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GCSE Computer Science · key term
A device that connects wired devices within a network and forwards data packets to the intended device.
Used by OCR
Paper 1
Revise: LAN HardwareCopper Ethernet cables carry electrical signals and are commonly used to connect computers to a switch. Fibre-optic cables carry pulses of light. Wireless connections carry data using radio waves rather than a cable between the communicating devices.
A network device that forwards data to its intended recipient within a network.
Distinguish a switch, which connects devices within a network, from a router, which connects different networks.
Describe the task of the hardware, not just its name: for example, a switch forwards data packets to the intended device.
Distinguish a broken device cable from a failed central switch in a star network. Their effects are very different.
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