It241 Week 3 Assignment

Network and Computer Equipment

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Wireless networks contain many different types of equipment that are either directly connected to the network or indirectly via a computer connected to the network. In addition to the devices attached directly or indirectly to the network, there are also a number of devices that make up the network equipment backbone.

Wireless routers and wireless access points are devices that allow device with wireless network interface cards to connect to a LAN or the internet. A wireless router performs the functions of a router and allows computers with wireless network cards to connect to the network. A wireless access point is simply a bridge between users with wireless equipped computers and the local LAN or internet. Popular brands of wireless routers and access points are made by Linksys (Cisco), D-Link, Netgear, and Belkin. Wireless routers can usually be purchased for around $80 or less.

Computers are an endpoint in most networks and are the interface between humans and information stored either locally on the computer or at other locations on the network or internet. Computers house the processing power, memory, and video systems required to take data and convert it into human readable format. Without a LAN or wireless network, the computer would not have the ability to retrieve information from other locations. There are numerous computer vendors with Dell, Gateway, and HP being some of the most popular. Computers can range in price from $250-$300 to over $3,000.

A firewall is a network device that is used to permit and/or deny access from a secure network (LAN) to an unsecure network such as the internet. Some firewalls are software based and reside on a user’s computer. Wireless routers often include a firewall in order to secure the wireless and LAN computers from the internet. Firewalls are...