Central processing unit

The Central Processing Unit (CPU) or the processor is the portion of a computer system that carries out the instructions of a computer program, and is the primary element carrying out the computer's functions. This term has been in use in the computer industry at least since the early 1960s [1]. The form, design and implementation of CPUs have changed dramatically since the earliest examples, but their fundamental operation remains much the same.

Early CPUs were custom-designed as a part of a larger, sometimes one-of-a-kind, computer. However, this costly method of designing custom CPUs for a particular application has largely given way to the development of mass-produced processors that are made for one or many purposes. This standardization trend generally began in the era of discrete transistor mainframes and minicomputers and has rapidly accelerated with the popularization of the integrated circuit (IC). The IC has allowed increasingly complex CPUs to be designed and manufactured to tolerances on the order of nanometers. Both the miniaturization and standardization of CPUs have increased the presence of these digital devices in modern life far beyond the limited application of dedicated computing machines. Modern microprocessors appear in everything from automobiles to cell phones and children's toys

 Pronounced as separate letters it is the abbreviation for central processing unit. The CPU is the brains of the computer. Sometimes referred to simply as the central processor
, but more commonly called processor, the CPU is where most calculations take place. In terms of computing power, the CPU is the most important element of a computer system.


On large machines, CPUs require one or more printed circuit boards. On personal computers and small workstations, the CPU is housed in a single chip called a microprocessor. Since the 1970's the microprocessor class of CPUs has almost completely overtaken all other CPU implementations.


The CPU itself is an internal component of the computer. Modern CPUs are small and square and contain multiple metallic connectors or pins on the underside. The CPU is inserted directly into a CPU socket, pin side down, on the motherboard. Each motherboard will support only a specific type or range of CPU so you must check the motherboard manufacturer's
specifications before attempting to replace or upgrade a CPU. Modern CPUs also have an attached heat sink and small fan that go directly on top of the CPU to help dissipate heat.


Two typical components of a CPU are the following:


    * The arithmetic logic unit (ALU), which performs arithmetic and logical operations.
    * The control unit (CU), which extracts instructions from memory and decodes and executes them, calling on the ALU when necessary.

 

 

MOTHERBOARD

What is a motherboard?

So what is a motherboard? A computer motherboard (also known as the mainboard) is one of the most crucial components of a computer.

As the name suggests, a motherboard is the mother to all the other parts. In other words, everything in a computer connects to the motherboard. A motherboard (mobo) is the primary circuit board in a computer.

Motherboard (the mother to all the other components)

A typical motherboard has attachment points for all the common components in a computer. These are the Power Supply, CPU (Central Processing Unit), hard drive, RAM (Random Access Memory), graphics card, CD drive and other peripheral devices such as sound cards, network cards etc.

Network Adapters

The first piece of hardware that I want to discuss is a network adapter. There are many different names for network adapters, including network cards, Network Interface Cards, NICs. These are all generic terms for the same piece of hardware. A network card’s job is to physically attach a computer to a network, so that the computer can participate in network communications.

The first thing that you need to know about network cards is that the network card has to match the network medium. The network medium refers to the type of cabling that is being used on the network. Wireless networks are a science all their own, and I will talk about them in a separate article.

At one time making sure that a network card matched the network medium was a really big deal, because there were a large number of competing standards in existence. For example, before you built a network and started buying network cards and cabling, you had to decide if you were going to use Ethernet, coaxal Ethernet, Token Ring, Arcnet, or one of the other networking standards of the time.  Each networking technology had its strengths and weaknesses, and it was important to figu
re out which one was the most appropriate for your organization.

In the first part of this article series, I talked about some basic networking hardware such as hubs and switches. In this article, I want to continue the discussion of networking hardware by talking about one of the most important networking components; routers.

Even if you are new to networking, you have probably heard of routers. Broadband Internet connections, such as those utilizing a cable modem or a DSL modem, almost always require a router. A router's job isn't to provide Internet connectivity though. A router's job is to move packets of data from one network to another. There are actually many different types of routers ranging from simple, inexpensive routers used for home Internet connectivity to the insanely expensive routers used by giant corporations. Regardless of a router’s cost or complexity, routers all work on the same basic principles.

That being the case, I'm going to focus my discussion around simple, low budget routers that are typically used to connect a PC to a broadband Internet connection. My reason for doing so is that this article series is intended for beginners. In my opinion, it will be a lot easier to teach you the basics if I am referencing something that is at least somewhat familiar to most people, and that is not as complicated as many of the routers used within huge corporations. Besides, the routers used in corporations work on the same basic principles as the routers that I will be discussing in this article. If you are wanting a greater level of knowledge though, don’t worry. I will talk about the science of routing in a whole lot more detail later in this article series.

As I explained earlier, a router's job is to move packets of data from one network to another. This definition might seem strange in the context of a PC that's connected to a broadband Internet connection. If you stop and think about it, the Internet is a network (actually it's a collection of networks, but that's beside the point).

So if a router's job is to move traffic between two networks, and the Internet is one of those networks, where is the other one? In this particular case, the PC that is connected to the router is actually configured as a very simple network.

To get a better idea of what I am talking about, take a look at the pictures shown in Figures A and B. Figure A shows the front of a 3COM broadband router, while Figure B shows the back view of the same router.

Figure A: This is the front view of a 3COM broadband router

Hardware

Hardware is a general term for the physical artifacts of a technology. It may also mean the physical components of a computer system, in the form of computer hardware.

Hardware historically meant the metal parts and fittings that were used to make wooden products stronger, more functional, longer lasting and easier to fabricate or assemble.[citation needed]

Modern hardware stores typically sell equipment such as keys, locks, hinges, latches, corners, handles, wire, chains, plumbing supplies, tools, utensils, cutlery and machine parts, especially when they are made of metal.

Motherboard

he motherboard is the main component inside the case. It is a large rectangular board with integrated circuitry that connects the rest of the parts of the computer including the CPU, the RAM, the disk drives (CD, DVD, hard disk, or any others) as well as any peripherals connected via the ports or the expansion slots.

Networking Cables

About Networking Cables -- powered by eHow.com

How to Understand Wireless Networking Hardware

Understand Wireless Networking Hardware

Networking Hardware

NETWORKING HARDWARE, WIRELESS NETWORKING, LAN, WAN, WIFI
 
These days, computers aren’t standalone devices by a long shot; they’re connected to printers, scanners, faxes, other computers, and often required to synchronize with any number of devices. To manage these acts of communication, you need networking hardware. The articles in this section take a look at the various routers on the market, both wired and wireless, and tell you what to expect.

How to Connect Two Routers on the Same Network

In a big home network, sometimes one router is just not enough. If you find that's true in your situation, keep reading. This article will explain how (and why) to connect two of the most popular routers on the same home network.

There are a lot of situations in which one router may not be enough. For example, if you live in a large house, or one where signals cannot penetrate to certain areas, you may find that one router (especially a wireless router) cannot cover the whole area. This means that certain areas will experience weak wireless reception, affecting your web surfing/networking pleasure.

You might also have problems with other limitations in how the network was set up. For instance, it might be impractical to use long LAN cables to cover all of the computers on the network with a single router.

If you can connect two routers on the same network, you can increase your chances of providing interactivity, security and strong Internet/ networking signals to the computers on the network.

This tutorial will cover two of the most popular Linksys routers, namely: WRT54G and WRT54GC. WRT54G is a big and powerful wireless router, making it ideal for use as the "root" or "main" router. WRT54GC is a smaller and compact router, ideal for use as a "room" or "secondary" router. Both of these routers can handle wireless communication and be used in laptops, net books or computers with wireless LAN cards.