Wireless Networks
A wireless LAN (WLAN or WiFi) provides network connectivity by using radio waves rather than cable. Wireless devices can communicate with each other or they can communicate through a wireless access point (WAP) to a wired network. More ...
Network Hubs
A hub lives at Layer 1 of the OSI model, so it does not make forwarding decisions. Instead, a hub receives bits on one port and then retransmits those bits out all other ports. Because of this a hub is sometimes called a repeater. More ...
Network Storage Server Options
Although the need for storage available over a shared network is evident, it is not always clear which solution is right for your organization. There are a variety of options available, direct-attached storage (DAS), network-attached storage (NAS) and storage area networks (SAN). More ...
The Complete Guide to Fiber Optic Connectors
There have been over 100 different fiber optic connectors developed over the years but a select few have stood the test of time and beat out their competition. In this article we talk about the most common. More ...
Network Interface Cards (NIC)
Every entity on a network, a PC, printer, router, etc., that needs to communicate with other devices must have a NIC if it is to communicate over the network. NIC functionality is now often integrated into the motherboard chipset or implemented with a dedicated Ethernet chip on the motherboard. More ...
Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) Operation
When a switch receives a broadcast frame, the switch floods the frame out all switch ports other than the port on which the frame was received. More ...
Access Points and Wireless LAN Controller
An access point is a network device that creates a wireless LAN (WLAN) and might also connect to a wired router to allow wireless devices to connect to the wired LAN. More ...
Understanding Optical Fiber Types
Two major types of optical fibers exist for communication systems: multimode and single mode. Multimode fiber can carry many modes of light rays, while single mode fiber can only carry one mode of light ray. More ...
Difference Between Unmanaged, Web Smart and Managed Switch
A network switch is used to route data over a communication network. There are four major types of a switches. It can either be an unmanaged switch, a managed switch, a smart switch or an enterprise managed switch. Each kind of switch has its own strengths and weaknesses. More ...
Fiber Media Converter - What's the Use and How to Choose It
Fiber media converters are used to convert electrical signal to light signal and vice versa. They are basically used as network extenders to extend the distance from several hundreds of feet to several thousands meters. More ...
Cable: Cat5, Cat5e, Cat6, Cat6A ; What's the Difference?
This article describes the different twisted pair cable types, Cat5, Cat5e, Cat6, Cat6A, their construction and application. More ...
Fiber Distributed Data Interface
The Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI) uses pulses of light and fiber optic cable to send signals with a 100 Mbps throughput over dual counter-rotating rings. More ...
Six Things You Must Know About Fiber Optic Cable Materials
Outdoor fiber cables must endure harsh environment factors so outdoor cables must be strong, weatherproof and UV resistant. Indoor fiber cables should possess NEC required fire and smoke ratings. More ...
