Basic Network Training

Cable/DSL Modem The modem is the first link in the chain It is usually provided by the ISP and often has a coax cable connector.

Wireless Router The Router is the next link in the chain. This is the device that allows all of your local devices (computers, printers, tablets, etc.) to be able to get “routed” out to the internet. These devices can connect via a network cable or wirelessly.

Switch (optional) If needed, a switch is the next link. It is used if you have several wired devices that need to access the internet. Switches allow devices on the same network to communicate with each other You need a routing device (router or modem) if you want to get out of your local network. A router usually has a switch built into it. (The 4 ports that are labeled LAN)

Typical Topology

Network terminology IP Address Every device needs a network address so it can communicate with other devices (it’s like a phone number) DHCP – Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol This is a protocol that allows a server to automatically provide your network devices an IP address DNS – Domain Name Service This is a service that translates domain names (i.e. to IP addresses

IP Address Verify your device’s IP Address

IP Address What does it mean??? IPv4 Address………… This is your device’s address (like it’s phone number) Subnet Mask…………… This is used to tell us the address of our network we are on We need to be on the same network as any other local device so we can communicate with it. If a device is on my network, I can talk to it. If it’s not on my network, I need a ROUTER to route me to it. Gateway…………………… This is the address of the device that gets me out of my network (most often, this is the router’s LAN address).

Example My subnet mask is Each place you see a 255 represents the portion of my address that MUST be the same as other devices on MY network. My address is The device with the address is on my network. The device with the address is NOT on my network. My gateway address is That’s the LAN address of my router. (Notice it is on my network.) Network Address

IP Address DHCP enabled……………………….Yes This means my device is getting its address automatically (from a DHCP server). In order to be able to do that, my device must be able to communicate with the DHCP server. In most home or small business environments, the router acts as the DHCP server and gives out the IP addresses. Note: If your IP address starts with (i.e ), that means that you have DHCP enabled but you are not communicating with a DHCP server. Therefore, you will not be able to communicate with other devices.

Router addresses A router will almost always have 2 addresses. The address we have seen ( ) is the internal or LAN address used for communicating with the devices inside my network. The other address is the outside or WAN address used for communicating with devices outside of my network. The WAN address is often given out by a DHCP server from your ISP. The LAN address should be static so we always know what the address will be.

Router Setup Let’s look at some common router settings you may need to configure…

Router Setup In a browser window, type the address of your router The default is often (depending on your router). Other IP addresses often used are or Note: You can usually find this address by typing ipconfig at a command prompt and using the gateway address listed if you are connected to the network

Next you will be asked for the log in credentials For TP Link brand routers, the default username is admin and the default password is admin. For Linksys brand routers, the default username is often left blank with a password of admin A simple Google search can give you this information for specific brands and models. Portforward.com is a helpful website for this

Exploration time….

Web Links Another-to-Expand-a-Network Another-to-Expand-a-Network routers-together-port-forwarding-port-triggering routers-together-port-forwarding-port-triggering up-wireless-access-points-as-repeaters-to-extend-wireless- range/ up-wireless-access-points-as-repeaters-to-extend-wireless- range/ Portforward.com

Questions????