1. Mr C Johnston ICT Teacher www.computechedu.co.uk
BTEC IT Unit 09 - Lesson 07 Network Components
Mr C Johnston
ICT Teacher

2. Session Objectives
Understand the different categories of network components which are required to build a network,
Be able to explain the key components from each category required to build a network.

3. Network Component Categories
When building a network, the components used fall into a number of different categories,
Network devices
Hardware which users make use of on the network
Interconnection devices
Hardware which connects the network devices users use together so they can talk to each other
Types of Connection, Connectors and cabling
Used to create a link between the network devices and interconnection devices
Software
Installed / embedded into network and interconnection devices, so users can access network services and administrators can manage.
Several components will be needed from each category in order for the network to operate.

4. Content To Cover
For P3 and P4 you need to explain the purpose, features and functions of the following network components
Network devices:
workstations; servers eg print, mail, file, web, proxy; others eg network interface cards (NIC), printers, UPS, NAS
Interconnection devices:
equipment eg router, hub, switch, wireless access points, gateway, bridge, repeater,
Types of Connection, Connectors and cabling:
Types of WAN connection (leased line; dedicated line; ADSL; DSL; cable broadband; mobile technology) media types eg STP, Category 5, 6; 7; coaxial, UTP, fibre optic; wireless; cable/connection standards, patch panels, face plates,
Software:
network operating system (client / server); virus checker; firewall; other communication software eg client; web browsers; ftp; network utilities (monitoring, management, fault finding); embedded web interfaces, network card drivers;
Commercial systems:
software eg Mac OSX, Linux, Windows, Citrix

5. Key Explain Questions
Explain means give reasons. Key questions to answer:
What component is and what does it for??
What does it allow you to do / makes happen on the network,
Who uses its?
Why the component is needed,
Key features / specifications of the component – data transfer speed,
How does the component work (very important for interconnection devices… how does data move within it and between devices??),
Are there different types of this component?
How are the different types different?
Any advantages and disadvantages of using this component?
How important is this component to using the network?
What would we do without this component?

6. P3 and P4 Requirements
P3 requires you to make some notes which explain the key components for connection to network systems and show that you can apply them,
P4 requires you to make some notes which explain the function of interconnection devices.
Perhaps present your notes in a table creating a detailed entry for each component and draw and application diagram.
Category
Name
Purpose
Features and Functions
Picture
BTEC Book – Unit 09 p11(start at chapter 2) - 18

7. Programming Constructs
P3 – Explain the key components required for client workstations to connect to a network and access network resources
P4 – Explain the function of interconnection devices
Programming Constructs
For P3, learners are explaining the key components for connection to network systems. This, along with the evidence for P4 (the function of interconnection devices), could be produced as an information ‘leaflet’, which may be paper- or web based. Use a diagram to show that understand the exact requirements for a client to connect to a network.
Diagram to show key components required to access network resources

8. P3 / P4 Recap…..
Need a EXPLAIN a range of network devices…. Explain means give reasons. Key questions to answer:
What component is and what does it for?? What does it allow you to do / makes happen on the network,
Who uses its?
Why the component is needed,
Key features / specifications of the component – data transfer speed,
How does the component work (very important for interconnection devices… how does data move within it??),
Are there different types of this component? How are the different types different?
Any advantages and disadvantages of using this component?
How important is this component to using the network?
What would we do without this component?

9. Content to cover: Network devices Interconnecting Devices
Servers (as many as you can think of but certainly print, web, file, proxy, mail, authentication)
Workstations (as many different types as you can think of)
Printers (ensure you talk about network printers only!!)
NAS
UPS
Interconnecting Devices
Network cards (wired, wireless, pci / dongles)
Hub (active and passive) / Router / Switch / Bridge / Wireless Access Point / Repeater / Gateway
Types of Connection, Connectors & Cabling
Type of WAN connection (Leased line, Dedicated line, ADSL, DSL, cable, mobile)
Types of cable and their connector – UTP / STP, Cat 5e, Cat 6, Cat 7, Coax Fibre,
Cabling hardware – patch panels, rack cabinets, trunking, face plates,
Types of wireless connection,
Software
Network operating system – for servers, for clients,
Network card driver
Network utilities
Application software so can make use of the network and keep network secure
Firmware and embedded software
Commercial systems:
software eg Mac OSX, Linux, Windows, Citrix

