10

SAN ISIDRO NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

San Isidro, Davao Oriental
TECHNOLOGY AND LIVELIHOOD EDUCATION
INFORMATION AND
COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Quarter 1 – Week 4

COMPUTER HARDWARE SERVICING – 10

LESSON 3 - CONFIGURE COMPUTER SYSTEMS AND
NETWORK

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 Quarter 1 – Week 3 | Lesson 2

Configure Computer System and Network

System Configuration is the way a system is set up, it is the collection of

components that make up the system. Configuration can refer to either hardware or
software, or the combination of both. For instance, a typical configuration for a PC
consists of 32MB (megabytes) main memory, a floppy drive, a hard disk, a modem, a
CD-ROM drive, a VGA monitor, and the Windows Operating System.
Many software products require that the computer has a certain minimum
configuration. For example, the software might require a graphics display monitor and
a video adapter, a particular microprocessor, and a minimum amount of main memory
capacity.
When you install a new device or program, you sometimes need to configure it,
which means that you need to set various switches and jumpers (for hardware) and to
define values of parameters (for software). For example, the device or program may
need to know what type of video adapter you have and what type of printer is
connected to the computer. Thanks to technological advancements, such as plug-and-
play, much of this configuration is now performed automatically.

Safety Precautions Related to Networks

Installing network cables, whether copper or fiber-optic, can be dangerous.

Often, cables must be pulled through ceilings and walls where there are obstacles or
toxic materials. You should wear clothing such as long pants, a long-sleeved shirt,
sturdy shoes that cover your feet, and gloves to protect you from those toxic materials.
Most importantly, wear safety glasses. If possible, ask building management, or
someone responsible for the building, if there are any dangerous materials or
obstacles that you need to be aware of before entering the ceiling area.

Safety precautions when using a ladder:

 Read the labels on the ladder, and follow any safety instructions written on it.
 Never stand on the top rung of the ladder. You could easily lose your balance
and fall.
 Make sure that people in the area know you will be working there.
 Cordon off the area with caution tape or safety cones.
 When you are using a ladder that leans up against a wall, follow the instructions
written on the ladder, and have someone hold the ladder to help keep it steady.

Safety rules when working with cables:

The tools required to install copper and fiber-optic cable may cause danger
through improper use. When working with cables, strictly follow these safety rules:
 Make sure that the tools you are using are in good working condition.
 Watch what you are doing, and take your time. Make sure that you do not cut
yourself or place anyone in danger.
 Always wear safety glasses when cutting, stripping, or splicing cables of any
kind. Tiny fragments can injure your eyes.
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  Wear gloves whenever possible, and dispose any waste properly.

Use common sense when installing cables and fixing network problems. Call
for assistance for tasks that you cannot do on your own.

Fiber-Optic Safety

Fiber-optic cables are useful for communications, but they have certain
hazards:
 Dangerous chemicals
 Tools with sharp edges
 Light which you cannot see that can burn your eyes
 Glass shards produced by cutting fiber-optic cable that can cause bodily harm

Specific types of tools and chemicals are used when working with fiber-optic
cable. These materials must be handled with care.

Chemicals

The solvents and glues used with fiber optics are dangerous. You should
handle them with extreme care. Read the instructions on the label, and follow them
carefully. Also, read the material safety data sheet (MSDS) that accompanies the
chemicals to know how to treat someone in case of emergency.

Tools

When working with any tool, safety should always be your first priority. Any
compromise in safety could result in serious injury or even death. The tools used for
working with fiber optics have sharp cutting surfaces that are used to scribe glass.
Other tools pinch cables with high pressure to fasten connectors to them. These tools
can produce shards of glass that can splinter and fly into the air. You must avoid
getting them on your skin and in your mouth or eyes.

Glass Shards

The process of cutting and trimming the strands of fiber-optic cables can
produce tiny fragments of glass or plastic that can penetrate your eyes or skin and
cause severe irritation. The fibers can be extremely difficult to see on your skin
because they are clear and small. When you work with fiber-optic cabling, the working
surface should be a dark mat so that you can see the tiny glass or plastic fragments.
The mat should also be resistant to chemical spills.

