Re: Wish to network my home computers but don't know Jack about it
From: Kent West (westk_at_acu.edu)
Date: 12/26/03
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Date: Thu, 25 Dec 2003 23:27:50 -0600 To: debian-user@lists.debian.org
Cybe R. Wizard wrote:
>I am getting a better idea of what all is involved and it doesn't look
>too difficult as long as I can figure out the differences between
>routers, switches, hubs, access points, and network adapters. In truth,
>these all look as if they do the same job to me. No?
>
>
I kept waiting for someone to answer this who actually knows what
they're doing, but I haven't seen a reply, so I'll take a stab at it.
--- router ---
a device that acts as a traffic cop at a busy intersection between two
sections of town. When Ma wants to go to the store for a loaf of bread,
she can do so by driving around the corner to the local 7-11, and the
traffic cop doesn't need to get involved. If she approaches the busy
intersection, the traffic cop will ask her where she's headed, and
learning that she doesn't need to go through the intersection will
direct her away from the intersection. But if she needs a replacement
titanium jet port for her Mars Launch Vehicle she's building in the back
yard, she'll have to go over to the other section of town to Fred's
Pick-A-Parts Used Space Vehicle Emporium. In such a situation, she'll
have to go through that busy intersection. In that case, the traffic cop
gets involved, and will let her through the intersection.
So a computer network may have 4 computers on one segment of wires,
making up a "segment", and there may be 7 computers on a different
segment totally unconnected to the first segment. If one of the 7 needs
to talk to one of the 4, some sort of connection must be made between
the two segments. A router makes that connection. It blocks local
segment traffic from getting over and cluttering up the other segment,
while allowing traffic that's intended to go from one segment to the other.
--- hub ---
a "dumb" device, that basically just echos (and amplifies) the signal
from one device (computer, printer, etc) to all the other devices on the
segment. The most common ones are mini-hubs, having 3 to 5 ports,
usually used in homes and maybe small offices, and "real" hubs having 8
or 16 or 32 ports that are usually in a wiring closet and are used in
bigger offices/businesses. You've seen the telephone jack duplexers that
turn one telephone jack into two, or maybe three? You can think of a hub
as being essentially the same thing (but a little more complex internally).
--- switch ---
a "smart" hub. Whereas a hub will repeat the incoming signal from one
device to all the other devices plugged into it, a switch will "route"
the data only to its intended device, thus cutting down on segment
traffic. Nowadays, switches are cheap enough that there's no reason to
get a hub instead of a switch (unless you get a good deal at a garage sale).
--- access point ---
my understanding is that this is just a wireless switch. Rather than
having a switch with a physical ethernet cable running from the switch
to the computer (or other device), it communicates with the device via
radio.
--- network adapter ---
The connector that attaches the device (computer, printer, etc) to the
network cable (usually ethernet cable nowadays, but could be "thinwire",
etc).
Most home networks will use the "star topology" (or a variant thereof).
This is where you have a "central" hub/switch (even if it's not
centrally located geographically), and wires extending out to the
various devices, like legs extending out from a spider's body. The
ethernet cable is the leg itself. The network adapter is the ankle of
the spider. And the computer or printer is the foot.
A diagram can be seen here:
http://www.homenethelp.com/web/diagram/ethernet-hub.asp, and you might
want to click on the link about switches vs. hubs.
Also see:
http://www.dansdata.com/network.htm
http://www.poremsky.com/router.html
-- Kent -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-request@lists.debian.org with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact listmaster@lists.debian.org
- Previous message: Jeffrey L. Taylor: "Re: hardware compatability"
- In reply to: Cybe R. Wizard: "Re: Wish to network my home computers but don't know Jack about it"
- Next in thread: s. keeling: "Re: Wish to network my home computers but don't know Jack about it"
- Reply: s. keeling: "Re: Wish to network my home computers but don't know Jack about it"
- Reply: BruceG: "Re: Wish to network my home computers but don't know Jack about it"
- Reply: Cybe R. Wizard: "Re: Wish to network my home computers but don't know Jack about it"
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