network devices

• Network interface card (NIC)

  Enables a wired network connection between a computer and another networked device
• Wireless network interface card

  Performs a similar function to the network interface card but uses radio signals to connect to the network
• Switch

  Looks at each packet of data and then sends it to the computer it was intended for / routes data / directs data between computers on the network
• Router

  Device which stores the addresses of computers on the network, transfers data from one network to another e.g. from your home network to the internet
• Hub

  Broadcasts data to all devices on a network (unlike a switch), can use a lot of bandwidth as it results in unnecessary data being sent
• Bridge

  Used for linking a network between buildings, joins together two networks that use the same base protocols, links similar types of networks together
• Gateway

  Used for linking a network to a supplier network e.g. the internet, joins together two networks that use different base protocols, links different types of network, allows a LAN to connect to the internet