Networking Components

Andrew Fuqua3/4/2015LTEC 4550

HUB

A network HUB is a device that is used to link multiple devices over a network. The HUB is not a great choice when shopping for a device to connect multiple PC’s because there is a large potential for collisions in traffic.

Pricing, a HUB is usually around $29 bucks at Walmart. Click this link to see more about it! https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&es_th=1&ie=UTF-8#q=hub&tbm=shop

SWITCH

A switch is a layer two device that is used to connect multiple nodes on a network. Like a HUB, you can connect many devices to a switch. But with a switch, data can be directed to a MAC address over a virtual point-to-point connection, reducing the amount of collisions. Switches also come in PoE (power over ethernet) versions.

Pricing for a switch runs in between $10 and $500 for a SOHO switch. The price can rise all the upwards of $30,000 for a managed aggregation switch. More info can be found here https://www.google.com/search?q=switch&oq=switch&aqs=chrome.0.69i59j69i60j0l2j69i61j0.870j0j4&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=122&ie=UTF-8#q=switch&tbm=shop

ROUTER

A router is a key piece of equipment in a network. The router usually lies between the modem and the switch. The router is responsible for routing traffic from the LAN out to the WAN. In most cases, the router is also responsible for handing out DHCP addresses from a DHCP pool configured in the router. In many SOHO environments, the router is also the wireless access point (WAP) or access point (AP).

Pricing for a router can range anywhere from $20 all the way up to $20,000+ for a higher end business router that is capable of running specific routing protocols such as border gateway protocol (BGP)

BRIDGE

A bridge is a lot like a router, in the sense that it routes traffic in between two networks. The difference between the router and the bridge, is that the bridge routes traffic between two Local Area Networks (LAN) and the router routes traffic from a LAN to a Wide Area Network (WAN).

Pricing for a bridge ranges from $20 up into the $500+ range for a good, business class bridge. Click this link for more pricing information on a bridge.

https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&es_th=1&ie=UTF-8#tbm=shop&q=network+bridge

GATEWAY

A gateway is a device that every node on the network turns to in order to get out of the network. In most cases, the gateway is the router. But there are also stand alone devices that can only work as a gateway. In this day in age it is very unlikely to see one of these devices.

Pricing for a gateway is in between $20 and $500 for a good, stand alone gateway. Click this link for more information on gateway pricing

https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&es_th=1&ie=UTF-8#tbm=shop&q=network+gateway

FIREWALL

A firewall is a network security device that examines all network traffic, and makes the decision on whether or not to allow the traffic either in, or out depending on many different things. These things include information located in the packet. It could be a certain protocol, a MAC address, an IP address, a specific port the traffic using, etc. The network firewall is usually located behind the router and in front of the switch stack.

Pricing on a firewall ranges from $80 all the way up to the $10,000+. Click the link for more information on firewall pricing.

https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&es_th=1&ie=UTF-8#q=network+firewall&tbm=shop

WIRELESS ACCESS POINT

A wireless access point (WAP) is used to connect wireless clients such as laptops, cell phones, tablets, and anything else with a wireless network interface card (NIC) to the LAN. A WAP turns a wired LAN into a wireless local area network (WLAN) and has the capability to connect Active Directory (AD) users to the network using the 802.1X authentication protocol. It also has the ability to easily connect guest users. One major benefit of guests connecting wirelessly is the ability to use a captive web portal to agree to the terms of use which is extremely helpful in a HIPAA environment.

Pricing for WAP’s range from $20 to the $600+ range. Click the link below for more information on the pricing https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&es_th=1&ie=UTF-8#tbm=shop&q=wireless+access+point

NETWORK DIAGRAM