Basic Networking

04 April 2012
 Objectives

Upon the completion of this course, you will be able to:

Define what is a network and enumerate network types

Understand what is a protocol and how IP addressing works

Identify network devices and resources

Enumerate tools used in troubleshooting

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 Agenda

Definition of a computer network

Physical layer
Network types:
Protocols
IP Addressing
Physical addressing
Network devices and resources
MS-DOS Prompt Commands
VPN / Dial-in / RAS
Security
Remote tools and troubleshooting
Network troubleshooting
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Definition of a computer network

How computers communicate
This is how a user- This is how 2 users\computers communicate:
computer
interaction occurs:

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Physical layer :

NIC (Network Interface Card)

Ethernet cable
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Network types

One way to categorize the different types of computer network designs is by

their scope or scale. For historical reasons, the networking industry refers to
nearly every type of design as some kind of area network. Common examples of
area network types are:

LAN - Local Area Network

WLAN - Wireless Local Area Network
WAN - Wide Area Network

LAN and WAN were the original categories of area networks, while the others
have gradually emerged over many years of technology evolution.

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LAN - Local Area Network

A LAN connects network devices over a relatively short distance. A networked

office building, school, or home usually contains a single LAN, though sometimes
one building will contain a few small LANs (perhaps one per room), and
occasionally a LAN will span a group of nearby buildings. In TCP/IP networking, a
LAN is often but not always implemented as a single IP subnet (range of IP
addresses).

In addition to operating in a limited space, LANs are also typically owned,

controlled, and managed by a single person or organization. They also tend to use
certain connectivity technologies, primarily Ethernet.

The Internet
Router

Switch

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Workstations
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WAN - Wide Area Network

As the term implies, a WAN spans a large physical distance. The Internet is the
largest WAN, spanning the Earth.

A WAN is a geographically-dispersed collection of LANs. A network device called

a router connects LANs to a WAN. In IP networking, the router maintains both a
LAN address and a WAN address.

A WAN differs from a LAN in several important ways. Most WANs (like the Internet)
are not owned by any one organization but rather exist under collective or
distributed ownership and management. WANs tend to use technology
like ATM, Frame Relay and X.25 for connectivity over the longer distances.

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Protocols

What is a Protocol?
A protocol is a set of rules that governs the communications between computers on a
network. These rules include guidelines that regulate the following characteristics of a
network: access method, allowed physical topologies, types of cabling, and speed of data
transfer.

Ethernet

The Ethernet protocol is by far the most widely used. Ethernet uses an access method
called CSMA/CD (Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision Detection). This is a system
where each computer listens to the cable before sending anything through the network. If
the network is clear, the computer will transmit. If some other node is already transmitting on
the cable, the computer will wait and try again when the line is clear. Sometimes, two
computers will attempt to transmit in the same time. When this happens, a collision occurs.

Each computer then backs off and waits a random amount of time before attempting to
retransmit. With this access method, it is normal to have collisions. However, the delay
caused by collisions and retransmitting is very small and does not normally effect the speed
of transmission on the network.
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Protocols

The Internet Protocol (IP) is a protocol used for communicating data across a
packet-switched internetwork using the Internet Protocol Suite, also referred to as
TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol).

IP is the primary protocol in the Internet Layer of the TCP/IP Suite and has the
task of delivering distinguished packets from the source host to the destination
host solely based on their addresses.

For this purpose the IP defines an addressing system that has two functions.
Addresses identify hosts and provide a logical location service. Each packet is
tagged with a header that contains the meta-data for the purpose of delivery. This
process of tagging is also called encapsulation.
IP is a connectionless protocol and does not need circuit setup prior to
transmission (as opposed to the Telephony System).

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IP Addressing

Perhaps the most complex aspects of IP are IP addressing and routing.

Addressing refers to how end hosts become assigned IP addresses. IP routing is
performed by all hosts, but most importantly by network routers, which make
packet-forwarding decisions across IP connected networks.

An Internet Protocol address (IP address) is a numerical label that is assigned

to devices participating in a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for
communication between its nodes. An IP address serves two principal functions:
host or network interface identification and location addressing. Its role has been
characterized as follows:

"A name indicates what we seek. An address indicates where it is. A route
indicates how to get there."

