Install network cables

Assessment Criteria:

1. Define terms associated with the lesson

2. Identify various types networking media
3. Build networking cables
4. Connect and configure a hub or switch and a PC(s)
What is a network?

A network is a collection of computers and related equipment (printers, webcams, game

consoles, etc.) connected so that data can move between them. Even if you have a single
computer, it looks to the internet as part of a network. The internet then is a network of networks.

The majority of networking is done using the internet standard. At the centre of basic diagram of
a wired network is either a hub or a switcher and computers are connected to the hub, much like
spokes of a wheel or star. Each connection at the hub is called port.

Three basic network categories

 Local area network - the smallest of the three network types consist of PCs connected
together within a limited area, such as within the same building, floor or department.
 Metropolitan area network – are network that spans no more than 50 miles. It is design to
connect LANs spanning a town or city
 Wide area network – used to distribute information thousands of miles among thousands
of users.
Kinds of Hub

- Standalone Hubs – are single products with a number of ports. It is usually include some
method of linking them to other standalone hubs for network expansion.
- Stackable Hubs – work just like standalone hubs, except that several of them can be
“stacked” (connected) together, usually by short lengths of cable.
- Modular Hubs – are popular in networks because they are easily expanded and always
have management option. It is purchased as chassis, or card cage, with multiple card
slots, each of which accepts a communication card, or module
3 Basic Hub Types
- Passive Hubs – simply connects various cables
- Active Hubs – amplify or boost signals
- Intelligent Hubs – select which path a specific signal will travel
 A bus network is a line of computers connected together by a cable. The cable is called
the bus. The bus must be terminated at both ends.
Data can flow between machines, each and machine has one of the software used by the
entire network. This can lead to data clashes if the same request is made at the same time by
two machines. Ethernet uses a modified type of bus network.

A rig network is a bus network that has been attached at both ends. The data in a ring
network travels in 1 direction only. Data clashes can occur for the same reason as in a bus
network.

STAR NETWORK
 A star network is a network where each machine is connected to a central
machine, called a server. The server holds all the software, and the other machines, called
nodes, request the software from it. Since the server receives all the requests, it can handle
them one by one, and there are no data crashes. It is possible to have a star network spawn
another network.

Network Cable

Cable is the medium through which information usually moves from one network
device to another. There are several types of cable which are commonly used with LANs. In
some cases, a network will utilize only one type of cable chosen for a network is related to
the network’s topology, protocol, and size. Understanding the characteristics of different
types of cable and how they relate to other aspects of a network is necessary for the
development of a successful network.

Examples of network media:

 Unshielded twisted pair (UTP) Cable
 Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) Cable
 Coaxial cable
 Fibber Optic Cable
 Wireless LANs
 Cable Installation Guides

Unshielded Twisted Pair Connector

 The standard connector for unshielded twisted pair cabling is an RJ-45
connector. This is a plastic connector that looks like a large telephone-style connector (see figure
2). A slot allows the RJ-45 to be inserted only one way. RJ stands for registered jack, implying
that the connector follows a standard designates which wire goes with each pin inside the
connector.

Wireless LANs
 More and more networks are operating without cables, in the wireless mode. Wireless
LANs use high frequency radio signals, infrared light beams, or lasers to communicate between
the workstations, servers, or hubs. Each workstation and file server on a wireless network has
some sort of transceiver/ antenna to send and receive the data. Information is relayed between
transceivers as if they were physically connected. For longer distance, wireless communications
can also take place through cellular telephone technology, microwave transmission, or by
satellite.

Wireless networks are great for allowing laptop computers, portable devices, or remote
computers to connect to the LAN. Wireless networks are also beneficial n older buildings where
it may be difficult or impossible to install cables.

Cable Installation Guides

The two most common network cables:

1. Straight through cable- connected from PC to switch/hub
2. Crossover cable – connected from PC to PC (limited to two computers only)

What is RJ45?
RJ Stands for Registered Jacks. These are used in telephone and data jack wiring
registered with FCC. RJ-11 is a 6-position, 4-conductor jack used in telephone wiring, and RJ-45
is a 8-position, 8-conductor jack used in 10baseT and 100baseT Ethernet wiring.

Wiring standards for RJ45

1. T568A
2. T568B
References:
https://www.slideshare.net/erictalamisan/css-nc-ii-module-setup-computer-networks