A Computer network is comprised of different devices to share, transmit, and boost the signal, voice and data. Network devices or components are the physical parts connected to a network. The basic network devices are: Individual Computers, Server, Hub, Switch, Bridges, Routers, Modems, Printers, DSL Modems ; Routers, Gateways, Network Interface Cards, Cabling ; Wireless access point.

INDIVIDUAL COMPUTERS: The personal computer is usually a desktop computer, a work station or a laptop. The personal computers are most widely used in any organization or for personal use. The individual computers are the most common types of the microcomputers.

SERVER: A server is a computer on a network, which process request and is used to share the data and resources among the other computers in a network. A server stores all the necessary information and provides the different services like, workstation computer’s logon access, internet sharing, print sharing, disk space sharing etc. Similarly a network server is a server that manages the network traffic.

NETWORK INTERFACE CARD: Network interface cards are attached with the computer or other network devices and are used to provide the connectivity between the two computers. Each network card is specifically designed for the different types of the network like Ethernet, FDDI, Token Ring and Wireless Networks.

HUBS: Hub is a simplest network device. Computers in a network are connected to a hub with a twisted pair (CAT5) cables. 1. Active Hubs. In a basic hub all the computers are connected with the hub and the speed of the network is defined by the slowest computer network card connected.

SWITCHES: Switch is a intelligence device than hub. Switch is a layer 2 device. Unlike hubs, switch only transmit or forwards the data to the destined computer and it does not broadcasts the data to all its ports.

The specialized devices are designed for use in the systems such as handheld computers.

ROUTERS: Routers route the data between two logically and physically different networks. A gateway can be a device, system, software. A computer with two NIC cards can function as a gateway. 10baseT/Cat5 cables are most commonly used cables to connect the computers.

An Overview of the Computer Network Devices ; Components

By the late 1930′s punched-card machine techniques had become so

ENIAC was thus about 1,000 times faster than the previous generation of computers (Dolotta, 47).

future generations of high-speed digital computers and were universally adopted (Hall, 73).

computers required considerable maintenance, usually attained 70% to 80% reliable operation, and were used for 8 to 12 years.; Typically, they were programmed directly in machine language, although by the mid-1950s progress had been made in several aspects of advanced programming.; This group of machines included EDVAC and UNIVAC, the first commercially available computers (Hazewindus, 102).

expensive to purchase or to rent and were especially expensive to operate because of the cost of hiring programmers to perform the complex operations the computers ran.; Such computers were typically found in large computer centres–operated by industry, government, and private

During this time the major computer manufacturers began to offer a range of computer capabilities, as well as various computer-related equipment.; These included input means such as consoles and card feeders output means such as page printers, cathode-ray-tube displays,

also used in automated library systems and in database systems such as the Chemical Abstracts system, where computer records now on file cover nearly all known chemical compounds (Rogers, 98).

invented the microprocessor and another stage in the development of the computer began (Shallis, 121).

computer, the IBM Model 60 in 1975 (Chposky, 156).; However, the newly formed Apple Computer company was releasing its own personal computer, the Apple II (The Apple I was the first computer designed by Jobs and Wozniak in Wozniak s garage, which was not produced on a wide scale).; Software was needed to run the computers as well.; Microsoft developed a

The main goal of the computer manufacturers was to make the computer as affordable as possible while increasing speed, reliability, and capacity.; Nearly every computer manufacturer accomplished this and computers popped up everywhere.; Computers were in businesses keeping track of inventories.; Computers were in colleges aiding students in research.; Computers were in laboratories making complex calculations at high speeds for scientists and physicists.; The computer had made its mark everywhere in society and built up a huge industry (Cringley, 174).