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IP Addressing

Although IP addresses are stored as binary numbers, they are usually displayed in
human-readable notations, such as 208.77.188.166

IP uses 32-bit (4-byte) addresses, which limits the address space to

4,294,967,296 (232) possible unique addresses.

IP addresses are usually represented in dot-decimal notation (four numbers, each

ranging from 0 to 255, separated by dots, e.g. 208.77.188.166).

Each part represents 8 bits of the address, and is therefore called an octet.
In most representations each octet is converted individually, as you will see on the
next slide.

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Example of IP address

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Physical addressing

In computer networking, a Media Access Control address (MAC address) is a unique

identifier assigned to network adapters or network interface cards (NICs) usually by the
manufacturer for identification. If assigned by the manufacturer, a MAC address usually
encodes the manufacturer's registered identification number. It may also be known as
hardware address, adapter address, or physical address. This address is built into the
chip of the Network Adapter and cannot be changed.
This is in contrast with the IP Addressing, which is considered to be a logical type of
addressing and can be changed as required by the network schema.

Thus, computers are identified on the network as having a physical and a logical address.

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Network Devices
A network switch is a hardware device that joins multiple computers together
within one local area network (LAN).

Network switches are capable of inspecting data packets as they are received,
determining the source and destination device of each packet, and forwarding
them appropriately. They make decisions based on the MAC address of the
source and destination computers.
By delivering messages only to the connected device intended, a network switch
conserves network bandwidth.

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Network Devices
A router is a device that interconnects two or more computer networks, and selectively
interchanges packets of data between them.
Each data packet contains address information that a router can use to determine if the
source and destination are on the same network, or if the data packet must be transferred
from one network to another.
Where multiple routers are used in a large collection of interconnected networks, the routers
exchange information about target system addresses, so that each router can build up a
table showing the preferred paths between any two systems on the interconnected
networks.

Routers use IP addresses to make decisions about forwarding packets.

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MS-DOS Prompt Commands

Ping is a computer network administration utility used to test the reachability of a host on an
Internet Protocol (IP) network and to measure the round-trip time for messages sent from
the originating host to a destination computer. The name comes from active sonar
terminology.
Ping operates by sending Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) echo request packets
to the target host and waits for an ICMP response (or a pong). In the process it measures
the round-trip time and records any packet loss. The results of the test are printed in form of
a statistical summary of the response packets received, including the minimum, maximum,
and the mean round-trip times.

The use of a ping utility is usually described as pinging a computer.

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MS-DOS Prompt Commands

nslookup is a computer program used in Windows and Unix to query Domain Name
System (DNS) servers to find DNS details, including IP addresses of a particular computer,
the name of the computer, etc.
The name nslookup means "name server lookup".
The DNS servers keep a record of all the computers in the network and link each IP address
to a specific hostname (computer name).

We query the computer

name to find its IP
address that is stored in
the DNS records.

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MS-DOS Prompt Commands

Ipconfig
Displays all current TCP/IP network configuration values and refreshes Dynamic Host Configuration
Protocol (DHCP) and Domain Name System (DNS) settings. Used without parameters, ipconfig displays
the IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway for all adapters.

Syntax
ipconfig [/all] [/renew [Adapter]] [/release [Adapter]] [/flushdns] [/displaydns] [/registerdns]
[/showclassid Adapter] [/setclassid Adapter [ClassID]]

Parameters
/all : Displays the full TCP/IP configuration for all adapters.
/renew [Adapter] : Renews DHCP configuration for all adapters (if an adapter is not specified) or for a
specific adapter if the Adapter parameter is included.
/release [Adapter] : Sends a DHCPRELEASE message to the DHCP server to release the current DHCP
configuration and discard the IP address configuration for either all adapters (if an adapter is not specified)
or for a specific adapter if the Adapter parameter is included. This parameter disables TCP/IP for adapters
configured to obtain an IP address automatically.
/?: Displays help at the command prompt.
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IPCONFIG example

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Network Resources

A network resource is any element of hardware, software or data that is part of a

larger system (a WAN for example), and can be accessed remotely from
anywhere within the system itself (any computer on the network). This, of course,
is regulated by permissions, and access is granted on a need-to basis.

