A network is a collection of computers, servers, mainframes, network devices, and peripherals connected to each other to enable data sharing. Below are some of the commonly used network devices. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essayBridge A network bridge connects two different computer networks using the same protocol to allow them to operate as a single network. Bridges are used with local area networks (LANs) to extend their reach to cover larger physical areas. Besides building larger areas, bridges are also used to segment larger networks into smaller networks. The bridge archives this by placing itself between the two parts of two physical networks and controlling the flow of data between them. It also has the ability to block incoming data flow. There are 3 types of bridges: Transparent bridge: this device is invisible to other devices on the network. It only blocks or transfers data according to the defined protocol. Translation Bridge: This device supports translation. It converts data format from one network to another and has the ability to connect two different networks. Source Route Bridge: This device is defined on the path the packet takes through the network and is implemented within the packet. It is mainly used in Token ring networks, which is rarely used nowadays. Source-route bridge: Source-route bridges were designed by IBM for use on Token Ring networks. The source-route bridge gets its name because the entire route of the frame is integrated into the frame. This allows the bridge to make specific decisions about how the frame should be transmitted through the network. Token Ring's declining popularity makes the chances of you working with a source-route bridge very slim. A router is a device that connects multiple computer networks together via wired or wireless connections. It routes data from a local network to another network connection. A router allows only authorized machines to connect to other computer systems. Most routers have the ability to keep log files of local network activity. A digital subscriber line (DSL) modem allows the computer to connect to the Internet through an Internet service provider. DSL offers a substantial increase in Internet performance over a dial-up connection. A switch is a device used to network multiple computers. The switches have numerous Ethernet ports that can connect to computers, cables or DSL modems and other switches. High-end switches have more than 50 ports and are often rack-mounted. Switches can limit traffic to and from each port so that each device connected to the switch has a sufficient amount of bandwidth. However, switches do not have the ability to provide firewall and logging functionality. Network interface cards (NICs) are hardware devices that connect a computer to the network. They are installed on the motherboard and have the ability to develop a physical connection between the network and the computer. Computer data is translated into electrical signals sent to the network via network interface cards. The wired network card uses cables and connectors as a medium to transfer the data, while in the wireless card the connection is established using an antenna that uses technology.