ADAMA POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE

WEB DEVELOPMENT AND DATABASE

ADMINISTRATION
Level II

Learning Guide # 4
Unit of Competence: Administer Network Hardware

LO: Install peripherals to a network

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 Instruction LO – Install peripherals to a network

This learning guide is developed to provide you the necessary information regarding the following
content coverage and topics –

 What is computer network?

 Categorizing network
 Network transmission media

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 Information Sheet – 1 What is computer network?

What is computer network?

• A Computer network is any collection of independent computers that communicate with one
another over a shared network medium.
• A System in which a number of independent Computers are linked together to share data or
information and peripherals such as hard disks and printers.

When computers and other devices connected together is called a Network.

- The concept of connected computers sharing resources such like files and/or peripheral
devices (Printer, Scanner) is called Networking.

Advantage of Networking:
- Share Documents
- Exchange e-mail messages
- Live audio and video broadcast
- Using one device for many computers like printer
- Sharing external memory like Hard disk.
- Security.

Categorizing Network

Categorizing network by Functional Relationship:

1. Peer-to-Peer
2. Client-Server

Categorizing network by Its Coverage:

1. LAN (Local Area Network)
2. MAN (Metropolitan Area Network)
3. WAN (Wide Area Network)

Categorizing network by Network Topology:

1. Bus Topology
2. Star Topology
3. Ring Topology
4. Mesh Topology
5. Hybrid Topology

Category by Functional Relationship:

1. Peer-to-Peer Networking:

Peer-to-Peer (or P2P) network is a simpler network in which each workstation has equivalent
capabilities and responsibilities. In other word a pure peer-to-peer file transfer network does not have

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the notion of clients or servers, but only equal peer nodes that simultaneously function as both
"clients" and "servers“.

Peer-to-Peer computer network is a network that relies on computing power at the edges of a
connection, there is no hierarchy among the computers.

Advantages of a peer-to-peer network

 Less initial capital – no need for a dedicated server
 No need for system administration (administrator)
 Setup – an operating system (such as windows XP) already in place may only need to be
configured for peer-to-peer operations.
 The way security established – users can set their own security and shared resources can exist
on any computer rather than a centralized server only.

Disadvantages of a peer-to-peer network

 Decentralized – no central repository for the files and application.
 Security – does not provide the security available on a client/server network.

2. Client-Server Network

In the environment with more than 10 users, a peer to peer network will not adequate. There need
comes to use a dedicated computer which optimized (increase) the service of network to clients
quickly and ensure the security of files. Therefore, there will be one or more server computers which
serve other station (client) computers to optimized network system. A dedicated computer with
software that carries out some task on behalf of users.

What is Server?
 Server is a dedicated computer that provide resources to Network users or Client computers.

Advantages of server-based network

 Centralized – resources and data security are controlled through the server
 Scalability – any or all elements can be replaced individually as need increase.
 Flexibility – new technology can be easily integrated into system
 Interoperability – all components (client/network/server) work together
 Accessibility – server can be accessed remotely and across multiple platforms.

Disadvantages of server-Based computer networks

 Expensive – requires initial investment in dedicated server
 Maintenance – large networks will require a staff to ensure efficient operations
 Dependence- when a server goes down, operations will cease across the network.
 Server may fail- incase the server failed, the entire network goes down

Types of Server:
- File and Printer server
- Mail server
- Communication server
- Directory service server
- Application server
- Fax server
- Backup Server
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Category by Its Coverage

1. LAN (Local Area Network)

 A Local Area Network (LAN) is a network that is confined (restricted) to a relatively small area.
It is generally limited to a geographic area such as a writing lab, school, or building. Rarely
are LAN computers more than a A kilometer apart.
 When using ethernet the computers are usually wired to a hub or to a switch.

2. MAN (Metropolitan Area Network):

 Is a network that interconnects users with computer resources in a geographic area or region
larger than that covered by even a large local area network (LAN) but smaller than the area
covered by a wide area network (WAN).
 The term is applied to the interconnection of networks in a city or town into a single larger
network.

3. WAN (Wide Area Networks)

 Often a network (LAN) is located in multiple physical places. Wide area networking combines
multiple LANs that are geographically separate. This is accomplished by connecting the
different LANs using services such as dedicated leased phone lines, dial-up phone lines,
satellite links, and data packet carrier services.
 Wide area networking can be as simple as a modem and remote access server for employees
to dial into, or it can be as complex as hundreds of branch offices globally linked using special
routing protocols and filters to minimize the expense of sending data sent over vast distances.
Example Internet.

