CompTIA A+ Core 1: Compare Common Networking Hardware Devices

[music] CompTIA plus Core 1 complete training course exam objective 2.5 compare and

contrast common networking hardware devices. common networking hardware.

This video segment is designed to give you a foundational understanding of key network devices and the knowledge

essential for anyone aspiring to pass the CompTIA Plus Core 1 certification exam. To kick things off, I will start

with a rather antiquated or outdated device, the network hub. The hub is a basic networking device that connects

multiple computers or other network devices together. And while this is no longer a part of the exam objectives for

this new version of the 80 plus core 1 exam, it sure helps to know how things started back in the beginning.

When a hub receives data from one device, it broadcasts that data to all the other connected devices. As a

visual, you can imagine a hub as a speaker making a public broadcast announcement, thus sending the same

message to everyone in a room. By sending the same data to all computers inside a network without distinguishing

which device the data is meant for, the hub is inherently less efficient and less secure compared to more advanced

devices like network switches. Due to these limitations, hubs are mostly obsolete.

At the heart of any modern local area network, you are likely to find a network switch or maybe multiple

switches. If the network is large and complex, a switch is a network device that connects multiple devices within a

local area network. It acts similarly to a network hub, allowing devices like computers, printers, servers, or other

end devices to communicate with each other by forwarding data packets on the same LAN, but with a few improvements.

Think of a network switch as a traffic controller in a network. It receives data packets from one device and

intelligently forwards them to the intended recipient, ensuring efficient and direct communication between devices

within the network. Network switches commonly use Ethernet cables or CAT cables to connect end devices to the

ports on the network switch and communicate using the Ethernet protocol. When a device wants to send data to a

specific device within the LAN network, it encapsulates the data into a data packet. This data packet will contain

the destination address, the sender source address, and the actual data or payload being transmitted. This

encapsulated data packet is then given the name Ethernet frame. The switch then receives the data packet and examines

the destination address. It then uses this information to determine the best path or port to forward the packet to

the intended device. This direct forwarding allows for fast and efficient communication between devices.

Network switches fall into two primary categories, unmanaged and managed switches. Unmanaged switches are the

simpler option, providing basic connectivity without requiring any configuration. These plug-andplay

devices are especially suitable for small networks such as those in small office or home office environments.

Typically, they come with a limited number of ports with configurations of four or eight ports being the most

common. This simplicity makes unmanaged switches an ideal choice for straightforward networking needs.

Managed switches, on the other hand, are designed for larger, more complex networks. While they can function like

unmanaged switches out of the box, they offer a significant advantage in terms of configurability. Administrators have

the ability to access and configure these switches, allowing for the implementation of advanced features such

as security protocols, network traffic control, and the segregation of different types of network traffic like

voice communications. This feature is particularly important in networks where ensuring the quality and reliability of

specific traffic like voice traffic is paramount. Managed switches are frequently used in corporate

environments and typically come equipped with a higher number of ports often including 24 48 or more to accommodate a

larger scale of network devices. Now let's talk about the access point or AP. An access point, also called a

wireless access point, is a network device that allows wireless communications between devices in a

network. It connects Wi-Fi enabled devices such as laptops or smartphones to the network. Access points are used

to provide wireless connectivity in homes, offices, and public spaces, enabling mobility and flexibility in

network access. It may be easier to think of a network access point as a wireless version of a

switch. It acts as a bridge between devices and the network, creating a wireless connection for them to

communicate with each other. But how does a wireless access point work with other wired networks?

Well, it's quite simple. The wireless access point takes the data packets it receives from devices such as

smartphones, tablets, and laptops and transmits it wirelessly to the network. Similarly, it receives data from the

network and sends it wirelessly to the devices connected to it. This two-way communication allows devices to access

the network and share information with each other seamlessly. Now, you might be wondering how devices connect to a

wireless access point. Well, it's as easy as connecting to a Wi-Fi network. When you turn on your devices Wi-Fi, it

scans for available wireless networks. And when it detects a wireless access point, it prompts you to connect to it.

Once connected, you can access the network's resources and communicate with other devices in the network just like

you would in a wired network. So, if an access point sounds a lot like a switch, you are right. An access point is just a

wireless version of a switch that provides local device connectivity. By now you may be realizing that

computer networks are basically a digital highway connecting devices together to facilitate communication and

resource sharing. And just as highways have intersections and signs to guide traffic, networks have switches to

direct data packets. But switches are not the only devices used to control traffic. We also have network routers. A

network router is a network device that directs data packets between different computer networks. Yes, this is similar

to a switch with the exception that a switch directs traffic within a local area network and a router controls data

packets entering or leaving a local area network. But how does a network router actually

work? Well, when a device wants to send data to another device in a different network, it compiles a data packet.

These data packets will contain a source IP address and a destination IP address. If the data packet has a destination IP

address that is not located within the current network, the data packet will then seek out the router. The router

examines the packet's destination address, much like reading a street address, and determines the most

efficient path for the data to reach its intended destination. To sum up a router, a router is a gateway sitting at

the edge of a network's broadcast domain, controlling inbound and outbound connectivity to other networks. These

could be other directly attached local area networks or more commonly they are installed between a local area network

and a wide area network connection like the one provided by an internet service provider or ISP.

To close out this video segment, I have one more device to cover, the SOHO router. Having just covered the topics

of network, switch, access point, and router, I figured now would be a great time to discuss how these devices fit

into a smaller setting of a home or small business environment. The type of networking equipment used in a home or

small business environment can be described as SOHO, where SOHO stands for small office, home office. This

particular type of network will commonly utilize a multi-function network device referred to as a SOHO router. But don't

let the name fool you. Though similar in some aspects, this is not like the enterprisegrade router we studied

earlier in this exam objective. A SOHO router can perform routing functions, but that is not all it can do. So, let's

break down the main components that make up a SOHO router. First up, we have the network switch.

You may recall that a network switch is a network device that connects multiple devices within a local area network. And

yes, the SOHO router has a built-in network switch. It may not have as many ports as an enterprise switch, but it

will still function the same. The SOHO router displayed here can only connect four computing devices together in an

Ethernet LAN. The switch ports are the yellow RG45 ports located inside box number one.

Next, we have the access point. As a refresher, the access point is a network device that allows wireless

communications between devices in a network. And yes, the SOHO router has a built-in access point, too. It may not

support as many wireless clients as an enterprise access point, but it will still function the same. The SOHO router

displayed here has an antenna inside box number two that can transmit and receive Wi-Fi signals.

Lastly, let's talk about the router itself. The router is the gateway between your SOHO network and the

internet or ISP. That is where box number three comes in. This is your wide area network or WAN connection.

Pretty cool how a SOHO router seamlessly integrates all these components into one compact device. If you are dealing with

a limited number of computing devices in your network, a SOHO router would be the perfect choice to provide network

connectivity. Thank you for watching. Subscribe for more great content.