3.4 Network hardware

• NIC (Network interface Card) - a device that converts your local data into data that can be sent across a network, vice-versa.

  
• MAC address (media access control) - an address used to identify a device on a network. It's permanently assigned to a NIC
• IP address (internet protocol) - a unique address assigned to a device connected to the internet.
• a router has public and private IP address

  • The public IP address is the address assigned to the ISP and is the address for the network (think of it as the address to your neighbourhood.)
  • the private IP address is the address assigned to the device within your local network (think of it as your home)
• router - the piece of hardware that connects one network to another network (e.g. your home network to the internet)
• LAN (local area network) - a single network which connects a group of computers.
• WAN (wide area network) a network that connects to other LANs e.g. the internet
• the router is used to direct data packets to the correct destination.