LAB MANUAL

Muhammad Awais

FA18-MCS-018

FA18-MCS-B15

CCN LAB
 What is Network?
A network is a collection of computers, servers, mainframes, network devices, peripherals, or other
devices connected to one another to allow the sharing of data. An excellent example of a network is
the Internet, which connects millions of people all over the world.

What is Computer Network?

A computer network is a group of computer systems and other computing hardware devices that are linked
together through communication channels to facilitate communication and resource-sharing among a wide
range of users. Networks are commonly categorized based on their characteristics.

Networking Basics.
Switches, routers, and wireless access points
Switches
Switches are the foundation of most business networks. A switch acts as a controller, connecting computers,
printers, and servers to a network in a building or a campus.
Switches allow devices on your network to communicate with each other, as well as with other networks,
creating a network of shared resources.
There are two basic types of switches to choose from as part of your networking basics: managed and
unmanaged.
 An unmanaged switch works out of the box but can't be configured. Home-networking equipment
typically offers unmanaged switches.
 A managed switch can be configured. You can monitor and adjust a managed switch locally or remotely,
giving you greater control over network traffic and access.

Routers
Routers connect multiple networks together. They also connect computers on those networks to the Internet.
Routers enable all networked computers to share a single Internet connection, which saves money.
A router acts a dispatcher. It analyzes data being sent across a network, chooses the best route for data to
travel, and sends it on its way.
Routers connect your business to the world, protect information from security threats, and can even decide
which computers receive priority over others.

Access points
An access point* allows devices to connect to the wireless network without cables. A wireless network
makes it easy to bring new devices online and provides flexible support to mobile workers.

1
An access point acts like an amplifier for your network. While a router provides the bandwidth, an access
point extends that bandwidth so that the network can support many devices, and those devices can access
the network from farther away.
But an access point does more than simply extend Wi-Fi.

What is Network Topology?

Network topology refers to the physical or logical layout of a network. It defines the way different nodes
are placed and interconnected with each other. Alternately, network topology may describe how the data is
transferred between these nodes

Types of Network Topology

BUS Topology
Bus topology is a network type in which every computer and network device is connected to single cable.
When it has exactly two endpoints, then it is called Linear Bus topology.
Features of Bus Topology

 It transmits data only in one direction.

 Every device is connected to a single cable
Advantages of Bus Topology

 It is cost effective.
 Cable required is least compared to other network topology.
 Used in small networks.
 It is easy to understand.
Disadvantages of Bus Topology

 Cables fails then whole network fails.

 Cable has a limited length.
 It is slower than the ring topology.

RING Topology
It is called ring topology because it forms a ring as each computer is connected to another computer, with
the last one connected to the first. Exactly two neighbours for each device.

2
Advantages of Ring Topology

 Transmitting network is not affected by high traffic or by adding more nodes, as only the nodes
having tokens can transmit data.
 Cheap to install and expand
Disadvantages of Ring Topology

 Troubleshooting is difficult in ring topology.

 Adding or deleting the computers disturbs the network activity.
 Failure of one computer disturbs the whole network.

STAR Topology
In this type of topology all the computers are connected to a single hub through a cable. This hub is the
central node and all others nodes are connected to the central node.
Features of Star Topology

 Every node has its own dedicated connection to the hub.

 Hub acts as a repeater for data flow.
 Can be used with twisted pair, Optical Fibre or coaxial cable.
Advantages of Star Topology

 Fast performance with few nodes and low network traffic.

 Hub can be upgraded easily.
 Easy to troubleshoot.
 Easy to setup and modify.
Disadvantages of Star Topology

 Cost of installation is high.

 Expensive to use.
 If the hub fails then the whole network is stopped because all the nodes depend on the hub.

MESH Topology
It is a point-to-point connection to other nodes or devices. All the network nodes are connected to each
other. Mesh has n(n-1)/2 physical channels to link n devices.
Features of Mesh Topology

 Fully connected.

3
  Robust.
 Not flexible.
Advantages of Mesh Topology

 Each connection can carry its own data load.

 Fault is diagnosed easily.

 Provides security and privacy.

Disadvantages of Mesh Topology

 Installation and configuration is difficult.
 Cabling cost is more.

 Bulk wiring is required.

TREE Topology
It has a root node and all other nodes are connected to it forming a hierarchy. It is also called hierarchical
topology. It should at least have three levels to the hierarchy.
Features of Tree Topology

 Ideal if workstations are located in groups.

 Used in Wide Area Network.
Advantages of Tree Topology

 Extension of bus and star topologies.

 Expansion of nodes is possible and easy.
 Easily managed and maintained.
 Error detection is easily done.
Disadvantages of Tree Topology

 Heavily cabled.
 Costly.
 If more nodes are added maintenance is difficult.
 Central hub fails, network fails.

Networking cables

4
Networking cables are networking hardware used to connect one network device to other network
devices or to connect two or more computers to share printers, scanners etc. Different types of
network cables, such as coaxial cable, optical fiber cable, and twisted pair cables.

Coaxial Cables

Invented in the 1880s, "coax" was best known as the kind of cable that connected television sets to home
antennas. Coaxial cable is also a standard for 10 Mbps Ethernet cables. When 10 Mbps Ethernet was most
popular, during the 1980s and early 1990s, networks typically utilized one of two kinds of coax cable
— thinnet (10BASE2 standard) or thicknet (10BASE5). These cables consist of an inner copper wire of
varying thickness surrounded by insulation and another shielding. Their stiffness caused network
administrators difficulty in installing and maintaining thinnet and thicknet.

Twisted Pair Cables

Twisted pair eventually emerged during the 1990s as the leading cabling standard for Ethernet, starting
with 10 Mbps (10BASE-T, also known as Category 3 or Cat3), later followed by improved versions for
100 Mbps (100BASE-TX, Cat5, and Cat5e) and successively higher speeds up to 10 Gbps (10GBASE-T).
Ethernet twisted pair cables contain up to eight (8) wires wound together in pairs to minimize
electromagnetic interference.

Two primary types of twisted pair cable industry standards have been defined: Unshielded Twisted Pair
(UTP) and Shielded Twisted Pair (STP). Modern Ethernet cables use UTP wiring due to its lower cost,
while STP cabling can be found in some other types of networks such as Fiber Distributed Data Interface
(FDDI).

Fiber Optics

Instead of insulated metal wires transmitting electrical signals, fiber optic network cables work using
strands of glass and pulses of light. These network cables are bendable despite being made of glass. They
have proven especially useful in wide area network (WAN) installations where long distance underground
or outdoor cable runs are required and also in office buildings where a high volume of communication
traffic is common.

Two primary types of fiber optic cable industry standards are defined — single-mode (100BaseBX
standard) and multimode (100BaseSX standard). Long-distance telecommunications networks more
commonly use single-mode for its relatively higher bandwidth capacity, while local networks typically use
multimode instead due to its lower cost.

PACKET TRACER.

5
Packet Tracer is a cross-platform visual simulation tool designed by Cisco Systems that allows users to
create network topologies and imitate modern computer networks. The software allows users to simulate
the configuration of Cisco routers and switches using a simulated command line interface.

Figure 01:-

Figure 02:-

6
Figure 03:-

Figure 04:-

Figure 05:-

7
Figure 06:-

Figure 07:-

8
Figure 08:

9
Figure 09:-

10
Figure 10:-

11