Laboratory Activity #2 Network Hardware Familiarization

Name: REIMARC G. CORPUZ Date: 2/18/2023

Course & Section: BSCPE 3 IE Score: __________

Network Hardware Familiarization

Objectives
Upon completion of this laboratory exercise, the student will be able to
• familiarize with the different networking equipment, cable terminations, common
network modules, and tools. Also the student should be able to identify and describe each
them.
• identify the purpose of each LED indicator on a Cisco Switch or any Cisco Device
• identify parts, slot and port number of interfaces of a Cisco Router
Equipment
Computer
Internet Connection

Introduction
A network is a group of two or more computers and peripherals connected (wired or wireless)
together in order to communicate. For us to fully understand what network is we need to determine and
familiarized with the common networking equipment, networking equipment, cable terminations,
common network modules, and tools.

Identifying Networking Equipment

In the following table, insert an image of the networking equipment and give its purpose.

Networking Equipment Image Purpose

PC Computers perform
calculations, data storage,
retrieval, and information
processing. Data or
computer language that has
been programmed into a
computer instructs it on
how to do its task. The
computer will only carry
out the instructions that it
is given. "People make
mistakes, not machines."

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Switch (Cisco Catalyst Switches from the Catalyst
9200) 9200 Series have security
measures that protect the
integrity of the switch's
hardware, software, and
any data that passes
through it. It offers
resilience that keeps your
company operating
smoothly.
L3 Switch (Cisco 9300) Static and dynamic routing,
including VLAN and IP
communications, are
supported by layer 3
switching. The Cisco
Catalyst 9300 switch
enables flexible and
effective use of power
resources in stacked
switches for power
redundancy due to Cisco
StackPower and intelligent
power management.
Router ISR ISRs offer a diverse range
of functions that support
cloud computing, mobile
connectivity, multimedia
capabilities, and secure
networking. Second-hand
Cisco ISRs can be found
online, sold by both
vendors and individuals,
providing an appealing
option for those who would
rather not buy new and
pricier equipment.

Router ASR The utilization of

aggregation services in
routers and edge platforms
is crucial for facilitating
network edge routing. By
consolidating traffic links
at higher rates, these
devices can meet the

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escalating demand for
remote connectivity to both
internal and external
networks such as the
internet and cloud.

Wireless Access Point Wireless access points are

utilized to furnish wireless
access to devices. They
operate by transmitting a
signal that devices can link
up with, enabling them to
connect to the internet or
another network wirelessly,
thereby removing the
necessity for cables.
Homes, businesses, and
public areas can all utilize
wireless access points.
IP Phone IP telephony denotes a
phone system that utilizes
an internet connection for
transmitting and receiving
voice data. In contrast to
conventional telephones
that rely on landlines to
transfer analog signals, IP
phones get linked to the
internet through a router
and modem.
Server Computer A server refers to a
computer that is utilized
within a network to deliver
a service to a client.
Typically, servers possess
greater processing
capabilities, memory, and
storage capacities
compared to client
machines. A client
machine is a computer that
is not performing the role
of the server and is seeking
a service or information
from the server.
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Firewall Essentially, a firewall
serves as a barrier between
a private internal network
and the public Internet. Its
fundamental role is to
permit harmless traffic to
enter while blocking any
potentially harmful traffic.

CSU/DSU The equipment known as

the csu/dsu serves as the
necessary link between
your system and the circuit
owned by the telephone
company. Additionally, the
csu/dsu offers capabilities
such as timing
regeneration, loopback
testing, and framing
functions. It can also serve
to increase the distance of
your connection or
function as a short-haul
modem.
Wall Plate A rectangular cover is
employed to conceal a wall
section with a hole meant
for electrical or networking
outlets. The cover permits
cables to pass through the
wall and simultaneously
masks the bigger aperture.
Patch Panel A patch panel allows for
the organization of a vast
number of cables,
facilitating versatile
connections to network
hardware situated in a data
center, access point, or
wiring closet. The LAN
variant is the most
prevalent type of patch
panel utilized in a
company.

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Fiber Patch Panel Fiber distribution panels,
which are also referred to
as fiber optic patch panels,
facilitate the termination of
fiber optic cables and
enable access to the
individual fibers of the
cable for cross-connection
purposes.

