Network Hardware
The cable alone is not enough in large networks. Transmission media and the protocols that regulate them have finite limits on the number of nodes that can be supported. In order to expand the size and range of a computer network, devices that amplify, connect, and segment the transmission media need to be added. These hardware devices are called repeaters, hubs, bridges, and routers.
Repeaters
The repeater was introduced earlier in the chapter. This device is a signal-amplifier/ transmitter-receiver whose purpose is to amplify and re-clock a transmission signal between two cable segments (see Figure 1.8).
Figure 1.8. Transmission signal amplification using a repeater.
Technically, a repeater and a hub are identical. Repeaters ...
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