A ______ is a networking device that connects computers in a network by using packet switching to receive, and

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Q. A ____________ is a networking device that connects computers in a network by using packet switching to receive, and forward data to the destination.

Sikkim CbseCBSE Class XII Board 2020Subjective· 1mImportance★★★★★

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Concept understanding — Network Devices

Network Definition: A First Look

Think about your phone. When you call a friend, send a WhatsApp message, or watch a YouTube video, your device isn't doing all the work alone. It is connected — to a tower, to a cable, to a server somewhere — and through that connection, it talks to other devices. That web of connections is a network.

At its simplest, a network is just two or more devices linked together so they can share something. That "something" could be data (a photo), a resource (a printer), or a service (internet access). The key idea is connection and sharing.

The Precise Meaning

In formal terms, as the NCERT textbook defines it, a computer network is an interconnection of two or more computers (or devices) that enables them to exchange information and share resources.

Let's break that down:

Interconnection — The devices are physically or wirelessly linked. This could be through cables (Ethernet), radio waves (Wi-Fi), or even satellite signals.
Two or more — A single computer is not a network. The moment you connect it to another device, you have a network.
Exchange information — This is the primary purpose. You send an email, download a file, or stream a movie. All of that is information moving across a network.
Share resources — This is the practical payoff. Instead of every computer needing its own printer, scanner, or internet connection, a network lets many devices use the same resource.

Note

A network does not require the internet. Two laptops connected directly with a cable form a network, even if neither has internet access. The internet is simply the largest, most famous network — a "network of networks."

Why Does This Matter?

Without networks, every computer would be an island. You would have to carry a USB drive everywhere to move a file. You could not check your bank balance from home. A classroom of 30 students would need 30 separate printers.

Networks solve three fundamental problems:

Distance — You can access data stored on the other side of the world in seconds.
Efficiency — Resources like printers, storage space, and software licenses can be used by many people, reducing cost.
Collaboration — Multiple people can work on the same document, play the same game, or attend the same video call.

A Simple Example …

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The device described is a switch — it connects computers in a network, uses packet switching, and forwards data based on destination addresses.

The question asks for a networking device that connects computers, uses packet switching, and forwards data to the destination. Let’s think about what this means.

Concept and intuition:

In a network, devices need to communicate by sending data. Early networks used simple devices like hubs, which just broadcast data to all connected devices — inefficient and insecure. Then came bridges, which could filter traffic based on MAC addresses. But the device that truly uses packet switching to intelligently receive and forward data is a switch. A switch examines each incoming data packet, reads its destination address (usually a MAC address in Ethernet networks), and forwards it only to the specific port where the destination device is connected. This is the core of packet switching: breaking data into packets, routing each independently, and reassembling at the destination.

Watch out

A common mistake is confusing a switch with a router. A router also forwards packets, but it works at the network layer (Layer 3) using IP addresses, and connects different networks (e.g., your home network to the internet). A switch works at the data link layer (Layer 2) and connects devices within the same network.

Now, let’s work through the reasoning step by step.

Identify the function: The device connects computers in a network. This means it’s a local area network (LAN) device, not something that connects different networks (like a router).
Packet switching: The device uses packet switching — data is broken into packets, each containing source and destination addresses. The device reads the destination address and forwards the packet accordingly. This rules out a hub, which simply repeats signals to all ports without any intelligence.
Forwarding to destination: The device forwards data specifically to the destination computer, not to all. This requires the device to learn which devices are on which ports (via MAC address learning) and maintain a forwarding table. A switch does exactly this. …

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Q.A ____________ is a networking device that connects computers in a network by using packet switching to receive, and forward data to the destination.

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