Examples:
Printers
Storage
Applications

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Network Resources
Network printers:

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Network Resources

Network printers:

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Network Resources
Network printers:

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Network Resources
Network printers:

You can connect to printers that are on the network only if they are installed on a
print server

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Network Resources
Network storage

You can map shared folder located on the network and have them show up in My
Computer, along with your local drives:

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Network Resources

Network storage:

Specify the drive letter that you want associated with the folder and its location.

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VPN / Dial-in / RAS

A virtual private network (VPN) is a network that uses a public telecommunication

infrastructure, such as the Internet, to provide remote offices or individual users with secure
access to their organization's network. It aims to avoid an expensive system of owned or
leased lines that can be used by only one organization. The goal of a VPN is to provide the
organization with the same secure capabilities but at a much lower cost.
Instead of using a dedicated, real-world connection such as leased line, a VPN uses "virtual"
connections routed through the Internet from the company's private network to the remote
site or employee.

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Security

A firewall is a part of a computer system or network that is designed to block unauthorized

access while permitting authorized communications. It is a device or set of devices that is
configured to permit or deny computer applications based upon a set of rules and other
criteria.
Firewalls can be implemented in either hardware or software, or a combination of both.
Firewalls are frequently used to prevent unauthorized Internet users from accessing private
networks connected to the Internet, especially intranets.
All messages entering or leaving the intranet pass through the firewall, which examines
each message and blocks those that do not meet the specified security criteria.

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Security

Windows Firewall drops incoming traffic that does not correspond to either traffic
sent in response to a request of the computer (solicited traffic) or unsolicited traffic
that has been specified as allowed (excepted traffic). Windows Firewall helps
provide protection from malicious users and programs that rely on unsolicited
incoming traffic to attack computers.

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Remote tools & Troubleshooting

Remote Assistance is a tool that comes with Windows XP and can help
a technician solve issues on a computer remotely.

It requires that the user is logged on, and both the user and the technician
can see the screen at the same time, interact, take control and chat.

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Remote tools & Troubleshooting

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Remote tools & Troubleshooting

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Remote tools & Troubleshooting

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Remote tools & Troubleshooting

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Remote tools & Troubleshooting

You can take control of a users session an help troubleshoot an issue.

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Network Troubleshooting

Remote Desktop Connection is also a tool included in Windows XP, and is used
to connect to a computer on the network and work remotely as if you were
physically in front of that computer. This requires the remote user to be logged off
so that you can logon with your user-id.

After successfully connecting, you can work on the users computer

normally.
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Network Troubleshooting

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Network Troubleshooting

Citrix is a server solution that uses Microsoft Terminal Services software to

deliver Windows applications to PCs, Apple Macintosh computers, X terminals
and UNIX workstations.

This enables users of those systems to access and use those programs which are
available to those using the Windows operating system.

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 Using a link you are able to login to Citrix.

Basic Networking

Network Troubleshooting

Using a link you are able to login to Citrix.

Once there you are able to start a Desktop session (it is like a virtual machine)..

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Network Troubleshooting

NetMeeting is a conference tool that can be used to share the Desktop or single
applications, chat and share files among several users at the same time. You can
also take control of a shared session and interact with it.
NetMeeting works by calling another computer based on IP address or choosing
someone from the Address Book.
Call button

Share the
desktop or an
application Address Book

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Network Troubleshooting

Office LiveMeeting is a new conferencing tool that comes with the Microsoft Office
2007 Package and allows multiple users to share desktops, applications, take
control and chat with a higher level of quality and stability.

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Network Troubleshooting

You can also start a LiveMeeting session from Office Communicator:

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Network Troubleshooting

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Network Troubleshooting

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Network Troubleshooting

Request Control Button

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Network Troubleshooting

When troubleshooting network issues, always start from the physical layer and work your
way to the software problems.

Is the network cable plugged in? LED lights blinking on the Network Card?
Is the network card disabled in Windows? Check Device Manager or Network
Connections
Is the IP address correctly configured? Check if manual or automatic IP address should be
set.
Can you PING the computer?
DNS issue? Try nslookup
Application issue? Is this happening for all applications or just one? Check Windows
Firewall

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