SOUTHERN LUZON STATE UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
ECE DEPARTMENT
Lucban, Quezon

ECE08L - DATA COMMUNICATIONS LAB

ACTIVITY 4
BUILDING A PEER-TO-PEER NETWORK

Submitted by:
VALLES, ROCEL A.
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Date Submitted:

April 23, 2024

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JOHN VICTOR ADEL T. LIWAG, ECE, ECT

Instructor
I. OBJECTIVES
● Create a simple peer-to-peer network between two PCs.
● Identify the proper cable to connect the two PCs.
● Configure workstation IP address information.
● Test connectivity using the ping command.

II. APPARATUS (Software/Hardware)

● Two workstations with an Ethernet NIC installed.
● Several Ethernet cables for connecting the two workstations.

III. PROCEDURE
1. Identify the proper Ethernet cable and connect the two PCs.
Make the connection between the two PCs using a CAT5 or CAT5e crossover cable. Locate a
cable that is long enough to reach from one PC to the other and attach one end to the NIC in
each in each of the PCs. Be sure to examine the cable ends carefully and select only a crossover
cable.

2. Verify the physical connection.

Plug in and turn on the computers. To verify computer connections, ensure that the link lights
on both NICs are lit.

3. Access the IP settings window.

Start > Settings > Control Panel > Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center > Change
adapter settings. Right click on the Ethernet or LAN connection icon and select Properties.

4. Configure the TCP/IP settings for the two PCs.

a. Set the IP address information for each PC according to the information below:
 Computer IP Address Subnet Mask Default Gateway

PC A 192.168.1.10 255.255.255.0 Not required

PC B 192.168.1.20 255.255.255.0 Not required

b. Note that you do not need the default gateway IP address because these computers are
directly connected. You only need the default gateway on LANs that are connected to a
router.

5. Access the command prompt.

Start > Programs > Accessories > Command Prompt

6. Verify that PCs can communicate.

a. Test connectivity from one PC to the other by pinging the IP address of the opposite
computer. Use the following command at the command prompt:

ping 192.168.1.10 (or 192.168.1.20)

b. You should get results similar to what is shown below:

 7. Confirm your TCP/IP network settings.
Run the ipconfig command from the command prompt.

IV. DATA AND RESULTS

V. ANALYSIS/OBSERVATIONS

In this experiment the students have used a CAT5 LAN cable to connect the two PCs. The student
has observed that the connection is much faster and better as it is a wired connection. If one will compare
it to the last activity which is a wireless connection, the connection of the two PCs is significantly faster
than the wireless connection. The student also discovered that the main advantage of wired networks is
their stability and speed. Because the devices are physically connected, there is less chance of interference
or signal loss, which can result in faster data transfer speeds. However, the downside is that setting up a
wired network can be more complex and costly, due to the need for physical infrastructure.

VI. SUMMARY/CONCLUSION

For the entirety of this experiment the student have successfully created a simple peer-to-peer
network between two pc’s using CAT5 LAN cable. Peer to peer network allows the two PCs to share files
and access to devices such as printers without requiring a separate server computer or server software.
The student has also succeeded in configuring the workstation IP address information using the given data
in this worksheet. The connectivity of two devices were also test using ping command. Overall, the student
has discovered that if the devices in a wired network are physically linked, this results in a stable and fast
connection than the wireless connections.