Categorizing network by Network Topology:

The term topology, or more specifically, network topology, refers to the arrangement or physical
layout of computers, cables, and other components on the network. “Topology” is the standard term
that most network professionals use when they refer to the network’s basic design. In addition, the
term “topology” you will find several other terms that are used to define a network’s:
 Physical design
 Diagram
 Map

1. Bus Topology
 It is often referred to as a “linear bus” because the computers are connected in a straight line.
This is the simplest and most common method of networking computers.
 In a bus topology, all computers are connected to a shared communication line, called a trunk
or a backbone.
 The computers are connected to the backbone using T-connectors.
 Both ends of the backbone use terminators in order to prevent reflection of signals.
 If the terminator is missing or is deliberately removed, the data transmissions are disrupted.
 There is no central device or any special configuration.

Advantages

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  A bus network is the cheapest of all topologies.
 No special configuration is required.
 It is easy to install, and no special equipment is
needed for installation.
 It needs less cable length than do other topologies.
Disadvantages
 A break in cable or a missing terminator can
bring down the entire network.
 It is not possible to add or remove computers
without disrupting the network.
 It is difficult to troubleshoot and administer.
 Addition of more computers degrades performance.

2. Star Topology
 In a star topology, computers (also called nodes) connect to each other through a central
device, called a hub or a switch
 A star network is a local area network (LAN) in which all nodes (workstations or other devices)
are directly connected to a common central Hub or Switch.
 Every workstation is indirectly connected to each other through the central Hub or Switch.

Advantages
 A star network is easy to implement.
 It can be easily expanded without affecting
the network operation
 Failure of a single node or the connecting
cable does not affect the entire network’s
operation.
 It is easy to isolate nodes in order to
troubleshoot problems.

Disadvantages
 Failure of the central device (hub or switch)
can bring down the entire network.
 The length of cable required is much more
than ring and bus networks because each node is connected separately.
 Cable length from the central device can be a limiting factor, depending on the type of cable
used.

3. Ring Topology
 In a ring topology, each computer is connected to its neighboring computer to form a logical
ring.
 Data travels in the ring in a circular fashion
from one computer to another, forming a
logical ring.

Advantages
 A ring network is relatively easy to install.
 There are fewer collisions because only
one computer transmits at a time.

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Disadvantages
 A break-in cable or a faulty computer can
bring down the entire network.
 It is not as efficient as a star network.
 It is difficult to troubleshoot a ring network.
 The addition or removal of computers can disrupt network operation

4. Mesh Topology
 In a mesh topology, all computers in the network are connected to every other computer,
forming a mesh of connections.
 Each computer makes a point-to-point connection to every other computer.
 If suppose, N number of devices are connected with each other in mesh topology, then
total number of dedicated links required to connect them is NC2 i.e. N(N-1)/2.
 In the Figure 1, there are 6 devices connected to each other, hence total number of links
required is 6*5/2 = 15.

Two types of mesh topology

 In the full mesh topology, each node

(workstation or other device) is connected
directly to each of the others.
 In the partial mesh topology, some
nodes are connected to all the others, but
some of the nodes are connected only to
those other nodes with which they
exchange the most data.

Advantages
 A mesh network is highly reliable because
of redundant multiple paths between
computers.
 The failure of a single computer or a cable
fault does not affect network operations.
 Computers can be added or removed without affecting the network.

Disadvantages
 It is difficult to install and troubleshoot.
 It is very expensive because of the length of cable required to make multiple redundant
connections.
 Only a limited number of computers can be connected in a mesh topology.

5. Hybrid Topology
It is combination of any two or more network
topologies. These instances can occur where two
basic network topologies, when connected
together, can still retain the basic network
character, and therefore not be a hybrid network.

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 Self Check 1 Written Test

Name:____________________ Date:_________________

Instruction: Answer all the questions listed below, if you have some clarifications – feel free to ask
your teacher.

Note: Satisfactory rating –points above / Unsatisfactory - below points. You can ask you
teacher for the copy of the correct answers

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 Information Sheet – 2 Network transmission media

Network Transmission Media

Transmission Media is the physical path between the transmitter and the receiver in a data
communication system.

There are 2 basic categories of Transmission Media:

A. Wire/Guided
B. Wireless/Unguided.

A. Wire/Guided Transmission Media uses a "cabling" system that guides the data signals along a
specific path. The data signals are bound by the "cabling" system. Guided Media is also known as
Bound Media. Cabling is meant in a generic sense in the previous sentences and is not meant to be
interpreted as copper wire cabling only.

B. Wireless/Unguided Transmission Media consists of a means for the data signals to travel but
nothing to guide them along a specific path. The data signals are not bound to a cabling media and
as such are often called Unbound Media.

