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Introduction To Local Area Network: The Key Points From This Module Are

A local area network (LAN) connects devices within a small geographic area through various transmission media and protocols. Key components include nodes, clients, servers, network adapters, cables, wireless access points, switches, routers and network interface cards. Devices communicate via protocols at the data link layer, with physical signals transmitted using copper or fiber optic cables, wireless frequencies or other media. Network topologies like star, bus and ring define the physical connections between nodes. The OSI model organizes network functions into seven layers, with data packets traversing layers from physical transmission to application functions.

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104 views6 pages

Introduction To Local Area Network: The Key Points From This Module Are

A local area network (LAN) connects devices within a small geographic area through various transmission media and protocols. Key components include nodes, clients, servers, network adapters, cables, wireless access points, switches, routers and network interface cards. Devices communicate via protocols at the data link layer, with physical signals transmitted using copper or fiber optic cables, wireless frequencies or other media. Network topologies like star, bus and ring define the physical connections between nodes. The OSI model organizes network functions into seven layers, with data packets traversing layers from physical transmission to application functions.

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TariqMalik
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Introduction to local area Network:


 The key points from this module are:
 Data: Units of information that flow across a network.

Node: End devices on a network.

Client: Requests services across a network.

Server: Supplies services across a network.

On a network a Peer can both Request services across a network and supply services across
a network.

Network adapter - used to gain access to the network and access to other devices on the network.

Types of media:

• Cable

• Wireless

Protocols - name is given to the rules which govern how devices communicate with each other over
networks.

Local Area Network - name is given to a group of computers that are confined to a small geographic
area such as a single building.

A Local Area Network is a group of computers or devices that share a common communication
medium such as cabled and/or wireless connections.

Reasons for using networks


• Can share information
• Can communicate with another person
• Can organize data

Hub -The most basic central connecting device.


Switch -When a host sends data to a switch, the switch can identify the intended recipient of the
data.
Router -A device that enables computers to communicate and allow communication between
two networks such as your home network and the Internet.

Network Interface Card -A network adapter is the hardware device that enables yo to send and
receive data from your computer.
RJ45 patch cable -the most common type of network adapter connection.
Wireless access point -the central connecting device for a wireless network.

Serial data transfer -name is given to the transfer of data one bit at a time.
Broadcast data transfer -Sends data to every other host on the network.
Unicast data transfer -Sends data to a specific host.
Data transfer rate -The maximum bits per second that can be transmitted over a network.

IP address stands for Internet Protocol address.

Functions of an IP address:
• An IP address uniquely identifies your device.
• An IP address uniquely identifies the associated network your device is on.
• An IP address allows each device to send and receive information.

Every IP address is broken down into two parts by a subnet address:


• Network ID
• Host ID

Example of an IP address: 192.168.1.1

A network topology defines the physical connections of hosts in a computer network.

Types of network topology:


•Star
•Bus
•Ring

Star - Most common type of network topology.

Token Ring network - network that sends data logically in a ring fashion, where a token goes to
each computer, one at a time, and continues on in cycles
In a Token Ring network Multistation Access Unit is the name given to the central connecting
device.

Ethernet is the de facto standard and most widely installed LAN technology.
Computers communicate on Ethernet using frames.
In Ethernet a frame is a data packet residing on Layer 2 of the OSI model.

Types of computing:
• Centralized computing
• Client/Server computing
• Peer-to-Peer networking
• Distributed computing
Defining network with OSI Model:

 The key points from this module are:


 The acronym OSI stand for: Open Systems Interconnection

There are 7 layers in the OSI model. Layers of the OSI in their correct sequence starting with Layer
1 at the bottom.

