Chapter 5

LANs and WLANs

5 Chapter Contents
Section A: Network Building Blocks Section B: Wired Networks Section C: Wireless Networks Section D: Using LANs Section E: Security Through Encryption

Chapter 5: LANs and WLANs

5 FastPoll True/False Questions

Answer A for True and B for False
050100 In a network, a server is a computer that provides services to other computers called peers. 050200 Star, ring, and mesh are examples of network topologies. 050300 When you send an e-mail message over a network, it is chopped up into packets. 050400 The IP address assigned to your computer on the Internet is derived from your computers MAC address. 050500 Some network technologies use home telephone or electric cabling for computer networks.

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5 FastPoll True/False Questions

Answer A for True and B for False
050600 The most popular type of wired network is Ethernet. 050700 Network speeds are measured in megabytes and gigabytes. 050800 Many wireless networks use radio waves to transmit data. 050900 Bluetooth is a wireless technology used for WANs.

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5 FastPoll True/False Questions

Answer A for True and B for False
051000 A wireless infrastructure network uses a centralized broadcasting device, such as a wireless access point or router. 051100 Wireless networks are less secure than wired networks. 051200 WEP, WPA, and PSK are examples of WiFi networks. 051300 Public key encryption uses a public key to encrypt messages, but a private key is required to decrypt messages.
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SECTION

Network Building Blocks

Network Classifications LAN Standards Network Devices Clients, Servers, and Peers Physical Topology Network Links Communications Protocols

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5 Question
052100 Networks come in many sizes and use many different technologies, yet they all need to communicate with each other. What is the key to network intercommunication? A. Packet switching B. Network protocols C. Network topology D. Peer-to-peer technology

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5 Network Classifications
Personal Area Network (PAN) interconnection of personal digital devices Local Area Network (LAN) usually connects computers in a single building Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) public high-speed network with range of about 50 miles Wide Area Network (WAN) consists of several smaller networks

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5 LAN Standards
LAN technologies are standardized by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Project 802 Local Network Standards IEEE 802.3 ARCnet Token Ring FDDI Ethernet

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5 Network Devices
Each connection point on a network is referred to as a node To connect to a LAN, a computer requires network circuitry, sometimes referred to as a network interface card (NIC) A networked peripheral, or network-enabled peripheral, is any device that contains network circuitry to directly connect to a network A network device, or network appliance, is any electronic device that broadcasts network data, boosts signals, or routes data to its destination

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5 Network Devices

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5 Clients, Servers, and Peers

Network devices can function as clients or as servers Application server File server Print server Networks that include one or more servers can operate in client/server mode

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5 Physical Topology
The arrangement of devices in a network is referred to as its physical topology
Star Ring Bus Mesh Tree

Two similar networks can be connected by a device called a bridge Gateway is a generic term for any device or software code used to join two networks
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5 Network Links
A communications channel, or link, is a physical path or frequency for signal transmissions Bandwidth is the transmission capacity of a communications channel Broadband Narrowband

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5 Communications Protocols
Rules for efficiently transmitting data from one network node to another: Divide messages into packets Affix addresses to packets Initiate transmission Regulate flow of data Check for transmission errors Acknowledge receipt of transmitted data

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5 Communications Protocols
A packet is a parcel of data that is sent across a computer network Circuit-switching technology vs. packet switching technology

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5 Communications Protocols
Every packet that travels over a network includes the address of its destination device A MAC address is a unique number assigned to a network interface card when it is manufactured An IP address is a series of numbers used to identify a network device IP addresses can also be obtained through DHCP

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SECTION

Wired Networks

Wired Network Basics HomePNA and Powerline Networks Ethernet Ethernet Equipment Ethernet Setup

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5 Question
052200 Suppose youre setting up a network in your home or apartment. You want all of the computers to access the cable modem that provides Internet access. What is the one additional component that you should purchase to tie the network together? A. A router B. A network interface card C. A file server D. A HomePlug Ethernet port
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5 Wired Network Basics

A wired network uses cables to connect network devices Wired networks are fast, secure, and simple to configure Devices tethered to cables have limited mobility

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5 HomePNA and

Powerline Networks

HomePNA networks utilize existing telephone wiring or coaxial cables to connect network devices Special NICs and cables are required A powerline network uses premises electrical wiring to form the infrastructure for a LAN

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5 Ethernet
Simultaneously broadcasts data packets to all network devices IEEE 802.3 CSMA/CD protocol Vary in speed from 10Mbps to 100Gbps

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5 Ethernet
On an Ethernet, data travels on a first-come, first-served basis. If two workstations attempt to send data at the same time, a collision occurs. That data must be resent.

