Which of the following is a device that receives a digital signal on an electromagnetic or optical
transmission medium and regenerates the signal along the next leg of the medium?

A.
Gateway

B.
Repeater

C.
Network adapter

D.
Transceiver

Explanation:

A repeater is an electronic device that receives a signal and retransmits it at a higher level and/or
higher power, or onto the other side of an obstruction, so that the signal can cover longer
distances. A repeater is a device that receives a digital signal on an electromagnetic or optical
transmission medium and regenerates the signal along the next leg of the medium. In
electromagnetic media, repeaters overcome the attenuation caused by free-space

electromagnetic-field divergence or cable loss. A series of repeaters make possible the extension
of a signal over a distance. Repeaters remove the unwanted noise in an incoming signal. Unlike
an analog signal, the original digital signal, even if weak or distorted, can be clearly perceived and
restored. With analog transmission, signals are restrengthened with amplifiers which unfortunately
also amplify noise as well as information. An example of a wireless repeater is shown in the figure
below:

Answer option D is incorrect. A transceiver is a device that has both a transmitter and a receiver in
a single package.
Answer option A is incorrect. A gateway is a network interconnectivity device that translates
different communication protocols and is used to connect dissimilar network technologies. It
provides greater functionality than a router or bridge because a gateway functions both as a
translator and a router. Gateways are slower than bridges and routers. A gateway is an application
layer device.
Answer option C is incorrect. A network adapter is used to interface a computer to a network.
“Device driver” is a piece of software through which Windows and other operating systems support
both wired and wireless network adapters. Network drivers allow application software to
communicate with the adapter hardware. Network device drivers are often installed automatically
when adapter hardware is first powered on.