Network gurus: help keep me from going bald! ;)
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Posted by Mar snarkles
On 2002-11-10 15:23:50
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Cos I'm ripping my hair out over this. :P~~~
Can someone tell me where I can find a *definitive* source on what the difference is between:
hub, switch, bridge, router, and gateway
Particularly the differences between switches and bridges, and wtf a "gateway" is.
I've been going through some news groups, Cisco/3Com/etc. sites, and reading a few RFCs and so far the differences between these devices seems to be at whatever layer of the OSI model they operate within.
So far what I have is:
Hub (Physical layer): Takes data coming in from one port and forwards it omto all the others
Bridge (Data-link layer): Same as a hub, but can filter traffic based on destination MAC address
Switch (Data-link layer): Same as bridge, but can also run each segment of the network at a different speed (i.e. one comupter running at 10Mbps doesn't affect the rest of the 100Mbps network)
Router (Network layer): Filters/forwards packets based on their IP address and segment networks logically so they're each on their own subnet.
Gateway: Two different views on this. Either the entrance/exit point of one network to another (which is always the term I've seen used), or a device that translates between one protocol/access method to another (like a netBEUI network might use a gateway to see an IPX/SPX network, or a gateway might allow you to connect an Ethernet network to a Token Ring network)
Anyone want to throw me a bone here? :P
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Cool. tyvm for the input, all :) -nt-
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Posted by Mar snarkles
On 2002-11-11 02:47:01
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RE: Network gurus: help keep me from going bald! ;)
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Posted by Mar keoki
On 2002-11-10 20:20:18
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The difference between a switch and bridge, for one, is that bridges are software based and switches are hardware based, thus switches are faster. But the term "bridge" is obsolete, and has been for awhile(unless you still use bridges within your already existing network). Why? Because "ASICs'"(chips that make forwarding decisions, it is an acronym for "application specific integrated circuit") which is what switches use, have been cheaper for sometime now. re: the term gateway, that is quite an old term. It was used to refer to a routing device, which is obviously replaced with the word "router" :) But in studying the OSI model, you learn that, that term is used at the application layer, for application layer conversion from one pstack to another. So your latter term for that definition is correct :)
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RE: RE: Network gurus: help keep me from going bald! ;)
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Posted by LtKer killerjoksta
On 2002-11-11 02:36:18
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Unless im mistaken no one mentioned a correct definition for a gateway...so...a gateway is a device or software program that allows the connection of two different types (running different protocols) of networks (as you said). A router often qualifies as a gateway (hardware). whatever allows you, (software installed on your parents computer, or a router or whatever) to "see" out qualifies as a gateway. Like a gateway to a garden or something, it channels all the traffic through it. Excuse my technical definitions ;) hope it helps
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keoki!!!!!!! ltns!!! -nt-
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Posted by Cpt Emrys
On 2002-11-10 23:52:51
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RE: Network gurus: help keep me from going bald! ;)
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Posted by Tr kermit
On 2002-11-10 17:46:26
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Those are the definitions given by Cisco, and the ones most people use. But you're right, the only real difference is in the layer they operate on. Routers work on the network later, bridges work on the data-link layer, hubs work on the physical layer, blah blah blah.
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