Mike Meyers CompTIA Network+ Guide to Managing and Troubleshooting Networks Lab Manual (Exam N10-008) PDF

About the Series Editor Michael Meyers is the industry’s leading authority on CompTIA Network+ certification. He is the president and founder of Total Seminars, LLC, a member of CompTIA and a major provider of IT fundamentals, PC and network repair, and computer security training and training mate...

About the Series Editor Michael Meyers is the industry’s leading authority on CompTIA Network+ certification. He is the president and founder of Total Seminars, LLC, a member of CompTIA and a major provider of IT fundamentals, PC and network repair, and computer security training and training materials for thousands of organizations throughout the world. Mike has written numerous popular textbooks, including the best-selling Mike Meyers’ CompTIA A+™ Guide to Managing and Troubleshooting PCs, Mike Meyers’ CompTIA Network+ Guide to Managing and Troubleshooting Networks, and Mike Meyers’ CompTIA Security+™ Certification Guide. Mike has attained numerous industry certifications, including CompTIA A+, CompTIA Network+, CompTIA Security+, CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+), and Microsoft Certified Professional. About the Author Jonathan S. Weissman is a senior lecturer (Department of Computing Security) at Rochester Institute of Technology, where he was awarded the RIT Outstanding Teaching Award in 2014, the RIT GCCIS Outstanding Educator Award in 2018, and RIT Distinguished Teacher Recognition Program Honors in 2019. Weissman developed and teaches three courses for the edX RITx Cybersecurity MicroMasters program to more than 300,000 students worldwide. Weissman is also a tenured associate professor and the Networking and Cybersecurity program coordinator (Department of Computing Sciences) at Finger Lakes Community College, where he was awarded the State University of New York Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2021. All in all, Weissman is the recipient of eleven teaching honors and awards. Weissman began his teaching career in 2001 and has taught more than 50 graduate and undergraduate courses, which include networking, cybersecurity, systems administration, ethical hacking/pentesting, digital forensics, malware reverse engineering, cryptography, programming, scripting, Web design, database design, computer organization and architecture, operating system design, and many more. In addition to his two full-time teaching positions, Weissman teaches part-time at Syracuse University (Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science) and at Nazareth College (School of Business and Leadership). In addition to the fourth and fifth editions of this book, Weissman is the author of Principles of Computer Security: CompTIA Security+™ and Beyond Lab Manual and Mike Meyers’ CompTIA Network+ Certification Passport (fifth, sixth, and seventh editions). He also serves as technical editor for many industry textbooks, including this lab manual’s corresponding textbook. Furthermore, Weissman is a networking and cybersecurity consultant for local businesses and individuals. Weissman regularly appears on TV news and talk radio and in articles as a networking and cybersecurity expert. Additionally, he presents at conferences and in webinars, runs workshops, and appears in podcasts. Weissman has a master’s degree in computer science from Brooklyn College and holds 44 industry certifications, including CCNP Enterprise, Cisco Certified Specialist – Enterprise Core, Cisco Certified Specialist – Enterprise Advanced Infrastructure Implementation, CCNA Security, CCNA, CompTIA Security+, CompTIA Network+, CompTIA A+, CompTIA Linux+, CompTIA Server+, EC-Council Certified Ethical Hacker, EC-Council Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator, and IPv6 Forum Certified Network Engineer (Gold), among many others. He was inducted into the IPv6 Forum’s New Internet IPv6 Hall of Fame as an IPv6 Evangelist in 2021. Follow Jonathan S. Weissman on LinkedIn at https://linkedin.com/in/jonathan-s-weissman-058b649b/, Twitter at https://twitter.com/CSCPROF, and Instagram at https://instagram.com/cscprof/. Subscribe to his YouTube channel at https://youtube.com/Weissman52. About the Technical Editor Edward Tetz graduated in 1990 from Saint Lawrence College in Cornwall, Ontario, with a degree in business administration. Since that time, he has spent his career delivering certified technical training for a Microsoft Training Center and working as a service delivery professional in both Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Ottawa, Ontario. Over his career, Ed has supported Apple Macintosh, IBM OS/2, Linux, Novell NetWare, and all Microsoft operating systems from MS-DOS to Windows Server 2019, as well as hardware from most of the major manufacturers. Ed currently works for Microsoft in Customer Success in Ottawa, supporting enterprise and government customers. When not working with technology, Ed spends time with his wife, Sharon, and his two daughters, Emily and Mackenzie. Copyright © 2022 by McGraw Hill. All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the United States Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher, with the exception that the program listings may be entered, stored, and executed in a computer system, but they may not be reproduced for publication. ISBN: 978-1-26-427473-4 MHID: 1-26-427473-4 The material in this eBook also appears in the print version of this title: ISBN: 978-1-26-427474-1, MHID: 1-26-427474-2. eBook conversion by codeMantra Version 1.0 All trademarks are trademarks of their respective owners. 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Weissman Contents at a Glance Chapter 1 Network Models Chapter 2 Cabling and Topology Chapter 3 Ethernet Basics Chapter 4 Ethernet Standards Chapter 5 Installing a Physical Network Chapter 6 TCP/IP Basics Chapter 7 Routing Chapter 8 TCP/IP Applications Chapter 9 Network Naming Chapter 10 Securing TCP/IP Chapter 11 Switch Features Chapter 12 IPv6 Chapter 13 WAN Connectivity Chapter 14 Wireless Networking Chapter 15 Virtualization and Cloud Computing Chapter 16 Data Centers Chapter 17 Integrating Network Devices Chapter 18 Network Operations Chapter 19 Protecting Your Network Chapter 20 Network Monitoring Chapter 21 Network Troubleshooting Index Contents Acknowledgments Introduction Additional Resources for Teachers Chapter 1 Network Models Lab Exercise 1.01: Network Hardware and Software Lab Exercise 1.02: netstat, ping, and tracert Lab Exercise 1.03: The OSI Model Lab Exercise 1.04: OSI Model Presentation Lab Exercise 1.05: Networking (in Another Sense) and Staying Current with Industry Lab Analysis Key Term Quiz Chapter 2 Cabling and Topology Lab Exercise 2.01: Network Topologies Lab Exercise 2.02: Cabling Requirements Lab Exercise 2.03: Standards Organizations Lab Analysis Key Term Quiz Chapter 3 Ethernet Basics Lab Exercise 3.01: IEEE 802.3 Lab Exercise 3.02: CSMA/CD—Past and Present Lab Exercise 3.03: Origins of Ethernet  Lab Analysis Key Term Quiz Chapter 4 Ethernet Standards Lab Exercise 4.01: Gigabit Ethernet Standards and NICs Lab Exercise 4.02: Gigabit Ethernet Switches Lab Exercise 4.03: Beyond Gigabit Ethernet Lab Analysis Key Term Quiz Chapter 5 Installing a Physical Network Lab Exercise 5.01: Structured Network Cabling Lab Exercise 5.02: Small Network Infrastructure Lab Exercise 5.03: Switches, NICs, and PCs Lab Exercise 5.04: Diagnostics and Troubleshooting Lab Exercise 5.05: Field Trip: A Visit with the IT Department Lab Analysis Key Term Quiz Chapter 6 TCP/IP Basics Lab Exercise 6.01: IP Address and Subnet Mask Lab Exercise 6.02: Subnetting and CIDR Lab Exercise 6.03: Local Communication vs. Remote Communication Lab Exercise 6.04: Packet Sniffing Lab Exercise 6.05: Static IP Address Configuration Lab Exercise 6.06: Dynamic IP Address Configuration Lab Exercise 6.07: DHCP Client and DHCP Server  Lab Analysis Key Term Quiz Chapter 7 Routing Lab Exercise 7.01: tracert Lab Exercise 7.02: NAT and Port Forwarding Lab Exercise 7.03: Router Configuration Lab Analysis Key Term Quiz Chapter 8 TCP/IP Applications Lab Exercise 8.01: Transport Layer and Network Layer Protocols Lab Exercise 8.02: Ports Lab Exercise 8.03: HTTP Lab Exercise 8.04: FTP Lab Exercise 8.05: The TCP Three-Way Handshake and Beyond Lab Analysis Key Term Quiz Chapter 9 Network Naming Lab Exercise 9.01: DNS Queries, DNS Responses, and DNS Resolver Cache Lab Exercise 9.02: nslookup Lab Exercise 9.03: DNS Client and DNS Server Lab Analysis Key Term Quiz Chapter 10 Securing TCP/IP  Lab Exercise 10.01: Certificate Authorities Lab Exercise 10.02: Secure Ports, OpenSSH, and TLS Lab Exercise 10.03: Kerberos Lab Exercise 10.04: DoH and DoT Lab Analysis Key Term Quiz Chapter 11 Switch Features Lab Exercise 11.01: VLANs and SVIs Lab Exercise 11.02: Trunking Lab Exercise 11.03: Routed Ports Lab Exercise 11.04: SPAN Lab Analysis Key Term Quiz Chapter 12 IPv6 Lab Exercise 12.01: IPv6 Facts and Figures Lab Exercise 12.02: IPv6 Address Compression Lab Exercise 12.03: IPv6 Configuration and Communication Lab Exercise 12.04: IPv6 Neighbor Discovery Protocol (RS, RA) Lab Exercise 12.05: IPv6 Neighbor Discovery Protocol (NS, NA) Lab Analysis Key Term Quiz Chapter 13 WAN Connectivity Lab Exercise 13.01: VPN Lab Exercise 13.02: Remote Desktop  Lab Exercise 13.03: Microsoft Quick Assist Lab Analysis Key Term Quiz Chapter 14 Wireless Networking Lab Exercise 14.01: Wireless Standards and Security Lab Exercise 14.02: Wireless Network Planning Lab Exercise 14.03: Wireless Networking Configuration Lab Exercise 14.04: Wireless Network Troubleshooting Lab Analysis Key Term Quiz Chapter 15 Virtualization and Cloud Computing Lab Exercise 15.01: Virtualization Technologies Lab Exercise 15.02: VMware Workstation Player and Ubuntu Lab Exercise 15.03: Traffic Between the Host System and the VM Lab Exercise 15.04: Traffic from the VM to the Internet Lab Exercise 15.05: Cloud Computing with Google Drive Lab Analysis Key Term Quiz Chapter 16 Data Centers Lab Exercise 16.01: Data Center Terminology and Concepts Lab Exercise 16.02: