A ______ is an electronic device that receives a weak signal and regenerates it.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
The correct answer is Option 3 i.e. repeater.
A repeater is an electronic device used in networking to receive a weak or low-power signal and amplify or regenerate it before retransmitting.
This is especially important in long-distance data transmission, where the signal strength tends to degrade due to attenuation.
Repeaters work at the physical layer (Layer 1) of the OSI model and help extend the range of a network by boosting the signal without altering the data content.
Other Options Explained:
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A hub is a basic networking device that connects multiple computers in a LAN. It broadcasts data to all ports, regardless of the destination, and operates at the physical layer, but it doesn't regenerate weak signals.
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A router connects different networks, such as a home network to the internet. It directs data packets based on IP addresses and operates at the network layer (Layer 3).
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A switch connects devices within the same network and uses Media Access Control (MAC) addresses to forward data only to the intended recipient. It operates at the data link layer (Layer 2).