Subject Code: 3150710 Subject Name: CN Date: 09/06/2021

Enrollment no: 190420107026 Name: Jayanshu Manishbhai Kikani

Practical 1 : Study of various network devices.

1. Repeater
2. Hub
3. Bridge
4. Switch
5. Router
6. Modem

1). Repeater:
Repeaters are network devices operating at physical layer of the OSI model
that amplify or regenerate an incoming signal before retransmitting it. They
are incorporated in networks to expand its coverage area. They are also known
as signal boosters.

SCET/CO/2020-21/Odd/BE Div-I/Sem-V Page | 1

Subject Code: 3150710 Subject Name: CN Date: 09/06/2021
Enrollment no: 190420107026 Name: Jayanshu Manishbhai Kikani

Why are Repeaters needed?

When an electrical signal is transmitted via a channel, it gets attenuated
depending upon the nature of the channel or the technology. This poses a
limitation upon the length of the LAN or coverage area of cellular networks.
This problem is alleviated by installing repeaters at certain intervals.
Repeaters amplifies the attenuated signal and then retransmits it. Digital
repeaters can even reconstruct signals distorted by transmission loss.So,
repeaters are popularly incorporated to connect between two LANs thus
forming a large single LAN. This is shown in the following diagram –

SCET/CO/2020-21/Odd/BE Div-I/Sem-V Page | 2

Subject Code: 3150710 Subject Name: CN Date: 09/06/2021
Enrollment no: 190420107026 Name: Jayanshu Manishbhai Kikani

Types of Repeaters:
According to the types of signals that they regenerate, repeaters can be
classified into two categories −
• Analog Repeaters − They can only amplify the analog signal.
• Digital Repeaters − They can reconstruct a distorted signal.
According to the types of networks that they connect, repeaters can be
categorized into two types −
• Wired Repeaters − They are used in wired LANs.
• Wireless Repeaters − They are used in wireless LANs and cellular
networks.
According to the domain of LANs they connect, repeaters can be divided into
two categories −
• Local Repeaters − They connect LAN segments separated by small
distance.
• Remote Repeaters − They connect LANs that are far from each other.

Advantages of Repeaters
• Repeaters are simple to install and can easily extend the length or the
coverage area of networks.
• They are cost effective.
• Repeaters don’t require any processing overhead. The only time they
need to be investigated is in case of degradation of performance.
• They can connect signals using different types of cables.

Disadvantages of Repeaters
• Repeaters cannot connect dissimilar networks.
• They cannot differentiate between actual signal and noise.
• They cannot reduce network traffic or congestion
• Most networks have limitations upon the number of repeaters that can
be deployed.

SCET/CO/2020-21/Odd/BE Div-I/Sem-V Page | 3

Subject Code: 3150710 Subject Name: CN Date: 09/06/2021
Enrollment no: 190420107026 Name: Jayanshu Manishbhai Kikani

2).Hub:
Hubs are networking devices operating at a physical layer of the OSI model
that are used to connect multiple devices in a network. They are generally used
to connect computers in a LAN.
A hub has many ports in it. A computer which intends to be connected to the
network is plugged in to one of these ports. When a data frame arrives at a
port, it is broadcast to every other port, without considering whether it is
destined for a particular destination device or not.

Features of Hubs
• A hub operates in the physical layer of the OSI model.
• A hub cannot filter data. It is a non-intelligent network device that sends
message to all ports
• It primarily broadcasts messages. So, the collision domain of all nodes
connected through the hub stays one.
• Transmission mode is half duplex.
• Collisions may occurs during setup of transmission when more than one
computers place data simultaneously in the corresponding ports.

SCET/CO/2020-21/Odd/BE Div-I/Sem-V Page | 4

Subject Code: 3150710 Subject Name: CN Date: 09/06/2021
Enrollment no: 190420107026 Name: Jayanshu Manishbhai Kikani

• Since they lack intelligence to compute best path for transmission of

data packets, inefficiencies and wastage occur
• They are passive devices, they don’t have any software associated with
it.
• They generally have fewer ports of 4/12.