Data Center Research Lab Analysis Key Term Quiz Chapter 17 Integrating Network Devices  Lab Exercise 17.01: Industrial Control Systems Lab Exercise 17.02: IoT Vulnerabilities Lab Analysis Key Term Quiz Chapter 18 Network Operations Lab Exercise 18.01: AUP Lab Exercise 18.02: User Education Lab Exercise 18.03: Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity Lab Analysis Key Term Quiz Chapter 19 Protecting Your Network Lab Exercise 19.01: Common Threats Lab Exercise 19.02: User Authentication Lab Exercise 19.03: Windows Defender Firewall Lab Analysis Key Term Quiz Chapter 20 Network Monitoring Lab Exercise 20.01: SNMP Lab Exercise 20.02: Performance Monitor and Event Viewer Lab Exercise 20.03: SIEM Lab Analysis Key Term Quiz Chapter 21 Network Troubleshooting Lab Exercise 21.01: The Troubleshooting Process Lab Exercise 21.02: Hardware Troubleshooting Tools Lab Exercise 21.03: Software Troubleshooting Tools Lab Exercise 21.04: Vulnerability Scanning Lab Analysis Key Term Quiz Index Acknowledgments M any great people worked together to make this book happen. Our sponsoring editor at McGraw Hill, Tim Green, set the entire book in motion and provided valuable guiding hands. Thanks, Tim! Our acquisitions coordinator, Emily Walters; our editorial supervisor, Janet Walden; and our project manager at KGL, Tasneem Kauser, helped us keep it all on track and did an outstanding job managing this book through the many phases of development. At Total Seminars, CEO Dudley Lehmer was a great support, creating an environment for getting projects done. Scott Jernigan performed his usual magic as editor-in-chief. Shannon Murdoch, Dave Rush, and Michael Smyer assisted with photographs, illustrations, and as technical sounding boards. Our technical editor, Ed Tetz, provided a helpful pair of eyes. To the copy editor, Lisa McCoy; the proofreader, Rick Camp; and the indexer, Claire Splan—thank you for your excellent work! Introduction M any years ago, I fell in love with networking, and I still have the same passion for it today! Routers, switches, cables, packets, and more have always been fascinating to me. Enabling devices to communicate, with the many technologies and components involved, is one of the greatest feelings. With this book, I hope my passion for networking rubs off on you, and you become connected to this wonderful world! Nerds 2.0.1: A Brief History of the Internet is an amazing three-part documentary series from 1998 that details, in a fun way, how networking and the Internet got started, decades earlier. The videos are publicly available via the Internet Archive, a nonprofit digital library with free universal access, at the following links: https://archive.org/details/Nerds_2.0.1_- _A_Brief_History_of_the_Internet_-_Part1 https://archive.org/details/Nerds_2.0.1_- _A_Brief_History_of_the_Internet_-_Part2 https://archive.org/details/Nerds_2.0.1_- _A_Brief_History_of_the_Internet_-_Part3 Watching those videos could get you excited for what awaits you in this book. Ethernet and wireless. MAC addresses, IP addresses, and ports. ipconfig and netstat. ping, traceroute, and nslookup. ARP, IPv4, IPv6, ICMP, ICMPv6, TCP, and UDP. DNS, DHCP, HTTP, TLS, SSH, and FTP.VLANs, VPNs, and VMs. Wireshark, firewalls, and nmap. Windows and Linux. By the end of this book, you’ll have a solid knowledge, understanding, and hands-on skills with all of these networking items and much more! The lab exercises in this book can be performed imagining that you’re in the field, working as a networking professional. You have to think and act like a professional to become one, so this is the perfect first step!  The lessons and lab exercises map to the CompTIA Network+ exam objectives, which will greatly help your chances of passing the exam. Furthermore, they also will give you the knowledge and hands-on skills to configure, manage, troubleshoot, and secure systems and networks. You’ll become more marketable in your job search, and can even use this as a stepping stone for other certifications like the CompTIA Security+ certification. The chapters have been designed to correspond in name and content to the chapters of the companion Mike Meyers’ CompTIA Network+ Guide to Managing and Troubleshooting Networks, Sixth Edition (Exam N10-008) textbook (available separately), but can be done without the textbook and in any order. This lab manual can be used for individual study for the CompTIA Network+ exam or as part of a college course. In fact, I’ll be using this book for courses of mine at the multiple colleges where I teach. The chapters are varied in concepts, topics, and lab exercises. This book includes two icons designed specifically for the use of this book in a college course with assigned lab exercises. Some steps require you to take a screenshot to prove that the step was done correctly, and this screenshot icon is a cue that you need to submit a screenshot for the specified steps. In most cases, one screenshot will suffice, but some steps might require more than one screenshot. Include only relevant parts of your screen in the screenshot. Crop the screenshot, if necessary, to remove unnecessary items such as the desktop. In Windows 10, you can use the Snip & Sketch utility to capture screenshots and even obfuscate personal information that you don’t want shown. I recommend that you use Snip & Sketch on your Windows 10 host system to make screenshots of activities done in your VMs. To learn how to use Snip & Sketch, check out the following resources:  Use Snip & Sketch to take a screenshot in Windows 10” (Windows Community video) https://youtu.be/T1p2kgd-Rsc “How to take and annotate screenshots on Windows 10” with Snip & Sketch https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/how-to- take-and-annotate-screenshots-onwindows-10-ca08e124-cc30- 2579-3e55-6db63e36fbb9 Some steps require you to type responses, and this keyboard icon is a cue that you need to submit typed answers for the specified steps. For each assignment, submit a single document that contains your screenshots and typed answers. Your submission document should start with a header page that contains your name; course prefix, number, and title; and section number at the top. Include the chapter number and title and then the specific Lab Exercise number (for example, Lab Exercise 6.04). For the screenshots and typed answers, clearly label them with the associated step (for example, Step 1a). Keep in mind that links, Web sites, programs, interfaces, and tools change. If you’re seeing something different than what’s described or shown in the book, welcome to the world of technology—a constant moving target. In fact, during the course of writing this book, various instances of the aforementioned items changed, ranging from minor to major issues, and I did my best to update the book before publication. By the time you’re reading this, other things could have changed, too. Use Google searches and your own common sense to adapt. Feel free to contact me as well! Many lessons and lab exercises are unique to this book, and they simply can’t be found anywhere else. Some were part of my courses already and some are brand new. I’m excited to extend my classroom globally with this book. All chapters and lab exercises have thorough introductions, and they were written the way I present lectures to my students face-to-face. Teaching is my absolute passion! Not only am I passionate about teaching, I also am extremely passionate about the subjects I teach. I am fortunate to live by the famous proverb, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” My classes, like this book, consist of a mix of lecture and lab. In my opinion, you can’t attempt any lab without having fundamental knowledge learned through the lecture. Furthermore, knowledge by itself is not enough. Being able to apply knowledge to hands-on lab scenarios, simulating real- world environments, offers your best chance at success! As I say at the end of all my courses, “Once a student of mine, always a student of mine.” Please get in touch and stay in touch with me. I’d love to hear how this book helped you! —Jonathan S. Weissman Additional Resources for Teachers T he answer keys to the lab manual activities in this book are provided along with resources for teachers using the Mike Meyers’ CompTIA Network+™ Guide to Managing and Troubleshooting Networks, Sixth Edition (Exam N10-008) textbook (available separately). Instructors who have adopted these books for a course can access the materials identified next. Contact your McGraw Hill sales representative for details on how to access the materials. Instructor Materials A companion Web site provides resources for teachers in a format that follows the organization of the textbook. This site includes the following: Answer keys to the Mike Meyers’ Lab Manual activities Answer keys to the end-of-chapter activities in the textbook Instructor’s Manual that contains learning objectives, classroom preparation notes, instructor tips, and a lecture outline for each chapter Engaging PowerPoint slides on the lecture topics that include full- color artwork from the textbook Access to test bank files and software that allows you to generate a wide array of paper- or network-based tests and that feature automatic grading. The test bank includes hundreds of practice questions and a wide variety of question types and difficulty levels, enabling you to customize each test to maximize student progress. Please contact your McGraw Hill sales representative for details.  