Commonly there are three types of guided transmission cable:-

1. Twisted Pair Cable
2. Coaxial Cable
3. Optical fiber cable

1. Twisted pair cable

Twisted-pair cable consists of two insulated strands of copper wire twisted around each other.
The oldest, least expensive and most commonly used transmission media.

Two types of twisted-pair cable:-

 Unshielded twisted-pair
(UTP)
 Shielded twisted-pair
(STP) cable.

Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP):- is the most popular and is generally the best option for school
networks. The quality of UTP may vary from telephone-grade wire to high-speed cable. The cable has
four pairs of wire inside the jacket. Each pair is twisted with a different number of twists per inch to
help eliminate interference from adjacent pairs and other electrical devices.

 It is the most commonly used cable types in LANs.

 It is made up of four twisted pairs enclosed in a plastic jacket.

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 Depending on the bandwidth offered there are seven types of UTP cables such as Cat-1,Cat-2,cat-
3,cat-4,cat-5,cat-6 and cat-7
 The Most commonly used UTP cables are category-5 cables and its bandwidth is 1000Mbps.

Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) cable

 Uses a woven copper braid jacket and higher quality protective jacket. Also uses foil wrap b/n
and around the wire pairs
 Much less susceptible to interference and supports higher transmission rates than UTP
 shielding makes it somewhat harder to install
 same 100 meters limit as UTP
 uses RJ-45 telephone-type connectors (larger than telephone and consists of eight wires vs.
telephone’s 4 wires)

2. Coaxial Cable

Coaxial Cable consists of 2 conductors. The inner conductor is held inside an insulator with the other
conductor woven around it providing a shield. An insulating protective coating called a jacket covers
the outer conductor.

The outer shield protects the inner conductor from outside electrical signals. The distance between
the outer conductor (shield) and inner conductor plus the type of material used for insulating the inner
conductor determine the cable properties or impedance. Typical impedances for coaxial cables are
75 ohms for Cable TV, 50 ohms for Ethernet Thinnet and Thickens. The excellent control of the
impedance characteristics of the cable allow higher data rates to be transferred than Twisted Pair
cable.

3. Optical Fiber

An optical fiber consists of an extremely thin cylinder of glass, called the core, surrounded by a
concentric layer of glass, known as the cladding. The fibers are sometimes made of plastic. Plastic is
easier to install, but cannot carry the light pulses for as long a distance as glass.
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 Two types of optical fiber are commonly available: single-mode and multimode.

 Multimode fiber (MMF) has a larger core than single-mode. This larger core allows hundreds
of light rays to flow through the fiber simultaneously.
 Single-mode fiber (SMF), on the other hand, has a small core that allows only a single light
beam to pass. The light transmissions in single-mode fiber pass through the core in a direct
line, like a flashlight beam.
 The numerous light beams in multimode fiber bounce around inside the core, inching toward
their destination. Because light beams bounce within the core, the light beams slow down,
reduce in strength, and take some time to travel along the cable.

For this reason, single-mode fiber's speed and distance are superior to those of multimode.

 Single-mode fiber is used for long runs because it can transmit data 50 times further than
multimode fiber and at a faster rate. For example, single-mode fiber might be used on an
organization’s corporate campus between buildings.
 Multimode fiber provides high bandwidth at high speeds over medium distances (up to about
3000 feet) but can be inconsistent for very long runs.

LAN cables and connectors

Cable Type Maximum Maximum Advantages Disadvantages Connector

Speed Cable length used
STP 100Mbps 185m Resistant to EMI Expensive D-shell
connector
UTP 100Mbps 185m Inexpensive Not resistant to EMI RJ-45
Easy to install connector
Resistant to physical
stress
Coaxial 1000Mbps 185m, 500m or 10 Easy to install Not resistant to BNC
km Less sensitive to EMI physical stress Connector
than UTP/STP Expensive compared T-connector
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 to UTP Terminator
Optical Fiber 155Mbps- 10km depending on Resistant to EMI Expensive SMA connector
1000Mbps the fiber type High data transfer Difficult to install
rate

Cabling system

Two cables at each work area:

• Voice:
– Unshielded twisted-pair, UTP cable.
• Data:
– Shielded twisted-pair, STP cable.
– Unshielded twisted-pair, UTP cable.
– Filer-optic cable.
– Coaxial cable.

