Access points are transmitter / receivers (transceivers) that connect to a network through an interface such as a bus or connector. They receive, store, and transmit data between the wireless LAN and the wired structure.
Network equipment is used to split, switch, boost, or direct packets of information along a network. This product area includes network hubs, switches, routers, bridges, gateways, multiplexers, transceivers and firewalls. Often, network equipment is defined by is protocol or port type (e.g., Ethernet switch, USB hub).
Network modems (modulators-demodulators) are devices or programs that allow computers to transmit data over telephone lines. They convert digital computer data to analog sound waves and then demodulate the carrier signals to decode the transmitted information.
Network switches route packets between ports at the OSI layer 2, which means that (in Ethernet) the switches decide where incoming packets are transferred to, based on the NIC's 48-bit address.
