[2] One of the most common types of networking hardware today is a copper-based Ethernet adapter which is a standard inclusion on most modern computer systems.
Wireless networking has become increasingly popular, especially for portable and handheld devices.
[3] [4] Other networking hardware used in computers includes data center equipment (such as file servers, database servers and storage areas), network services (such as DNS, DHCP, email, etc.)
[5] Taking a wider view, mobile phones, tablet computers and devices associated with the internet of things may also be considered networking hardware.
As technology advances and IP-based networks are integrated into building infrastructure and household utilities, network hardware will become an ambiguous term owing to the vastly increasing number of network-capable endpoints.