Network Racks A metal frame chassis,

known as a network rack,
is designed to hold, stack,
organize, secure, and
safeguard an array of
computer network and
server hardware devices.
The rack is typically used
to store network equipment
such as routers, switches,
access points, and modems.

Identifying Cable Termination and Cables

In the following table, insert an image of the cable termination and give its purpose.

Cable Termination Image Purpose

RJ45 The primary purpose of an
RJ45 cable is to link
various devices via an
Ethernet connection,
including computers,
printers, cable or DSL
modems, and network
storage devices. It is
crucial to recognize an
RJ45 cable when trying to
establish network
connectivity. There are
two wiring configurations
for RJ45 cables, namely T-
568B and T-568A.
RJ-11 In the US, a popular
telephone connector called
the registered jack-11 (RJ-
11) has 6 positions and 2
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conductors. However, 4 of
those positions are usually
not utilized. The RJ-11 is
frequently employed to
link the telephone handset
to the base unit and to
connect the whole
telephone to the wall
outlet.

RJ-48 RJ48 is a jack that has

been registered for specific
purposes such as
terminating T1 and ISDN
connections, as well as for
local data channels or
digital sub rate services.
This jack makes use of an
8P8C modular connector.
When it comes to T1
circuits, the RJ48C variant
is frequently utilized and
relies on pins 1, 2, 4, and
5.
Fiber Optic LC In fiber optic
termination/cable communications, an
attenuator is employed to
decrease the power of the
optical fiber by a specific
amount. Typically, it
features a male plug
connector at one end and a
female fiber optic adapter
at the other. Moreover, its
average attenuation levels
range from 1 to 30 dB.
Fiber Optic SC The SC connector is a
termination/cable device designed for push-
pull operation in a fiber-
optic connection, utilizing
a ceramic ferrule to ensure
precise alignment. Its
square shape is often
referred to as "stick and
click," and it includes a
locking tab for easy
attachment and
detachment.
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Fiber Optic ST A straight-tip connector
termination/cable (ST connector) is a
connector used in fiber-
optic cables that utilize a
bayonet-style plug and
socket. It has become the
de facto standard for
commercial wiring

Fiber Optic FC A Fibre Channel switch is

termination/cable a networking device that is
compatible with the FC
protocol and designed for
use in a dedicated storage
area network (SAN). An
FC switch inspects a data
packet header,
determines the
computing devices of
origin and destination
and forwards the packet
to the intended system.

DAC Cable DAC cables are used

for directly connecting
ports between active
equipment; switches,
routers, servers, and
storage. Their main
restriction is transmission
distance. Their main
benefit is cost, although
there are other benefits.
T1 DB-15 cable This T1 cable is
constructed using two
pairs of shielded T1-rated
cables and consists of
DB15 male connectors on
both ends. It is designed to
be used specifically for
T1 telecommunication
applications where
straight-through wiring
is required.

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DB-60 cable This is used to connect
two routers together
where one has a DB60
style serial port (WIC-
1T) and the other router
has a smart serial port
(HWIC-1T) on it in
your Cisco
Certification lab.