Types of Hubs
Initially, hubs were passive devices. However, with development of advanced
technology, active hubs and intelligent hubs came into use.
• Passive Hubs − Passive hubs connects nodes in a star configuration by
collecting wiring from nodes. They broadcast signals onto the network
without amplifying or regenerating them. As they cannot extend the
distance between nodes, they limit the size of the LAN.
• Active Hubs − Active hubs amplify and regenerate the incoming electrical
signals before broadcasting them. They have their own power supply
and serves both as a repeater as well as connecting centre. Due to their
regenerating capabilities, they can extend the maximum distance
between nodes, thus increasing the size of LAN.
• Intelligent Hubs − Intelligent hubs are active hubs that provide additional
network management facilities. They can perform a variety of functions
of more intelligent network devices like network management,
switching, providing flexible data rates etc.

3). Bridge:
A bridge is a network device that connects multiple LANs (local area networks)
together to form a larger LAN. The process of aggregating networks is called
network bridging. A bridge connects the different components so that they
appear as parts of a single network. Bridges operate at the data link layer of
the OSI model and hence also referred as Layer 2 switches.

The following diagram shows a bridges connecting two LANs −

SCET/CO/2020-21/Odd/BE Div-I/Sem-V Page | 5

Subject Code: 3150710 Subject Name: CN Date: 09/06/2021
Enrollment no: 190420107026 Name: Jayanshu Manishbhai Kikani

Uses of Bridge
• Bridges connects two or more different LANs that has a similar protocol
and provides communication between the devices (nodes) in them.
• By joining multiple LANs, bridges help in multiplying the network
capacity of a single LAN.
• Since they operate at data link layer, they transmit data as data frames.
On receiving a data frame, the bridge consults a database to decide
whether to pass, transmit or discard the frame.
• If the frame has a destination MAC (media access control) address in the
same network, the bridge passes the frame to that node and then
discards it.
• If the frame has a destination MAC address in a connected network, it
will forward the frame toward it.
• By deciding whether to forward or discard a frame, it prevents a single
faulty node from bringing down the entire network.
• In cases where the destination MAC address is not available, bridges can
broadcast data frames to each node. To discover new segments, they
maintain the MAC address table.
• In order to provide full functional support, bridges ideally need to be
transparent. No major hardware, software or architectural changes
should be required for their installation.
SCET/CO/2020-21/Odd/BE Div-I/Sem-V Page | 6
Subject Code: 3150710 Subject Name: CN Date: 09/06/2021
Enrollment no: 190420107026 Name: Jayanshu Manishbhai Kikani

• Bridges can switch any kind of packets, be it IP packets or AppleTalk

packets, from the network layer above. This is because bridges do not
examine the payload field of the data frame that arrives, but simply
looks at the MAC address for switching.
• Bridges also connect virtual LANs (VLANs) to make a larger VLAN.
• A wireless bridge is used to connect wireless networks or networks
having a wireless segment.

4). Switch:
Switches are networking devices operating at layer 2 or a data link layer of the
OSI model. They connect devices in a network and use packet switching to
send, receive or forward data packets or data frames over the network.
A switch has many ports, to which computers are plugged in. When a data
frame arrives at any port of a network switch, it examines the destination
address, performs necessary checks and sends the frame to the corresponding
device(s).It supports unicast, multicast as well as broadcast communications.

SCET/CO/2020-21/Odd/BE Div-I/Sem-V Page | 7

Subject Code: 3150710 Subject Name: CN Date: 09/06/2021
Enrollment no: 190420107026 Name: Jayanshu Manishbhai Kikani

Features of Switches
• A switch operates in the layer 2, i.e. data link layer of the OSI model.
• It is an intelligent network device that can be conceived as a multiport
network bridge.
• It uses MAC addresses (addresses of medium access control sublayer) to
send data packets to selected destination ports.
• It uses packet switching technique to receive and forward data packets
from the source to the destination device.
• It is supports unicast (one-to-one), multicast (one-to-many) and
broadcast (one-to-all) communications.
• Transmission mode is full duplex, i.e. communication in the channel
occurs in both the directions at the same time. Due to this, collisions do
not occur.
• Switches are active devices, equipped with network software and
network management capabilities.
• Switches can perform some error checking before forwarding data to
the destined port.
• The number of ports is higher – 24/48.

