1. The document discusses planning and cabling for computer networks, including identifying different types of network media, connectors, and cabling standards.
2. Key factors to consider when choosing switches and routers include cost, speed and port types, expandability, manageability, and additional features.
3. Ethernet cabling standards specify the types of cables and maximum distances for different network speeds like 10Base-T, 100Base-TX, and 1000Base-T.
In this chapter, we will examine various media and the distinct roles they play with the devices that they connect. You will identify the cables needed to make successful LAN and WAN connections and learn how to use device management connections. The selection of devices and the design of a network addressing scheme will be presented and then applied in the networking labs.
To create a LAN, we need to select the appropriate devices to connect the end device to the network. The two most common devices used are hubs and switches.
The cost of a switch is determined by its capacity and features. The switch capacity includes the number and types of ports available and the switching speed. Other factors that impact the cost are its network management capabilities, embedded security technologies, and optional advanced switching technologies.
The need for speed is ever-present in a LAN environment.
The RJ-45 connector is the male component crimped on the end of the cable.
Many devices allow the UTP Ethernet port to be set to MDI or MDIX. This can be done in one of three ways, depending on the features of the device.
There are two types of physical serial cables in the lab.
Be aware that there will be occasions, especially in the labs, when the local router is required to provide the clock rate and will therefore use a data communications equipment (DCE) cable.
The above slide describes the reasons to divide a network into subnets.
The next five slides in this case study show two address allocation methods using fixed length subnet mask (FLSM) and variable length subnet mask (VLSM). FLSM is also known as non-VLSM.
There are two methods available for allocating addresses to an internetwork. We can use Variable Length Subnet Masking (VLSM), where we assign the prefix and host bits to each network based on the number of hosts in that network. Or, we can use a non-VLSM approach, where all subnets use the same prefix length and the same number of host bits. The following IP addresses will be used to allocate addresses to the internetwork. FLSM – 172.16.0.0/21 VLSM – 172.16.0.0/22
The 172.16.0.0/21 is assigned to this network.
172.16.0.0/22 is assigned to this network.
In this case study, the challenge is to subnet this internetwork while limiting the number of wasted hosts and subnets.
5 host bits are used to accommodate the largest number of hosts, i.e. 28 hosts each in Networks B and E. The other subnets are further subnetted to support the fewer number of hosts.
Many newer computers do not have an EIA/TIA 232 serial interface. If your computer has only a USB interface, use a USB-to-serial conversion cable to access the console port. Connect the conversion cable to a USB port on the computer and then connect the console cable or RJ-45 to DB-9 adapter to this cable.