‘Step 1 If you have access to a LAN (the classroom computer lab network, a friend’s home network, or your company’s network), spend some time exploring the physical hardware connections and devices. If possible, acquire the diagram of the physical layout of the network, or create a simple diagram of the layout to familiarize yourself with the various devices and connections associated with the network you're anslyzing. What sort of cabling does the network use, or is it wireless? Is it twisted-pair cable or coaxial cable? Does it use T-connector:? Are the cable ends 8J-45 connectors, or something outdated like BNC con- nectors? Describe the physical layout of the LAN here. What sort of NICs do the machines have? Describe the back of the card. Does it have a single connector or a combination of connectors (Figure 211)? Does it have an antenna? Is there a link and/or activity LED? Which of the LEDs is on steady? Which is flashing? Describe the NIC here. Step 2 Hubs and switches are very much a part of every network. Are the PCs connected with a single cable (crossover cable limited to two PCs), or are they con- nected to a hub/switch (Figure 21-2)? Is part of the network wireless? What is the model number of the network hub/switch? Who manufactures the hub/switch? How many devices can be attached? Record your findings here. Is the hubor switch a standard single speed (roBaseT, for instance) device, or can it handle multiple speeds (10/10/1000 Mbps)? Does it have wireless capabilities? Record your findings here. If this infor- ‘mation isn’t apparent or printed on the cabinet, ask the instructor or the network administrator. Step 3 Are you going to have awireless network or wireless devices in your network? Do you plan on installing a wireless network sometime in the near future? Follow these steps: 1) Goto wwwlinksys.com/products/ and select wireless; Linksys has an excellent selection of wireless products. b) Under the Broadband Routers, choose the WRT54G, and finally select Product Data Sheet. What's the WRTS46? Is it a router, switch, or wireless access point? Explain your answer. ©) Look at the Wireless Network Adapters section of the Linksys site. Would you use the WMPs4G or WPC54G NIC or both in your network with a WRT34G? Explain yourStep 2 Inthisstep, you'll verify what network services are installed. In Windows XP, go to Control Panel | Network Connections. Right-click your Local Area Connection (if you have multiple network adapters in a single machine, there may be more than one connection), and select Properties. Select the General tab. You should find the following components listed in a selection window. Your system may have oth- ers as well. © Client Client for Microsoft Networks (default) © Protocol TCP/1? (default) * Service File and Print Sharing for Microsoft Networks What client(s), other than the default, are listed in your system? What protocol(s), other than the default, ae listed? What services, other than the default, are listed? ‘Step 4 Now that your system is configured for networking, you need to have an identity for it and join a workgroup tobe recognized by the network and access network resources. Im Windows XP, go to the Contrel Panel, double-click System, and select the Computer Name tab. In Windows 2000, the information is on the Network Identification tab. Record your system settings here: Computer name Workgroup name ‘Step 5 Now that you've confirmed and recorded the networking components, your computer name, and your workgroup, the next step is to practice removing and reinstalling your network adapter. Reboot your system; the adapter will be detected (if it's Plug and Play) and installed. Access the Network Connections applet, and verify your network configuration using the Information you recorded in Steps 1, 2, and 4 previously. If your system doesn’t load the drivers for the network card, you'll need the driver CD or disk to complete your settings. ‘Test your system by accessing the network. Can you browse the network now? Look in My Network Places. Step 2 First, you'll locate and verify your current TCP/IP settings. Go to Control Panel and double click Network Connections. Rightclick My Network Places and select Properties; then right-click your local area connection and select Properties. Highlight the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) entry and select Properties. When the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Properties screen appears, one of the options shown in Figure 21-3 will be selected. If the settings are manually configured, you will be able to verify them in the TCP/IP Properties dialog box. Write the settings down and verify them with the settings given to you by the instructor. IP address, Subnet mask Gateway Preferred DNS servere:\Docunents and Settings\SUSERNAME®\>TPCONPIG /ALL ‘This produces a listing similar to Figure 21-4. Use these values to fill in the following settings and then verify them with your instructor. IPaddress Subnet mask Gateway Primary DNS server. Step1 You have already examined IPCONFIG in Lab Exercise 21.03. You'll now use the IPCONFIG com- ‘mand again to determine local network settings. As you have already learned, checking the automatic TCPAP setting: given to you by a DHCP server and verifying your manual settings is easy: just open a commané-line window, type IPCONFIG /ALL, and press entex. The details of your local network connec- tion appear on the screen. Does the display contain the settings that were automatically assigned by the DHCP server or the ones you entered manually? ‘Record your settings here: IP address Subnet mask Default gateway. DNS Step 2 You'll now use the NET CONFIG command to check the local system name and to see who is, logged on as a user. To confirm the computer name and discover who is currently logged on, you'll again ‘use the command line. ‘Type NET CONFIG WORKSTATION st the command prompt and press inven. You'll see how the ‘identification is set up for your local PC. There's a lot of information listed, but you're only interested in a couple of items (see Figure 27) How are these listed? Computer name User name Workstation domain (workgroup) Software version ‘Step 6 You'll now use the NSLOOKUP command to translate an Internet domain name to an IP address or an IP address to an Internet domain name. What's the IP address(s) of http://www-microsoft.com? ‘Try hutp://www.totalsem.com. What's the IP address(s)?, b) Now enter the IP address you got when you did a lookup for http://www.microsoft.com. If you geta different result, it could be that a Web site is being hosted by someone other than the orig- inal domain you looked up.‘Step 7 You'll now use the TRACERT command to check the path to other computers or Web sites on the Internet. ‘This command will show you where the bottlenecks are in the Internet. The TRACERT command will list the time it takes to get from your PC to the Web site or other system you're accessing. Follow these steps: Lab Analy: 1 a) Type TRACERT maxtor.com, and then press EXTER. Was it successful? How many hops did it take? What's the IP address of the first hop? b) Use the NSLOOKUP command with the IP address of the first hop to see where your first server is located. For example, type NSLOOKUP 207.46.130.108, and then press =NTEL. Test ‘A user complains that after you installed the new NIC in her system, she can see everyone on the network but can't access the Internet. What did you forget to do? Are there any other configuration problems that could cause this to happen? What command would you use to test the NIC’s internal TCP/IP capabilities? What would the “human readable” address be? Theresa's boss bought a wireless network adapter for her laptop. It works great in the office. What does she need for it to work with her PC at home? Describe two ways to access the Network Connections applet in Windows XP. Tanner has replaced his older ISA NIC with a new wireless NIC. The office wireless network is set up and works fine for everyone else. Now he can’t see anyone on the network or access the Internet. Where should he start checking and in what order? Key Term Quiz You use an access point when you network. devices. An excellent tool for determining who is currently logged on to the network is the commend. An) can effectively place a device on its own collision domain, thereby increasing network bendwideh. ‘Twisted-pair network cabling uses a(n) connector. ‘To find out whether a machine can accept a large packet of data, you would use the command.