Summary

Summary

This chapter examined some of the connectivity devices that network engineers use to expand, optimize, and interconnect networks. These devices have some similarities, but each is designed for a specific task, as described in the following list:

Repeaters. Repeaters regenerate a signal and are used to expand LANs beyond cabling limits.
Bridges. Bridges know the side of the bridge on which a node is located. A bridge passes only packets addressed to computers across the bridge, so a bridge can thus filter traffic, reducing the load on the transmission medium.
Routers. Routers forward packets based on a logical (as opposed to a physical) address. Some routers can determine the best path for a packet based on routing algorithms.
Gateways. Gateways function under a process similar to routers except that gateways can connect dissimilar network environments. A gateway replaces the necessary protocol layers of a packet so that the packet can circulate in the destination environment.

You should be familiar with the features of these connectivity devices and with their relative advantages and disadvantages for the Networking Essentials exam.