Chapter 1 Network Models Lab Exercises 1.01 Network Hardware and Software 1.02 netstat, ping, and tracert 1.03 The OSI Model 1.04 OSI Model Presentation 1.05 Networking (in Another Sense) and Staying Current with Industry Lab Analysis Key Term Quiz C ongratulations! You have decided to tackle the prestigious CompTIA Network+ certification. Whether you are a seasoned network engineer pursuing certification to further your career or a relative novice building your fundamental skills in networking, you’re in the right place. The fact that you’ve got the Mike Meyers’ CompTIA Network+ Guide to Managing and Troubleshooting Networks textbook and this Lab Manual in your hands shows that you’re serious about earning that certification. That’s a smart move! As discussed in the textbook, the term networking describes a vast field of study, far too large for any single certification book, training course, or for that matter, lab manual to cover. However, armed with the textbook and this Lab Manual, you have the tools not only to pass the certification exam but also to exercise the skills you will need to develop and grow as a networking professional. Ask any veteran network tech, and they will tell you that the key to being a good tech is working through the installation, configuration, management, and troubleshooting of cabling, switches, routers, clients, servers, operating systems, protocols, applications, services, and more. That’s where this Lab Manual is invaluable. It will take you through hands-on lab exercises with all of these! Another skill required by network techs is the ability to find information regarding troubleshooting and interoperability, quickly and efficiently. Many times, when you run into problems, it’s not necessarily a failure of one specific entity, but a combination of the configuration parameters and interaction between multiple entities. Many of the lab exercises will have you practice the art of researching information as if your job depended on it. You know what? It just might! To help you grasp these networking concepts, the following scenario is used throughout this Lab Manual. You are a newly hired desktop support specialist in a mid-sized IT consulting firm, JSW. JSW has clients of all sizes scattered all over the country. Client networks can be as small as a single insurance office with 15 computers to a financial institution with many subnets, 1500 computers, and dozens of servers. You are CompTIA A+ certified, but are immediately encouraged to pursue the CompTIA Network+ certification. Jonathan, your boss, offers to mentor you. He believes that achieving the CompTIA Network+ certification will strengthen your fundamental understanding of networking and will really help when communicating with both customers and coworkers. You respect his advice and dive right in to a CompTIA Network+ training course—this course! So let’s get going! In 1983, ISO, the International Organization for Standardization (see the Note that follows) developed the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model. That’s right, the ISO OSI model! This model provided a multiprotocol, prescriptive template for network hardware manufacturers and network software developers to use so that products from different manufacturers and developers would work together. This template, the OSI model, which consists of seven layers, is still in great use today. As you study to pass the CompTIA Network+ exam and work to be a better network tech, you should develop an understanding of the OSI model. Note ISO is often expanded as the International Standards Organization, but that’s not correct. The International Organization for Standardization, founded in London in 1946, wanted to use three official languages. They didn’t want different acronyms in different languages (IOS in English, OIN in French, and MOC in Russian), so the founders used ISO as the short form of the organization’s name. According to their Web site, ISO is derived from the Greek word isos, meaning “equal,” and is not an acronym. Standards bodies look to promote equality, which is why this organization chose to be known as ISO. However, this fact has been called into question, since the word “equal” never came up when the organization was founded. Read more at the following links: https://fstoppers.com/originals/myths-iso-423056 https://www.iso.org/files/live/sites/isoorg/files/about%20ISO/docs/ en/Friendship_among_equals.pdf https://www.iso.org/about-us.html Delivering data across a network is a process both elegant in its simplicity and mind-boggling in its complexity. For one thing, data doesn’t move across the network intact. Instead, computers break any kind of data transfer into smaller chunks and then package, address, and send those chunks across the network. This applies to any kind of data, whether you browse the Web; copy files from a file server; or stream music, episodes of shows, or movies from the Internet. Computers on the receiving end reassemble all the pieces upon receipt. Every computer network—regardless of cabling, switches, routers, clients, servers, operating systems, protocols, applications, services, and more—works this way.  To appreciate and define the process using the OSI model, you have to understand a few important things. First, you should understand what kind of hardware and software a computer needs to connect to a network. You also need to know how a computer sends and retrieves data using a network. Finally, you need to understand the rules that govern the structure of networks and how data moves across these networks. There’s no time like the present to get started! 30 MINUTES Lab Exercise 1.01: Network Hardware and Software In the OSI model, Layers 1 to 3, the Physical, Data Link, and Network layers, define the operation of network hardware. As you might imagine, hardware devices have related software components. Cables and wireless signals work at Layer 1, the Physical layer (hubs, long obsolete, operated at this layer too). The NIC (network interface card), a transceiver (transmitter and receiver) of network signals, is found at Layer 1 (as well as at Layer 2, to be explained next). Layer 2, the Data Link layer, is where the physical address comes into play. The various devices that utilize the MAC address, such as NICs (where MAC addresses actually are burned into) and switches, devices that connect nodes of the same network together, function at Layer 2. Ethernet defines all Layer 1 and 2 aspects of wired networks, while 802.11 standards define all Layer 1 and 2 aspects of wireless networks. Layer 3, the Network layer, handles IP addressing and routing. Routers, devices that connect different networks together, operate at Layer 3. Network connectivity starts with the network connection—the physical link between the PC and the network media. A good network tech can quickly locate and identify the network cabling and network hardware installed on a PC and determine the PC’s state of connectivity. The tech should also be able to identify the protocols used by the NIC to communicate on the network, as well as the PC’s unique logical address and physical address. You’re about to take a look at the steps to accomplish these goals. Learning Objectives In this lab exercise, you’ll explore the hardware and software components of a networked PC. By the end of this lab exercise, you’ll be able to Identify a NIC, cables, switches, and routers Determine which protocols the NIC uses Locate a PC’s MAC address and IP address, as well as its default gateway’s IP address Identify the manufacturer of your NIC Lab Materials and Setup The materials you’ll need for this lab exercise are Mike Meyers’ CompTIA Network+ Guide to Managing and Troubleshooting Networks textbook Windows 10 system with network access Getting Down to Business Your company, JSW, has three locations in New York: Rochester, Staten Island, and Brooklyn. All of the offices have multiple subnets with many computers, servers, and printers, all connected via the routers and switches in each office. The offices can communicate with each other and the outside world via the Internet. When you speak with your boss, Jonathan, he recommends that you start your study by examining the network connections, devices, and addressing of the headquarters in Rochester, New York. He asks if you have learned about the OSI model yet and adds that you might want to define at which layers the various devices, protocols, and addresses belong. Step 1 Locate the NIC of your computer. This interface will most likely be integrated onto the motherboard. Older machines may have a physical NIC installed in an expansion slot. Alternatively, an external NIC could be inserted into a USB port. What type of NIC does your machine have? At what layer(s) of the OSI model does the NIC operate? Take a picture of the visible part of your NIC. Step 2 If your NIC is a wired NIC, identify the type of network cable and network connector that plugs into the NIC. At what layer of the OSI model do cables and connectors operate? Take a picture of the cable and connector going into your NIC. Skip this step if you are using a wireless NIC. Step 3 Identify the network protocols installed for the NIC. On a Windows 10 system, click the Start button or in the search box, type sharing, and then select Manage Advanced Sharing Settings. In the title bar of the Advanced Sharing Settings window, click Network And Sharing Center. In the left pane, click Change Adapter Settings. A new Network Connections window will open. In that window, right-click the Ethernet icon (if you’re using a wired Ethernet NIC) or Wi-Fi icon (if you’re using a wireless NIC), and click the Properties menu item. You should see a window similar to Figure 1-1. FIGURE 1-1 Windows 10 Local Area Connections Properties window What items are listed in the This Connection Uses The Following Items: section? Step 4 Highlight the Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) item and click the Properties button. See Figure 1-2. FIGURE 1-2 Windows 10 Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) Properties window How is the NIC configured to receive an address? Step 5 If the NIC is configured to obtain an IP address automatically (which it most likely is), you will need to determine the IP address elsewhere. Click the Start button or in the search box, type cmd, and with Command Prompt selected, press the ENTER key. This will bring up a command prompt window. Type ipconfig /all and press ENTER. Find your NIC’s MAC address (listed as Physical Address) and IPv4 address (listed as IPv4 Address). My system’s information is shown in Figure 1-3. FIGURE 1-3 Partial results of running the ipconfig /all utility Cross-Reference  IP addressing will be covered fully in Chapter 6. What layer of the OSI model is a MAC address associated with? What about an IP address? Step 6 A MAC address consists of 12 hexadecimal digits. The first 6 represent the Organizationally Unique Identifier (OUI), also known as the Device ID, while the last 6 represent the Block ID, which is like a serial number for each NIC made by each vendor, manufacturer, or organization. A MAC address is also known as a physical address and a hardware address (as well as a burned-in address), since the address is incorporated into the NIC when the NIC is manufactured. Cross-Reference As you’ll learn in Chapter 6, an IP address is also known as a logical address and a software address, in contrast to the terms used for a MAC address. Each NIC vendor, manufacturer, and organization purchases an OUI from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), who won’t give more than one vendor, manufacturer, or organization the same OUI. In some cases, however, a NIC vendor, manufacturer, or organization can assign the same Device ID to more than one NIC, but in that case will ship NICs with the same address to various parts of the United States or the world, ensuring that two NICs with the same MAC address don’t wind up on the same network. Cross-Reference As you’ll see in Chapter 6, MAC addresses are locally significant just to the network they’re on.  