You should keep the work area clean and neat. Never pick up fiberoptic
fragments with your fingers. Use tape to pick up small fragments, and dispose them
off properly. Use a disposable container, such as a plastic bottle with a screw-on lid,
to store fiber fragments. Close the lid tightly before disposing the container.

Harmful Light

Protect your eyes from the harmful light that may be in the fiber-optic strands.
The light is a color that humans cannot see. It can damage your eyes before you can
feel it. When you use a magnifier to inspect fiber-optic cable and connectors, the light
emitted from the fiber could be directed into your eyes. When working with fiber, be
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sure to disconnect the light source. Use special detectors to help you tell if a fiber is
energized.

Caution: Obtain proper training before you attempt to cut, strip, or splice fiber-optic
cable. An experienced technician should supervise you until you become adequately
skilled.

Networking Devices, Media and Connector

To make data transmission more extensible and efficient than a simple peer-
to-peer network, network designers use specialized network devices such as hubs,
switches, routers, and wireless access points to send data between devices.

Common Network Cables

Until recently, cables were the only medium used to connect devices on
networks. A wide variety of networking cables are available. Coaxial and twisted-pair
cables use copper to transmit data. Fiber-optic cables use glass or plastic to transmit
data. These cables differ in bandwidth, size, and cost. You need to know what type of
cable to use based on the job requirements. You also need to be able to troubleshoot
and repair problems along the way.

Twisted Pair
Twisted pair is a type of copper cabling that is used for telephone
communications and most Ethernet networks. A pair of wires forms a circuit that
transmits data. The pair is twisted to provide protection against crosstalk, the noise
generated by adjacent pairs of wires in the cable. Pairs of copper wires are encased
in color-coded plastic insulation and are twisted together. An outer jacket protects the
bundles of twisted pairs.

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 When electricity flows through a copper wire, a magnetic field is created around
the wire. A circuit has two wires, and in a circuit, the two wires have oppositely-charged
magnetic fields. When the two wires of the circuit are next to each other, the magnetic
fields cancel each other out. This is called the cancellation effect. Without the
cancellation effect, your network communications become slow because of the
interference caused by the magnetic fields.

The two basic types of twisted-pair cables are as follows:

 Unshielded twisted pair (UTP) is the cable that has two or four pairs of wires.
This type of cable relies solely on the cancellation effect produced by the
twisted-wire pairs that limits signal degradation caused by electromagnetic
interface (EMI) and radio frequency interference (RFI). UTP is the most
commonly used cabling in networks. UTP cables have a range of 328 feet (100
m).
 With shielded twisted pair (STP), each pair of wire is wrapped in metallic foil
to better shield the wires from noise. Four pairs of wires are then wrapped in an
overall metallic braid or foil. STP reduces electrical noise from within the cable.
It also reduces EMI and RFI from outside the cable. Although STP prevents
interference better than UTP, STP is more expensive because of the extra
shielding. It is also more difficult to install because of the thickness. In addition,
the metallic shielding must be grounded at both ends. If it is improperly
grounded, the shield acts like an antenna, picking up unwanted signals.

Category Rating

UTP comes in several categories that are based on two factors:

 The number of wires in the cable
 The number of twists in those wires

1. Category 3 is the wiring used for telephone systems and Ethernet LAN at 10
Mega byte per second (Mbps).
2. Category 3 has four pairs of wires.
3. Category 5 and Category 5e have four pairs of wires with a transmission rate
of 100 Mbps.
4. Category 5 and Category 5e is the most common network cables used.
5. Category 5e has more twists per foot than Category 5 wiring. These extra twists
further prevent interference from outside sources and from the other wires
within the cable.

Some Category 6 cables use a plastic divider to separate the pairs of wires,
which prevents interference. The pairs also have more twists than Category 5e cable.