Types of Switches
There are variety of switches that can be broadly categorized into 4 types −
• Unmanaged Switch − These are inexpensive switches commonly used in
home networks and small businesses. They can be set up by simply
plugging in to the network, after which they instantly start operating.
When more devices needs to be added, more switches are simply added
by this plug and play method. They are referred to as u managed since
they do not require to be configured or monitored.
• Managed Switch − These are costly switches that are used in
organizations with large and complex networks, since they can be
customized to augment the functionalities of a standard switch. The
augmented features may be QoS (Quality of Service) like higher security
levels, better precision control and complete network management.
Despite their cost, they are preferred in growing organizations due to

SCET/CO/2020-21/Odd/BE Div-I/Sem-V Page | 8

Subject Code: 3150710 Subject Name: CN Date: 09/06/2021
Enrollment no: 190420107026 Name: Jayanshu Manishbhai Kikani

their scalability and flexibility. Simple Network Management Protocol

(SNMP) is used for configuring managed switches.
• LAN Switch − Local Area Network (LAN) switches connects devices in the
internal LAN of an organization. They are also referred as Ethernet
switches or data switches. These switches are particularly helpful in
reducing network congestion or bottlenecks. They allocate bandwidth in
a manner so that there is no overlapping of data packets in a network.
• PoE Switch − Power over Ethernet (PoE) switches are used in PoE
Gogabit Ethernets. PoE technology combine data and power
transmission over the same cable so that devices connected to it can
receive both electricity as well as data over the same line. PoE switches
offer greater flexibility and simplifies the cabling connections.

5). Router:
Routers are networking devices operating at layer 3 or a network layer of the
OSI model. They are responsible for receiving, analysing, and forwarding data
packets among the connected computer networks. When a data packet
arrives, the router inspects the destination address, consults its routing tables
to decide the optimal route and then transfers the packet along this route.

SCET/CO/2020-21/Odd/BE Div-I/Sem-V Page | 9

Subject Code: 3150710 Subject Name: CN Date: 09/06/2021
Enrollment no: 190420107026 Name: Jayanshu Manishbhai Kikani

Features of Routers
• A router is a layer 3 or network layer device.
• It connects different networks together and sends data packets from
one network to another.
• A router can be used both in LANs (Local Area Networks) and WANs
(Wide Area Networks).
• It transfers data in the form of IP packets. In order to transmit data, it
uses IP address mentioned in the destination field of the IP packet.
• Routers have a routing table in it that is refreshed periodically according
to the changes in the network. In order to transmit data packets, it
consults the table and uses a routing protocol.
• In order to prepare or refresh the routing table, routers share
information among each other.
• Routers provide protection against broadcast storms.
• Routers are more expensive than other networking devices like
hubs,bridges and switches.
o Routers are manufactured by some popular companies like −
o Cisco
o D-Link
o HP
o 3Com
o Juniper
o Nortel

Routing Table
• The functioning of a router depends largely upon the routing table
stored in it. The routing table stores the available routes for all
destinations. The router consults the routing table to determine the
optimal route through which the data packets can be sent.
• A routing table typically contains the following entities −
o IP addresses and subnet mask of the nodes in the network
o IP addresses of the routers in the network
o Interface information among the network devices and channels

SCET/CO/2020-21/Odd/BE Div-I/Sem-V Page | 10

Subject Code: 3150710 Subject Name: CN Date: 09/06/2021
Enrollment no: 190420107026 Name: Jayanshu Manishbhai Kikani

• Routing tables are of two types −

o Static Routing Table − Here, the routes are fed manually and are not
refreshed automatically. It is suitable for small networks containing 2-
3 routers.
o Dynamic Routing Table − Here, the router communicates with other
routers using routing protocols to determine the available routes. It is
suited for larger networks having large number of routers.