Furthermore, a NIC can be configured with a locally administered address by an administrator or user. From the other side, MAC addresses can be spoofed by an attacker. Enter the MAC address of your NIC into the Wireshark OUI Lookup tool here to see the organization that made your NIC: https://www.wireshark.org/tools/oui-lookup.html. Step 7 Switches connect devices of the same network together, allowing the nodes on a network to communicate with each other. At what layer of the OSI model does a switch operate? If possible, take a picture of one side of the cable going into your NIC and the other side going into a switch or a wall jack that leads to a switch. Step 8 Routers connect different networks together, allowing the nodes on a network to communicate with nodes on other networks. At what layer of the OSI model does a router operate? If possible, take a picture of your network’s router(s). In the output for ipconfig /all, locate the Default Gateway IP address. That’s the IP address assigned to the interface of the router connecting to your LAN. The router will have another IP address on a different network for each interface, connecting it to either another router in your autonomous system or to your ISP (Internet service provider). 30 MINUTES Lab Exercise 1.02: netstat, ping, and tracert Three commonly used tools in the world of networking are netstat, ping, and tracert. Now, you’ll be introduced to these utilities and gain a foundational understanding of what they are, how they work, and when they’re used. All of these tools will return in future chapters for a more in-depth look. Learning Objectives In this lab exercise, you’ll gain experience with important tools and utilities. By the end of this lab exercise, you’ll be able to Generate network traffic for analysis Use the netstat utility Use the ping utility Use the tracert utility Lab Materials and Setup The materials you’ll need for this lab exercise are Mike Meyers’ CompTIA Network+ Guide to Managing and Troubleshooting Networks textbook Windows 10 system with network access Getting Down to Business You’ve examined your office and determined that most of the PCs and physical offices are fairly up to date. Most of the devices are connected through 1000Base-T interfaces over Cat 6A UTP cabling through Cisco 1000Base-T switches. Your boss, Jonathan, noticing that you have spent most of your lunch hour inspecting the office connections, asks you to provide a quick explanation of how data moves from one PC to another on the network. Step 1 Jonathan is impressed with your work so far and introduces you to a utility that enables you to explore the connections between networked computers. To generate some network traffic, he has you launch your browser and access the CompTIA Web site at https://www.comptia.org/. He then has you bring up a command prompt and enter the following command: netstat -a The output should be similar to Figure 1-4. FIGURE 1-4 Output of running the netstat -a command Step 2 For now, don’t worry about all of the information you see, but take notice of your computer name and the number of connections. With which layer of the OSI model are these connections associated? Step 3 Notice each connection is represented by a Local Address and Foreign Address. Sockets are endpoints of active communication links between two programs on separate machines, represented by a combination of IP address and port number, as well as the Layer 4 protocol, TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) or UDP (User Datagram Protocol), for both the source and destination. TCP sockets are actual connections between source and destination, whereas UDP sockets are connectionless. The Local Address is on the machine you’re using, while the Foreign Address is on the machine you’re connected to and communicating with. Ports are endpoints of communication for specific programs or services and are represented by numbers, which, in turn, represent a way into and out of a program or service running on a machine. Cross-Reference You’ll learn a lot more about ports in Chapter 8. For example, if you have an FTP (File Transfer Protocol) server and Web server running on the same machine, they both will be accessible by the same IP address. How does the traffic for the FTP server go to the FTP server and traffic for the Web server go to the Web server? Ports! FTP servers listen for control traffic on and send control traffic out of port 21, while Web servers listen for traffic on and send traffic out of port 80 (HTTP, Hypertext Transfer Protocol; unencrypted) or 443 (TLS, Transport Layer Security; encrypted). Note Technically speaking, a server is a service (software) that responds to client service requests. The term server, though, is often used for the machines (hardware) on which server services run.  The NIC represents the way the 1s and 0s enter and exit a machine physically, while programs and services via ports are the way that data enters and exits a machine logically. Source and destination MAC addresses are found in Layer 2 frames. Source and destination IP addresses are found in Layer 3 packets. Well, ports are one more form of addressing. Source and destination port numbers are found in Layer 4 TCP segments or UDP datagrams. Cross-Reference TCP and UDP will be covered more in this chapter and deeper in Chapter 8. Since you entered netstat -a, the output showed all connections and listening ports. Because you didn’t add the -n option (netstat -an, netstat -na, netstat -a -n, and netstat -n -a would all work the same way) for the Foreign Address column, the output used computer names and FQDNs (fully qualified domain names) for IP addresses (the computer name instead of 127.0.0.1, for example) and protocol names for their corresponding port numbers (https instead of 443, for example) when possible. Note HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) is HTTP over TLS. What are some ports that you observe in the netstat output from the Local Address column? Step 4 Go to a few different Web sites and then execute netstat -an. What are some ports that you observe in the netstat output from the Foreign Address column? Step 5 In the command prompt, execute ping 8.8.8.8 to send a probe to one of the Google Public DNS servers. The ping command can be followed by either an IP address or an FQDN. The ping utility uses ICMP (Internet Control Message Protocol), sending ICMP Echo requests, hoping to elicit ICMP Echo replies. By default, Windows sends four ICMP echo requests, so you should see four replies in the output. Cross-Reference The ping utility is covered more in Chapter 6. The ping utility is a commonly used test to see if you can communicate with another device. However, it’s not perfect. Sometimes ICMP will be filtered by the destination machine itself or a router or firewall before the destination. If you get a “Request Timed Out” message instead of ICMP Echo replies, that doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t communicate with the destination machine. It could be that just these probes are being blocked for security (a weak form of hindering the ability of attackers to quickly and easily discover devices) or efficiency (taking devices away from what they’re normally doing just to say “Yes, I’m here.”). Step 6 In the command prompt, execute tracert google.com (use tracert -4 google.com to force IPv4, if you’re seeing IPv6 being used by default) to send probes to the Google Web server. The tracert command can be followed by either an IP address or an FQDN. Cross-Reference IPv6 is covered in great detail in Chapter 12.  The tracert (pronounced traceroute, which is also how the command appears in non-Microsoft OSes) utility, also uses ICMP underneath the hood, but very differently than the ping utility. Cross-Reference The tracert utility is covered more in Chapter 6. The ping utility is a Boolean utility. You either get a response or you won’t get a response. The tracert utility can be even more helpful. If a ping fails, with tracert, you’ll be able to identify where it failed. The tracert will list all routers between you and the destination. The first column in the output lists the hop number. The second, third, and fourth columns represent the time in milliseconds it took to hear back from a router at that particular hop. Notice that there are three attempts sent for each hop. The fifth column shows either an IP address or FQDN and IP address (in square brackets) for each hop. A hop is a router/network that your packets pass through. The first hop in the list will always be your default gateway. The last “hop” in the list is the actual destination, so it isn’t really a hop, even though the output makes it appear to be one. You can reach any destination machine in the world in usually 15 hops or less. Step 7 Find three FQDNs in faraway countries and trace the route to those machines. Search Google for “Japanese ISPs” or something like that, and ping the FQDNs that end with the country codes, like. jp for Japan. You’ll still see that only around 15 hops or so are needed. Furthermore, most of those hops take place close to the destination machine itself. It’s like you’re taking a long trip, and you get on a highway, which leads to another, and others. The first 300 miles of your trip are the major highways, representing a few of the early steps in the driving directions. The last 50 miles could have many more steps for the local streets to get to your eventual destination. Turn left, turn right, turn right, turn left, and so on. Cross-Reference  Routing is covered more in Chapter 7. 