Three types of Ethernet cables are available:

• Straight-through cable
• Crossover cable
• Rolled cable

Making Ethernet 10Base-T cables:

– Straight-thru cable: PC-to-HUB.
– Crossover cable: PC-to-PC.
• Making console cables:
– Rollover cable:

Serial port-to-console port of Cisco equipments

10Base-T: NIC network port 10Base-T: HUB network port

10Base-T: T568-B 10Base-T: T568-A

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10Base-T: Straight-Through cable

10Base-T: Crossover cable

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The straight-through cable is used to connect
 Host to switch or hub
 Router to switch or hub

The crossover cable can be used to connect

 Switch to switch
 Hub to hub
 Host to host
 Hub to switch
 Router direct to host

Rolled Cable

 you can use a rolled Ethernet cable to connect a host to a router console serial communication
(com) port.

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Networking Components and Devices

To complete our examination of networking on a physical level, this chapter looks at the network
devices used to create networks.
 Hubs
 Switches
 Bridges
 Repeaters
 Routers
 Gateways
 CSU/DSU
 Wireless access points (WAPs)
 Modems
 Network interface cards (NICs)
 Transceivers
 Firewalls

Hub
 Hubs are simple network devices, and their simplicity is reflected in their low cost.
 Small hubs with four or five ports (often referred to as workgroup hubs) provide everything
needed to create a small network.
 Most hubs are referred to as either active or passive.
 Active regenerate a signal before forwarding it to all the ports on the device and requires a
power supply.
 Passive hubs, which today are seen only on older networks, do not need power and they don't
regenerate the data signal

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The basic function of a hub is to take data from one of the connected devices and forward it to all the
other ports on the hub. The method of sending data to all systems regardless of the intended
recipient is referred to as broadcasting.

Switch
 On the surface, a switch looks much like a hub. Despite their similar appearance, switches
are far more efficient than hubs and are far more desirable for today's network environments.
 As with a hub, computers connect to a switch via a length of twisted-pair cable. Multiple
switches are often interconnected to create larger networks.

Rather than forwarding data to all the connected ports, a switch forwards data only to the port on
which the destination system is connected.
 It looks at the Media Access Control (MAC) addresses of the devices connected to it to
determine the correct port. A MAC address is a unique number that is stamped into every NIC.
By forwarding data only to the system to which the data is addressed, the switch decreases
the amount of traffic on each network link dramatically.

 Collisions occur on the network when two devices attempt to transmit at the same time. Such
collisions cause the performance of the network to degrade. By channeling data only to the
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 connections that should receive it, switches reduce the number of collisions that occur on the
network.
 Switches can also further improve performance over the performance of hubs by using a
mechanism called full-duplex. On a standard network connection, the communication between
the system and the hub is said to be half-duplex.

Switching Methods

Cut-through
 the switch begins to forward the packet as soon as it is received.
 No error checking is performed on the packet,
 so the packet is moved through quickly.
 the switch can propagate errors
 30 times faster than store-and-forward switching

Store-and-forward
 the switch waits to receive the entire packet before beginning to forward it.
 also performs basic error checking.

Fragment-free
 works by reading only the part of the packet that enables it to identify fragments of a
transmission.
 On some managed switches, you can select the switching method you want to use.

Working with Hubs and Switches

 Hubs and switches have two types of ports: medium dependent interface (MDI) or uplink port
and medium dependent interface crossed (MDI-X).
 Uplink port allows you to connect two hubs and switches to create larger networks.

Bridges
 Bridges are networking devices that connect networks.
 Sometimes it is necessary to divide networks into subnets to reduce the amount of traffic on
each larger subnet or for security reasons.
 Once divided, the bridge connects the two subnets and manages the traffic flow between
them. Today, network switches have largely replaced bridges.

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  A bridge functions by blocking or forwarding data, based on the destination MAC address
written into each frame of data.
 If the bridge believes the destination address is on a network other than that from which the
data was received, it can forward the data to the other networks to which it is connected.
 If the address is not on the other side of the bridge, the data is blocked from passing. Bridges
"learn" the MAC addresses of devices on connected networks by "listening" to network traffic
and recording the network from which the traffic originates.
 The advantages of bridges are simple and significant. By preventing unnecessary traffic from
crossing onto other network segments, a bridge can dramatically reduce the amount of
network traffic on a segment.

Repeater
 Repeaters are usually used to strengthen signals going long distances.
 A repeater amplifies the signal it receives on one port before it transmits it on other ports.
 Because the repeater does not check on the contents of the data it receives or retransmits,
frames that are corrupted by noise and other factors can also be repeated.
 The development of the hub replaced the repeater for all practical purposes, because it
performs the same functions, and can include additional features.

