Chapter 12. Network Hardware Components, Technology, and Solutions

NETWORKS, INTERNETWORKS, AND THE INTERNET are all made up of hosts, nodes, routers, and telecommunication facilities. This chapter examines telecommunication technology that makes up the framework that most networks are built upon. Telecommunication facilities and infrastructure traditionally were owned and operated by AT&T, which was broken up (the parts after the breakup were known as “Baby Bells”) by the US government.The term telephone company or telco is used loosely in this chapter to mean any organization that provides the services we cover in this chapter.