1. Level 2 Diploma Unit 10 Setting up an IT Network
Network Equipment
Level 2 Diploma
Unit 10 Setting up an IT Network

2. Unit outcomes Know the current use of computer networks
Know the features and services of local and wide area networks
Understand how network hardware and software components are connected
Be able to set up a simple local area network

3. Network hardware What do you know about Network Hardware?
Complete the quiz!
Do as much as you can, keep the completed quiz and make notes as we go through.

4. Network hardware
Required irrespective of the software systems or types of network
Adapter cards
Cable or wireless
Workstations/devices
Routers
Switches
Servers

5. Network Cards
A Network Interface Card (NIC) connects a computer to a network
By wire
By wireless

6. Network Cards Network cards fit into: A PC A laptop
Integrated into the motherboard
Plugged into a PCI slot
A laptop
Plugged into a PCMCIA slot or CardBus slot

7. Network Cards The network card translates the software messages into
Electrical signals over wires
Signals transmitted as radio waves

8. Frames
Address used is the 48 bit unique MAC (Media Access Control) address hard coded into the adapter

9. Network Cables The wired network is called Ethernet
Cables are formed of twisted pairs either shielded (STP) or unshielded (UTP)
Shielded has the cables wrapped in metal to make is more expensive but faster and more reliable
Most cable is Category 5 or 5e (Cat 5)

10. Unshielded twisted pair (UTP)
Four copper wire pairs (8 in total)
Twisted to reduce crosstalk and electromagnetic interference
Solid cables for permanent wiring
Stranded for flexible cables
Uses RJ45 connector
Cat
Frequency
MHz
Capacity
Mbps
Maximum
Distance
Ethernet
Standard 5
100
100m
100BASE-TX Fast Ethernet 5e
1000
1000BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet 6
Up to 250
1000+
10Gbps
55m
10GBASE-T 10G Ethernet 6a

11. Structured wiring
Wall plates have IDC (Insulation Displacement Connector) RJ45 ports
Solid cabling connects the ports to a patch panel
Stranded patch cables connect hosts to the wall plates and the patch panel to hubs or switches

12. Fibre Optic Cable Uses light Glass core carries the signals
Not subject to interference or eavesdropping
Low attenuation means
Longer distances
Higher bandwidth
Glass core carries the signals
Glass or plastic cladding guides the light
Cable usually has 2 fibres in a protective jacket for full duplex operation

13. Types of fibre optic cable
Single mode (SMF)
Smaller core
Uses laser light
Very long cable runs – used for WAN
More expensive than multimode
Multimode (MMF)
Up to 500m – used for LAN
Cheaper
Uses LEDs

14. Ethernet Fibre Optic standards
Speed
Maximum Length
Cable type
10BASE-FL
10Mbps
2 km
MMF
1000BASE-SX
1Gbps
550 m
10GBASE-SR
10Gbps
82 m
10GBASE-ER
40 km
SMF

15. Fibre optic connectors
ST straight tip
mostly for MMF
FC ferrule connector
older SMF
SC subscriber connector
simpler than FC
LC Lucent connector
half the size of SC
MT-JR Mechanical Transfer Registered Jack
small form factor for MMF

16. Client A PC or a mobile device Requests a service from the server
A file
A web page
A printout
Authorisation

17. Client/server

18. Server A specialised computer
Server has increased reliability and availability
More RAM and disk space
Duplicate components – power supplies, NICs
Hot swappable RAID disks
Uninterruptable power supplies used
Always on
Optimised for providing services

19. What does the server do? Stores data centrally Ease of backup
Available to any client
Centralised permissions
Centralised security protection
Eliminates multiple copies

20. What does the server do? Provides shared facilities Printers
Applications
Web pages

21. What does the server do? Provides central authorisations User ID
Password security
Group policies
Centrally control what can be done on the client

22. Client server is scalable
Easy to add new clients
Easy to add new servers

23. Switch A device that connects workstations together
Allows multiple connections between devices at the same time
Typically 4 connections for a home, 24 for a business
Works on MAC addresses
Will not work with IP addresses

24. Router A device that connects networks together
Allows access to the internet
Typically combined with a switch and a modem for home
Works on IP addresses

25. Task
Explain how hardware can be connected together to make a network which can connect to the internet (part of criteria P5)