Module 4: Build a Home

Network
Module Objectives

Module Title: Build a Home Network

Module Objective: Configure an integrated wireless router and wireless client to connect securely to the
internet.

Topic Title Topic Objective

Home Network Basics Describe the components required to build a home network.
Network Technologies in the
Describe wired and wireless network technologies.
Home
Wireless Standards Describe Wi-Fi.

Set Up a Home Router Configure wireless devices for secure communications.

© 2020 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 2
4.1 Home Network Basics

© 2020 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 3
Home Network Basics
Video - Typical Home Network Setup

This video discuss some of the equipment that exists in the typical home network.

© 2020 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 4
Home Network Basics
Components of a Home Network

• In addition to an integrated router, there are

Home Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN)
many different types of devices that might be
connecting to a home network, as shown in the
figure.
• Here are a few examples:
• Desktop computers
• Gaming systems
• Smart TV systems
• Printers
• Scanners
• Security cameras
• Telephones
• Climate control devices
• As the new technologies come on the market,
more and more household functions will rely on
the network to provide connectivity and control.

© 2020 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 5
Home Network Basics
Typical Home Network Routers

• Small business and home routers typically have two primary types of
ports:
• Ethernet Ports: They connect to the internal switch portion of
the router and are usually labeled “Ethernet” or “LAN”. All
devices connected to the switch ports are on the same local
network.
• Internet Port: It is used to connect the device to another
network. It connects the router to a different network than the
Ethernet ports. It is often used to connect to the cable or DSL
• Many home routers also include a radio antenna and a built-in wireless access point.
modem to access the internet.
• By default, the wireless devices are on the same local network as the devices physically plugged into
the LAN switch ports.
• The internet port is the only port that is on a different network in the default ©configuration.
2020 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 6
4.2 Network Technologies in
the Home

© 2020 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 7
Network Technologies in the Home
LAN Wireless Frequencies

• The wireless technologies most frequently used in home networks are in the unlicensed 2.4 GHz
and 5 GHz frequency ranges.
• Bluetooth is a technology that makes use of the 2.4 GHz band.
• It is limited to low-speed, short-range communications, but has the advantage of communicating
with many devices at the same time.
• This one-to-many communication has made Bluetooth technology the preferred method for
connecting computer peripherals such as wireless mice, keyboards, and printers.
• Bluetooth is a good method for transmitting audio to speakers or headphones.
• Other technologies that use the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands are the modern wireless LAN
technologies that conform to the various IEEE 802.11 standards.
• Unlike Bluetooth technology, 802.11 devices transmit at a much higher power level giving them a
great range and improved throughput.
• Certain areas of the electromagnetic spectrum can be used without a permit.

© 2020 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 8
Network Technologies in the Home
LAN Wireless Frequencies (Cont.)

The figure shows where wireless technologies exist on the electromagnetic spectrum.

© 2020 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 9
Network Technologies in the Home
Wired Network Technologies

• Although many home network devices support wireless communications, there are still a few
applications where devices benefit from a wired switch connection that is not shared with other
users on the network.
• The most implemented wired protocol is the Ethernet protocol.
• Ethernet uses a suite of protocols that allow network devices to communicate over a wired LAN
connection.
• An Ethernet LAN can connect devices using many different types of wiring media.
• Directly connected devices use an Ethernet patch cable, usually unshielded twisted pair.
• These cables can be purchased with the RJ-45 connectors already installed, and they come in
various lengths.
• Recently constructed homes may have Ethernet jacks already wired in the walls of the home.
• For those homes that do not have UTP wiring, there are other technologies, such as powerline,
that can distribute wired connectivity throughout the premises.

© 2020 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 10
Network Technologies in the Home
Wired Network Technologies (Cont.)

Wired technologies include:

Category 5e Cable It is the most common wiring used in a LAN. The cable is made up of 4 pairs of wires
that are twisted to reduce electrical interference.
Coaxial Cable It has an inner wire surrounded by a tubular insulating layer that is then surrounded by a
tubular conducting shield. Most coax cables also have an external insulating sheath or
jacket.
Fiber-optic Cable It can be either glass or plastic with a diameter about the same as a human hair and can
carry digital information at very high speeds over long distances. Fiber-optic cables
have a very high bandwidth, which enables them to carry very large amounts of data.

