Network Switches
A bridge or router may be referred to as a switch because it uses information in the data packet to choose a path from one network segment to another. A bridge may be referred to as a layer 2 switch because it uses information from layer 2, the Data Link layer of the OSI model. More ...
The OSI Network Layer
The Network layer (OSI layer 3) uses routable protocols to deliver data packets to networks connected through routers. Routing is the process of moving data packets from one network or network segment to another. More ...
Networking and Internet Standards Organizations
Without standards, the Internet would be chaos. The primary organization that sets communications standards for the Internet is the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). More ...
Wireless Network Standards - 80211a, 80211b, 80211g, 80211n, 80216
This article describes the 80211a, 80211b, 80211g, 80211n, 80216, the current IEEE defined wireless protocol standards in use today, their bandwidth, maximum data rate, and coverage area. More ...
An Introduction to the Types of VPNs
There are three types of VPNs that provide users with the functionality described above and these fall within the two categories: computer-to-network VPNs and network-to-network VPNs. More ...
OSPF (Open Shortest Path First) Protocol
OSPF (Open Shortest Path First) protocol is a protocol that handles routing for IP traffic. Because it is based on an open standard, OSPF is very popular in many corporate networks today and has many advantages. More ...
What is PPP, PPPoA and PPPoE?
PPP was designed to provide a connection between two devices. PPP comes with options including encryption, authentication and data compression. PPPoA is the standard for connection over an ADSL network. PPPoE is the standard for connection over an Ethernet network. More ...
IPv6 Unicast Addresses
The 3 categories of IPv6 addresses are:Unicast identifies a single interface. A packet sent to a unicast address is delivered to the interface identified by that address. Multicast identifies a group of interfaces. A packet sent to a multicast address is delivered to all interfaces identified by that address. Anycast identifies a group of interfaces. A packet sent to an anycast address is delivered to the closest member of a group. More ...
Routing Datagrams
Systems can deliver packets only to other devices attached to the same physical network. A gateway is a network point, referred to as a router, that acts as an entrance to another network. More ...
OSI Network Model
The OSI model was developed years ago as a reference for network protocol and application designers to build their products with an open standard. That would promote a standard for developing network devices, interfaces, applications and services that would work together. It is a model rather than a specification since it defines layers and services for those layers and how each layer works with the layer above and below it. More ...
Link Aggregation
If all ports on a switch are operating at the same speed, the ports most likely to experience congestion are ports connecting to another switch or router. To help alleviate congested links between switches, you can logically combine multiple physical connections into a single logical connection. More ...
OSI Transport Layer
The Transport layer (OSI layer 4) uses connection-oriented protocols to provide a reliable end-to-end connection between the source computer and the destination computer. Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) is a transport layer protocol. More ...
Protocol Suites
Network protocols define rules for handling data and communicating in a particular networking environment. Individual protocols operate at specific layers in the OSI reference model. A protocol suite is a group of protocols designed to work together. More ...
RADIUS Protocol
RADIUS (Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service) is an application layer protocol that provides centralized Authorization, Authentication, and Accounting management for users who connect and use a network service. More ...
Network Operating Systems
The purpose of a network is to permit users share resources located on other computers and to share peripheral devices such as printers. A network operating system (NOS) is specialized systems software designed to provide networking functionality. More ...