30 MINUTES Lab Exercise 1.03: The OSI Model Given that the OSI model’s functions are largely hidden from our eyes, it’s sometimes difficult to appreciate how each discrete level performs a necessary step of the data delivery process. Nonetheless, it’s important for you to understand just how the OSI model operates. Understanding the OSI model is one of the keys to understanding modern networking technology. Think of the last time you were in an airport, waiting to board a flight. Finally, you hear, over the airport speakers, “Flight 260, now boarding.” You get your boarding pass and carry-on luggage, then get in line. You’re not flying. You’re getting ready to fly. That’s the Application layer. Contrary to how it sounds, applications do not exist at the Application layer (Layer 7). Applications actually exist above the OSI model. At the Application layer are APIs (application programming interfaces), which are shared libraries that allow programs on one machine to communicate with other programs on the same machine, the operating system, and even programs on other machines. Protocols like DNS, DHCP, FTP, and more exist at this layer as well. When you start the ball rolling for networking, API calls are made. You’re not sending traffic across networks yet, but you’re starting the process. That’s just like boarding the flight. You’re not flying (networking), but you’re getting ready to! The data/payload that has just been formed at the Application layer is now passed to the layer below, the Presentation layer. Think of the last time you got ready for a job interview. You got your clothes ready, your hair ready, and your face ready. That’s the Presentation layer (Layer 6). Compression and decompression used to be done at this layer. Encryption and decryption, too. Formatting as well. Just about all of the old functions at this layer have been offloaded to other parts of the networking story, but this layer remains for backward compatibility. The data/payload generated at this layer is added to what came from the layer above and is sent to the layer below, the Session layer.  Note The terms data and payload are often used interchangeably. Technically speaking though, the payload is the actual transmitted data that is encapsulated inside a protocol of a layer below it. This data is the actual message, but it needs to be encapsulated in another protocol of a layer below it. The protocol at the layer below the payload puts a header in front of the data that serves as metadata for the data itself. As you’re about to see, each layer has a protocol data unit (PDU), which is a single unit of information. The PDU for Layers 7, 6, and 5 is simply known as data. At Layer 4, the PDU could be either a segment or datagram. At Layer 3, the PDU is a packet. At Layer 2, the PDU is a frame. At Layer 1, the PDU is simply bits and bytes. Back when I used dial-up, many years ago, I would be downloading a file, which often took a great amount of time. Suddenly, someone in the house picked up the phone! Oh no! The download stopped. I yelled, “You ruined my download,” but in reality, it was the Session layer (Layer 5) that establishes, maintains, manages, and terminates connections between programs on different machines. Data/payload generated at this layer is added to what came from the two layers above and is sent to the layer below, the Transport layer. At this point, the data/payload faces a pivotal moment. It will be encapsulated in a TCP segment or a UDP datagram at the Transport layer (Layer 4). For applications that require accuracy and integrity, TCP will be chosen. For applications that require speed, UDP will be chosen. If TCP is chosen, the data/payload, which could be quite large at this point, is chopped up into different parts (a process called segmentation) and is placed inside of multiple segments. If UDP is chosen, the data/payload will not be chopped up here, but rather at the Network layer. TCP segments and UDP datagrams vary greatly, but they do share an addressing component in common—ports. A source port and destination port will be added in each. Data/payload generated at this layer is added to what came from the three layers above and is sent to the layer below, the Network layer.  Everything that came from above is placed inside of an IP (Internet Protocol) packet at the Network layer (Layer 3). The IP header contains source IP address and destination IP address fields, among others. Routers operate at this layer. If the packet is too large (usually UDP at this point will be the culprit), the packet is fragmented into multiple packets. Data/payload generated at this layer is added to what came from the four layers above and is sent to the layer below, the Data Link layer. Everything that came from above is placed inside of a frame—an Ethernet frame on a wired network or an 802.11 frame on a wireless network—at the Data Link layer (Layer 2). The frame contains destination MAC address and source MAC address fields, among others. Switches operate at this layer. NICs partially operate at this layer, since that’s the device from where the MAC address comes from. Data/payload generated at this layer is added to what came from the five layers above and is sent to the layer below, the Physical layer. The frame at this point is transmitted from the NIC out to the network medium, wired or wireless, in the form of bits and bytes, 1s and 0s, at the Physical layer (Layer 1). The traffic moves through switches and out of the local network through a router. After passing through multiple routers, the traffic reaches a switch on the destination’s network and finds its way to the destination machine. Cross-Reference Routing is covered in Chapter 7 and switching is covered in Chapter 11. Unlike the other PDUs, frames also have a field that comes after the data/payload, a trailer. When the frame (frames are destroyed and recreated each hop, so this is not the original frame sent by the source if the destination is on a different network) gets to the destination, the destination checks the frame check sequence (FCS), the field in the trailer of the frame, implemented through a cyclic redundancy check (CRC). The purpose of this CRC is to detect accidental changes in the frame and its payload. A numeric value, based on the remainder of polynomial division of the contents, is placed in the trailer. The destination computes the same algorithm. If the computed value doesn’t match the value in the trailer, the frame is discarded. If the computed value matches the value in the trailer field, the frame has integrity. Then, the destination checks the destination MAC address field in the frame. If that address is not a broadcast, a multicast supported by this NIC, or the unicast address of this NIC, the frame is discarded. Otherwise, the frame is removed and the contents are analyzed. The Type field identifies what’s inside the frame, which for data frames (not control frames) will either be ARP (Address Resolution Protocol) frames (which exist at Layer 2) or IP (Internet Protocol) packets (which exist at Layer 3). This happens each hop as the packet and its payload repeatably get encapsulated with new frames. Cross-Reference ARP is covered greatly in Chapter 6. Note The fields in an Ethernet frame header include Destination MAC Address, Source MAC Address, and Type. The header is followed by the actual data/payload. The data/payload is followed by the trailer. 802.11 frames have equivalents of all of these, as well as many other fields. The destination IP address in the packet is scrutinized the same way. If it passes the check, the packet header is stripped off, and the OS looks at the destination port number in the TCP segment or UDP datagram. The Layer 4 header is stripped off at this point, and the actual data or payload is sent to the destination application or service. Any fragmented packets or segmented segments need to be reassembled before moving up the OSI model. Learning Objectives In this lab exercise, you’ll examine the layers of the OSI model. By the end of this lab exercise, you’ll be able to  Identify and define the seven layers of the OSI model Recognize the functions of each layer in the OSI model Lab Materials and Setup The materials you’ll need for this lab exercise are Mike Meyers’ CompTIA Network+ Guide to Managing and Troubleshooting Networks textbook Getting Down to Business Using the Mike Meyers’ CompTIA Network+ Guide to Managing and Troubleshooting Networks textbook and the previous lab exercises, work through the following steps to further examine the details of network data delivery using the OSI model. Step 1 Place the various OSI model layers—Data Link, Application, Physical, Session, Presentation, Network, and Transport—in their proper order from top to bottom: Hint  Remember that the OSI model is diagrammed with Layer 7 at the top and Layer 1 at the bottom. As noted in the textbook, many students will develop mnemonics to remember the layers and their order. 