Network Interface Card (NIC): A circuit board installed in a computer to allow it to be connected to a network. Wireless networks require devices to be fitted with a Wireless Network Interface Card (WNIC).
Network cables:LANLocal area network. A network of computers that covers a small area, eg a school or college. can make use of both cable and wireless media. Wireless gives the convenience of not having cables attached to the computer. However, using cables in a LAN means you can transfer data faster, more reliably and more securely.
There are two types of network cable. Ethernet cables contain copper wires that carry electric signals. Optical cables are made from fibre glass, which carries data around a network via pulses of light.
Router: A device which connects two or more networks together. It is responsible for forwarding packets of data from one network to another and works out the best route for data to travel between computers. A router will scan a packet of data that enters the device to see whether its destination is the network in which it is currently travelling, or another network. It will then forward the packet to its destination.
Switch: A switchA device for connecting computers and other network capable devices together to form a network. performs a very similar function to a router, except it only operates within a single network. It scans a packet of data that enters the device to see what the destination of the package is, then forwards the package to its destination. Switches are often used to join together sections of a LAN.
