What are Network Devices?

Network devices facilitate data transmission and manage digital connections on a computer network.

Network Devices Definition

Network devices or network equipment enable information exchange on a computer network.

What do network devices do?

Networking hardware facilitates seamless communication and connectivity in a network. Each networking equipment performs a specific function or role in a network and its segments. For example:

Traffic control: Network administrators often rely on network equipment such as routers and firewalls to monitor and control traffic flow in different network segments or subnets. Such devices also help admins block unauthorized connection requests.
Connectivity: Networking equipment such as routers can connect different networks using unique protocols. Similarly, gateways can enable communication between different protocol-based systems with data format translation.
Segmentation: Dividing a network into distinct zones or subnets is among the key functionalities of network equipment. Segmentation enables network admins to reduce cyberattack damage by limiting the attacker's movement once they infiltrate the network.

How do network devices work?

Network equipment boosts, combines, or transfers packets of information using specific protocols in a network. The arrangement of these devices also depicts the network topology. Popular network topologies include mesh, bus, ring, star, and tree. Devices in wireless networks rely on radio frequency signals for data transmission. In contrast, wired networks use connector cables to enable communication between network nodes. Both wired and wireless networks use various communication protocols, such as TCP and HTTP, for smooth network functioning. All devices must abide by the rules or data formats highlighted in these network protocols before sending or receiving information. These protocols also depict the operational characteristics of equipment functional in a network.

What are some of the most important network devices?

Hub: A hub transmits the incoming data packets to its connected devices without confirming the actual packet destination. The absence of packet filtering in hubs often creates performance bottlenecks in busy networks. Hubs that only provide a passage to data packets are known as passive hubs. In contrast, active hubs regenerate or amplify the signal before transmitting it to its connected devices and thereby serves as a repeater. With proper configuration, both active and passive hubs can route analog and digital signals.
Switch: A switch is a multi-port device designed to transmit incoming data packets to correct ports or devices based on the destination MAC or hardware address. It’s typically more intelligent than a hub as it can improve the network performance with advanced features such as intelligent packet forwarding and full-duplex communication. It can also control access to various parts of the network, thereby enhancing network security. Multi-layer switches can operate as a router and thereby known as advanced network devices.
Router: A router is popular networking hardware that can connect two network segments or subnets to create an extensive network. As a network layer device, the router collects and stores information such as the IP address of its connected devices in a routing table and uses it for packet forwarding to the right destination. Routers can operate with static and dynamic routing. Static routing requires manual configuration and is less effective in dynamic networks. In contrast, dynamic routing allows routers to exchange information with other routers using special routing protocols and identify the most optimal path for data transfer.
Bridge: A bridge is a data link layer device that interconnects two different LANs using the same protocol. Bridges are like switches as they can perform intelligent packet forwarding by comparing the source and destination MAC address. However, unlike switch, the bridge has a single input and output port, making it less effective for network communication.
Gateway: A gateway is among the advanced network devices that offer data format translation and protocol conversion capabilities. For example, a router can act as a gateway in a network as it translates the incoming data format as per destination network protocol requirements. Similarly, devices like switches and bridges can also serve as a gateway in different networks. Gateway uses packet switching for data transfer from the source to the destination network.
Modem: A modem typically performs analog to digital signal conversion and vice versa. It serves as an endpoint on conventional phone lines offering DSL services. Hardware devices that act as modems include PCMCIA cards and external devices with USB connectivity. The dial-up connection speed of the modem relies on two factors: its own speed and the UART chip of the computer attached to it.
Repeater: A repeater is an OSI Layer 1 device and performs signal amplification to transmit data over long distances. Regeneration of weak signals allows it to increase the range of the network. For example, a repeater can extend any LAN or WAN network without impacting its core functionality.
Access Point (AP): An access point is a transceiver device that connects wireless and ethernet LAN. It has a transmitter, receiver, and built-in antenna, allowing it to create a wireless LAN. An AP typically has multiple ports for network expansion or to support more endpoint devices. Its transmission range depends upon the environmental conditions and obstructions between the wireless client and AP. Multi-port APs can also operate as a switch, firewall, and DHCP server in a network.

Is it important to monitor network devices?

Proactive monitoring can help you avoid sudden failure or slowdown of network assets. Other reasons for monitoring network equipment include:

Accelerated troubleshooting: IT teams can quickly identify enterprise network devices' performance and availability issues with continuous monitoring. For example, network admins can visually analyze networking hardware health using mapping software and resolve potential problems before they reach end users.
Minimal network downtime: Network outages due to equipment failure often result in lost sales, productivity, and business hours. Automated monitoring can help network admins receive timely alerts related to performance issues such as high CPU utilization, allowing them to respond faster with corrective actions.
Robust network security: Regular surveillance of advanced network devices such as servers and routers allows network teams to log security events, detect unusual traffic flows, and scan firmware vulnerabilities for improved security control.
Improved asset visibility: Automated network monitoring enables network teams to drill down to the root cause of equipment failure or slowdown with customized reports and dashboards. It also helps track the compliance status and configuration settings of network-connected devices in real-time for better visibility.

How to automate network devices configuration management

Manual device configuration changes are infrequent, time-consuming, and error-prone in many cases, which can lead to network disasters such as unexpected downtime, cyberattacks, and compliance violations. You can leverage tools to automate device configuration management. Such tools save time by automatically discovering all your network devices and storing their information in a centralized, continuously updated asset inventory. Having an updated database allows you to easily track configurations, security updates, and end-of-life information of your devices. Further, network configuration management tools enable you to push bulk configuration changes to your enterprise network devices using built-in change templates and automated scripts. It eliminates the hassle of visiting every device for making routine changes.

Network configuration management software also allows you to authorize and confirm every modification by comparing the current configuration changes with preceding, backed-up versions. You can easily track the time and personnel behind a particular alteration with such tools. Moreover, it can automate the configuration backup process to help you quickly recover from outages or service interruptions due to faulty device settings. Likewise, automation software simplifies firmware vulnerability management by rapidly identifying and updating unpatched enterprise network devices. Ultimately, such tools allow you to monitor, backup, and deploy configuration changes in a secure and compliant way.

Related Resources
What Is Network Visualization?
Network visualization allows you to pictographically showcase the network architecture, including device arrangement and data flows.
View IT Glossary
What is Network Discovery?
Network discovery is a process of finding devices that also allows systems and nodes to connect and communicate on the same network. This helps network administrators locate devices, create network maps, organize device inventories, enforce accurate device access policies, and gain better control of the infrastructure. Network discovery also helps to find static, dynamic, reserved, and abandoned IP addresses.
View IT Glossary
What is Network Configuration Compliance?
Network configuration compliance refers to implementing the proper controls, policies, and device settings to safeguard your network from attackers and comply with the latest industry requirements for standards like HIPAA and PCI DSS.
View IT Glossary
What is MIB?
MIB is an organized, up-to-date repository of managed objects for identifying and monitoring SNMP network devices.
View IT Glossary
What is CPU usage?
CPU utilization indicates the amount of load handled by individual processor cores to run various programs on a computer.
View IT Glossary
What is HTTP?
HTTP is a standard protocol enlisting the recommended guidelines and procedures for exchanging information over the internet.
View IT Glossary

Explore More Resources

View All Resources