2a–2g Step 2 Read the following descriptions and specify the appropriate OSI model layer. a. At this topmost layer, programs access network services using APIs (application programming interfaces). b. This layer enables computers to establish, maintain, manage, and terminate connections. c. This layer includes either TCP segments or UDP datagrams and port numbers. d. This layer has featured compression and decompression, encryption and decryption, and formatting, but almost all of the old functions at this layer have been offloaded elsewhere. e. This layer is where frames are created. f. This layer is responsible for transmitting and receiving signals. g. This layer adds IP addresses and encapsulates segments or datagrams in packets. 60 MINUTES Lab Exercise 1.04: OSI Model Presentation Sometimes the network tech’s role as installer and administrator takes a back seat to the tech’s role as educator. There is a second benefit to the latter role. One of the best ways to learn the concepts of networking is to teach those concepts to others. This helps you review the concepts and reinforce them in your memory. Jonathan knows that you have just finished learning about the OSI model and asks you to prepare a brief presentation for the other desktop support technicians. You should plan on preparing enough material for a 15- to 20-minute presentation and leave about 10 minutes for a question-and-answer session. If things keep going this well at work, you may have that new pay grade in conjunction with your CompTIA Network+ certification. Learning Objectives In this lab exercise, you’ll research the OSI model and develop a presentation to teach the concepts and layers of the OSI model. Finally, you will teach this information to your peers. By the end of this lab exercise, you’ll be able to Introduce the OSI model Define the layers of the OSI model Teach the concepts and functions of networking based on the OSI model Prepare and deliver a professional presentation Lab Materials and Setup The materials you’ll need for this lab exercise are Mike Meyers’ CompTIA Network+ Guide to Managing and Troubleshooting Networks textbook Microsoft PowerPoint or Google Slides Optionally, a projector or large display to deliver the presentation Getting Down to Business A good presentation begins with an introduction of what you plan to present. The body of the presentation will cover the actual material—in this case, the OSI model. For a strong finish, the conclusion to the presentation should include a review of what you just presented. The following steps will walk you through setting up an informative presentation on the OSI model. Note If you are in an instructor-led class, you may be assigned to a group and instructed to focus on only one or two of the layers for your presentation. Given this situation, work with your team members to develop a comprehensive introduction and concise summary review of the entire OSI model. You may then spend the remaining time developing the details of your assigned layers. Step 1 Using the textbook and prior lab exercises, review the OSI model. Step 2 Using Microsoft PowerPoint or Google Slides, begin your presentation by developing an outline of the number of slides and subject of each slide. Two slides per layer is fine, so plan on your presentation being around 16 to 18 slides, including an introduction and conclusion. Step 3 Develop an introduction based on the overview of the OSI model. Step 4 For each of the layers, include details on the slides regarding the function, protocols, addressing, and, where applicable, the hardware associated with the layer. Building the model from either the bottom up or the top down is acceptable as long as you remain consistent. You may want to integrate a block diagram of the model as it unfolds. Step 5 Conclude the presentation with a summary review of the OSI model. Step 6 Deliver the presentation to an audience of your peers. 60 MINUTES Lab Exercise 1.05: Networking (in Another Sense) and Staying Current with Industry As we put a wrap on Chapter 1, I’d like to invite you to follow me on social media: LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-s-weissman- 058b649b/ Twitter https://twitter.com/CSCPROF Instagram https://www.instagram.com/cscprof/ You can also subscribe to my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/Weissman52 Here’s my Amazon Author Page: https://amazon.com/author/jonathansweissman I respond to every single message, so feel free to contact me about this book, networking, or anything else. In my opinion, creating and maintaining a LinkedIn profile is one of the best decisions you can make, because it will bring numerous benefits to your career. Learning Objectives In this lab exercise, you’ll explore reasons for creating a LinkedIn profile and becoming an active member on that platform. By the end of this lab exercise, you’ll be able to Understand why LinkedIn is important for all professionals, especially networking professionals Publish your own professional profile on LinkedIn Actively use LinkedIn to both give and get professional benefits Lab Materials and Setup The materials you’ll need for this lab exercise are A Web browser with an Internet connection Getting Down to Business On LinkedIn, you can Meet and network with professionals in any industry, sector, or field Find someone who can be a mentor to you Serve as a mentor to others Get discovered by hiring managers and recruiters Stay in contact with other professionals and share career milestones Brand and promote yourself with a profile that professionals will see Get validated by professionals in terms of your knowledge and expertise Share your creative content and use it as a way to connect with others View content from others and use it as a way to connect to them Learn about companies, track companies for future job opportunities, and engage with companies But the biggest reason, in my opinion, to join LinkedIn is to Stay current with events and happenings in your industry, sector, or field 1a–1c Step 1 Most days I post dozens of articles on technology, networking, systems administration, cybersecurity, hacking, pentesting, forensics, malware, cryptography, programming, and more. Reading, posting, and discussing these articles on LinkedIn with fellow professionals and students (I have over 30,000 connections) are some of the many ways I stay up to date on everything. a. Follow me on LinkedIn (see Figure 1-5), and join in on the fun! https://linkedin.com/in/jonathan-s-weissman-058b649b/  b. Read the latest article I posted on LinkedIn. c. Reply to my post with your thoughts on the article. FIGURE 1-5 Jonathan S. Weissman on LinkedIn If someone reacts to, comments on, or shares your posts, their connections (two-way relationships) and followers (those who see your posts, articles, and shares) will see it—and you! When you react to or comment on my posts, my connections and followers will see you! These are great ways to grow your own network. Note When you are connected to someone, you are following them and they are following you by default. Certifications are another way that I stay current. I stress the importance of industry certifications to my students. In that same vein, I model myself for them. Having achieved 44 high-level industry certifications, I am never not studying for a certification exam. The first thing I do upon earning a new certification is pick my next target. This shows my students that the learning process never ends, and, especially in this industry, if you stand still in terms of your knowledge or skills for even a short amount of time, you could be obsolete and undesirable rather quickly. By studying for the CompTIA Network+ certification, you’re following me on that path as well! Note Other ways I stay current include consulting, appearing on TV news and talk radio as a networking/cybersecurity expert, writing and being quoted in articles and blogs, presenting at conferences and webinars, running workshops, appearing in podcasts, tech editing industry books, and writing industry books like this one. Some or all of these could be good future goals for you! 2a 2b Step 2 A good link to check out is https://www.linkedin.com/learning/learning-linkedin-for-students-2021, which features lots of resources that illustrate why all students should absolutely have a LinkedIn profile. a. Find what you determine to be the most valuable resource at the link. b. Explain why you think it is the most valuable resource. Lab Analysis 1. Jonathan wants to see if you know why the function of the NIC can be said to exist in both the Data Link layer and the Physical layer of the OSI model. How would you explain it to him? 2. Eva keeps hearing the term “frames” when discussing networking with fellow techs. What is a frame, and what does a frame encapsulate? 3. Nina wants to know what information can be seen from the output of ipconfig /all. What can you tell her?  4. Jacob would like you to explain how encapsulation works in the OSI model. Can you help him out? Key Term Quiz Use the terms in this list to complete the sentences that follow. 1. Running the __________ command on a Windows computer will display the MAC and IP addresses. 2. The __________ utility will show you information about endpoints in network communications. 3. The __________ utility shows you the hops between your machine and a destination. 4. The __________ utility allows you to see if your machine can communicate with a destination (the filtering of ICMP notwithstanding). 5. Found at the Data Link layer, __________ contain source and destination __________ addresses. 6. Found at the Network layer, __________ contain source and destination __________ addresses.  7. Found at the Transport layer, __________ and __________ contain source and destination __________. 8. A computer’s physical connection to a network is through a __________. 9. A __________ connects devices of the same network together. 10. A __________ connects different networks together.  