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Network Hardware: Mr. Mcbrien Tej2O

The document discusses various types of network hardware used to connect computers, including network interface cards, hubs, switches, routers, and fiber optic cabling. It describes how these components function within a network and compares technologies like Ethernet, token ring, bridges, and repeaters. The key points are that network administrators must choose appropriate hardware based on needs, and different components specialize in local or wide area networking and improving speed or connectivity.

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mike simson
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88 views

Network Hardware: Mr. Mcbrien Tej2O

The document discusses various types of network hardware used to connect computers, including network interface cards, hubs, switches, routers, and fiber optic cabling. It describes how these components function within a network and compares technologies like Ethernet, token ring, bridges, and repeaters. The key points are that network administrators must choose appropriate hardware based on needs, and different components specialize in local or wide area networking and improving speed or connectivity.

Uploaded by

mike simson
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Network Hardware

Mr. McBrien
TEJ2O
Today

 How do we link computers together?


Ontario Curriculum

 Students will:
 A2.1 compare various types of networks (e.g., local
area network [LAN] versus wide area network [WAN],
peer-to-peer versus client-server);
 A2.2 describe the basic components of a network (e.g.,
workstations, server, network interface cards, routers,
switches, hubs);
How do we decide how to design a
network?
 Network administrators will assess requirements:
 Purpose (defines bandwidth)
 Budget
 Number of users
 Geographic locations
 Security concerns
 Mobility
Terminology

 LAN
 Local Area Network
 E.g. A house with a router connecting phones, etc.
 MAN
 Metropolitan Area Network
A grouping of LANs
 E.g. City’s cable network
 WAN
 Wide Area Network
 E.g. Network of ATMs
Network Interface Card (NIC)

 The NIC is onboard or plugged into an expansion slot. Usually a PCI slot.
 Sends packets of data from the computer to the network
 Different types of NICs: Ethernet, Token Ring, AppleTalk Each type has a
specific format or “protocol” for its packets. Cannot mix different types of
card on one LAN.
 Network software helps translate your information into the 1’s and 0’s that
the NIC transmits, as well as decoding any messages received.
Network Cabling
 Common cabling today is unshielded twisted pair (UTP)
 UTP uses 4 twisted pairs (8 wires), and is terminated with RJ45
connector.
 Star or Ring Topology: common categories of cabling are:
 Cat 4 which supports 10BaseT
 Cat 5 which supports 100BaseT
 Cat 5E which supports Gigabit Ethernet. (1000BaseT)
 The “10” in 10BaseT means 10 megabits/second on the wire.
Similarly, 100BaseT can handle speeds of 100
megabits/second.
 Cat4 (10BaseT) is cheap and easy to work with, but outdated.
 All UTP has a maximum effective length of 100 meters.
 BusTopology: Cabling must be
Coaxial:
 10Base2 (10 megabits/sec. range 200m)
Unshielded twisted-pair cable
 10Base5 (10 Mbps, 500m)

 Ifyour NIC or hub supports only


10BaseT then better cable is not
helpful. (Most new ones support both
10/100BaseT)
 Network speed is only as fast as the
slowest component.
Hub
 Hubsare often used to connect computers in
Ethernet networks.
 When a hub receives a signal from one computer, it
rebroadcasts the signal to every computer
(NetBEUI).
Advantages of Hubs

 Very easy to troubleshoot. The hub will have a light on for


each computer that is properly connected.
 If one computer is down, it will not affect the rest of the
computers on the network.
Disadvantages of Hubs

A hub suffers collisions when 2 computers try to


communicate at the same time.
 A hub is not considered to be an intelligent piece of
network hardware.
Switch

 A switch is like a smart hub:


 hub broadcasts every signal to every computer
 switch is aware of devices on the network, and sends information it receives to only the
destination computer
 Increases speed & efficiency of network. (less collisions)
 Also can translate between speeds, allowing you to use bandwidth more
efficiently:
 if your machines have 10baseT cards and the Internet connection is 100baseT
 Or interface between a fast server and slow workstations.
How does a switch know where to send
data?
 The switch generates a dynamic table that contains ports
and MAC addresses.
 When a frame comes into the switch, the switch checks
the frame for the destination MAC address.
 The switch consults the table, determines the right port,
and then sends the frame through that port.
 The process of sending frames through the correct port is
called switching.
“Okay. So what’s a MAC address?”