Coaxial Cable

Coaxial cable is a copper-cored cable surrounded by a heavy shielding. Coaxial

cable is used to connect the computers to the rest of the network

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 Coaxial cable uses “British Naval Connectors (BNC)” or “Bayonet
NeillConcelman” connectors, at the ends of the cables to make the connection.
Several types of coaxial cable exist:

 Thicknet (10BASE5) is a coaxial cable used in networks operating at 10 Mbps,

with a maximum length of 500 meters.
 Thinnet (10BASE2) is a coaxial cable used in networks operating at 10 Mbps,
with a maximum length of 185 meters.
 RG-59 is most commonly used for cable television in the U.S.
 RG-6 is higher-quality cable than RG-59, with more bandwidth and less
susceptibility to interference.

Fiber-Optic Cable

An optical fiber is a glass or plastic conductor that transmits information using

light. Fiber optic cable has one or more optical fibers enclosed in a sheath or jacket.
Because it is made of glass, fiber-optic cable is not affected by EMI or RFI. All signals
are converted to light pulses to enter the cable and are converted back into electrical
signals when they leave it. This means that fiber-optic cable can deliver signals that
are clearer, and can go farther, without compromising the clarity of signals.

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These are the two types of glass fiber-optic cable:
 Multimode is the cable that has a thicker core than single-mode cable. It is
easier to make, can use simpler light sources such as Light Emitting Diodes
(LEDs), and works well over distances of a few kilometers or less.
 Single-mode is the cable that has a very thin core. It is harder to make, uses
lasers as a light source, and can transmit signals dozens of kilometers with
ease.

Creating Ethernet Cable

Ethernet cabling has been the standard in networking installation for years. It is
the fastest way of connecting PC to a peer or to your router or a central switch. This
section of the module will bring you back to the procedures in creating an Ethernet
cable specifically straight-through and cross-over. Try to recall the procedures as you
go on with the lesson.

Fabricating an Ethernet Cross-over and Straight-through Cable

In an Ethernet networking environment – like in a home or an office with multiple

PCs that are wired – the computers need to be connected to a central router to allow
data transfer. The router takes all the bits being sent out by the computers and relays
them onto the other devices on the network.
The straight-through Ethernet cable is used in local area network to connect a
PC to a network hub and router. This is the standard cable used for almost all
purposes.
A cross-over cable, on the other hand, can be used to connect two network
devices directly, without the need for a router in the middle. It simply reverses some
of the pins so that the output on one computer is being sent to the input of another.
Bear in mind that safety precautions must always be applied and observed
during the fabrication of the said cables. Also, materials and tools to be used must
always be complete and functional to save time, money and effort.
The following items are the materials and tools used for making Ethernet
cables:
 Ethernet Cable Category 5e or Cat5e- standard wire for cabling;
 RJ45 crimpable connectors for Cat5e;
 RJ45 Crimping tool;
 Wire cutter, stripper or pliers; and
 Ethernet cable tester.

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I. Directions: Answer the following questions in a 1 whole sheet of paper.

1. Why is it important to follow safety rules when working with cables?

2. In your own opinion, why do we have to know the different types of network
cables?

II. TRUE or FALSE. Write EURT if the statement is correct and write ESLAF if
the statement is wrong. Write your answers on your answer sheet.

________1. The straight-through Ethernet cable is used in local area network to

connect a PC to a network hub and router.
________2. Multimode is the cable that has a very thin core.
________3. Thicknet (10BASE2) is a coaxial cable used in networks operating at 10
Mbps, with a maximum length of 500 meters.
________4. Unshielded twisted pair (UTP) is the cable that has two or four pairs of
wires.
________5. Harmful light can damage your eyes before you can feel it.
________6. Coaxial and twisted-pair cables use bronze to transmit data.
________7. A cross-over cable, can be used to connect two network devices directly,
without the need for a router in the middle.
________8. RG-6 is most commonly used for cable television in the U.S.
________9. UTP cable uses “British Naval Connectors (BNC)”.
________10. Shielded Twisted Pair is more expensive because of the extra shielding.

End of Week 3 Lesson 2

Congratulations!

Teacher: RUTH I. ADLAWAN

TRUE / FALSE ANS.KEY

1. T
2. F
3. F
4. T
5. T
6. F
7. T
8. F
9. F
10. T

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