dineshb_2001
asked on
Difference between Router,Hub,Gateway,Subnet,AP
Can anyone tell me the difference between the following and what it does and in which situation it is useful in brief.
1)Router
2)Hub
3)Gateway
4)Subnet
5)AP
please tell me in a network we will use all of these.
please make me clear about these topics.
thanks in advance.
1)Router
2)Hub
3)Gateway
4)Subnet
5)AP
please tell me in a network we will use all of these.
please make me clear about these topics.
thanks in advance.
Hi dineshb
(1) ROUTER
A device that forwards data packets along networks. A router is connected to at least two networks, commonly two LANs or WANs or a LAN and its ISP’s network. Routers are located at gateways, the places where two or more networks connect.
Routers use headers and forwarding tables to determine the best path for forwarding the packets, and they use protocols such as ICMP to communicate with each other and configure the best route between any two hosts.
Very little filtering of data is done through routers.
(2 )HUB
A common connection point for devices in a network. Hubs are commonly used to connect segments of a LAN. A hub contains multiple ports. When a packet arrives at one port, it is copied to the other ports so that all segments of the LAN can see all packets.
A passive hub serves simply as a conduit for the data, enabling it to go from one device (or segment) to another. So-called intelligent hubs include additional features that enables an administrator to monitor the traffic passing through the hub and to configure each port in the hub. Intelligent hubs are also called manageable hubs.
A third type of hub, called a switching hub, actually reads the destination address of each packet and then forwards the packet to the correct port.
(3) Gateway
A node on a network that serves as an entrance to another network. In enterprises, the gateway is the computer that routes the traffic from a workstation to the outside network that is serving the Web pages. In homes, the gateway is the ISP that connects the user to the internet.
In enterprises, the gateway node often acts as a proxy server and a firewall. The gateway is also associated with both a router, which use headers and forwarding tables to determine where packets are sent, and a switch, which provides the actual path for the packet in and out of the gateway.
A computer system located on earth that switches data signals and voice signals between satellites and terrestrial networks.
An earlier term for router, though now obsolete in this sense as router is commonly used.
(4) SUBNET
A portion of a network that shares a common address component. On TCP/IP networks, subnets are defined as all devices whose IP addresses have the same prefix. For example, all devices with IP addresses that start with 100.100.100. would be part of the same subnet. Dividing a network into subnets is useful for both security and performance reasons. IP networks are divided using a subnet mask.
(5) Access Point
Short for Access Point, a hardware device or a computer's software that acts as a communication hub for users of a wireless device to connect to a wired LAN. APs are important for providing heightened wireless security and for extending the physical range of service a wireless user has access to.
Also see infrastructure mode and ad-hoc mode.
Also see the Wireless LAN Standards chart in the Quick Reference section of Webopedia.
Hope this helps
Davy
(1) ROUTER
A device that forwards data packets along networks. A router is connected to at least two networks, commonly two LANs or WANs or a LAN and its ISP’s network. Routers are located at gateways, the places where two or more networks connect.
Routers use headers and forwarding tables to determine the best path for forwarding the packets, and they use protocols such as ICMP to communicate with each other and configure the best route between any two hosts.
Very little filtering of data is done through routers.
(2 )HUB
A common connection point for devices in a network. Hubs are commonly used to connect segments of a LAN. A hub contains multiple ports. When a packet arrives at one port, it is copied to the other ports so that all segments of the LAN can see all packets.
A passive hub serves simply as a conduit for the data, enabling it to go from one device (or segment) to another. So-called intelligent hubs include additional features that enables an administrator to monitor the traffic passing through the hub and to configure each port in the hub. Intelligent hubs are also called manageable hubs.
A third type of hub, called a switching hub, actually reads the destination address of each packet and then forwards the packet to the correct port.
(3) Gateway
A node on a network that serves as an entrance to another network. In enterprises, the gateway is the computer that routes the traffic from a workstation to the outside network that is serving the Web pages. In homes, the gateway is the ISP that connects the user to the internet.
In enterprises, the gateway node often acts as a proxy server and a firewall. The gateway is also associated with both a router, which use headers and forwarding tables to determine where packets are sent, and a switch, which provides the actual path for the packet in and out of the gateway.
