Even a basic
knowledge of networking is a major asset in today's world. Even if you don't
want to get into the details of the subject, the ability to connect your
computer to other computers, a router or a peripheral will save you a lot of
headaches. It is also a good idea to have a basic knowledge of the equipment
you need and what it does. In this article we look at the basic building blocks
of a computer network and explain what the various pieces of hardware do.
Of course,
any network will need at computers. If you are very new to the subject a good
first lesson would be to attempt to connect two computers either by Ethernet
cable or wireless so that they can share information. If you can do this, you
have created your first network.
However,
when you add more computers, printers, scanners and other peripherals, as well
as an internet connection, things get a lot more complicated. The average home
network will have most or all of these components and business networks get
infinitely more complex. So, here is a basic overview of the hardware needed to
build a network.
Cable or
wireless?
The most
basic requirement of any network is that the various components are connected
to each other. Here, there are two choices Cable or wireless Ethernet cable
remains the faster of the two and remains an important building block of most
networks, especially large business network where high data transfer speeds are
essential.
That said
the next generation of wireless is set to close the gap on ethernet cable in
terms of speed, and offer a much greater range. Already, wireless is favored in
smaller networks because it spares the expense and the mess of ethernet cables,
and is easier and cheaper to maintain.
Modems
Although
networks can exist without being connected to the internet, it is rare in
today's world. And for a network to connect to the internet a modem is
required. Most modern home or small business networks will use a cable/ADSL
modem. These usually provide speeds of up to 10 Mbps by ethernet. However, in
reality, very few internet service providers can provide a connection that even
comes close to this speed. Ethernet modems are the norm these days, although
USB modems do exist and dial-up modems are still used, though rarely for
networks.
Routers
A router is
essential for all networks as it provides the connection between the Local Area
Network (LAN), which is the home or small business network, and the Wide Area
Network (WAN), usually the internet. A lot of home network will use a combined
modem, router and switch which will allow the network to connect to the
internet and allow any computers and peripherals on the network to communicate
with each other. In very large business networks the router (or sometimes a
gateway is used) and switch will be individual hardware devices.
Switches and
hubs
There is
often a lot of confusion about the difference between switches and hubs. Both
allow computers and devices within a network to communicate with each other,
but there are some significant differences between them. Of the two, switches
are by far the better, and more expensive, option. Switches are essential for
larger networks because they make the transfer of information much more
efficient.
When a
switch receives data from a computer or peripheral it can determine which
device/s on the network on the network the data is intended for, and will only
send it to its intended destination. This will not be noticed on a small home
network but can make a big difference on larger networks.
A hub is a
simpler device that can connect anywhere between four and 24 devices. The data
will pass through the hub but it the hub will not interfere with the data in
any way. Therefore, data sent through a hub will be sent to, and can be
accessed by, all devices on a network.
Firewalls
Hardware
firewall devices are not really necessary for home networks. The firewall
software on your individual computers' operating systems' firewalls, and the
security options provided by your router, should be more than enough to protect
your network.
However, for
business networks that are storing large amounts of sensitive information a
good hardware firewall is essential. All information from outside the network
must pass through this before reaching the network's main switch. If properly
configured by a network professional this should provide all the security a
business needs. Further software firewall protection within the network is also
an option to secure the network further.
(Photo from https://pixabay.com/en/network-server-system-2402637/)
