Q.Write the functions of the following pieces of network hardware :
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Start your 14-day free trial to unlock the full solution →A modem converts digital signals to analogue for transmission over telephone lines and back, while a switch connects devices within a local network and forwards data only to the intended recipient.
Network hardware forms the physical backbone of any computer network. Without these devices, data cannot travel from one machine to another. Two essential pieces of this hardware are the modem and the switch. Though both help in moving data, they operate at completely different levels and serve distinct purposes.
Let us begin with the modem. The word "modem" is a contraction of modulator-demodulator. Its primary job is to translate digital signals from a computer into analogue signals that can travel over traditional telephone lines, and then reverse the process at the receiving end. Why is this necessary? Telephone lines were originally designed to carry human voice, which is an analogue wave. Computers, however, work with digital signals — a stream of 0s and 1s. A modem bridges this gap. When you send data, the modem modulates the digital signal into an analogue wave. When you receive data, it demodulates the incoming analogue wave back into digital form. This is why a modem is indispensable for connecting to the internet over a dial-up or DSL connection. Without it, your computer and the telephone network would simply not understand each other.
Modern broadband connections often use a device called a "router-modem combo," but the core function of modulation and demodulation remains the same. The modem part still handles the conversion between your home network and the ISP's line. …
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