SOUTHERN LUZON STATE UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

ECE08L – Data Communications Laboratory

Activity 1
INTRODUCTION TO
NETWORKING DEVICES

Rating:
I. Introduction
Data communications involves various devices that play specific roles in transmitting, receiving and
processing data. These devices work together to ensure the efficient and secure transfer of data in a
network environment. The specific devices are used depends on the type of network, its size and the
communication requirements of the connected devices.

II. Objective
1. To have familiarity with various networking components and devices.

III. Activity

Instruction: Look for a picture of the following components and describe them. Provide these in the
space provided.

INTERFACES
Network Interface Card (NIC) Wide Area Network Interface Card (WIC) –
Cisco
A NIC card may send data packets at the
network layer and transmit signals at the There are one or two internal V.90 analog
physical layer while functioning as an interface modems provided by the WAN interface cards -
at the TCP/IP layer. The network interface 1AM and -2AM (WIC-1AM and WIC-2AM).
controller serves as a go-between for a Analog modem calls, both incoming and
computer or server and a data network, outgoing, can be made using these WICs. While
regardless of the layer on which it is located. the WIC-1AM connects to a regular telephone
When a user requests a web page, the LAN line with one port and an analog phone with
card retrieves the necessary data from the user the other port to be used as a backup phone
device, delivers it to an internet server, and when the modem is not in use, the WIC-2AM
then gets it back to display for users. has two RJ-11 connectors.

CONNECTORS
RJ-45 RJ-11

Modular connecting devices known as RJ45 One of the various modular connector types
connectors are used in conjunction with cables used in networking, telephone, and telephone
to provide data connectivity to a range of connector wiring applications is the RJ11
electronic systems. They support four twisted connector. Usually, just four of the six pins are
wire pairs since they have eight contacts and used. Its connections are used to connect
eight wire places that can be used for power or telephone equipment and cable in RJ11 jacks.
signals. While their 8-contact, 8-position It was once moved out of the network rack and
configuration resembles that of other 8P8C is now more frequently utilized for landline
connectors, genuine RJ45 connectors also have connections and modems. Though there are six
a tab that restricts the device's insertion to one pins on a registered Jack-11, only four are
orientation when inserted into a compatible usually used. They are mostly utilized for low-
socket to avoid incorrect connections. speed networking applications, fax machines,
and telephones due to their compactness.
DB-9 (Female) DB-60 (Male)

The DB9 female connector has nine holes for Male DB9 connectors have nine pins. A female
pins. To avoid shorting, a female connector is connector is typically found on a peripheral
also utilized to deliver power or a signal. device (DCE), and a male connector is typically
found on a computer's COM port (DTE).

Smart V-35 (Male)

Smart cables are those that have electronic Data terminal equipment (DTE) and data
components integrated into one or both circuit-terminating equipment (DCE) frequently
terminating connectors and interconnects on use V.35 as an interface, especially when
one or both ends. Usage, convert from, convert sending network layer data. The V.35
to, length, and shielding are the attributes. USB connectors are designed to withstand wear and
to IEEE 1284, USB to MPSSE, USB to RS232, USB tear as well as meet the demands of high-
to RS422, USB to RS485, USB to TTL Serial speed transmission. Usually, they have both
(1.8V,3.3V,5V), USB to UART, and USB to male and female varieties to accommodate
UART/RPi are among the devices that can be various needs for connection.
used.

OPTICAL TERMINATION
MT-RJ ST

The amount of space needed on panels, wall One of the earliest connector types to be
plates, and closets is cut in half across the extensively used in fiber optic networking
network by Molex MT-RJ Fiber Optic applications was the ST connector. Its original
Connectors. For fiber-to-the-desk applications, meaning was "Straight Tip connector," and
this small form factor connector is perfect, and AT&T developed it. Round plastic or metal
its design complies with TIA standards. An bodies with a 2.5mm ferrule are used for ST
enhanced RJ-45 type latch is used by MT-RJ. connections. A bayonet-style "twist-on/twist-
This is a standard industry latch. The best off" mechanism holds the connector in place.
option for desktop horizontal cabling needs is Smaller, denser connections are gradually
the MT-RJ connector because it combines a replacing the ST connector in many
small form factor connector with the well- installations, despite its long history of
known RJ-45 latching mechanism. popularity.
SC LC

