Communication device
A communication device is a hardware device capable of transmitting an analog or digital signal over the telephone, other communication wire, or wirelessly.
A classic example of a communication device is a computer modem, which converts a computer's digital information to an analog signal for transmission over a telephone line. Similarly, a modem receives analog signals, and converts them to digital, for processing by the computer. This process is called modulation/demodulation, from which the modem gets its name.
Other examples of communication devices include a NIC (network interface card), Wi-Fi devices, and access points.
Communication device examples
Below is a full listing of all the different types of communications devices you may encounter when dealing with a computer.
- Bluetooth devices
- Infrared devices
- Modem (over phone line)
- Network card (using Ethernet)
- Smartphone
- Wi-Fi devices (using a Wi-Fi router); examples shown below.
Communication device errors
Any time a communication device encounters problems communicating with another device, you may encounter a communication error. Below are steps that can be done when this error is encountered.
- If your communication device uses a wire, make sure it is firmly connected.
- Make sure the proper drivers are installed and that no errors or conflicts are occurring with the driver, and that the device is detected.
- If your communication device requires settings, make sure they're correct. For example, a network card requires the proper IP (Internet Protocol), DNS (domain name system), and Subnet settings to establish a connection with the network, and be able to find its route to other network devices.
Why do computers need communication devices?
A computer can work fine without a communication device. However, for a computer to communicate with other computers, they need a communication device. For example, for your computer to connect to the Internet to view this web page, it needs a communication device. Without a communication device, you'd have to use a sneaker net to transfer or share data between computers.