Networking Devices
Repeaters
Hubs
Collisions
Bridges
Routers
LAN, MAN & WAN
Network in small geographical Area (Room, Building
or a Campus) is called LAN (Local Area Network)
Network in a City is call MAN (Metropolitan Area
Network)
Network spread geographically (Country or across
Globe) is called WAN (Wide Area Network)
Network Topology
The network topology
defines the way in
which computers,
printers, and other
devices are connected.
A network topology
describes the layout of
the wire and devices as
well as the paths used
by data transmissions.
Bus Topology
Commonly referred to
as a linear bus, all the
devices on a bus
topology are connected
by one single cable.
Star & Tree Topology
The star topology is the most
commonly used architecture in
Ethernet LANs.
When installed, the star
topology resembles spokes in
a bicycle wheel.
Larger networks use the
extended star topology also
called tree topology. When
used with network devices that
filter frames or packets, like
bridges, switches, and routers,
this topology significantly
reduces the traffic on the wires
by sending packets only to the
wires of the destination host.
Ring Topology
A frame travels around the ring,
stopping at each node. If a node
wants to transmit data, it adds the
data as well as the destination
address to the frame.
The frame then continues around
the ring until it finds the
destination node, which takes the
data out of the frame.
Single ring – All the devices on
the network share a single cable
Dual ring – The dual ring topology
allows data to be sent in both
directions.
Mesh Topology
The mesh topology
connects all devices
(nodes) to each other
for redundancy and
fault tolerance.
It is used in WANs to
interconnect LANs and
for mission critical
networks like those
used by banks and
financial institutions.
Implementing the mesh
topology is expensive
and difficult.
Network Components
Physical Media
Interconnecting Devices
Computers
Networking Software
Applications
Network Devices
9
Introduction to Computer Networks
Networking Devices
HUB, Switches, Routers,
Wireless Access Points,
Modems etc.
What are internetworking devices?
Internetworking devices are products used to
connect networks. As computer networks grow
in size and complexity, so do the internetworking
devices used to connect them.
Functions of network devices
• Separating (connecting) networks or
expanding network
• e.g. repeaters, hubs, bridges, routers,
switches, gateways
12
The purposes of having devices
First, they allow a greater number of nodes to be
connected to the network.
Second, they extend the distance over which a
network can extend.
Third, they localize traffic on the network.
Fourth, they can merge existing networks.
Fifth, they isolate network problems so that they
can be diagnosed more easily.
A. Expanding Network
• Networks cannot be made larger by simply
adding new computers and more cables
• Less efficient !!
• Can install components to
• segment (divide) large LAN to form smaller
LANs
• connect LANs
• Required components
• Repeaters, bridges, routers, brouters,
14 switches or gateways
What internetworking devices operate
at the physical layer (layer 1)?
A repeater can provide a simple solution if
either of these two problems exists.
When signals first leave a transmitting station,
they are clean and easily recognizable.
However, the longer the cable length, the
weaker and more deteriorated the signals
become as they pass along the networking
media.
Figure 20-4
A Repeater
WCB/McGraw-Hill The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1998
a. Repeaters and Hubs
• Repeaters or hubs work at the physical layer to
regenerate the network’s signal and resend them to
other segments
• Primitive hub can be viewed as a multiport repeater
• It regenerates data and broadcasts them to all
ports
Hub
17
Figure 20-5
Function of a Repeater
WCB/McGraw-Hill The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1998
Hub
Multi-port repeaters are often called hubs.
Hubs are very common internetworking
devices. Generally speaking, the term hub is
used instead of repeater when referring to the
device that serves as the center of a star
topology network.
Hubs
Physical Layer devices: essentially repeaters
operating at bit levels: repeat received bits on one
interface to all other interfaces
Hubs can be arranged in a hierarchy (or multi-tier
design), with backbone hub at its top
#
21
Hubs (more)
Each connected LAN referred to as LAN segment
Hubs do not isolate collision domains: node may collide
with any node residing at any segment in LAN
Hub Advantages:
– simple, inexpensive device
– Multi-tier provides graceful degradation: portions of
the LAN continue to operate if one hub malfunctions
– extends maximum distance between node pairs
(100m per Hub)
#
22
Bridges
One way to solve the problems of too much
traffic on a network and too many collisions is
to use an internetworking device called a
bridge.
A bridge eliminates unnecessary traffic and
minimizes the chances of collisions occurring
on a network by dividing it into segments
Figure 20-7
A Bridge
WCB/McGraw-Hill The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1998
Figure 20-8
Function of a Bridge
WCB/McGraw-Hill The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1998
Bridges
Link Layer devices: operate on Ethernet
frames, examining frame header and selectively
forwarding frame based on its destination
Bridge isolates collision domains since it buffers
frames
When frame is to be forwarded on segment,
bridge uses CSMA/CD to access segment and
transmit
#
26 Lecture 3
b. Bridges
• Has input and one output
• Used to isolate network traffic and computers
• Has the intelligent to examine incoming packet
source and destination addresses
• But cannot
interpret higher-
level information
• Hence cannot
filter packet
according to its
protocol
29
How Bridges Work
• Bridges work at the Media Access Control Sub-
layer.