Chapter 2 Cabling and Topology Lab Exercises 2.01 Network Topologies 2.02 Cabling Requirements 2.03 Standards Organizations Lab Analysis Key Term Quiz M ost of JSW’s clients’ users never give a moment’s thought to the mechanics of how their particular workstation ties into their corporate network. They just want to know that their data gets where it’s supposed to go when they click the Send button in their e-mail client or that they can get to important sites on the Internet. As a network technician, you’re the one who has to make sure that your network users’ data can get from here to there, and vice versa. You’ve already learned about the concepts and models that serve as a basis for modern networks. Now it’s time to look at the base hardware that makes a network a network. First, you will explore the network’s physical and logical layout—the topology. Next, you’ll examine the needs of a new building project and recommend the different types of physical network media, or cabling. Then, you’ll explore a number of the governing bodies that handle the management and configuration of the networking standards. You have already met the ISO organization; now you’ll learn more about them and also meet and learn more about ANSI, TIA, and the IEEE.  10 MINUTES Lab Exercise 2.01: Network Topologies A network’s physical topology defines the physical layout of network cabling, switches, routers, patch panels, and other hardware that carries the network’s data. If you’re setting up a network from scratch, start with your topology design. You won’t always have this luxury, of course. If you’re walking into a situation where a network is already in place, for example, evaluating the topology design is a top priority. Identifying the current network topology is the key to determining the type of network cabling and hardware or wireless communication technology that you’ll be using. Good network techs document everything about their network, listing the location of every network cable (usually called a cable run or drop) and all wireless access points (WAPs). They make sure to describe the type of cabling used and give details about the associated network hardware (brand and model of each network switch, router, etc.). Unfortunately, not all network techs take the time to create this documentation or update it when they make changes, so you may wind up having to gather this information on your own. This is where your knowledge of the different network topologies, network cabling, and network hardware will pay off. Cross-Reference When network techs or, more importantly, professional cable installers plan a new network installation or upgrade existing network installations, they will utilize much more formal techniques to organize and document the install. These techniques include a formal site survey in which the installer will identify and document the location of demarcs (demarcation points), MDFs (main distribution frames), IDFs (intermediate distribution frames), and punchdown blocks. You will further explore these components in Chapter 5 of the Mike Meyers’ CompTIA Network+ Guide to Managing and  Troubleshooting Networks textbook, as well as the lab exercises in Chapter 5 of this Lab Manual. Learning Objectives In this lab exercise, you’ll examine several network topologies. By the end of this lab exercise, you’ll be able to Identify and describe different topologies Identify the advantages and disadvantages of the topologies Lab Materials and Setup The materials you’ll need for this lab exercise are Mike Meyers’ CompTIA Network+ Guide to Managing and Troubleshooting Networks textbook Internet access Getting Down to Business You are studying network topologies at the end of the day, when your boss, Jonathan, stops by. You explain to him that you have a handle on the obsolete network topologies like bus and ring, but you are trying to better understand the current network topologies, star and mesh. Making a little bit of time in his busy schedule, Jonathan offers to help. Cross-Reference To review the various network topologies, refer to the “Network Topologies” section of Chapter 2 of the Mike Meyers’ CompTIA Network+ Guide to Managing and Troubleshooting Networks textbook. Step 1 Jonathan recommends that you take a look at the network installation in your own office. You begin by examining the computer in your cubicle. A Cat 6A unshielded twisted pair (UTP) cable runs from the back of your computer to a wall jack. It appears to use RJ45 connectors. You then walk down the hall to the wiring closet, observing a mass of cables (also UTP) terminating in a number of patch panels. Patch cables are then connected from the patch panel to gigabit switches that are all connected together in a hierarchy. What physical topology does this depict? Why is this specific physical topology advantageous over older, obsolete physical topologies? Note The term RJ45 is actually a misnomer. Read more here: https://www.arrow.com/en/research-and-events/articles/rj45- connectors. Step 2 Now, Jonathan wants you to look into mesh topologies. What do they involve? How are they different than star topologies? What are the advantages and disadvantages of mesh topologies? Where are they deployed? Using the following links as a reference, formulate a response in your own words. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesh_networking https://internetofthingsagenda.techtarget.com/definition/mesh-network- topology-mesh-network https://support.google.com/wifi/answer/7182746?hl=en https://www.linksys.com/us/r/resource-center/whole-home-mesh-wifi/ https://www.zdnet.com/article/mesh-vs-standard-wi-fi-what-is-best- for-your-home-office/ https://behrtech.com/blog/mesh-vs-star-topology/  https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/advantage-and-disadvantage-of-mesh- topology/ https://www.pcmag.com/picks/the-best-wi-fi-mesh-network-systems 30 MINUTES Lab Exercise 2.02: Cabling Requirements One of JSW’s larger clients, the Department of Transportation, is building a new regional Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) complex consisting of two physical buildings. One building will house all of the administrative departments (licensing, title, tags, and registration). The other building, located approximately 900 feet away from the administrative building, will be a large garage-like structure, where the physical inspection of the automobiles will be conducted. Along with designing the overall network infrastructure, JSW has been asked to make recommendations regarding the physical cabling for the two buildings, as well as the connection between the two buildings. You have been invited to work with the team to make these cabling recommendations. Professional installers will be hired, so you may even get to review some of the proposals. You have two choices when it comes to network cabling: glass-cored fiber-optic cables or good old-fashioned copper wire. UTP copper cable is currently used in most network installations, from small to gigantic. UTP cabling is differentiated by characteristics such as cost, bandwidth, and fire ratings. Fiber-optic cable provides high speed, the ability to travel long distances, and a high degree of security, but is considerably more expensive than UTP cable. To make informed decisions about what kind of network cabling best suits a given network installation, you have to examine the features, functions, and limitations of different network cabling media as applied to various networking applications. Learning Objectives In this lab exercise, you’ll practice researching the characteristics, typical application, and overall cost of network cables. By the end of this lab exercise, you’ll be able to  Identify the various network cabling options Compare the function, speed, and maximum data transfer distance of each cable Recommend specific cabling based on application Recommend the cabling solutions with the best price/performance ratio Lab Materials and Setup The materials you’ll need for this lab exercise are Mike Meyers’ CompTIA Network+ Guide to Managing and Troubleshooting Networks textbook Internet access Getting Down to Business When you’re designing a new building plan, one of the major expenses can be the network infrastructure, and a portion of that is the physical cabling. It is imperative that the design implemented meet a price/performance balance along with future-proofing for technological improvements. The cabling installation can be broken down into two distinct applications. Cabling will need to be purchased for the two buildings—the main administrative building and the inspection garage—and the backbone between the two buildings. 1a–1b Step 1 You’ll start the cabling layout with the administrative building and the inspection garage. The team determines that approximately 11,500 feet of cabling will be required. The cabling will have to meet the strict fire codes for office buildings and should meet the specifications allowing for future technology improvements. a. What grade of cable would you recommend to meet the city’s building codes?  b. What category cable would you recommend to future-proof this cable installation? Step 2 Now, launch your browser and navigate to https://www.primuscable.com/. Search for the bulk cost of 1000 feet of the following two categories and grades of cable: Category 6A, Riser Category 6A, Plenum Based on your recommendations, what are the final specifications and total cost for the 11,500 feet of internal cabling for the two buildings? Step 3 The run between the two buildings, as stated previously, is approximately 900 feet. You’ll want to select cabling that will handle the distance in one run, require the least amount of maintenance, and provide for future technological improvements. It will probably be buried, so it will be very difficult and expensive to upgrade in the future. What type of cable would you recommend for the run between the two buildings? 