Distance Vector vs. Link State vs. Hybrid Routing
Routers direct traffic between networks or subnetworks to transport a packet to its destination. Distance Vector routing uses the hop count as its routing metric. Link State routing use statistics like distance, link speed, and traffic to calculate the cost of different routes through the Internet. More ...
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 ...
Routing Technologies, Bandwidth Management and Traffic Shaping
Bandwidth is the overshadowing issue for most network quality problems. The response to that problem is often to add more bandwidth. However, more bandwidth often comes at a relativel high cost. More ...
What are OFNP, OFNR, OFNG and OFCG? Understanding Fiber Optic Cable Fire Ratings
Just like copper cables, NEC (National Electrical Code) requires indoor fiber optic cables be marked with their fire and smoking ratings. According to NEC, a building's inside area is divided into three types of sections: plenums, risers and general purpose areas. More ...
Routers
Routers are sometimes confused with network hubs, modems, or network switches. However, routers can also provide additional features such as embedded firewall and content filtering software that provides an additional protection from unwanted content and malicious websites. More ...
What Are Fiber Optic Circulators?
An optical circulator is an nonreciprocal passive device that directs light sequentially from port to port in only one direction. The operation of a circulator is similar to that of an isolator except its constructions is more complex. 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 ...
System Area Network Interface Cards
Whereas the standard network may use twisted-pair cabling, the System Area Network may use separate fiber-optic cabling. System Area Network interface cards are special high speed circuits that provide communications between the servers over the System Area Network. More ...
Wireless Network Vlans - How to Implement Wireless Vlans
Wireless access points operate as bridges with no routing defined anywhere on the wireless network segment. VLANs are defined on the wired switches and mapped with specific SSIDs at each access point. The wireless client associates with a specific SSID which in turn will map client with membership in a specific VLAN. More ...
The IEEE 802.3 Ethernet Standards
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). The IEEE sets up committees to define industry standards. The IEEE 802 committee sets the standards for networking. The IEEE subcommittee 802.3 sets the standard for Ethernet. More ...
Technologies for the Internet of Things (IoT)
Internet of Things (IoT) refers to the effort to connect everyday objects to the Internet in order to make them smart. Many wireless technologies are used to make IoT a reality. 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 ...
Ethernet Network
In 1973 Xerox invented Ethernet to solve the problem of transferring data between computers. In the early 1980s Xerox turned over control of the Standard to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). The IEEE subcommittee 802.3 sets the standard for Ethernet. More ...