Smart Serial Cable A serial cable is a cable

used to transfer
information between two
devices using a serial
communication protocol.
The form of connectors
depends on the particular
serial port used. A cable
wired for connecting two
DTEs directly is known as
a null modem cable.
Console Cable Console cables — also
known as Cisco cables,
rollover cables and
management cables — are
designed for a specific
purpose. They connect
Cisco networking devices
to terminals or PCs for
configuration. Typically,
the Cisco end will connect
via RJ45, and the terminal
end will conclude in a
serial connection.
Cat5e Copper Cable A Cat5e cable is among
the best cables
for connecting local area
networks (LANs) in a
residential or commercial
setting because they're
affordable and work with
most hardware setups.
While there are other
Ethernet cables available, a
Cat5e will certainly get the
job done.
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Plenum Cable A plenum cable is
essentially an electrical
cable for Ethernet
networking that is
designed to be installed in
the plenum spaces of
buildings. Plenum spaces
are the areas found
between the raised floors
and dropped ceilings of
buildings, which are
crucial for air circulation,
cooling, and heating
purposes in various types
of structures. Simply put, a
plenum cable is the kind of
cable that runs through
these specific areas of
buildings that serve as
pathways for air.
Cat6 Copper Cable A Cat 6 cable is used
mainly for computer
networks reaching a Gb,
1000 Mbps or one Gbps
of data transfer speed
(DTR) or higher.
Characteristics are as
follows: Consists of four
pairs of copper wires,
which are all utilized for
data transfer.
Single Mode Fiber A single strand of glass
Cable fiber, called single-mode
fiber, is used to transmit
single-mode or light
beams. Single-mode fiber
allows only one
transmission mode. It can
transmit higher bandwidth
than multimode fiber but
requires a light source with
a limited spectral range.
Multimode Fiber Multi-mode fiber is mainly
Cable used to transmit across
comparatively shorter
distances, as the modes
are more likely to disperse
over longer extents. This
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phenomenon is known as
modal dispersion. Another
common type of optical
fiber is single-mode fiber,
which is used mainly for
longer distances.

Identifying Network Equipment Modules and Cards

In the following table, insert an image of the network equipment modules and cards then give its purpose.

Network Equipment Image Purpose

Modules
EtherSwitch Service Module Cisco EtherSwitch
Ports service modules help
ensure trust and
identity with support
of IEEE 802.1x plus
enhancements that are
specific to Cisco. When
combined with the
advanced security
features of Cisco
Integrated Services
Routers, Cisco
EtherSwitch service
modules help to ensure
networkwide security.
HWIC-2t module Cisco HWIC-2T is a 2-
port serial WAN
interface card, made for
Cisco1800, 1900, 2800,
2900, 3800, and 3900
Series Integrated
Services Routers.
HWICs help customers
enable applications
such as WAN access,
legacy protocol
transport, console
server, and dial access
server.
1000BASE-T SFP It allows auto
negotiation between
100Mbps and
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1000Mbps. The most
prominent feature of
1000BASE-T is that it
enables users to
maintain the existing
copper cabling, instead
of having to rewire with
optical fiber.

1/10/25/50 Base SX SPF SFP modules facilitate

high-speed
communication
between switches and
network components
such as routers and
other devices. It is
mainly used with copper
or fiber optic cables. Its
small form factor makes
it ideal for areas that
may not be very
accessible.
4/40/50/100/200G Base- The Quad Small Form-
QSFP factor Pluggable (QSFP)
is a compact, hot-
pluggable transceiver
used for data
communications
applications. The form
factor and electrical
interface are specified
by a multi-source
agreement (MSA) under
the auspices of the
Small Form Factor
Committee.

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400G QSPF-DD The Cisco 400GBASE
Quad Small Form-
Factor Pluggable
Double Density (QSFP-
DD) portfolio offers
customers a wide
variety of super high-
density transceiver
modules and the
flexibility of 400
Gigabit Ethernet
connectivity options for
data center, high-
performance computing
networks, enterprise
core and distribution
layers, and service
provider applications.
VWIC-2MFT-T1 They are dual-port trunk
interfaces for voice,
data, and integrated
voice and/or data
applications. These
cards provide basic
structured service for
T1 or E1 networks and
unstructured service
for fractional E1
networks. The cards
include an integrated
DSU/CSU.

Identifying Network Cabling Tools

In the following table, insert an image of the network cabling tools and give its purpose.

Tools Image Purpose

UTP Wire Stripper Featuring an adjustable blade
for all sizes of UTP, STP, and
Flat Silver Satin cabling, this
tool allows users to
consistently remove the
cable jacket without
damaging the internal
conductors. The cable
stripper also features a built-
in cable cutter to trim and cut
cables.
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UTP Wire Cutter Designed to reduce the time
required to prepare UTP
twisted-pair cable for
termination. Specifically
designed to accurately strip
the jacket from a 4-pair cable
without damaging the
conductors.

Fiber Splicer Fiber optic splicing is used to

join two fiber optic cables
together. This is most
commonly done when a cable
is accidentally severed, or
when fiber cables need to be
lengthened during a cable
run. Fiber optics are essential
to keeping businesses and
homes connected around the
world.
Crimping Tool A crimping tool is the tool
used to deform the material
and create the connection.
Crimping is commonly used
in electrical work, to attach
wires together or wire to
other connectors.

