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How Computers Find Each Other On Networks

The document discusses how computers find each other on a network. It describes four methods of identifying nodes: application layer names and ports, transport layer port numbers, network layer IP addresses, and data link layer MAC addresses. It also explains concepts like DNS, IP configuration, and network troubleshooting tools like ping and nslookup.

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Moses Oyakhilome
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35 views16 pages

How Computers Find Each Other On Networks

The document discusses how computers find each other on a network. It describes four methods of identifying nodes: application layer names and ports, transport layer port numbers, network layer IP addresses, and data link layer MAC addresses. It also explains concepts like DNS, IP configuration, and network troubleshooting tools like ping and nslookup.

Uploaded by

Moses Oyakhilome
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Network Security I

INFO8490
Conestoga College
Topic 06 – How Computers
Find Each Other
Identify Nodes on a Network
• Four methods:
• Application layer FQDNs, computer names, and host names
• Transport layer port numbers
• Network layer IP address
• IPv4 addresses have 32 bits and are written as four decimal numbers
called octets
• IPv6 addresses have 128 bits and are written as eight blocks of
hexadecimal numbers
• Data Link layer MAC address
• Also called physical address

INFO8490 - Network Security I 3


MAC Addresses
• Traditional MAC addresses contain two parts
• First 24 bits are known as the OUI (Organizationally Unique Identifier) or block
ID or company-ID
• Assigned by the IEEE
• Last 24 bits make up the extension identifier or device ID
• Manufacturer’s assign each NIC a unique device ID

INFO8490 - Network Security I 4


How Host Names and Domain Names Work
• Character-based names are easier to remember than numeric IP
addresses
• Last part of an FQDN is called the top-level domain (TLD)
• Domain names must be registered with an Internet naming authority
that works on behalf of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names
and Numbers
• ICANN restricts what type of hosts can be associated with .arpa, .mil, .int,
.edu, and .gov
• Name resolution is the process of discovering the IP address of a host
when you know the FQDN
INFO8490 - Network Security I 5
DNS (Domain Name System)
• DNS is an Application layer client-server system of computers and
databases made up of these elements:
• namespace - the entire collection of computer names and their associated IP
addresses stored in databases on DNS name servers around the globe
• name servers - hold databases, which are organized in a hierarchical structure
• resolvers - a DNS client that requests information from DNS name servers

Material Used/Adapted from Network+ Guide to Networks 7th Edition Teaching Materials
INFO8490 - Network Security I 6
INFO1380 – Technical Infrastructure: Networking
How Name Servers Are Organized
• DNS name servers are organized in a hierarchical structure
• At the root level, 13 clusters of root server hold information used to
locate top-level domain (TLD) servers
• TLD servers hold information about authoritative servers
• The authority on computer names and their IP address for computer in their
domains

INFO8490 - Network Security I 7


Finding a Node by Name or IP
• nslookup (name space lookup) - allows you to query
the DNS database from any computer on a network
• To find the host name of a device by specifying its IP
address, or vice versa
• Useful for verifying a host is configured correctly or for
troubleshooting DNS resolution problems
• Reverse DNS lookup - to find the host name of a
device whose IP address you know
• Two modes:
• Interactive - to test multiple DNS servers at one time
• Noninteractive - test a single DNS server

INFO8490 - Network Security I 8


Ports and Sockets
• Port numbers - ensure data is transmitted to the correct application
• Socket - consists of host’s IP address and the port number of an
application running on the host
• Colon separates the two values
• Example - 10.43.3.87:23
• Port numbers are divided into three types:
• Well-known ports - 0 to 1023
• Registered ports - 1024 to 49151
• Dynamic and private ports - 49152 to 65535

INFO8490 - Network Security I 9


How a DHCP Server Assigns IP Addresses
• Static IP addresses are assigned manually by the network
administrator
• Dynamic IP addresses are automatically assigned by a DHCP server
• If a computer configured to use DHCP is unable to lease an IPv4
address from the DHCP server
• It uses an Automatic Private IP Addressing (APIPA) address in the address
range 169.254.0.1 through 169.254.255.254

INFO8490 - Network Security I 10


PING
• ping (Packet Internet Groper) - used to verify that TCP/IP is installed,
bound to the NIC, configured correctly, and communicating with the
network
• The ping utility sends out a signal called an echo request to another
device (request for a response)
• Other computer responds in the form of an echo reply
• ICMP - protocol used by the echo request/reply to carry error
messages and information about the network

INFO8490 - Network Security I 11


PING

INFO8490 - Network Security I 12


PING
• IPv6 networks use a version of ICMP called ICMPv6
• ping6 - on Linux computers running IPv6, use ping6 to verify whether an IPv6
host is available
• ping -6 - on Windows computers, use ping with the -6 switch to verify
connectivity on IPv6 networks
• For the ping6 and ping -6 commands to work over the Internet, you
must have access to the IPv6 Internet

INFO8490 - Network Security I 13


Summary
• Hosts on a network are assigned host names
• Applications are assigned one or more port numbers to communicate
with other applications
• IPv4 addresses have 32 bits and are written as four decimal numbers
called octets
• IPv6 addresses have 128 bits and are written as eight blocks of
hexadecimal numbers
• Every NIC is assigned a unique 48-bit MAC address
• Use the ipconfig command to view IP configuration information

INFO8490 - Network Security I 14


Summary
• A FQDN includes both a host name portion and a domain name
portion
• Name resolution is the process of matching an FQDN to its IP address
• DNS is an automated name resolution service that operates at the
Application layer
• DNS data is spread throughout the globe in a distributed database
model
• An IP address and a port number written together is called a socket

INFO8490 - Network Security I 15


Summary
• IP Address and well-known ports range from 0 to 1023 and are
assigned by Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA)
• You can define a range of available IP addresses in DHCP, or assign
a static IP address as a DHCP reservation
• The ping utility uses ICMP to verify that TCP/IP is installed, bound
to the NIC, configured correctly, and communicating with the
network
• ipconfig is useful for viewing and adjusting a Windows computer’s
TCP/IP settings
• The nslookup utility allows you to query the DNS database from
any computer on the network

INFO8490 - Network Security I 16

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