Unit III
Network Devices and Network Layer
Interconnecting Devices
• An Interconnecting device is any device that
can enable computers to exchange data on
a network.
• Backbone of a network.
Interconnecting Devices
• Hubs
• Repeaters
• Bridges
• Switches
• Routers
• Gateways
Interconnecting Devices and
Corresponding Layers
Repeater Vs Hub Vs Switch Vs Bridge Vs Router
Detailed Explanation for
Interconnecting Devices
Hub
• A hub is basically a multiport repeater.
• Hubs are a common connection point for devices in a
network and are commonly used to connect segments
of a LAN and have multiple ports.
• A hub takes the incoming data packet that comes into a
port and copies it out to all the other ports in the hub.
• It doesn't perform any filtering or redirection of data.
• It operates on physical layer of OSI model.
• Hubs cannot filter data, so data packets are sent to all
connected devices.
Hub
Hierarchy of Hub
How Hubs Work?
Two Types of Hubs
• Passive Hub
• Active Hub
Passive Hub
• A passive hub is just a connector, it simply
transmit and receive data from end
devices connected to the LAN.
• It does not amplify the signal.
Active Hub
• Active Hub is a hub which can amplify or
regenerate the information signal.
• This type of hub has an advantage as it also
amplifies the incoming signal as well
as forward it to multiple devices.
• This hub is also known as Multiport Repeater.
• It strengthens the incoming signal before
sending them to destination.
Advantages of Hub
• Hub is less expensive.
• Active hubs can extend maximum
network media distance.
• No processing is done at the hub to
slow down performance.
Disadvantages of Hub
• No intelligence to filter traffic.
• It will broadcast to all the ports which leads to
inefficiencies and wastage of the bandwidth.
Repeaters
Repeaters
• Repeater is a device used to regenerate the signal
over same network.
• A repeater connects segments of a LAN.
• A repeater is a device that operates only at the
Physical layer of OSI model.
• As the distance of the two segments increases,
the signal strength automatically keeps
decreasing due to attenuation (loss of energy due
to cable resistance and external noise factors).
• To overcome this, devices like repeaters that span
long distances.
A Repeater in the OSI Model
A Repeater Connecting Two Segments
of a LAN
Function of Repeaters
• Repeaters receive signals from one network
segment and it regenerates, and retransmit those
signals to another network segment.
• When the signal becomes weak, they copy the
signal bit by bit and regenerate it at the original
strength.
• A repeater can extend only the physical length of
network.
• A repeater forwards every frame; it has no
filtering capability.
Function of a Repeater
Advantages of Repeater
• Extend length of network.
• It strengthens the weak signal.
• Removes the unwanted noise in an
incoming signal.
Disadvantages of Repeater
• It has no filtering capacity.
• It cannot connect two different
architecture such as token ring and Ethernet
etc..
• Number of repeaters used must be
least, otherwise cause propagation delay.
Bridges
Bridge
• Bridge is a device used to connect two
separate Ethernet networks into one
extended Ethernet that uses same protocol.
• Bridging occurs at the data link layer of the
OSI model, which means the bridge
cannot read IP addresses, but only the
outermost hardware address of the packet.
• The hardware address is also called the MAC
(media access control) address.
A Bridge in the OSI Model
Functions of a Bridge
• When the frame enters it not only
regenerates the signal it receives.
• As a data link layer device it checks the
source and destination addresses in the frame.
• It maintains a table that maps addresses to ports.
• It sends data frames only to the
concerned destination.
• If destination address is in the same segment as
the source address, stops transmit.
• Otherwise, forwards to the other segment.
Functions of a Bridge Contd….
Functions of a Bridge Contd….
Advantages of Bridges
• It minimizes unwanted traffic and it acts
asa filter.
• It minimizes network congestion.
• Error links can be identified and then isolated.
• Bridges help to lower the data load over
the data link layer.
Disadvantages of Bridges
• The speed is slower than repeaters but it
is fast than that of the routers.
• Cost is expensive than repeaters but a
bit cheaper than routers.
• Not able to handle multiple paths.
• Bridges are unable to read specific IP address;
they are more concerned with the
MAC addresses.
Switches
Switches
Switches
• A network switch is a networking device that connects
devices together on a computer networks, by using
packet switching to receive, process and forward data
to the destination device.
