DIT 407

Networking Hardware

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 Computer Networks
 Networks: Consists of two or more
computers that are linked in order
to
 Share resources e.g. Printers, CD-
ROMs etc.
 Exchanges files
 Allow electronic communications.
 May be linked through bound and
unbound media

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 Networking Hardware
 Includes all computers and peripheral
equipment needed to perform data
processing and communications within
the network i.e.
 Cables.
 Servers.
 Workstations.
 Network Interface Cards.
 Hubs.
 Repeaters.
 Bridges.
 Routers, Switches and Gateways.

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 Servers
 Server: Stands at the heart of most
networks.
 A very fast computer with a large amount of
RAM and storage space, along with a fast
network interface card.
 The network operating system software
resides on this computer, along with any
software applications and data files that
need to be shared.
 The server controls the communication of
information between the nodes on a
network.
 Should be able to store a lot of information
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and share it very DBIT
quickly.
401 4
Characteristics of Servers:
A fast microprocessor (Intel® Xeon ).
 A fast hard drive with many
gigabytes/terabytes of storage.(SAS)
 A RAID (Redundant Array of Inexpensive
Disks) to preserve data after a disk
casualty.
 A tape back-up unit or a CD RW Drive.
 Numerous expansion slots
 Fast network interface card
 A big RAM

Server
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 Workstations
 Workstations: All the computers
connected to the servers on a
network.
 A typical workstation is a computer
that is configured with a network
interface card, networking software,
and the appropriate cables.
 Workstations do not necessarily
need floppy disk drives or hard
drives because files can be saved on
the file server.

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 Network Interface Cards
 Network Interface Card (NIC): Provides
the physical connection between the
network and the computer workstation.
 Most NICs are internal, with the card fitting
into an expansion slot inside the computer.
 Some computers, such as Mac Classics, use
external boxes that are attached to a serial
port or a SCSI port.
 NICs are a major factor in determining
the speed and performance of a
network.
 It is a good idea to use the fastest network
card available for workstation.
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 Network Interface Cards

 Ethernet card: From top to bottom - RJ 45,

AUI and BNC connectors

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 Functions of the NIC
• It establishes and manages the computer’s
network connection.
• It translates digital data (of source computer)
into signals (appropriate for the networking
medium) for outgoing messages, and translates
from signals into digital computer data for
incoming messages.
• Converts serial incoming data via cable into
parallel data for CPU, and vice versa.
• It has some memory, which acts as a holding
tank or buffer. It buffers the data to control the
data flow.
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 Ethernet cards
 Ethernet connections operate at 10
/100/1000 Mbps (Megabits per
second).
 Each Ethernet NIC has a physical
address assigned to it by the
manufacturer known as MAC
(Medium Access Control) address.
 The address is programmed onto a
chip on the NIC

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 Ethernet cards
 Each NIC has a physical address
assigned to it at the factory.
 This address is programmed onto a chip
on the NIC.
 No two physical addresses are ever the
same.
 The addresses are referred to as Media
Access Control (MAC) addresses.

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 Limitation of MAC Addresses

 MAC addresses have no structure

and are considered flat address
spaces.
 This is a big problem for large
networks
 Different vendors have different
OUIs assigned by InterNIC

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 Transceivers
 Transceiver: transmitter-receiver.
 It contains electronic circuitry to both transmit
onto and receive signals carried by the coaxial
cable.
 It contains a tap that when pushed against the
coaxial cable, penetrates the cable and makes
contact with the core of the cable.
 The transceiver, its tap and its housing are
often referred to as medium attachment units
(MAU).
 The MAU is generally attached directly to the
computer's AUI connector, or the MAU may be
attached to the computer with a specially
shielded AUI cable.
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 Transceivers
 Many computers and interface network cards
also contain a built-in 10 BASE-T or 10 BASE 2
MAU, allowing them to be connected directly
to Ethernet without requiring an external MAU.
 The AUI connector consists of a 15-pin D-
shell type connector, female on the
computer side, male on the MAU side.
 Many Ethernet-compatible computers
provide such an AUI connector.

