2.5 Networking Hardware Devices

What is a router?

An OSI Layer 3 device that routes traffic between IP subnets, making forwarding decisions for reaching the destination IP address by using routing tables. Used to connect diverse network types, connect one LAN to another LAN on a WAN.

What is a switch?

An OSI Layer 2 device that examines the header of incoming packets for the MAC address and forwards the packet to the correct location using hardware.

What is a managed switch?

A switch that allows for port configuration, traffic prioritization, redundancy support, and traffic monitoring (port mirroring to capture packets). They offer quality of service (QoS), redundancy, port mirroring, and VLANs. External management with Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP).

What is an unmanaged switch?

Plug and play with fixed configuration, low price point. An unmanaged switch does not allow for configuration and passes on all data for a MAC address to its ports.

What is a Wireless Access Point (WAP)?

A bridge that extends the wired network onto the wireless network and makes forwarding decisions based on MAC addresses, allowing Wi-Fi devices to connect to a network.

What is a patch panel?

A large rack mounted centralization device that connects cables using a combination of punch-down blocks and RJ-45 connectors. Run from desks are made once and permanently punched down into punch-down blocks on the patch panel. Then patch panel RJ-45 port to switch connections can be easily changed anytime.

What is a firewall?

An OSI layer 4 (TCP/UDP) security appliance that filters network traffic based on a set of rules, usually by port number. Can filter traffic in/out of network and can proxy traffic.

What is PoE?

Power provided on an ethernet cable, one wire for network and one for electricity.

List PoE delivery types

Endspans: Power is provided by the switch to multiple devices

Midspans: The switch doesn’t provide power and instead an in-line power injector is placed between the devices, for single device

List PoE standards

PoE (802.3af): 15.4 W

PoE+ (802.3at): 30 W

PoE++, Type 3 (802.3bt): 60 W

PoE++, Type 4 (802.3bt): 90 W

(PoE+ won’t power a PoE++ device)

(Anime Fanny was 15.4 when she met her FUN bf.

Aunt Tammy was 30 when she got TIRED of her relatives asking her to get married and have kids.

Big Teddy, retired age 60 and died at 90 from TEQUILA overdose)

What is a cable modem?

Uses broadband, transmission of different traffic types across multiple frequencies (data, voice, video), high speeds up to 1 Gb.

What is a DSL modem?

A DSL modem uses telephone lines, download speed faster than upload speed (asymmetric)