Wireless access points(WAPs)
Wireless access points are devices that can receive and transmit signals over radio waves. They are used in Wi-Fi networks. The wireless access point is hardwired into the physical network and relays the information from
connected devices to the main wired network and back again
Routers
A router is a device that sits between your computer or network and the internet. It routes your internet requests to the correct destination by keeping track of the routers it is connected to and the time it takes to reach
them. Your router can also direct information between connected devices on a small LAN such as in your house.
Switches and hubs
Switches and hubs can both be used as a central device to which all devices on a physical network are connected to. The difference is a switch records which device a transmission is for and only sends it to that device
whereas a hub sends the transmission to all devices and the one that needs it accepts it. Thus a switch is more efficient as it creates less network traffic and it is more secure as only the correct node receives responses.
Network interface controller/card
A network interface card(NIC), sometimes called a network interface controller, is required hardware for any device that wants to connect to a network. Devices that want to connect to a wireless network need a wireless
network interface card. Some devices like laptops might have both a NIC and wireless NIC. NICs are encoded with a unique MAC address when they are created so all networked devices can be uniquely identified.
Transmission media
Transmission media refers to the physical method via which data travels on a network. Wired networks are likely to use either twisted pair copper cables, these are reliable and reasonably fast but limited by the length of
the cable, or optical fibers, these are extremely fast and highly reliable but also very expensive.
Wireless networks transmit data using radio waves – this method is currently the slowest but new advances in wireless
technology may see it overtake wired media.