• It process the data at the data link layer and network
layer of the OSI model. ? Performs the data link layer
function, that is it looks at each packets or data unit
and determines from a physical address(MAC address).
• Also called as Multilayer Switch because it works on
two different layers.
Functions of Switches
• Allows more than one device connected to the
switch directly to transmit simultaneously.
• Can operates in Full-duplex mode(can
send and receive frames at the same time).
• Performs MAC address recognition and frame
forwarding in hardware.
Advantages of Switches
• Only forwards frames as needed.
– Filters frames to avoid unnecessary
load on segments.
– Sends frames only to segments that need
to see them.
• Extends the geographical span of the network.
– Separate segments allow longer distances.
• Improves privacy by limiting scope of frames.
Disadvantages of Switches
• While limiting broadcasts, switches are not as
good as a routers.
• Handling multicast packets needs configuration
and proper designing.
• It is difficult to reconfigure if any network error
occurs in multicast.
• If switches are in promiscuous mode they are
vulnerable to security attacks like spoofing IP
address or capturing of Ethernet Frames.
• Higher cost.
Routers
Routers
• A router is a three-layer device: It operates in
the physical, data link, and network layers.
– As a physical layer device: It regenerates the signal
it receives.
– As a data link layer device: The router checks the
physical addresses (source and
destination) contained in the packet.
– As a network layer device: A router checks the
network layer addresses (addresses in
the IP layer).
Routers
• A router can connect LANs together.
• A router can connect WANs together.
• A router can connect LANs and WANs together.
• In other words, a router is an internetworking
device.
• It connects independent networks together to
form an internetwork.
• According to this definition, two networks (LANs
or WANs) connected by a router become an
internetwork or an internet.
Routers
• There are three major differences between a
router and a repeater or a bridge.
– A router has a physical and logical (IP) address for
each of its interfaces.
– A router acts only on those packets in which the
physical destination address matches the
address of the interface at which the packet
arrives.
– A router changes the physical address of the
packet (both source and destination)
when it forwards the packet.
Components
• The router has four components:
– Input ports
– Output ports
– Routing processor
– Switching fabric
Components: Input Ports
• Aninput port performs the physical and data link
layer functions of the router.
• The bits are constructed from the received signal.
• The packet is decapsulated from the frame.
• Errors are detected and corrected.
Components: Output Ports
• An output port performs the same functions as the input port,
but in the reverse order.
• First the outgoing packets are queued, then the
packet is encapsulated in a frame
• And finally the physical layer functions are applied to
the frame to create the signal to be sent on the line.
Components: Routing Processor
• The routing processor performs the functions of the network
layer.
• The destination address is used to find the address of the next
hop.
• This activity is sometimes referred to as table lookup because
the routing processor searches the routing table.
Components: Switching Fabric
• The most difficult task in a router is to move the packet from
the input queue to the output queue.
• The speed with which this is done affects the size of
the input/output queue and the overall delay in packet
delivery.
• Routers use a variety of switching fabrics. Some of
the switching fabrics are: 1) Crossbar Switch 2) Banyan switch
Advantages of Routers
• Easily Shared Internet.
• Security and Adaptability.
• Router limits the collision domain.
• Router can function on LAN & WAN.
• Router can connects media &
different architectures.
Disadvantages of Routers
• Router is more expensive than Hub, Bridge &
Switch.
• Routing updates consume bandwidth.
• Increase latency due to greater degree of
packet filtering.
• Complicated Setup.
Gateways
Gateways
Gateways
• Gateway is a component that is part of two
networks, which use different protocols.
• It operates at all seven layers of OSI model.
• Unlike a router a gateway can forward packets
across different networks that may also use
different protocols.
• For example, If network A is token ring network
using TCP / IP and network B is in a Ethernet
network, a gateway can relay frames between
these two networks.
Gateways
Functions of Gateways
• It has abilities to translate between different
frame formats and also between
different protocols.
• It is a very powerful computer system
compared with bridge.
• Used to connect huge and incompatible
networks.
Advantages of Gateways
• The direct linking between internal
and external hosts are denied.
• In network gateway, the user
level authentication or protection is
supported.
• Can connect or links two variant networks.
• The protocol conversion is done and it handles
the traffic problems.
Disadvantages of Gateways
• It is not an intellectual equipment.
• Protocol conversion is done so transmission
rate is slower.
• Expensive.
• Little hard to handle.
• Needs internal client to know about them.