Types of Routers
A variety of routers are available depending upon their usages. The main types
of routers are −
• Wireless Router − They provide WiFi connection WiFi devices like
laptops, smartphones etc. They can also provide standard Ethernet
routing. For indoor connections, the range is 150 feet while its 300 feet
for outdoor connections.
• Broadband Routers − They are used to connect to the Internet through
telephone and to use voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology for
providing high-speed Internet access. They are configured and provided
by the Internet Service Provider (ISP).
• Core Routers − They can route data packets within a given network, but
cannot route the packets between the networks. They helps to link all
devices within a network thus forming the backbone of network. It is
used by ISP and communication interfaces.
• Edge Routers − They are low-capacity routers placed at the periphery of
the networks. They connect the internal network to the external
networks, and are suitable for transferring data packets across networks.
They use Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) for connectivity. There are two
types of edge routers, subscriber edge routers and label edge routers.
• Brouters − Brouters are specialised routers that can provide the
functionalities of bridges as well. Like a bridge, brouters help to transfer
data between networks. And like a router, they route the data within the
devices of a network.

SCET/CO/2020-21/Odd/BE Div-I/Sem-V Page | 11

Subject Code: 3150710 Subject Name: CN Date: 09/06/2021
Enrollment no: 190420107026 Name: Jayanshu Manishbhai Kikani

6). Modem:
Modem stands for Modulation Demodulation. A modem converts the digital
data signals into analogue data signals. They can be installed within the
computer in a development slot applicable for it.

There are frequently two types of Modems that are as follows −

• Standard Modem: The standard modems use generic device drivers, and
they can be internal and external ones. The internal modems do not
need much physical structure. They can be installed into a compatible
development slot. The external modem is connected through one of the
COM port to the computer through a cable called a null-modem cable.
• Window Modem: A window modem is a private plug and plays tool. It
requires a particular device driver supported by the window operating
framework to function correctly.

Features of Modems
• The main features of modems are as follows −
• They have high uploading and communication rates. An X2 modem
provides an uploading bandwidth between 28.8 to 56 Kbps.

SCET/CO/2020-21/Odd/BE Div-I/Sem-V Page | 12

Subject Code: 3150710 Subject Name: CN Date: 09/06/2021
Enrollment no: 190420107026 Name: Jayanshu Manishbhai Kikani

• They are upgradeable through a software patch to meet almost any

universal standard.
• They enable high-speed downstream data transfers by digitally encoding
all downstream data while upstream runs at conventional rates of 33.6
kbps.
• Some modems incorporate dual simultaneous voice and Data (DSVD),
i.e., they can carry both analog voices and computer data.
• They can detect callers originating telephone number, and thus they can
serve as caller ID.
• Some modems provide advanced voice mail features, and those
modems serve as intelligent, answering machines or digital information
systems.
•

Types of Modems
There are the following types of modems which are as follows −
• Optical Modem: Optical Modem uses optical cables instead of other
metallic media. It converts the digital data signals into the pulse of light
transmitted on the optical fiber used by it.
• Digital Modem: A digital modem converts digital data into digital signals.
It modulates the digital data on the digital carrier signals for
transmission on digital transmission lines.
• Acoustic Modem: The acoustic modem is a particular type of modem
that can couple the telephone handset with a device used by traveling
salespeople to connect the hotel phones. It contains a speaker and
microphone.
• Smart Modem: The smart modem allows auto-dial/redial and auto-
answer capabilities. It contains a microprocessor onboard that uses the
Hayes AT command set to provide auto-dial and auto answering
functions.
• Short Haul Modem: The short-haul modem is those who are present in
your PC at home. They can transmit data over 20 miles or less, and
generally, they are used to connect PCs in a building or office within this
area.

SCET/CO/2020-21/Odd/BE Div-I/Sem-V Page | 13