A computer system located on earth that switches data signals and voice signals between satellites and terrestrial networks.
An earlier term for router, though now obsolete in this sense as router is commonly used.
(4) SUBNET
A portion of a network that shares a common address component. On TCP/IP networks, subnets are defined as all devices whose IP addresses have the same prefix. For example, all devices with IP addresses that start with 100.100.100. would be part of the same subnet. Dividing a network into subnets is useful for both security and performance reasons. IP networks are divided using a subnet mask.
(5) Access Point
Short for Access Point, a hardware device or a computer's software that acts as a communication hub for users of a wireless device to connect to a wired LAN. APs are important for providing heightened wireless security and for extending the physical range of service a wireless user has access to.
Also see infrastructure mode and ad-hoc mode.
Also see the Wireless LAN Standards chart in the Quick Reference section of Webopedia.
Hope this helps
Davy
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ASKER
Hi kidoman,
your answer seems to solve my understanding of the basics. But at one point I got stuck.
As you said,
""Therefore in our example above, the router R would have two ip addresses in the two subnets (N1 and N2) it connects like so: 10.200.0.1 for N1 and 10.201.0.1 for N2. The nodes in N1 and N2 would specify the appropiate address as the default gateway to able to communicate across subnets.""
It means the two subnets has a same router with different ip address for each subnet (or) each subnet has their own router with ip address.
please calrify this.
your answer seems to solve my understanding of the basics. But at one point I got stuck.
As you said,
""Therefore in our example above, the router R would have two ip addresses in the two subnets (N1 and N2) it connects like so: 10.200.0.1 for N1 and 10.201.0.1 for N2. The nodes in N1 and N2 would specify the appropiate address as the default gateway to able to communicate across subnets.""
It means the two subnets has a same router with different ip address for each subnet (or) each subnet has their own router with ip address.
please calrify this.
ASKER
and one more thing,
What I understood from ur description is , " router, hub , switch has an specific ip address just like a host has an ip address" is this right.
What I understood from ur description is , " router, hub , switch has an specific ip address just like a host has an ip address" is this right.
Hi,
I have a feeling of elation telling you this coz when I was having confusions in this area i didnt have anyone (or many EE points to spare) to get answers.
The two subnets N1 and N2 need a common router (or a path between them which is composed of 1 or more routers, like in the Internet.) So what happens is that a router R will have one IP address in the N1 subnet and one IP address in the N2 subnet. The diagram will clear up things a bit:
^--^-^-^-^- 10.200.0.1 ------| /-+-+-+-+-+-\ |------ 10.201.0.1 --------------
/ \ \|/ | | \|/ / \
( Subnet N1 ) ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
\ / | | \ /
--------------- \-+-+-+-+-+/ --------------
Ofcourse there is nothing preventing a router from routing between 10 different subnet. Ofcourse the number of interfaces required increases.
Cheers,
Karan
I have a feeling of elation telling you this coz when I was having confusions in this area i didnt have anyone (or many EE points to spare) to get answers.
The two subnets N1 and N2 need a common router (or a path between them which is composed of 1 or more routers, like in the Internet.) So what happens is that a router R will have one IP address in the N1 subnet and one IP address in the N2 subnet. The diagram will clear up things a bit:
^--^-^-^-^- 10.200.0.1 ------| /-+-+-+-+-+-\ |------ 10.201.0.1 --------------
/ \ \|/ | | \|/ / \
( Subnet N1 ) ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
\ / | | \ /
--------------- \-+-+-+-+-+/ --------------
Ofcourse there is nothing preventing a router from routing between 10 different subnet. Ofcourse the number of interfaces required increases.
Cheers,
Karan
Hi,
Router has to have a IP address because "generally" it is used as a gateway for the subnet.
A hub and a switch "can" be assigned a IP address but that IP address is generally for SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) interfacing. Meaning, that IP address is assigned so that we can telnet into it ans stuff and do configuration like creation of VLANs, managing traffic, assigned which MAC addresses is associated with which port, etc.
Also some highend switches (like Avaya kind) can also act as a gateway. But basically it is a marketting gimick to call them a switch because Router activities are embedded within them.