Although the Japanese telecom company NTT The LC type is a common Small Form Factor
may have originally called them "Subscriber (SFF) connector. Lucent Technologies created
Connectors," Standard Connectors or SC this interface, hence the name Lucent
Connectors are the more common names for Connector. It has a retaining tab mechanism
these connectors. They are a duplex connector that is akin to that of a phone or RJ45
with a square form that latches in place with a connector, and the connector body has a SC
push-pull mechanism and a 2.5mm ferrule. connector's squarish shape. Plastic clips are
Because of this, they are more durable than typically used to hold LC connectors together in
other connectors, such as ST connectors, and if a duplex configuration. An LC connector has a
the cable is pulled, the signal won't be lost. 1.25mm ferrule.

NETWORK MEDIA
Straight-through cable Cross-over cable

In local area networks, a straight through cable An Ethernet cable used for direct computer
is a kind of twisted pair cable that is used to device connections is called a crossover cable.
link a computer to a network hub like a router. The RJ45 crossover cable employs two distinct
This kind of cable, which is also occasionally wiring standards: the T568A wiring standard is
referred to as a patch cable, serves as a used on one end, and the T568B wiring
substitute for wireless connections, which standard is used on the other, in contrast to
allow one or more computers to connect to a straight through cable. The transmit and
router via a wireless signal. The wired pins on a receive signals in Ethernet crossover cables are
straight through cable match. reversed by their internal wiring.
Rollover Cable

Rollover cables merely flip the pin positions of

every wire within a cable. The wire going to pin
2 and the first end connects to pin 7 at the
other end, and the wire going to pin 1 at one
end goes to pin 8 at the other. Pins 4 and 5 are
inverted in the middle of the connector. For RS-
232 connectors that plug into serial ports on
PCs, printers, or monitors, this format is
utilized. Buying a rollover cable shouldn't be a
concern because serial ports are outdated.

DEVICES
End-devices / Hosts Repeaters

End devices are node devices that function as a Operationally, a repeater is at the physical
source or a destination during computer layer. Its task is to regenerate the signal over
network communication. Nodes that can the same network before it gets too distorted
function as clients, servers, or both are or weak to continue transmitting over the same
becoming more common in computer network for a longer period. It's crucial to
networking systems due to recent remember that repeaters regenerate the signal
developments. To create communication links in addition to amplifying it. They replicate the
between these end devices, the remainder of signal bit by bit and regenerate it at its star
the network is constructed around them. topology connectors connecting in accordance
with its initial strength when it starts to
become weak. There are two ports on it.

Hubs Bridges

In essence, a hub is a multi-port repeater. A A bridge functions at the layer of data links. A
hub joins several cables from various branches; bridge is essentially a repeater with the ability
an example of this would be the connector in a to filter content by analyzing the source and
star topology that joins various stations. Data destination MAC addresses. Two LANs using
packets are sent to all connected devices the same protocol can also be connected with
because hubs are unable to filter data. Stated it. It is a two-port device because it has a single
differently, all hosts connected through Hub input and one output port.
maintain a single collision domain. Additionally,
they lack the intelligence to determine which
data packet path is optimal, which results in
waste and inefficiencies.

LAN Switch Wireless Access Point (WAP)

A LAN switch is a switch that offers every node Networking devices known as wireless access
in an organization's internal network a distinct points, or WAPs, enable Wi-Fi devices to
connection. A LAN switch essentially creates a establish a connection with a wired network.
number of transient networks that connect the They create local area networks that are
two devices that are currently sharing data. wireless (WLANs). Wireless radio signals are
transmitted and received centrally by an access
point. In order to accommodate wireless
mobile devices, mainstream wireless APs are
used in homes, public internet hotspots, and
business networks. They also support Wi-Fi.
The access point can be a standalone device or
integrated into a wired router.

Router

An apparatus that links two or more packet-

switched networks or subnetworks is called a
router. By forwarding data packets to their
intended IP addresses, it manages traffic
between these networks and permits multiple
devices to share an Internet connection. These
are its two main functions.
 IV. Conclusion
Understanding the various components aids in comprehending the structure and
connectivity of networks. To effectively design, implement, and troubleshoot networks, one must
possess this knowledge. Optimizing network performance is possible when one is aware of the
capabilities of various networking devices. Understanding a variety of components makes it
possible to integrate new hardware into an existing network infrastructure with ease,
guaranteeing compatibility and interoperability.

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