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5 Ethernet Equipment

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5 Ethernet Equipment
Ethernet adapter (designed to support the Ethernet protocols) Network hub Network switch Network router RJ45 connector

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5 Ethernet Setup

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5 Ethernet Setup

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5 Ethernet Setup
Most routers are configured using a browser. You should change the network administrator password, then verify that DHCP is enabled

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SECTION

Wireless Networks

Wireless Basics Bluetooth Wi-Fi Wi-Fi Equipment Wi-Fi Setup

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5 Question
052300 When youre setting up a wireless network, you see an option asking if you want to broadcast the network SSID. You should: A. Change the default SSID and broadcast it while you set up the network. B. Turn SSID broadcasting off so that hackers dont know the networks encryption key. C. Make sure SSID is broadcasting so that your network is protected by strong encryption. D. Activate SSID broadcasting or else the network devices wont be able to send data to the router.
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5 Wireless Basics
A wireless network transports data from one device to another without cables or wires RF signals Transceiver Microwaves Infrared light Slower than wired networks Security concerns

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5 Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a short-range, wireless network technology designed to make its own connections between electronic devices, without wires, cables, or any direct action from a user

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5 Wi-Fi
Wireless networking technologies that are compatible with Ethernet MIMO technology uses two or more antennas to send multiple sets of signals

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5 Wi-Fi Equipment

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5 Wi-Fi Equipment
If your computer is not pre-equipped with wireless circuitry, you can purchase and install a Wi-Fi adapter

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5 Wi-Fi Equipment
Wireless network setups Wireless ad-hoc network Wireless infrastructure network Wireless access point Wireless router

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5 Wi-Fi Setup
Set up the router Connect to the router with a computer Configure the router Access the router setup utility Create a new router password

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5 Wi-Fi Setup
Enter an SSID for the network Activate WEP, WPA, or PSK and create an encryption key Set up the wireless workstations Connect an Internet access device

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5 Wi-Fi Setup

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SECTION

Using LANs

LAN Advantages and Challenges Sharing Files Sharing Printers LAN Parties Troubleshooting

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5 Question
052400 There are many ways to share files among the computers on a network. Which one of the following is the LEAST secure way to share files? A. Use a file server. B. Activate file sharing for the root directory of all the computers in the network. C. Designate specific folders on your computer as shared. D. Put files you want to share in the Public folder.
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5 LAN Advantages
and Challenges
LANs enable people to work together Sharing networked software can reduce costs Sharing data on a LAN can increase productivity Sharing networked hardware can reduce costs Sharing networked hardware can provide access to a wide range of services and specialized peripheral devices

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5 LAN Advantages
and Challenges
Resources become unavailable when network malfunctions Networks may be vulnerable to unauthorized access More vulnerable than standalone computers Wireless networks can be tapped from a snooping computer Networked computers are susceptible to an increasing number of worms, Trojan horses, and blended threats

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5 Sharing Files
If you use Windows, it automatically detects available LANs any time you turn on a workstation To connect to a shared resource, you might be asked for a user ID and password

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5 Sharing Files

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5 Sharing Files

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5 Sharing Printers
Three setups allow for printer sharing: Set up printer sharing using a workstation printer Set up printer sharing using a print server Install printer with built-in networking

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5 Sharing Printers

You can designate the printer attached to your computer as sharable over the network.

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5 LAN Parties
A LAN party is a gathering of people who connect their own computers to a LAN, usually to play multiplayer computer games No special hardware usually is required Game must have multiplayer capability

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5 Troubleshooting
Network problems can stem from a variety of sources Cables Signal strength Security Interference Network devices Settings

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SECTION

Security Through Encryption

Wi-Fi Security Encryption

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5 Question
052500 As part of the process of setting up a wired network, what should you remember to do? A. Assign an IP address to each network device. B. Remove the Ethernet card from any computer that has one. C. Enable wireless security. D. Disable the SSID.

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5 Wi-Fi Security
Wireless networks are much more susceptible to unauthorized access and use than wired networks LAN jacking, or war driving, is the practice of intercepting wireless signals by cruising through an area

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5 Wi-Fi Security
Wireless encryption scrambles data transmitted between wireless devices and then unscrambles the data only on devices that have a valid encryption key WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) WPA2 PSK Activate encryption by using a wireless network key

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5 Wi-Fi Security

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5 Encryption
Encryption transforms a message so that its contents are hidden from unauthorized readers Plaintext has not yet been encrypted An encrypted message is referred to as ciphertext Decryption is the opposite of encryption Cryptographic algorithm Cryptographic key

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5 Encryption
Weak vs. strong encryption AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) Encryption methods can be broken by the use of expensive, specialized, code-breaking computers Brute-force method

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5 Encryption
Public key encryption (PKE) eliminates key-distribution problem, by using one key to encrypt a message and another key to decrypt the message

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5 Encryption
When personal computer users want to encrypt e-mail or other documents, they turn to public key encryption software called PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) software

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5 What Do You Think?

053100 Have you ever accessed a free WLAN? A. Yes B. No C. Not sure

053200 Do you believe that rogue WLANs can survive alongside for-profit broadband ISPs? A. Yes B. No C. Not sure
053300 Are broadband providers justified in limiting the terms of their service agreements to one subscription, one customer? A. Yes B. No C. Not sure
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Chapter 5 Complete
LANs and WLANs