Hope this helps,
Cheers,
Karan
Router has to have a IP address because "generally" it is used as a gateway for the subnet.
A hub and a switch "can" be assigned a IP address but that IP address is generally for SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) interfacing. Meaning, that IP address is assigned so that we can telnet into it ans stuff and do configuration like creation of VLANs, managing traffic, assigned which MAC addresses is associated with which port, etc.
Also some highend switches (like Avaya kind) can also act as a gateway. But basically it is a marketting gimick to call them a switch because Router activities are embedded within them.
Hope this helps,
Cheers,
Karan
Hi,
Just one more point.....
the '|||||||||||||||||||||' connecting the subnet to the router is the following arrangement:
the router is plugged into a swich and also the rest of the subnet is plugged into that switch or a derived switch (a secondart switch connected to the main primary switch). Therefore, by doing this we put the router as well as the whole subnet within physical reach (via ARP) of each other.
Cheers,
Karan
Just one more point.....
the '|||||||||||||||||||||' connecting the subnet to the router is the following arrangement:
the router is plugged into a swich and also the rest of the subnet is plugged into that switch or a derived switch (a secondart switch connected to the main primary switch). Therefore, by doing this we put the router as well as the whole subnet within physical reach (via ARP) of each other.
Cheers,
Karan
ASKER
Hi Karan,
I respect ur feelings of being elated so I want to increase the points values even to 500. I understood the basics now. Hope in case If I have any doubts in networking may be u can help me.
And one morething do u have any knowledge on Mobile IP as I am doing my thesis on this area and now I have a big problem to know what is the method to find the HomeAgent in the internet. you can see my postings on these and anwers awaited for this.
with regards,
Dinesh.
I respect ur feelings of being elated so I want to increase the points values even to 500. I understood the basics now. Hope in case If I have any doubts in networking may be u can help me.
And one morething do u have any knowledge on Mobile IP as I am doing my thesis on this area and now I have a big problem to know what is the method to find the HomeAgent in the internet. you can see my postings on these and anwers awaited for this.
with regards,
Dinesh.
hi Dinesh,
Thanks man, really appreciate it.
I never had first hand experience with Mobile IP but I study in a environment where I get to experiment in a lot of things and we are implementing Wireless LANS in Adhoc networks.
Lets me see if I can be of any help.
BTW I am a UnderGraduage yet. Compuer Science.
Cheers,
Karan
Thanks man, really appreciate it.
I never had first hand experience with Mobile IP but I study in a environment where I get to experiment in a lot of things and we are implementing Wireless LANS in Adhoc networks.
Lets me see if I can be of any help.
BTW I am a UnderGraduage yet. Compuer Science.
Cheers,
Karan
ASKER
Hi Karan,
It`s good to know that you are an under graduate and had lot of knowledge in this field. Btw I am doing my masters in computational logic where I am doing my thesis in this field as I am interested in this field. So, I am starting from the basics.
bye,
Dinesh.
It`s good to know that you are an under graduate and had lot of knowledge in this field. Btw I am doing my masters in computational logic where I am doing my thesis in this field as I am interested in this field. So, I am starting from the basics.
bye,
Dinesh.
1) A router connects 2 or more different networks, or subnets
2) A hub is a glorified repeater. The purpose of a hub is simply to centralizing cabling and provides a single collission domain. In a hub all the bandwidth is shared. This is opposed to a Switch which does a similar sort of thing but provides multiple collission domains and works on the "data link layer."
3)Gateway, essentially a term for a router. A computer has a "default gateway" which is its path to get outside its own network/subnet
4) A subnet is the real "network" of a network. We tend to think of networks as very large things but ultimately each computer or node is on a particular subnet. Suppose you have the IP Address 192.168.1.20 and a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0. This means you are on the subnet 192.168.1.0. This is opposed to a network which you are connected to via your default gateway 192.168.2.0 with a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0. Basically you split up a network into manageable parts using subnets. This is a very general definition.
5) An AP is an Access Point. We use this term in wireless communications. The AP is really a transceiver station which is something of a "Hub" for wireless devices to use. All wireless devices, unless they are in what is called "ad hoc" mode, will connect to each other using a particular access point.
Well, I hope this answers your question.
Cheers!