© 2020 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 11
4.3 Wireless Standards

© 2020 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 12
Wireless Standards
Wi-Fi Networks
• Standards specify the RF spectrum used, data rates, how the information is transmitted, and
more.
• The main organization responsible for the creation of wireless technical standards is the IEEE.
• The IEEE 802.11 standard governs the WLAN environment.
• There are amendments to the IEEE 802.11 standard that describe characteristics for different
standards of wireless communications.
• Wireless standards for LANs use the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency bands.
• Collectively these technologies are referred to as Wi-Fi.
• Another organization, the Wi-Fi Alliance, is responsible for testing wireless LAN devices from
different manufacturers.
• The Wi-Fi logo on a device means that this equipment meets standards and should operate with
other devices that use the same standard.
• Wireless standards are constantly improving the connectivity and speed of Wi-Fi networks.
• It is important to be aware of new standards as they are introduced because manufacturers
of wireless devices will implement these standards quickly in their new products.

© 2020 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 13
Wireless Standards
Wireless Settings
The Packet Tracer Basic Wireless Settings interface is shown in the figure.

• Wireless routers using the 802.11 standards have multiple

settings to be configured, including:
• Network Mode: The type of technology that must be
supported (802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n or Mixed Mode).
• Network Name (SSID): Identifies the WLAN. All
devices that wish to participate in the WLAN must have
the same service set identifier (SSID).
• Standard Channel: Specifies the channel over which
communication will occur. By default, this is set
to Auto to allow the AP to determine the optimum
channel to use.
• SSID Broadcast: Determines if the SSID will be © 2020 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 14
broadcast to all devices within range. By default, it's set
to Enabled.
Wireless Standards
Wireless Settings (Cont.)

Network Mode:

• The 802.11 protocol can provide increased throughput based on the wireless network
environment.
• If all wireless devices connect with the same 802.11 standard, maximum speeds can be
obtained for that standard.
• If the access point is configured to accept only one 802.11 standard, devices that do not use
that standard cannot connect to the access point.
• A mixed mode wireless network environment can include devices that use any of the existing
Wi-Fi standards.
• This environment provides easy access for older devices that need a wireless connection but
do not support the latest standards.
• When building a wireless network, it is important that the wireless components connect to the
appropriate WLAN. This is done using the SSID.

© 2020 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 15
Wireless Standards
Wireless Settings (Cont.)
• The SSID is a case-sensitive, alphanumeric string that contains up to 32 characters.
• It is sent in the header of all frames transmitted over the WLAN.
• It is used to tell wireless devices (STAs), which WLAN they belong to and with which other
devices they can communicate.

• We use the SSID to identify a specific wireless network that is essentially the name of the network.

• Wireless routers usually broadcast their configured SSIDs by default.

• The SSID broadcast allows other devices and wireless clients to automatically discover the name
of the wireless network.

• When the SSID broadcast is disabled, you must manually enter the SSID on wireless devices.
• Disabling SSID broadcasting can make it more difficult for legitimate clients to find the
wireless network.
• Simply turning off the SSID broadcast is not sufficient to prevent unauthorized clients from
connecting to the wireless network.
• All wireless networks should use the strongest available encryption to restrict unauthorized
© 2020 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 16
access.
4.4 Set Up a Home Router

© 2020 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 17
Set Up a Home Router
First Time Setup
• Many wireless routers designed for home use have an automatic setup utility that can be used to
configure the basic settings on the router.
• These utilities usually require a PC or laptop to be connected to a wired port on the router.

• If no device is available that has a wired connection, it may be necessary to configure the wireless client
software on the laptop or tablet first.

• To connect to the router using a wired connection:

• Plug an Ethernet patch cable into the network port on the computer.
• Plug the other end into a LAN port on the router.
• Do not plug the cable into the port or interface that is labeled “Internet” as it will connect to the DSL
or cable modem.

• Some home routers may have a built-in modem for internet connections.
• If so, verify that the type of connection is correct for your internet service.

• A cable modem connection will have a coaxial terminal to accept a BNC-type connector.

• A DSL connection will have a port for a telephone-type cable, usually an RJ-11 connector.

© 2020 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 18
Set Up a Home Router
First Time Setup (Cont.)

• After confirming that the computer is connected to the network router and the link lights on the
NIC indicate a working connection, the computer needs an IP address.

• Most network routers are set up so that the computer receives an IP address automatically from a
local DHCP server automatically configured on the wireless router.

• If the computer does not have an IP address:

• Check the router documentation.
• Configure the PC or tablet with a unique IP address, subnet mask, default gateway, and DNS
information.

© 2020 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 19
Set Up a Home Router
Design Considerations

• Before entering the configuration utility, or manually configuring the router through a web browser,
you should consider how your network will be used.

