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CompTIA Network+ 1.2 CompTIA A+ Core 1 2.2 Cisco CCST Networking 3.3
TechKnowSurge Catalog Interactives NIC or Switch Port?
InteractiveNetworkFree

NIC or Switch Port?

A card in a server, a port on a switch, a T1 card in a router: which are NICs?

⚑ Complete this interactive to capture a CTF flag worth 5 points.

About this interactive

The lesson's line between the two: - **NIC:** connects its own device to a network, and the device processes the traffic that comes through it. The lesson shows a four-port 10 gig server card with SFP slots, a laptop's wireless card, a NIC built into a motherboard, and a router's T1 card and built-in Ethernet ports. - **Switch port:** the switch is not connecting itself to the network; it interconnects the devices on it, looking only at Layer 2 information. Its ports are not called NICs, however many it has. An SFP slot can be on either: what matters is the device it belongs to.

What you'll learn

Aligned to

CompTIA Network+
1.2 Compare and contrast networking appliances, applications, and functions.
CompTIA A+ Core 1
2.2 Compare and contrast common networking hardware.
Cisco CCST Networking
3.3 Describe endpoint devices

Key terms

Network Interface Card
NIC
A hardware component that connects a computer to a network.
Switch
A network device that connects devices within a LAN and forwards traffic based on MAC addresses.
Small Form-factor Pluggable
SFP
A compact hot-swappable transceiver module used in network switches and routers to provide a modular interface for various fiber optic and copper cable types. SFP modules allow the same switch port to be used with different media by swapping the module rather than replacing the hardware.
T1 Card
A modular expansion card inserted into a router to add a T1 WAN interface, extending the router's network connectivity.

Topics

Nic Network Interface Card Switch Sfp Interactive Streak Sort

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