OpenStax-CNX module: m45052 1

Network Basics *

Txell Rojo
This work is produced by OpenStax-CNX and licensed under the
„
Creative Commons Attribution License 3.0

Abstract
This module explain the basics of Network technology. At the end of this module you will know: What
is a Network Distinguish between LAN and WLAN Distinguish Infrastructure and Ad-hoc Connections
Identify components of a Network (devices, router, hub, switch) Understand Network concepts: IP,
Subnet, DHCP, Bonour, etc.

Introduction
BENEFITS OF CREATING A NETWORK:
• A better way to manage and share information.
• Allows to share a single resource by multiple users.
• Centralized administration and control.

Typesof networks
There are two types of networks that can be used in the home:

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1 Ad hoc1

An ad hoc network is a group of devices (computers, printers) connected as an independent

network. An ad hoc network does not use a router, and thus the devices on an ad hoc network cannot
connect to the Internet. If both devices have wireless capability, you can create a wireless ad hoc network.
You can also use Ethernet cables, but special cables ( called Crossover Cables) are needed for direct
device-to-device connections
Wireless: ad hoc
Wired: P2P

2 Infrastructure2

An infrastructure network is the most common

type of home network. The key component of an infrastructure network is the router, hub, or
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access point. The router, hub, or access point:

• focal point for all data trac on the wireless network

Serves as the
• Links to the Internet (through the modem)
• Manages all internal network data transactions
Ethernet),
There are multiple congurations of infrastructure networks, but all are either connected with wires (
wireless), or a combination of the two (mixed).
without wires (
Network devices

Hub
• the most simple way to interconnect several network elements. They consist of a set of Ethernet RJ-45
plugs, in which we will connect every network member.
• It does not analyze the information packets. When a component wants to send or get information
from another one, it sends it to the Hub, which then forwards it to all the network elements
connected to the hub, except the sender. All the elements will

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• ignore this information but the destination, so this ends in a lot of unsolicited network trac.
•

Switch
• Switches are capable to check the information frames that reach them, and nd out (always
who is the source and destination in the LAN
in the physical and link layer)
• This is possible because switches read the devices' MAC adress, therefore indientify the physical
connector in which the divice is plugged.
• Switches are capable of sending the information only to the necessary members of the LAN,
creating data paths.

Router

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• Routers are physical devices that handle communication at the Network Layer. They usually work
with TCP/IP, the most widely used network protocol.
• They are intelligent devices that are capable to route the trac to specic network ad-
dresses (IP), or lter the incoming and outgoing trac by using routing tables
NETWORK CONCEPTS
GENERAL
• TCP/ IP
• Subnet mask
• Gateway
• DHCP
• Bonjour
• MAC ADRESS

3 NETWORK CONCEPTS: IP
Every device on a home network has an IP address. IP stands for Internet Protocol. The IP
address is a unique code that identies a particular device (such as a computer or printer)
on a network. Every device requires an IP address to connect to the network because it is the way it
communicates.
IP addresses consist of four sets of numbers from 0 to 255, separated by three dots. For example
198.162.0.1 or 66.239.115.148
TCP/IP: Abbreviation of Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol, it is the most common
network protocol now days. It is used in the Internet, and due to its stability and great performance, it has
been adopted as the network standard protocol for all the network congurations or topologies.
It is based on the division of the information in small pieces called packets, which allows to send
big amounts of information in several parts, that are afterwards joined to create the complete le. This
method optimizes the network performance, allowing network bandwidth to be shared among the dierent
network members.

4 NETWORK CONCEPTS: IPv4

• IP: each network device must be identied by a unique address called IP address. An IP address is a
set of four bytes (32 bits separated by dots) that identies a single network device.
• We usually use the decimal format to represent IP addresses. As they are divided in 8 bits parts, the
maximum number an IP address can reach will be:

o 2e8=256 elements, from 0 to 255.