• Routing table is built
to record the segment
no. of address
• If destination address
is in the same segment
as the source address,
stop transmit
• Otherwise, forward to
30 the other segment
Backbone Bridge
#
31 Lecture 3
Interconnection Without Backbone
Not recommended for two reasons:
- single point of failure at Computer Science hub
- all traffic between EE and SE must path over CS segment
#
32 Lecture 3
Bridge/Switch Learning: example
Suppose C sends frame to D and D replies back with
frame to C
C sends frame, bridge has no info about D, so
floods to both LANs
bridge notes that C is on port 1
frame ignored on upper LAN
# frame received by D
33 Lecture 3
Bridge Learning: example
C 1
D generates reply to C, sends
bridge sees frame from D
bridge notes that D is on interface 2
bridge knows C on interface 1, so selectively
forwards frame out via interface 1
#
34 Lecture 3
Addressing Schems
You have already learned what one of these
addressing schemes is. It is the MAC address.
The second addressing scheme in networking
makes use of what is called the IP address.
MAC and IP
Like MAC addresses, every IP address is
unique. No two IP addresses are ever alike.
However, while MAC addresses are physical
addresses that are actually hard-coded into
the NIC card and occur at the data link layer
IP addresses are implemented in software and
occur at the network layer.
37
38
Ethernet Switches
layer 2 (frame) forwarding,
filtering using LAN addresses
Switching: A-to-B and A’-to-
B’ simultaneously, no
collisions
large number of interfaces
often: individual hosts, star-
connected into switch
– Ethernet, but no collisions!
#
39 Lecture 3
c. Switches
• Switches operate at the Data Link layer (layer 2)
• Can interpret address information
• Switches resemble bridges and can be considered
as multiport bridges
• By having multiports,
can better use limited
bandwidth and prove
more cost-effective
than bridge
Cisco Catalyst 2900 switch
40
• Switches divide a network into several isolated
channels
• Packets sending from 1 channel will not go to
another if not specify
• Each channel has its own capacity and need not be
shared with other channels
Hub 3.3Mbps
10Mbps
3.3Mbps
Switch
3.3Mbps
10Mbps
10Mbps
41 10Mbps
Ethernet Switches (more)
Dedicated
Shared
#
42 Lecture 3
Advantages of Switches
• Switches divide a network into several isolated
channels (or collision domains)
• Reduce the possibility of collision
• Collision only occurs when two devices try to get access
to one channel
• Can be solved by buffering one of them for later access
• Each channel has its own network capacity
• Suitable for real-time applications, e.g. video
conferencing
• Since isolated, hence secure
• Data will only go to the destination, but not others
43
Using Switches to Create VLANs
• Switches can logically group together some ports to
form a virtual local area network (VLAN)
SW1 VLAN1 VLAN2
Hub
SW2 Hub
Switches can
be configured
to communicate
SW3 only within the
devices in the
group Hub
44
Routers
Routers are another type of internetworking
device.
These devices pass data packets between
networks based on network protocol or layer 3
information.
Routers have the ability to make intelligent
decisions as to the best path for delivery of
data on the network.
Figure 20-10
Routers in an Internet
WCB/McGraw-Hill The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1998
d. Routers
• Routers work at layer 3 (network layer)
• They use the
“logical address”
of packets and
routing tables to
determine the best
path for data
delivery
47
How Routers Work
• As packets are passed from routers to routers, Data
Link layer source and destination addresses are
stripped off and then recreated
• Enables a router to route a packet from a TCP/IP
Ethernet network to a TCP/IP token ring network
• Only packets with known network addresses will be
passed –
• Routers can listen to a network and identify its
busiest part
• Will select the most cost effective path for
48 transmitting packets
How Routing Table is formed
• Routing table is formed based on communications
between routers using “Routing Protocols”
• Routing Protocols
collect data about
current network
status and
contribute to
selection of the
best path
51
Bridges vs. Routers
both store-and-forward devices
– routers: network layer devices (examine network layer headers)
– bridges are Link Layer devices
routers maintain routing tables, implement routing algorithms
bridges maintain filtering tables, implement filtering, learning.
#
52 Lecture 3
Routing among different networks
Layer-3 Switches
• Layer-3 switches operate in both layer 2 (data link layer)
and 3 (network layer)
• Can perform both MAC switching and IP routing
• A combination of switch and router
Why Layer-3 switches?
• Traffic of LAN is no longer
local
• Speed of LAN is much faster
• Need a much faster router,
however, very expensive
54 Excerpt from www.intel.com
Summary
• Repeaters are the least expensive way to expand a
network, but they are limited to connecting two
segments
• Bridges function similar to repeaters, but can
understand the node addresses
• Switches can be considered as multiport bridges, can
divide a network into some logical channels
• Routers interconnect networks and provide filtering
functions. They can determine the best route
55
