Chapter 7 -- Elements of Network Connectivity

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Chapter 7

About This Chapter

The explosive expansion of the Internet and the geographical diversification of corporations have generated a need for large, worldwide networks. While previous chapters discussed networking basics, with a focus on smaller networks, this chapter explores the devices and technologies available to expand networks beyond the scope of simple local area networks (LANs). The discussion begins with modems, moves on to repeaters, bridges, routers, brouters, and gateways, and concludes with a look at remote access computing. You will learn how a network can be expanded across the street or around the world.

Before You Begin

This chapter is an expansion of Chapter 2, "Basic Network Media." You should review the sections on topology and network cabling before starting this chapter. Many of the terms discussed in Chapter 2 are used or expanded in this chapter. Also, references are made to Ethernet and Token Ring architectures. You can review these topics in Chapter 3, "Understanding Network Architecture."