• Layer 7 - Application layer

• Layer 6 - Presentation layer

• Layer 5 - Session layer

• Layer 4 - Transport layer

• Layer 3 - Network layer

• Layer 2 - Data link layer

• Layer 1 - Physical layer

Functions of the seven layers:


• Layer 7 - Application layer -- Enables users and applications to access network services
• Layer 6 - Presentation layer -- Translates data into a common format
• Layer 5 - Session layer - Establishes a communication session between devices
• Layer 4 - Transport layer -- Manages message fragmentation and reassembly
• Layer 3 - Network layer -- Manages data routing and creating sub networks
• Layer 2 - Data link layer -- Provides error-free transfer of data frames
• Layer 1 - Physical layer -- Physical network media and signal methods

OSI layers with Protocol Data Units:


• Transport - Segment
• Network - Packet
• Data link - Frame
• Physical - Bits

Physical Layer 1 components:


• Cables
• Jacks
• Hubs
100BASE-T - Example of an Ethernet standard.
The Media Access Control (MAC) address is defined at Data link layer in the OSI model.

Network layer translates logical addresses or names to physical addresses.


Routers are devices that work at Layer 3 Network layer.

Layer 4- Transport layer ensures that messages are delivered error-free, in sequence and with no
loss or duplications. In Layer 4 Transport layer the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) provides a
connection-based, reliable, byte-stream service to programs.

In Layer 4 Transport layer which Port Number 443 is associated with the secure port HTTPS
(Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure).

The following layers make up the TCP Model:


• Network Interface layer
• Internet layer
• Transport layer
• Application layer

The Internet layer in the TCP model is equivalent to Network layer in the OSI model.

Networking Fundamentals: Understanding Wired and Wireless


Networks

 The key points from this module are:


 Twisted-pair cable - the most commonly used cable type in local area networks

Twisted pair cable contains eight wires grouped into four twisted pairs, typically blue, orange, green
and brown.

Twisted wires in twisted-pair cable help reduce

• Reduces crosstalk

• Reduces interference

Twisted-pair cables are categorized according to


• The frequency at which they transmit signals

• Their data transfer rate

Cable speed and the cable type:

• Category 3 (Cat-3) 10Mbps

• Category 5 (Cat-5) 100Mpbs

• Category 5e (Cate-5e) 100Mbps and 1000 Mbps+

• Category 6 (Cat-6) 1000Mbps+

Types of patch cables:


• Straight through cable
• Crossover cable

Straight through cable: Connect a computer to a central connecting device like a hub.
Crossover cable: Directly connects similar devices without the use of a hub.

Medium dependent interface (MDI) - Type of Ethernet port connection that uses twisted pair cabling

Instead of using crossover cables to connect computers devices such as switches are equipped with
MDI-X ports which take care of the cross.

Tools you will need when making the connections between patch panels and RJ45 jacks
• Cutting tools
• Wire stripper
• Punch down tool
• Continuity tester
Attenuation - name given to the quantity of information reaching the receiver as compared to the
transmitted quantity of information.

According to IEEE 802.3 standard twisted-pair cables can be run 100 meters length before the
signal degrades to a point that it cannot be interpreted by the destination host.

Interference - name is given to anything that disrupts or modifies a signal that is traveling along a
wire.

The following can cause interference in a cable:


• Electric lights
• Electric outlets
• Motors
Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) - Disturbance that affect electrical circuits, devices and cables.
Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) - Disturbance from AM/FM transmissions and cell phone towers.

Crosstalk - name is given to when the signal that is transmitted on one copper wire or pair of wires
creates an undesired effect on another wire or pair of wires.

For twisted-pair cabling crosstalk is broken into the following categories:


Near end crosstalk (NEXT)
Far end crosstalk (FEXT)

Shielded Twisted-Pair cables: cables that have an aluminum shield inside the plastic jacket that
surround the pair of wires.
Plenum-rated cables: name is given to cables that have a Teflon coating that makes them more
impervious to fire.
Fiber optic cables: name is given to cables that transmit light (photons) instead of electricity over
glass or plastic fibers.

A wireless network adapter enables connectivity between a desktop computer or laptop and
Wireless access point.

The following are methods used to connect to a wireless network:


• Infrastructure mode
• Ad-hoc mode

Wireless repeater - name is given to a device that is used to extend the coverage of a wireless
network.
IEEE 802.11 standard - the IEEE standard for wireless local area networks (WLAN Standard).

WEP : Wired Equivalent Privacy


WPA : Wi-Fi Protected Access
TKIP : Temporal Key Integrity Protocol
AES : Advanced Encryption Standard

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