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 Repeater

 Hardware device
 Connects two LAN segments
 Copies signal from one segment to the other
 Connection can be extended with Fiber Optic
Intra-Repeater Link

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 Repeater (continued)
 Amplifies signals from one
segment and sends to the other
 It is used when the total length of the
network exceeds the standards set
for the type of cable being used.
 Operates in two directions (full
duplex) simultaneously
 Propagates noise and collisions

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 Hub
 Physically
 Small electronic device
 Has connections from/to
several computers (e.g., 4 or
20)
 Logically
 Operates on signals
 Propagates each incoming
signal to all connections
 Similar to connecting
segments with repeaters
 Does not understand packets
 Low cost

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 Hub Pros & Cons
 Advantages
 As an active hubs regenerate signals, it increases
the distance that can be spanned by the LAN (up
to 100 meters per segment).
 Hubs can also be connected locally to a
maximum of two other hubs, thereby increasing
the number of devices that can be attached to
the LAN.
 Active hubs are usually used against attenuation,
which is a decrease in the strength of the signal
over distance.
 Disadvantages
 Bandwidth is shared by all hosts i.e. 10Mbs
shared by 25 ports/users.
 Can create bottlenecks when used with switches.
 Have no layer 3 switching capability.
 Most Hubs are unable to utilise VLANS.
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 Bridge
 A layer 2 Hardware device
 A bridge serves two purposes.
 Allows segmenting a large network into two
smaller, more efficient networks.
 It does this by monitoring the information traffic on
both sides of the network so that it can pass
packets of information to the correct location.
 Connects two networks running the same
protocol e.g. Ethernet to Ethernet or Token
Ring to Token Ring.
 Forwards frames
 Does not forward noise or collisions
 Learns addresses and filters
 Allows independent transmission
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 Bridge Algorithm
 Listen in promiscuous mode
 Watch source address in incoming
frames
 Make list of computers on each
segment
 Only forward if necessary
 Always forward broadcast / multicast

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 Illustration of a Bridge

 Bridge uses source address to learn

location of computers
 Learning is completely automated
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 Routers
 The difference between a router
and a bridge is
 Routers operate at level 3 in
the OSI seven layer model.
 Bridges operate at level 2.
 A router can be used to connect
different types of networks
 It has access to level 3 routing
information, can dynamically
make the best (cheapest, fastest,
etc) choice of route between the
networks.
 Routers divide the network
logically instead of physically.

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 Routers
 A router will decide whether to forward
a packet by looking at the protocol level
addresses
 Use TCP/IP addresses rather than
MAC address.
 Routers can therefore route
 Signal traffic efficiently
 Messages between any two protocols
 Messages between different
topologies
 Messages across any media
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 The shared medium shared
bandwidth bottleneck
 In Ethernet and Token Ring networks, a
common medium (wire, hub etc) to which
devices are attached is used to link the
various devices.
 The bandwidth of the medium is shared
with only one user able to transmit at any
given time.
 Referred to as shared medium shared
bandwidth.
 Ethernet: Devices compete for a slice of
bandwidth on the backplane in cases where a
hub is used or for the backbone cable
 Token Ring: Devices compete for the
acquisition of the token.
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 The shared medium shared
bandwidth bottleneck
 A LAN switch has multiple ports,
each of which can support a single
end-station or an entire Ethernet
or Token Ring LAN.
 With a different LAN connected to
each of the switch's port, it can
switch packets between LANs as
needed.
 It thus acts like a very fast multi-
port bridge.
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 Switch
 Electronic device
 Physically similar to a hub
 Logically similar to a bridge
 Operates on packets
 Understands addresses
 Only forwards when necessary
 Permits separate pairs of computers to
communicate at the same time
 Higher cost than hub

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 Hardware connections

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 Example Topology
UTP 10Mbs

Hub

Fibre 100Mbs

Switch

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