 “Media Access Control”


A unique identifier for an electronic device.
 Six sets of two digits or characters.
 Typically we display the MAC address like:
##-##-##-##-##-##

Every network-able device has a unique MAC address.


Bridge
 A BRIDGE CAN…
 divide a large network up into two segments.
 connect two existing networks.
 WHY?
 If you had a network with 100 workstations on a hub, your
network would be too slow. (Lots of collisions).
 A bridge connects two network segments together and
determines what data is allowed to pass.
 This reduces the collision domain (the # of collisions) to 50
workstations instead of 100.
 Speeds up the network.
 Like a two-port switch
Router
 Routers are the most complex network hardware.
 Routers can connect LANs making WANs.
 A switch can find workstations on a LAN.
A router can find networks on a WAN.
A router examines data, checks address, finds the most efficient
route and transmits the data.
 Collisions within a LAN, not over a WAN.
 Increasingly used in home networks because of firewall effect.
How does a router work?

A router assigns IP addresses to devices on a


network.
 The router examines packets to determine the IP
address that is appropriate, and sends the packet
to the correct location.
 Withina network, the difference between a
router and a switch is not particularly important…
“What’s an IP Address?”

 An Internet Protocol address is a unique number


linked to your network activity.
 IPv4: four numbers between 0-255, separated
by a colon.
 IPv6: eight groups of four hexadecimal digits.

Unlike a MAC address, the IP address for a given device can change.
Home Internet
Repeater
 Recall:
 Ethernet UTP cabling is only good up to 100 metres.
 After that, the signal begins to degrade and may not be received
properly
 Repeater allows you to extend the range of your network.
 Accepts the packet, rebuilds it, and sends it on.
 Rebuilding is different than amplifying:
Amplifying would also amplify noise. Rebuilding sends the
data cleaner.
Speed of Light Transmission
 What’s the speed of light?
 ?
 Ans: 300,000,000 m/s
 What if a bit could be transmitted at this speed?
 How long would a bit take to travel to Tahiti?
Fiber Optics
 Communications signals move across hair-thin
strand of glass or plastic
 In commercial use since 1980
 The least expensive long distance high-speed data
transmission
 100 Gb/s is easily achieved
High Speed and Long Range
Why Doesn’t the Light Escape?
What about Range?
 The range of FO communication is still rather limited
due to losses and distortion.
 Addressing losses is done in two ways:
 Repeaters (same as electrical signals)
 Amplifiers (less complex, but accuracy issues)

Long-haul communications may have up to 100km without a repeater or


amplifier. For optimal speed, repeaters will be much closer than this.
Network Cloud

 Internet communications, once they leave your home/office, pass through a


network cloud
 might be existing phone lines or cable lines, various routers etc. but the path
is generally unknown
Key Points
 Network hardware is chosen based on cost, requirements
 UTP is still found throughout the world – limitations on
speed, range.
 Fiber optic is faster and higher range than electric signals,
but still has limitations.
 Hubs, routers, repeaters, and bridges all have specific
functions based on their capabilities.
References

 https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/different-type
s-of-ethernet-cables-explained/
 https
://www.makeuseof.com/tag/whats-difference-routers-hu
bs-switches
/
 The Fiber Optic Association
Extension

 Read the first chapter of “Flash Boys” (free preview


available from Indigo) or read the wikipedia article
 How important is the speed provided by technologies like fiber
optics?

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