Network hardware
| English | Chinese | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| network interface card | 网络接口卡 | wǎng luò jiē kǒu kǎ |
| MAC address | MAC地址 | MAC dì zhǐ |
| IP address | 网际协议地址 | wǎng jì xié yì dì zhǐ |
| router | 路由器 | lù yóu qì |
The boxes that connect us
- To join a network, a device needs a network interface card 网络接口卡.
- Devices are identified by a MAC address MAC地址 and an IP address 网际协议地址.
- A router 路由器 connects different networks together.
Network route lab
Follow data from a device through network hardware and protocols.
Network interface card (NIC)
- A NIC is the hardware that lets a device join a network and send/receive data.
- Each NIC has a built-in MAC address.
Inside a hard disk drive (HDD): the shiny disk spins and the arm reads the magnetised data
A digital camera: a lens focuses light onto a sensor that records the pixels
Match each piece of network hardware to its job.
A NIC joins a device on; a switch forwards inside the LAN; a router joins networks; the MAC is the device's fixed ID.
MAC address vs IP address
- A MAC address identifies one physical device. The maker sets it, it does not normally change, and it is written in hexadecimal.
- An IP address identifies a device on a network. It is given by the network and can change.
- So the MAC stays with the device; the IP depends on the network it's using.
An optical mouse: a light and a sensor track its movement on the desk
Which is true of a MAC address compared with an IP address?
The MAC stays with the device (set by the maker, written in hex); the IP depends on the network and can change.
A MAC address is normally written in hexadecimal.
MAC addresses are written in hexadecimal (e.g. AC:DE:48:00:11:22).
A device's IP address can change depending on the network it is using.
IP addresses are assigned by the network, so the same device can have different IPs on different networks.
Router
- A router connects different networks together — e.g. your home network to the internet.
- It reads the IP address in each packet and forwards it towards the right network.
A laser printer uses a laser and powder (toner) fixed onto paper by heat
A router:
A router joins networks (e.g. home to internet) and forwards each packet using its destination IP.
You've got it
- a NIC lets a device join a network and holds its MAC address
- MAC = fixed to the physical device (hex, set by the maker); IP = from the network, can change
- a router connects networks and forwards packets by their IP address