information and powerful the weak
signals.
Disadvantage of Repeaters
The main disadvantages of repeaters are −
●​ They cannot connect two distinct networks.
●​ While amplifying the signals, the repeaters also amplify the level of noise in
those signals.
●​ If we enhance the extent of the web by only using the repeaters. In that case,
the signal propagation time will grow to a considerable level, and the
network’s performance will collapse.

Bridges in Computer Network

Bridges are used to connect two subnetworks that use interchangeable protocols. It
combines two LANs to form an extended LAN. The main difference between the
bridge and repeater is that the bridge has a penetrating efficiency.

Working of Bridges
A bridge accepts all the packets and amplifies all of them to the other side. The
bridges are intelligent devices that allow the passing of only selective packets from
them. A bridge only passes those packets addressed from a node in one network to
another node in the other network.
A bridge performs in the following aspect −
●​ A bridge receives all the packets or frame from both LAN (segment) A and B.
●​ A bridge builds a table of addresses from which it can identify that the
packets are sent from which LAN (or segment) to which LAN.
●​ The bridge reads the send and discards all packets from LAN A sent to a
computer on LAN A and that packets from LAN A send to a computer on
LAN B are retransmitted to LAN B.
●​ The packets from LAN B are considered in the same method.

Uses of Bridges
The main uses of bridges are −
●​ Bridges are used to divide large busy networks into multiple smaller and
interconnected networks to improve performance.
●​ Bridges also can increase the physical size of a network.
●​ Bridges are also used to connect a LAN segment through a synchronous
modem relation to another LAN segment at a remote area.

Gateways in Computer Network

A gateway is a network node that forms a passage between two networks operating
with different transmission protocols. The most common type of gateways, the
network gateway operates at layer 3, i.e. network layer of the OSI (open systems
interconnection) model. However, depending upon the functionality, a gateway can
operate at any of the seven layers of OSI model. It acts as the entry – exit point for a
network since all traffic that flows across the networks should pass through the
gateway. Only the internal traffic between the nodes of a LAN does not pass through
the gateway.

Features of Gateways
●​ Gateway is located at the boundary of a network and manages all data
that inflows or outflows from that network.
●​ It forms a passage between two different networks operating with
different transmission protocols.
●​ A gateway operates as a protocol converter, providing compatibility
between the different protocols used in the two different networks.
●​ The feature that differentiates a gateway from other network devices is
that it can operate at any layer of the OSI model.
●​ It also stores information about the routing paths of the communicating
networks.
●​ When used in enterprise scenario, a gateway node may be supplemented
as proxy server or firewall.
●​ A gateway is generally implemented as a node with multiple NICs
(network interface cards) connected to different networks. However, it can
also be configured using software.
●​ It uses packet switching technique to transmit data across the networks.
Types of Gateways
On basis of direction of data flow, gateways are broadly divided into two categories −
●​ Unidirectional Gateways − They allow data to flow in only one direction.
Changes made in the source node are replicated in the destination node,
but not vice versa. They can be used as archiving tools.
●​ Bidirectional Gateways − They allow data to flow in both directions.
They can be used as synchronization tools.
On basis of functionalities, there can be a variety of gateways, the prominent among
them are as follows −
●​ Network Gateway − This is the most common type of gateway that
provides as interface between two dissimilar networks operating with
different protocols. Whenever the term gateway is mentioned without
specifying the type, it indicates a network gateway.
●​ Cloud Storage Gateway − It is a network node or server that translates
storage requests with different cloud storage service API calls, such as
SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) or REST (REpresentational State
Transfer).It facilitates integration of private cloud storage into applications
without necessitating transfer of the applications into any public cloud,
thus simplifying data communication.
●​ Internet-To-Orbit Gateway (I2O) − It connects devices on the Internet to
satellites and spacecraft orbiting the earth. Two prominent I2O gateways
are Project HERMES and Global Educational Network for Satellite
Operations (GENSO).
●​ IoT Gateway − IoT gateways assimilates sensor data from IoT (Internet of
Things) devices in the field and translates between sensor protocols
before sending it to the cloud network. They connect IoT devices, cloud
network and user applications.
●​ VoiP Trunk Gateway − It facilitates data transmission between plain old
telephone service (POTS) devices like landline phones and fax machines,
with VoIP (voice over Internet Protocol) network.