Network Devices and Concepts

Flashcards covering key networking devices (hubs, bridges, switches, routers) and concepts such as collision domains, unicasting, MAC addresses, and broadcast domains.

Hub

A network device that forwards packets from one port to all other ports. It operates on the principle of forwarding. Available in 4-port and 8-port variants, now obsolete due to traffic generation.

Forwarding (in context of Hub)

The basic function of a hub is to forward the packet from one port to all other ports.

Hub and Collision Domain

A hub is a device which has one collision domain, meaning all devices connected to the hub share the same path for sending and receiving packets.

Bridge

A two-port network device that works on the principle of filtration, slightly better than a hub.

Filtration (in context of Bridge)

The process of a bridge determining which port to forward a packet to based on the destination MAC address.

Bridge Table

A table created in the center of bridge which contains that PC1, PC2 and PC3 are attached through e zero port. PC 4, PC 5, PC 6 are attached with e one port

Collision Domain and Bridge

A bridge has two collision domains, meaning each port has its collision domain, reducing traffic compared to a hub.

Switches

A multiport devices with number of ports equals to the number of collision domain that works on the principle of both forwarding and filtration.

Unicasting

A principle which switches work on; means one to one.

MAC Table

A table created on a switch that stores MAC addresses and their corresponding ports.

IP address

Like a logical address which we could add on our computers. A sort of identity.

MAC address

The hardware or physical address permanently assigned to a network interface card (NIC).

Broadcast Domain

A logical division of a computer network, in which all nodes can reach each other by broadcast.

Router

A device which breaks broadcast domains and number of ports is equal to number of broadcast domain.