Punch Down Tool / Impact Impact punch down tools are

Tool used to terminate wires into
punch down patch panels
and punch down keystone
jacks. The idea is the tool
head blade is used to push a
wire conductor into a IDC
terminal slot (Insulation
Displacement Conductor).

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Velcro Cable Ties Also known as zip ties,
they're fasteners that bundle
your cables and wires
together to keep them
organized and prevent
damage. They come in
different sizes, lengths,
materials and even colors.

Cable Tester Cable testers verify the

electrical connections in a
signal cable — confirming
things are wired correctly
between the ends of the
cable. A cable tester is a
device used to test the
strength and connectivity of
a particular type of cable or
other wired assemblies.

Cable Comb The Cable Comb™ consists

of a blue inner hub and a
yellow outer collar. The inner
hub is designed to interlock
with the outer collar to
provide an
assembly allowing installers
to conveniently straighten,
organize, and lash single
cables into professional
appearing cable bundles.

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Cable Probe and Tone / Cable A tone and probe tester and
Identifier tracer kit are used to check
the polarity in telecom
lines, identify wire pairs
and continuity in
connections. There are tone
generator wire tracers that
can determine the wiring
issues in a non-contact
manner, which is through an
audible sound.

Identify the parts of a Catalyst 2960 Switch LEDs

On the table below write the parts of the Switch LED

1. The system LED 2. The RPS LED (if RPS is supported on the
switch)
3. The port status LED (This is the default 4. The port duplex mode LED
mode)
5. The port speed LED 6. The PoE status LED (if PoE is supported on
the switch)
7. The Mode button 8. The port LEDs

Identify Switch LEDs meaning

System LED

Color Status
Off The system is not powered on.
Green The system is operating normally.

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Amber The system is receiving power but is not
functioning properly.

Redundant Power System LED

Color Status
Off RPS is off or not properly connected.
Green RPS is connected and ready to provide back-up
power, if required.
Blinking Green RPS is connected but is unavailable because it
is providing power to another device
(redundancy has been allocated to a
neighboring device).
Amber The RPS is in standby mode or in a fault
condition. Press the Standby/Active button on
the RPS, and the LED should turn green. If it
does not, the RPS fan could have failed.
Contact Cisco Systems.
Blinking Amber The internal power supply in a switch has
failed, and the RPS is providing power to the
switch (redundancy has been allocated to this
device).

PoE mode LED

Color Status
Off PoE mode is not selected. None of the 10/100
PoE ports have been denied power or are in a
faulty condition.
Green PoE mode is selected, and the PoE status is
shown on the port LEDs.
Amber PoE mode is not selected. At least one of the
10/100 PoE ports has been denied power, or at
least one of the ports has a PoE fault.

Identify the parts of a Catalyst 2960G-48TC-L Switch Front Panel

On the table below write the parts of the switch

1 10/100/1000 ports 2 Dual-purpose ports

Identify the parts of the Rear Panel of a Cisco 2851 Router

On the table below write the parts of the router

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1 Gigabit Ethernet port 0/0 2 Gigabit Ethernet port 0/1

3 High-speed WAN interface card slot 0 4 High-speed WAN interface card slot 1
5 High-speed WAN interface card slot 2 6 High-speed WAN interface card slot 3
7 EVM slot ONLY 8 NME slot1
9 Screw holes for ground lug

Identifying slot and port number of interfaces on a Cisco 2851 Router

On the image below write the slot or port number of each interfaces

Conclusion: Draw conclusion based on the objectives.

In my view, this laboratory exercise aims to equip me with a comprehensive understanding of various
networking equipment, cable terminations, common network modules, and tools. Through this exercise, I am
expected to gain the ability to identify and describe each component, as well as understand the purpose of LED
indicators on a Cisco switch or any Cisco device. Additionally, I will be able to identify the parts, slot, and port
numbers of interfaces on a Cisco router, which is essential for configuring and troubleshooting network devices.
Overall, this exercise provides me with a solid foundation to enhance my knowledge and skills in the networking
field, and prepares me for more complex challenges in this area.

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