10. Content to cover: Software Commercial systems:
Network operating system – for servers, for clients,
Drivers – network card, printer,
Network utilities (admin, monitoring, management, fault finding)
Application software so can make use of the network and keep network secure (e.g. client, web browsers, ftp client, other comms applications)
Firmware
Embedded software – web interfaces within switches, wap, etc
Commercial systems:
software eg Mac OSX, Linux, Windows, Citrix

11. Network Components Notes

12. Network Devices Hardware which users make use of on the network
Workstations / Clients
Allows access to the networks services,
Not necessarily a desktop PC or laptop anymore.
Servers
Powerful computers which provides the network with a service e.g. web, , authentication, print, file, network addressing (DNS / DHCP), security,
Services provided depends on the software which is installed on the machine,
Network card
All devices which are to connect to the network need some form of network card,
Depending on the type of network being used, may be able cable based (UTP, Coax, Fibre), Wireless (802.11a/b/g/n), 3G/4G, Bluetooth.
Could be internal (built in) or dongle based.

13. Interconnection Devices
Hardware which connects the network devices users use together so they can talk to each other
Hub
Allows devices on a network to communicate with each other,
Broadcasts data to every active port so that the correct device will receive it,
Switch
Uses switches inside to create a circuit between ports so devices communicating with each other do so directly,
Router
Used to connect different networks together,
Wireless Access Point
Used to allow devices to connect wirelessly to the network,
Bridge
Divides networks into segments – legacy device switches can do this much easier by creating vLANS

14. Connectors and Cabling1
Used to create a link between the network devices and interconnection devices.
Unshielded twisted pair (UTP)
4 sets of twisted pairs with an outer case
Speeds up to 1000mbps
Has RJ45 connector in the end#
Shielded twisted pair (STP)
4 sets of twisted pairs covered in foil then an outer case
Less prone to electrical interference than UTP so less data loss but is dearer
Has RJ45 connector in the end
Coaxial Cable
Solid copper cable covered in an insulating plastic case. The case is then covered with a copper mesh which is all encased with another plastic sleeve
Can be more rigid that UTP/STP but less interference
BNC (Bayonet Neill-Concelman) connector on the end

15. Connectors and Cabling2 - Fibre Optics
Uses pulses of light rather than electrical signals to transmit the data – therefore is immune to electrical interference,
The light is pulsed down hollow glass or plastic tubes – main advantage is distance and speed Tera bits per second over a single 160 km long optical fibre is the current record. (
Hollow glass or plastic tube which light is pulsed down,
Has a protective cover to protect the light from interference and is immune to electrical interference,
Glass can carry longer than plastic,
Can travel long distances and is fast
Expensive over short distances but very economical over long
SC (subscriber connector) or
ST (straight tip)
Fibre Optic Cable
Overview
Connector
Cable Type

16. Connectors and Cabling3 - Other Equipment
Wall plates and trunking
Used in rooms to ensure neat cabling
Workstations plug to wall plates using a short cable,
Patch Panels
Used in machine rooms to form a connection between the cables which come out of wall plates and the switch
Wall plate cables get brayed onto the back of the patch panel, patch cables (short network cables) go in the front of the panel then into the switch.

17. Software1
Installed / embedded into network and interconnection devices, so users can access network services and administrators can manage.
Server operating system
Installed on the server and provides some services to the network,
Network service software
Installed on the server to provide additional services which were not included with the Server OS e.g. media streaming,
Workstation operating system
Allows the client to access the network – will need to include the protocol suite being used on the network,
Drivers for the network cards,
Security software,
Antivirus and firewall to help maintain security of the network

18. Software2 Application software Embedded software
Installed on the workstations to allow users to perform tasks and access the services provided by the network e.g. Web browsers, FTP clients, clients, media players,
Embedded software
Control panels built into printers and other interconnection devices to help administrators manage them – usually HTML based.