Differences between Network & Hardware

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There is mass confusion amongst the technical lingo for all the hardware that is needed for a computer network. Network hardware is used to decrease network traffic congestion and send data transmissions to the correct network through hubs, switches and routers. A firewall is often required hardware and software because it protects the private network from public networks like the Internet. This article will help understand the difference between Hubs, Switches, Routers and Firewalls.

Hubs
Hubs are reasonably priced devices used to network a group of computers on a LAN. A hub's job is simply signal repeating device, it passes a transmission on to all the other computers or devices on a network cluster. Computers connect to a hub via a network cable, a hub can connect anywhere between 4 and 64 computers, depending on the hub's capabilities.

Switches
As networks expand and require more data transmissions, network professionals often suggest replacing hubs with switches. Switches are devices that are comparable to hubs; they are used to transmit a signal from one computer or device to another. Switches are considered intelligent devices and generally are more expensive.

Routers
Routers are comparable to switches in that they are intelligent devices used to manage network traffic. Routers, nonetheless, are more powerful than switches. They are considered computers specifically designed to manage data transmissions over different LANs and WANS such as the Internet. Routers maintain databases of information about networks and computers connected to the networks and by examining transmitted data packets to transmit the data to their appropriate computers. Routers are essential to getting data packets transmitted from one network to another via the Internet (IP Protocol).

Firewalls
A firewall is a security tool, consisting of a hardware device or software or a combination of both. A firewall is connected between a private network and a public network. The firewall filters all incoming and outgoing transmissions passing through it and blocks those transmissions that do not meet specific security criteria. Firewalls can also filter our any unauthorized incoming transmissions from computers outside the network, reducing the spread of Spam on Company Networks.