Chapter 17 Projects

PROJECT 17-1: Investigating Your PC

If you are connected to the Internet or a network, answer these questions:

1. What is the hardware device used to make this connection (network card, onboard port,
wireless)? List the device’s name as Windows sees it.

2. If you are connected to a LAN, what is the MAC address of the NIC? Print the screen
that shows the address.

3. What is the IP address of your PC?

4. What Windows utilities did you use to answer the first three questions?

Device Manager and Command Prompt


PROJECT 17-2: Researching IP Address Classes 

Use the Web site www.flumps.org/ip/ by Paul Rogers to answer these questions: (Website is out of date)

1. List three companies that have a Class A IP address license.

- General Electric Company, NJ (NET-GE-INTERNET) 
- Computer Sciences Corporation, VA (NET-CSC)  
- Xerox Palo Alto Research Center, CA (NET-XEROX-NET)


2. List three companies that have a Class B IP address license.

- US Cable Networks
- AT&T
- BBN Planet



3. Who owns IP address class license 9.x.y.z?

IBM

4. Find another Web site on the Internet that gives similar information. How does the
information on the new site compare with the information on the www.flumps.
org/ip/ site?

http://www.ip-index.de/

This website has a list of companies with IP addresses for a lot of different Countries. 


PROJECT 17-3: Researching Switches

A PC support technician is often called on to research equipment to maintain or improve a
PC or network and make recommendations for purchase. You have been asked to upgrade a
small network that consists of one switch and four computers from 100BaseT to Gigabit
Ethernet. The switch connects to a router that already supports Gigabit Ethernet. Do the
following to price the hardware needed for this upgrade:

1. Find three switches by different manufacturers that support Gigabit Ethernet and have at
least five ports. Print the Web pages describing each switch.

 - Netgear® ProSafe® Plus GS105E; 5-port Gigabit Ethernet Switch

- Medialink - 5-Port Gigabit Ethernet Switch 

- Linksys SE2500 5-Port Gigabit Ethernet Switch   

 

2. Compare the features and prices of the two switches. Which switch would you recommend for a small business network? What information might you want to know before you make your recommendation?

The price range for these devices is from 20 to 70 dollars. I would recommend the NETGEAR switch and it's more expensive than the other two switches. However, I believe the money is worth it because of the quality of the switch. It is more detailed than the other two switches and detail is everything when investing in devices. 

3. Find three network adapters by different manufacturers to install in the desktop computers
that support Gigabit Ethernet. Print Web pages for each NIC.

- Intel EXPI9402PTBLK 10/ 100/ 1000Mbps PCI-Express Two Gigabit Copper Server Connections - OEM

- TRENDnet TEG-PCITXR 10/ 100/ 1000Mbps PCI Gigabit Network Adapter

- NETGEAR GA311 10/ 100/ 1000Mbps PCI Gigabit Adapter with Jumbo Frame support


4. Compare features of the three network adapters. Which one would you recommend
and why?

I recommend the NETGEAR Network Adapter because the switch I recommend is also the same brand by NETGEAR. I think it would make for an even more compatible network if they are the same brand.

5. What is the total price of the upgrade, including one switch and four network
adapters?

-  Netgear® ProSafe® Plus GS105E; 5-port Gigabit Ethernet Switch = $64.99

 - NETGEAR GA311 10/ 100/ 1000Mbps PCI Gigabit Adapter with Jumbo Frame support = $24.99 x 4 = $99.96

$64.99 + $99.96 = $164.99


PROJECT 17-4: Researching a Wireless LAN

Suppose you want to connect two computers to your company LAN using a wireless connection.
Use the Internet to research the equipment needed to create the wireless LAN,
and answer the following:

1. Print a Web page showing an access point device that can connect to an Ethernet LAN.

- D-Link - AirPremier 802.11n Wireless Dual-Band PoE Access Point

2. How much does the device cost? How many wireless devices can the access point support
at one time? How is the device powered?

This device cost is $129.98, support for up to 8 VLANs for implementing multiple SSIDs to further help segment users on the network, and it's powered with a network cable and power cable. 

3. Print three Web pages showing three different network adapters a computer can use to
connect to the access point. Include one external device that uses a USB port and one
internal device. Verify the devices use the same technology standards as the access point.
How much does each device cost?

 - D-Link Xtreme N Dual-Band USB Adapter (DWA-160), Wireless N600  Cost = $44.99

- D-Link DWA-556 Xtreme Desktop Adapter IEEE 802.11g/n PCI Express Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA, WPA2) Cost = $70.95

- D-Link DWA-525 Wireless-N 150 Desktop PCI Adapter, 802.11n, 150Mbps Cost = $34.00

 

4. Which technology standards did you match to make sure the adapters and access point are compatible?

IEEE 802.11n with the same brand by D-Link

5. What is the total cost of implementing a wireless LAN with two computers using the wireless access point?

The access point would cost $129.98, the two wireless Adapters internal cost $34.00 and external cost $44.99 would add up to be $78.99. Then add up the access point with both the adapters which would cost in total $208.97.