Ø A repeater is the simplest facility used for network
interconnection.
Ø The major function is to receive a network signal from one
LAN terminal cable segment and to regenerate and retransmit the signal as it is
in its original strength over a one or more other cable segment.
Ø Basically repeater regenerates the strength of the signal
before transmitting it.
Ø Repeaters operate in the OSI model Physical
layer and are transparent to all the protocols operating in the
layers above the Physical layer.
Ø Repeaters allow a network to be constructed to exceed the
size limit of a single, physical, cable segment.
Ø The number of repeaters that can be used intended is
generally limited by a particular LAN implementation. Using a repeater between
two or more LAN cables segment requires that the same physical layer protocol
be used to send signal over all the cable segments.
Advantages of a repeater
- · Simple to connect
- · Cost effective
- · Ability to strengthen signal
Disadvantages of a repeater
- · Repeaters provide no method for isolating traffic generated on one cable segment from traffic generated by the other cable segment.
- · When network uses a repeater to connect cable segment A to segment B whether or not there is a station in segment B that is the destination of the signal.
