Network Devices

Question 1

Switches

Answer 1

• bridges devices together
• forwards traffic based on the data link address
• contains many ports and features
• may provide PoE (power over ethernet)
• OSI layer 2 (data link layer)

Question 2

Multilayer Switches

Answer 2

• contains routing functionality
• OSI layer 3 (network layer)

Question 3

Routers

Answer 3

• routes traffic between IP subnets
• makes forwarding decisions based on IP addresses
• OSI layer 3 (network layer)
• often connection diverse (LAN, WAN, copper, fiber)

Question 4

Managed Switches

Answer 4

• provides VLAN support (interconnect with other switches via 802.1Q)
• traffic prioritization
• redundancy support using STP (Spanning Tree Protocol), which prevents loops between multiple switches
• port mirroring (capture packets to troubleshoot or analyze)
• external management options (for example, SNMP, or Simple Network Management Protocol)

Question 5

Unmanaged Switches

Answer 5

• has very few configuration options (plug and play)
• fixed configuration (no VLANs)
• very little integration with other devices (no management protocols)
• low price point

Question 6

Access Points

Answer 6

• provides wireless connectivity for a local network
• provides a link between the wireless network and the wired network (a bridge)
• makes forwarding decisions based on the destination mac address (identical process to a switch)

Question 7

Firewalls

Answer 7

• filters traffic based on the port number
• may be able to filter based on application traffic (OSI layer 7)
• OSI layer 4 (TCP/UDP layer)
• can encrypt traffic into and out of the network, to protect it between sites
• can proxy traffic
• may also have router functionality (OSI layer 3)

Question 8

Hubs

Answer 8

• multi-port repeater
• becomes less efficient as network traffic increases
• half-duplex
• succeeded by switches
• speeds of 10 megabit and 100 megabits

Question 9

Cable Modems

Answer 9

• broadband communication
• transmission across multiple frequencies and different traffic types
• data over a “cable” network (using the DOCSIS, Data over Cable Service Interface Specification)
• provides high-speed networking, with speeds up to 1 gigabit per second
• can support multiple services such as data, voice, and video

Question 10

DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) Modems

Answer 10

• utilizes telephone lines
• asymmetric, as download speed is faster than the upload speed (hence the acronym, ADSL, or Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line)

*distance limitations of about 10000 feet from the central office

• common speeds of about 52 megabits per second downstream, and 16 megabits per second upstream
• faster speeds are possible the closer that you are to the central offic

Question 11

ONTs (Optical Network Terminal)

Answer 11

• In order to connect to the Fiber Network you need “ONT”
• Connects the ISP Fiber Network and converting it into signals like copper ethernet
  *Demarcation Point (Demarc) in the data center
• Terminal Box on the side of the building
• Line of Responsibility - One side of the box is ISP, The other side is your network

Question 12

DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) Modems

Answer 12

• utilizes telephone lines
• asymmetric, as download speed is faster than the upload speed (hence the acronym, ADSL, or Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line)

*distance limitations of about 10000 feet from the central office

• common speeds of about 52 megabits per second downstream, and 16 megabits per second upstream
• faster speeds are possible the closer that you are to the central office