From 0.0.0.0 to 255.255.255.255
• Subnetmask: special sort of IP address, but with dierent rules, and their function is completely
dierent. IP addresses identify the network member, so there can't be two members with the same
IP Address. However, Subnet masks indicate to which subnet does a network element belong to, so
Subnet masks are usually the same for any subnet
• Subnet masks look like IP addresses, they are made up of 32 bits, divided in 4 bytes. The limit is again
255 for any subnet part (in decimal format).

For example:
255.255.255.0
255.255.0.0
255.0.0.0

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5 TYPES OF NETWORKS:
• Class A: Network.Host.Host.Host . Up to 16 million devices. Therefore they can't be used for LANs.

127.x.x.x
255.0.0.0

• Class B: Network.Network.Host.Host. These networks use half of the IP address to identify the
network, and the other half for identifying every host. Up to 6536 devices.

10.10.x.x
255.255.0.0

• Class C: Network.Network.Network.Host. It allows a maximum number of 256 devices.

192.168.1.x
255.255.255.0

6 Gateway
• A gateway is a network hardware or software that allows communication between two networks
using dierent protocols. For example, an Ethernet and a Wireless Network cannot communicate
each other unless a sort of device translates either physical protocol. The gateway is the bridge to a
dierent network. It is usually a router, or a deviceacting as a router.
• In the TCP/IP conguration, the default gateway is the IP address of a computer or router
that will receive all the transmission requests that could not nd their destination among the members
of the subnet. It is like the exit of a network. This IP address can be the same for every network
member

7 types of IP
A device can be assigned an IP address in one of three ways:

• Manually by a network administrator, called a static IP address because it does not change.
•
• Automatically by the router running Dynamic Host Conguration Protocol ( DHCP) software.
When the router automatically assigns each device its own unique IP address, this is called Dynamic
Dynamic IP address.
Routing or a
• Automatically by the device itself. If a device is set to automatically accept a dynamic IP address,
and a DHCP connection is not available, the device assigns itself an IP address. This is called an auto
IP address. Auto IP addresses are in the range of 169.254.0.0 to 169.254.255.255.

8 Local area network: LAN

• Wired Network.
• Protocol IEEE 802.3
• Cable RJ-45

· Crosseover: to connect 2 computers.

· Standard: to connect dierent devices.

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9 Wireless local area network: WLAN

• It communicates through radio waves.
• Communication protocols:

PROTOCOL COMPATIBILITY
802.11a Not compatible with 802.11b, as it transmits at 5
GHz. Compatiblewith newer 802.11g devices that
provide 5 GHz capability.

802.11b Compatible with any AP or device using 802.11g or

802.11b.

802.11g These devices are usually compatible with either

802.11b or 802.11g. Some routers and WNICs need
to have the compatibility with 802.11b enabled.
Newer 802.11g devices are also compatible with
802.11a, byinstalling a dual antenna system, so they
can transmit at either 2,4 GHz or 5 GHz.

Table 1

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10 WLAN: SSID
• SSID: Every physical wireless network is uniquely identied by a name called SSID, which is like the
wireless network plug, in which a network member is connected. It is only possible to connect to a
single SSID a time

11 WLAN: SECURITY
Many techniques are available to secure a wireless home network.
Encryptions:

• WEP (moderate security) : Wired Equivalent Privacy. This encryption standard was the original
encryption standard for wireless. WEP was originally designed to provide the same level of security
that is provided by a wired network, however WEP has since been compromised and can be relatively
easy to break (nd the key).
• WPA: Wi-Fi Protected Access is considered a much more secure encryption method over WEP. WPA2
is the latest version of WPA. Note that some early network products will only support WEP which is
why some users still use it.

Home Network: SECURITY, MAC ADRESS

• MAC address is the physical Ethernet identication of the network device, it works at Data link
level.
• MAC ltering refers to a security access control method whereby the 48-bit address assigned to
each network card is used to determine access to the network.

The MAC address of the device must be entered in the EWS of the router in order it allows it to enter the
Network.
EWS
EWS Embedded Web Server. A web server that exists within a device such as a router that allows you
to congure settings for security and other things. The EWS of a device can be accessed by opening a web
browser and entering the IP address of the device into the address box of the browser (where you would
normally enter URLs to access web sites).

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