1. How does a repeater work? (2 points)

A repeater receives bit signals gathered by the NICs and other devices; makes them stronger, then passes them along or repeats them to different areas of the network.

2. Describe the difference between hubs and switches. Include a comparison and description of full- and half-duplex. Discuss the potential reasons for choosing a hub versus a switch, whether it be cost, speed, security, or other. (3 points) The difference between a hub and switch is that a hub is primarily used as a central connecting device for multiple computers, or a way to extend ones network. A hub can only receive electrical bit signals, strengthen them, and repeat them to other computers. With a switch it actually reads the data information in the message, determines the destination port the device is connected to, and sends the message to only that port to make frames.

2. Summarize the process of a switch: (5 points)

a. Switch receives a frame. b. Switch reads the source and destination MAC addresses. c. Switch looks up the destination MAC address in its switching table. d. Switch forwards the frame to the port where the computer owning the MAC address is found. e. Switch table is updated with the source MAC address and port information.

3. Define an access point. Describe how an access point operates. How does wireless network communication differ from wired network communication? (3 points)

An access point is like a hub, in the sense that all computers send signals through it to communicate with other computers. The difference is that signals don’t travel through a physical medium; they travel through the air waves and radio signals.

An access point is like a wired hub; all stations hear all network data transmitted by all other wireless devices in the network. All communication is sent to the access point, which is retransmitted or repeats the transmission to the destination station. Unlike a hub, communication between two stations requires an extra step. To indicate that the frame was received, the destination device sends an acknowledgement. If the sending device receives the acknowledgement it knows that there was no error or collision.
The difference in a wireless network compared to a wired network, is that the extra chatter required to send data over a wireless network slows down the communication. When using a wireless network it shares network bandwidth (the bandwidth used for actual data transmission), which is half the physical bandwidth which means that if you don’t have an AP that can operate on a higher speed compatible for all computers on the network and the network traffic then this may not be the best way of connecting your network. (This is less secure)

4. What tasks do the NIC and the NIC driver perform? (2 points)

The tasks a NIC (network interface card) and NIC driver perform are: -Providing a connection from the computer to the network medium. -Incoming messages-receive bit signals and assemble them into frames, verify the frame’s destination address, remove the frame header, and trailer, and transfer the packet to the network protocol. -Outgoing messages- receives packets from the network protocol and create frames by adding source and destination MAC addresses and error checking data -Convert frame data into bit signals in a format suitable for the network medium and transmit the signals.

5. Describe a MAC address. Is it able to be changed by a user or system administrator? What is it composed of? What is a unicast frame? What is a broadcast frame and what is it used for? What is promiscuous mode? (6 points)

A MAC address is a unique address given to a computer by a NIC manufacturer, without this a network won’t function properly if duplicate MAC addresses exist. Due to the address being BIA (burned-in address) in the NIC it cannot be changed (unless it was the local address). A MAC address is composed of six two-digit alphanumeric characters, separated by colons or dashes. A MAC address has two 24-bit numbers; the first three two-digit groups represent the organizationally unique identifier, and the last three are the unique serial number assigned by the manufacturer. A unicast frame is a destination MAC intended for a single computer. A broadcast frame is a frame with a destination MAC made of all binary 1s or FF-FF-FF-FF-FF-FF in hexadecimals; this is used to permit inbound communications to pass through the NIC. Promiscuous mode turns off the gatekeeper functions and enables the NIC to process all the frames it sees.

6. What are common types of motherboard interfaces on PCs for NICs? What are typical operating speeds for NICs? (2 points)

Common types of motherboard interfaces are PCI and PCIe, typical operating speeds for NICs are 10/100/100 Mbps.

7. Network interface cards use different types of mediums. But, do they all have similar functions and methods of working with operating systems? (1 point)

Yes, the NIC communicates with the operating system via the driver when using more than one medium, you simply need to shut down your computer, install the NIC, and restart the computer. If the operating system has a suitable driver available, it’s installed automatically. If not your usually prompted to insert a CD/DVD containing the driver files. Using these steps your NIC should be ready to function without need for further configuration.

8. What connection name is assigned to the first NIC installed in a computer system? (1 point)

The connection name assigned to the first NIC installed in a computer is “Local Area Connection”.

9. What are typical operating speeds for wireless networks? (1 point)

In order from slowest to fastest are the operating speeds for wireless networks: * Wireless-b/802.11b the earliest wireless standards, it supports up to 11 Mbps transfer rates. * Wireless-g/802.11g came next and supports up to 54 Mbps transfer rates. * Wireless-n/802.11n is a new standard supporting speeds from 54 to more than 300 Mbps transfer rates.

10. What does SSID mean? What is the use of the SSID? (2 points)

SSID (service set identifier)is the name assigned to a wireless network, so that a wireless clients can distinguish between them when more than one is detected.

11. What is the purpose of a router? (1 point)
Routers enable several LANs to talk to one another by forwarding packets from one LAN to another; they also send packets from one router to another when LANs are separated by more than one router.

12. Describe a broadcast domain? (1 point)

A logical division in a network where broadcasts frames is created by router interfaces.

13. What is the difference between a switch and a router? What type of information do they each store in tables? (2 points)

A switch uses MAC addresses, a MAC table, and it also connects the computers in a LAN.
A router uses IP addresses, a routing table, and it connects different networks (LANs) to create a internetwork.

14. What is the purpose of the default route? (1 point)

A default route is a routing table that tells a router where to send a packet with a destination network that can’t be found in the table, this route leads to another router with the network address in its table repeating this until if finds a network that that have the address in its routing table.

15. What is a default gateway? (1 point)

An address configured in the settings of a computer’s IP address that identifies the router address so that it can send any packets intended for other networks.

16. What might prevent wireless from being used extensively in an enterprise? For example, consider how adding a wireless infrastructure might affect a hospital or large credit card company. (6 points)