Overview of Networks

CompTIA Network+ (N10-007)

 Computer Networks
• What comes to mind?
• Is it limited to computers?
• Is it limited to Ethernet, WiFi, or fiber?
 Purpose of Networks

• To make connections between machines

• Converged networks combine multiple types

of traffic like data, video, and voice

• We expect 99.999% availability (The 5 9’s)

• Only 5 minutes downtime per year
 Network Traffic Examples
File sharing
Video chatting
Surfing the Web
Social Media
Streaming Video
E-mail
Messaging
VoIP
Network Components
CompTIA Network+ (N10-007)
 Network Components

• Client
• Server
• Hub
• Wireless Access Point
• Switch
• Router
• Media
• WAN Link
 Client
• Device end-user accesses the network with

• Workstation, laptop, tablet, smartphone,

television, server, or other terminal device

• Can be any
device that
connects to
the network
 Server
• Provides resources to the rest of the network

• Different servers provide different functions,

such as an E-mail server, Web server, File
server, Chat server, and Print server

• Can be a dedicated server

hardware/software or can
be a device that is acting
like a server for a particular
function
 Hub
• Older technology to connect networked
devices, such as clients and servers

• Can be interconnected to provide more ports,

but leads to increased network errors

• Receives information
in one port and
rebroadcasts it out
all the other ports
 Wireless Access Point (WAP)
• Device that allows wireless devices to connect
into a wired network

• Commonly used in home, small business, and

even some large enterprise networks

• Acts as a wireless hub

 Switch
• Connects networked devices such as clients
and servers (like a hub)

• Switches learn what devices are on which

switch ports

• Switches only forward traffic received from a

port to the destination port based on the
device’s MAC address

• Provides more security and

efficiently uses available bandwidth
 Router
• Connect two different networks together

• Intelligently forwards traffic to and from a

network based on its logical address

• Most modern routers use Internet Protocol (IP)

address to determine routing of traffic
 Media
• Connect two devices or a device to a port

• Made from copper cable, fiber optic cable, or

radio frequency waves (WiFi)

• Each type has strengths and limitations, such

as its available bandwidth, capacity, distance
that can be covered, and cost to install and
maintain
 Wide Area Network
(WAN) Link
• Physically connects networks together

• Numerous WAN links are available: leased

lines, DSL, Cable, Fiber Optic, Satellite,
Cellular, Microwave, …

• Connects internal network to external

networks, such as a SOHO network to Internet
Network Resources
CompTIA Network+ (N10-007)
 Client/Server Model
• Uses dedicated server to provide access to
files, scanners, printers, and other resources

• Administration and backup is easier since

resources are located on a few key servers
 Benefits of Client/Server
• Centralized administration

• Easier management

• Better scalability
 Drawbacks of Client/Server
• Higher cost

• Requires dedicated resources

• Requires network operating system

 Peer-to-Peer Model
• Peers (PCs) share resources (files/printers)
with each other directly

• Administration and backup is more difficulty

since resources are located on a many PCs
which adds to the administrative burden
 Benefits of Peer-to-Peer
• Lower cost

• No dedicated resources required

• No specialized operating system required

 Drawbacks of Peer-to-Peer
• Decentralized management

• Inefficient for large networks

• Poor scalability
Network Geography
CompTIA Network+ (N10-007)
 Personal Area Network
(PAN)
• Smallest type of wired or wireless network

• Covers the least amount of area (few meters)

• Examples:
• Bluetooth cellphone to car
• USB hard drive to laptop
• Firewire video camera to computer
 Local Area Network
(LAN)
• Connects components in a limited distance

• Each segment is limited to short distances,

such as 100 meters with CAT 5 cabling

• Consists of Ethernet (IEEE 802.3) or

WiFi networks (IEEE 802.11)

• Examples:
• Internal wired or wireless networks
 Campus Area Network
(CAN)
• Connects building-centric LANs across a
university, industrial park, or business park

• Covers many square miles and buildings

• Examples:
• College campus
• Business Parks
• Military bases
 Metropolitan Area Network
(MAN)
• Connects scattered locations across a city

• Larger than a CAN, but smaller than a WAN

• Covers up to a 25 mile radius in larger cities

• Examples:
• City departments like the
police department
• Community college with
campuses spread across
a county
 Wide Area Network
(WAN)
• Connects geographically disparate internal
networks

• Consists of leased lines or Virtual Private

Networks tunneled over the Internet

• Covers distances around the country or

around the world

• Examples:
• The Internet (largest WAN)
• Connecting two private corporate networks from
New York to Seattle
Network Geography

WAN (Country or Worldwide)

MAN (City or County)

CAN (Campus or Business Park)

LAN (Room or Building)

PAN
(Around a Person)
Wired Network Topology
CompTIA Network+ (N10-007)
 Defining Network Topology
• Physical Topology
• How devices are physically connected by media

• Logical Topology
• How the actual traffic flows in the network
 Bus Topology
• Uses a cable running through area that
required network connectivity

• Each device “taps” into the cable using either

a T connector or vampire tap

• Old technology, not commonly used anymore

• Devices on cable form

single collision domain
 Ring Topology
• Uses a cable running in a circular loop

• Each device connects to the ring, but data

travels in a singular direction

• FDDI (Fiber networks) used two

counter-rotating rings for redundancy

• On token ring networks,

devices wait for a turn to
communicate on ring by
passing a token
 Star Topology
• Most popular physical LAN topology

• Devices connect to a single point

• Most commonly used with Ethernet cabling,

but wireless or fiber are also used

• If the central device fails,

the entire network fails
 Hub-and-Spoke Topology
• Used for connecting multiple sites

• Similar to Star, but with WAN links instead of

local area network connections

• Not redundant, if central office (hub) fails, the

whole network can fail
 Full-Mesh Topology
• Most redundant topology

• Every node connects to every other node

• Optimal routing is always available

• Very expensive to maintain and operate

• Number of Connections
x= n(n - 1) / 2
 Partial-Mesh Topology
• Hybrid of the full-mesh and the hub-and-spoke
topologies

• Provides optimal routes between some sites,

while avoiding the expense of connecting
every site

• Must consider network traffic patterns to

design it effectively
Wireless Network Topology
CompTIA Network+ (N10-007)
 Infrastructure Mode
• Most common type of wireless network

• Requires centralized management

• Uses a wireless access point as a centralized

point like a star topology

• Supports wireless
security controls
 Ad Hoc Mode
• Decentralized wireless network

• No routers or access points are required

• Forwarding decisions for data on the network

are made dynamically

• Allows creation/joining
of networks “on-the-fly”

• Creates P2P
connections
 Wireless Mesh Topology
• Interconnection of different types of nodes or
devices

• Consists of clients, routers, and gateways

• Utilizes different
radio frequencies
to extend and
expand access

• Reliable and
redundant
connections
Internet of Things (IoT)
CompTIA Network+ (N10-007)
Internet of Things (IoT)
 IoT Technologies
• 802.11
• Operates as infrastructure or ad hoc

• Bluetooth
• Low energy use variant of Bluetooth
which allows for a mesh network

• RFID
• Uses electromagnetic fields to read
data stored in embedded tags

• NFC
• Enables two electronic devices to communicate
within a 4 cm range
 IoT Technologies
• Infrared (IR)
• Operates with line of sight

• Z-Wave
• Provides short-range, low-latency
data transfer at rates and power
consumption lower than Wi-Fi
• Used primarily for home automation

• Ant+
• Collection and transfer of sensor data
• Used with remote control systems (tire pressure,
TVs, lights)