Routers
 Routers are network devices that literally route data around the network.
 By examining data as it arrives, the router can determine the destination address for the data;
then, by using tables of defined routes, the router determines the best way for the data to
continue its journey.
 Unlike bridges and switches, which use the hardware-configured MAC address to determine
the destination of the data, routers use the software-configured network address to make
decisions.
 This approach makes routers more functional than bridges or switches, and it also makes them
more complex because they have to work harder to determine the information.

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  A router is used to provide connectivity across wide area network (WAN) links and route
information between two LAN segments.
 The figure below shows a router with two LAN ports (marked AUI 0 and AUI 1) and two WAN
ports (marked Serial 0 and Serial 1). This router is capable of routing data between two LAN
segments and two WAN segments.

Gateways
 The term gateway is applied to any device, system, or software application that can perform
the function of translating data from one format to another.
 Actually, the term gateway refers more to a network role than a network device.
 For example, a router that can route data from an IPX network to an IP network is, technically,
a gateway.
 Another example of a gateway involves the Systems Network Architecture (SNA) gateway,
which converts the data format used on a PC to that used on an IBM mainframe or
minicomputer. A system that acts as an SNA gateway sits between the client PC and the
mainframe and translates requests and replies from both directions.
 The definition of gateways is vague, it's because there is no definite answer. The function of a
gateway is very specific, but how the gateway functionality is implemented is not.

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Modems
 Modem is a contraction of the terms modulator and demodulator.
 Modems perform a simple function: They translate digital signals from a computer into analog
signals that can travel across conventional phone lines.
 Modems provide a relatively slow method of communication. In fact, the fastest modem
available on the market today has a maximum speed of 56Kbps.
 available as
o internal devices that plug into PCI/ISA slots
o external devices that plug into serial or USB ports;
o PCMCIA cards designed for use in laptops

Network Interface Cards (NICs)

 NICs are the mechanisms by which computers connect to a network.
 NICs come in all shapes and sizes, and they come in prices to suit all budgets.
 Known as network card, network adapter, and LAN adapter, etc.
 When buying one consider
o Network compatibility – Ethernet/Token Ring
o Bus compatibility – PCI/ ISA /PCI-e
o Port compatibility – UTP/ Fibre
o Hardware compatibility – Easy to install / Recognized by many OS’s

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Wireless Access Point (WAP)
 are a transmitter and receiver (transceiver) device used for wireless LAN (WLAN) radio
signals.
 Depending on the size of the network, one or more WAPs may be required. Additional WAPs
are used to allow access to more wireless clients and to expand the range of the wireless
network.
 Communication depends on
o Distance between the client and the WAP
o Environmental conditions

Transceivers
 The term transceiver does not necessarily describe a separate network device but rather an
integrated technology embedded in devices.
 transceiver = transmitter and a receiver
 device that receives data, converts it, and then sends it to another location
 RF transceivers, fiber-optic transceivers, Ethernet transceivers, are examples
 can also be used in pairs to insert a fiber segment into copper networks

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Firewall
 a hardware or software system that is used to separate one computer or network from another
one.
 The most common type is used to protect a computer or an entire network from unauthorized
access from the Internet.
 can also be used to control the flow of data to and from multiple networks within the same
organization. Firewalls
 can be programmed to filter data packets based on the information that is contained in the
packets.

IP Terminology
 Bit A bit is one digit, either a 1 or a 0.
 Byte A byte is 7 or 8 bits, depending on whether parity is used.
 Octet An octet, made up of 8 bits, is just an ordinary 8-bit binary number.
 Network address This is the designation used in routing to send packets to a remote network
for example, 10.0.0.0, 172.16.0.0, and 192.168.10.0.
 You can depict an IP address using one of three methods:
 Dotted-decimal, as in 172.16.30.56
 Binary, as in 10101100.00010000.00011110.00111000
 Hexadecimal, as in AC.10.1E.38

Summary of the three classes of networks

Network Address Range: Class A

 0xxxxxxx
 00000000 = 0
 01111111 = 127

Network Address Range: Class B

 10000000 = 128
 10111111 = 191

Network Address Range: Class C

 11000000 = 192
 11011111 = 223

Network Address Ranges: Classes D and E

 The addresses between 224 to 255 are reserved for Class D and E networks.

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  Class D (224–239) is used for multicast addresses and Class E (240–255) for scientific
purposes

Private IP Addresses

Subnet Masks
 A subnet mask is a 32-bit value that allows the recipient of IP packets to distinguish the
network ID portion of the IP address from the host ID portion of the IP address.
 The network administrator creates a 32-bit subnet mask composed of 1s and 0s.
 The 1s in the subnet mask represent the positions that refer to the network or subnet
addresses.

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