• You do not want to configure the router and have that configuration limit what you are able to do on
the network, nor do you want to leave your network unprotected.

• If SSID broadcasting is on, the SSID name will be seen by all wireless clients within your
signal range.
• Many times, the SSID gives away too much information about the network to unknown
What should my
client devices.
network be called?
• It is not a good practice to include the device model or brand name as part of the SSID.
• Wireless devices have default settings that are easy to find on the internet, as well as
known security weaknesses.

© 2020 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 20
Set Up a Home Router
Design Considerations (Cont.)

• Wireless devices contain radio transmitter/receivers that function within a specific

frequency range.
• If a device only has the necessary radio for 802.11 b/g, it will not connect if the wireless
router or access point is configured to only accept 802.11n or 802.11ac standards.
What types of
• If all devices support the same standard, the network will work at its optimum speed.
devices will attach to
• If you have devices that do not support the n or ac standards, then you will have to enable
my network?
legacy mode.
• A legacy mode wireless network environment varies between router models.
• This environment provides easy access for legacy devices that need a wireless
connection.
• The decision regarding who can access your home network should be determined by how
you plan to use the network.
How Do I Add New
• On some wireless routers, it is possible to set up guest access.
Devices?
• This is a special SSID coverage area that allows open access but restricts that access to
using the internet only.

© 2020 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 21
Set Up a Home Router
Design Considerations (Cont.)

• The figure shows a wireless

setup screen.

• Some wireless routers may

label legacy mode as mixed
mode.

© 2020 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 22
Set Up a Home Router
Video - Wireless Router and Client Configuration

• In this video you will learn how to:

• Connect the devices.
• Configure the wireless router.
• Configure IP addressing and test connectivity.

© 2020 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 23
Set Up a Home Router
Packet Tracer - Configure a Wireless Router and Client

In this Packet Tracer activity, you will complete the following objectives:
• Part 1: Connect the devices.
• Part 2: Configure the wireless router.
• Part 3: Configure IP addressing and test connectivity.

© 2020 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 24
4.5 Build a Home Network
Summary

© 2020 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 25
Build a Home Network Summary
What Did I Learn in this Module?
• Most home networks consist of at least two separate networks with the public network coming in from the service
provider.
• The router is connected to the internet and is most likely equipped with both wired and wireless capabilities.
• A home network is a small LAN with devices that usually connect to an integrated router and to each other to
exchange information.
• Other types of devices that might be connecting to a home network include desktop computers, gaming systems,
smart tv systems, printers, scanners, security cameras, and climate control devices.
• Port types for small business and home routers include ethernet ports and internet ports.
• Many home routers include wired ports, a radio antenna, and a built-in wireless access point.
• Wireless technologies use electromagnetic waves to carry information between devices and most frequently use the
unlicensed 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency ranges in home networks.
• Bluetooth uses the 2.4 GHz band.
• Other technologies that use the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands are modern wireless LAN technologies that conform to
the various IEEE 802.11 standards.
• 802.11 devices transmit at a much higher power level than Bluetooth technology, giving them a great range and
improved throughput.
• Directly connected devices use an Ethernet patch cable, usually unshielded twisted pair.
• Category 5e, the most common wiring used in a LAN, is made up of 4 pairs of wires that are twisted to reduce
electrical interference.

© 2020 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 26
Build a Home Network Summary
What Did I Learn in this Module? (Cont.)
• The IEEE 802.11 standard governs the WLAN environment and Wireless standards for LANs use the 2.4 GHz and
5 GHz frequency bands and are collectively referred to as Wi-Fi.
• Wireless routers using the 802.11 standards have multiple settings to be configured such as network mode,
network name (SSID), standard channel, and SSID broadcast.
• When building a wireless network, it is important that the wireless components connect to the appropriate WLAN
using the SSID.
• The SSID broadcast allows other devices and wireless clients to automatically discover the name of the wireless
network, but if disabled, it must be manually entered on wireless devices.
• Many wireless routers designed for home use have an automatic setup utility that can be used to configure the
basic settings on the router.
• Most network routers are set up so that the computer receives an IP address automatically from a local DHCP
server automatically configured on the wireless router.
• It is not good practice to include the device model or brand name as part of the SSID as internet searches can
expose security weaknesses.
• Who can access your home network should be determined by how you plan to use the network.
• Many routers support MAC address filtering enabling you to specifically identify who is allowed on the wireless
network.
• Guest access on wireless routers is a special SSID coverage area that allows open access but restricts that access
to using the internet only.
© 2020 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential 27