4a–4d Step 4 Fire up your browser again and visit https://www.l-com.com/ (That’s a lowercase “L,” not the digit “1.”). Search for bulk cable, and use the information from this site or, alternatively, Google to answer the following questions. Here are a couple of links to get you started if you just want to see the numbers and not actual cables for sale (as shown in the previous link):  https://www.flukenetworks.com/knowledge-base/copper-testing/om1- om2-om3-om4-om5-and-os1-os2-fiber https://www.foa.org/tech/Linkspec.htm a. What are the differences between the five levels of Optical Multimode (OM): OM1, OM2, OM3, OM4, and OM5? Which one would you recommend for this project? b. What’s the difference between breakout and distribution cables? Which one would you recommend for this project? c. List a pro and con for using single-mode fiber for this project instead of multimode fiber. d. Based on your recommendations, what are the final specifications and total cost of the cabling for the run between the two buildings? Remember, you want the cable to provide for improvements for years to come, so you’ll want to select the highest-performance cable you can purchase today. Step 5 After working with the team on the prior cabling project, Jonathan informs you that a number of the remote offices of the Department of Transportation are scheduled for network upgrades. The offices are currently using Cat 5e UTP, and the office space is roughly 2000 square feet. There are approximately 15 computers and two servers at each office. Based on this information, he asks what type of network cabling you would recommend for this network upgrade. Give your recommendation and list your reasons. 20 MINUTES Lab Exercise 2.03: Standards Organizations One of the amazing aspects of networking in general is that thousands of hardware manufacturers and software developers can create devices and applications that allow computers to communicate with each other, and it all works! Part of the reason that it works is that there are standards organizations, which are established organizations that set the standards for development and manufacturing of these components and devices. These organizations define the international standards so that when you try to access a Web site in Malaysia from a computer in the United States, it works. You have already encountered the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in Chapter 1, but other organizations are also valuable to the world of networking, including ones that work with cabling, devices, and technologies like Ethernet. Learning Objectives In this lab exercise, you’ll explore various organizations that are responsible for the development and management of international standards. By the end of this lab exercise, you’ll be able to Describe the purpose of selected standards organizations, the organizations that define the standards for networking Detail some of the features of the standards organizations Lab Materials and Setup The materials you’ll need for this lab exercise are Mike Meyers’ CompTIA Network+ Guide to Managing and Troubleshooting Networks textbook Internet access Getting Down to Business If you’ve Zoomed with people from all over the world, have you ever thought about the fact that their computer is connected to some switch in some distant country, yet here they are virtually, sitting next to you? Thank goodness for standards! Step 1 You’re going to start with the granddaddy of all the organizations, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Launch your Web browser and enter this URL: https://www.iso.org/about-us.html. Take a few notes on who ISO is, where it’s located, how long it’s been around, and its general purpose. Step 2 Navigate to this Web site, https://www.ansi.org/about/introduction, to learn about the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), which is both the official U.S. representative of ISO and a major international player. Review the page and capture the same information as you did in Step 1. Step 3 ANSI has the responsibility of checking the standards and accrediting other groups, such as the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA). A related organization that was also accredited by ANSI, the Electronics Industries Alliance (EIA), ceased operations on February 28, 2011. Read about TIA at https://tiaonline.org/about/ and https://tiaonline.org/about/history/ (as well as other pages from the site). What are their credentials? 4a–4d Step 4 Finally, check out the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), often pronounced as “I-triple-E,” at https://www.ieee.org/about/index.html. a. What pertinent information can you find about the IEEE? Check out this link: https://standards.ieee.org/products- services/regauth/index.html. b. What specific item from Chapter 1 is the IEEE in charge of? c. What is IEEE 802 (as described here: https://standards.ieee.org/featured/802/index.html)?  d. Which working group deals with Ethernet, and which working group deals with wireless LANs? Lab Analysis 1. Which physical topology is used today, and which ones were used in the past? 2. When designing a cable installation, what is the primary grade of cabling that should be used for horizontal runs in the ceilings and walls? Why? 3. What are the most common categories and speeds of UTP cabling? 4. Why are standards organizations important? Key Term Quiz Use the terms in this list to complete the sentences that follow. 1. When you’re planning a new local area network infrastructure, the most common type of network cable implemented would be either __________ or __________ cable. 2. A topology in which nodes connect to a central device is a __________. 3. A common topology for IoT devices in smaller coverage areas in smart homes is a __________. 4. The standards organization, __________, is responsible for accrediting other groups. 5. The standards organization, __________, handles MAC address registration.  Chapter 3 Ethernet Basics Lab Exercises 3.01 IEEE 802.3 3.02 CSMA/CD—Past and Present 3.03 Origins of Ethernet Lab Analysis Test Key Term Quiz E thernet is the infrastructure used by all wired LANs. For this reason, it’s important for network techs to understand Ethernet’s functions and features as defined by the IEEE 802.3 standards. These include such things as how Ethernet network nodes build data frames, how they access the network media, and how they send and receive data. Even though Ethernet speeds have increased exponentially over the years —primarily by increasing the bandwidth of the media (cables) and hardware (NICs and switches)—the core technology remains the same. Network nodes identify each other by MAC address, and data is transferred between machines using Ethernet frames. The basics you explore here still apply to the higher-speed implementations, which you will explore in the next chapter. 20 MINUTES Lab Exercise 3.01: IEEE 802.3 In the early 1970s, researchers at Xerox PARC (Palo Alto Research Center) developed a set of standards to facilitate the exchange of data between computers. These standards, known as Ethernet, have gone on to become the dominant industry standard. Over the years, the control of these standards has changed hands a few times. In 1979, Xerox joined forces with Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) and Intel to develop the original standard, which was published in 1980. Version 2.0, known as Ethernet II, was published in 1982 (http://decnet.ipv7.net/docs/dundas/aa-k759b-tk.pdf). Today, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) has the responsibility of controlling and updating the Ethernet standards. The IEEE formed a special 802.3 working group to manage these standards. Their IEEE 802.3 formal standardization was published in 1983. Incredibly enough, the Ethernet II frame format, which uses a Type field, is used for data frames today, while the IEEE 802.3 frame format, which replaced the Type field with a Length field, is only used for special types of control traffic. Cross-Reference You’ll see the Ethernet frame in great detail in Chapter 6. As a competent network technician, you should have a basic understanding of how Ethernet operates. Learning Objectives In this lab exercise, you’ll explore Ethernet. By the end of this lab exercise, you’ll be able to Understand key components of the Ethernet standard Lab Materials and Setup The materials you’ll need for this lab exercise are Mike Meyers’ CompTIA Network+ Guide to Managing and Troubleshooting Networks textbook Internet access Getting Down to Business According to their Web site (https://www.ieee802.org/), “The IEEE 802 LAN/MAN Standards Committee develops and maintains networking standards and recommended practices for local, metropolitan, and other area networks, using an open and accredited process, and advocates them on a global basis. The most widely used standards are for Ethernet, Bridging and Virtual Bridged LANs, Wireless LAN, Wireless PAN, Wireless MAN, Wireless Coexistence, Media Independent Handover Services, and Wireless RAN. An individual Working Group provides the focus for each area.” The IEEE 802.3 working group specifically manages the standards for Ethernet. At Jonathan’s suggestion to learn more about Ethernet, you’re going to visit the IEEE Web site, download an official Ethernet standard, and then answer some questions based on the information contained within these documents. Step 1 Open a browser and navigate over to https://www.ieee802.org. What are the listed IEEE 802 Working Groups and Study Groups? Step 2 Now, head to https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8457469. At the time of writing (July 2021), 802.3-2018 – IEEE Standard for Ethernet is the current version. By the time you’re reading this, you could see the words “Superseded by” followed by a hyperlink to an updated version. Click the orange PDF button at the top. In the popup that opens, click the Purchase tab. You’ll see “Access PDF/HTML at no charge through the IEEE GET ProgramTM.” Sign in with your IEEE account to access. Click the Sign In hyperlink, which will bring you to the Sign In tab. Click the Create Account hyperlink. Fill out the required information, put a check in the “I have read and accept IEEE privacy policy” box, and click the blue Create Account button at the bottom. In the “Your account has been created!” popup, click the blue Continue button at the bottom. You’ll be brought back to the original page. Click the orange PDF button again. In the Sign In tab, fill out the required information, put a check in the Accept Terms Of Use checkbox (optionally, remove the check in the “Yes, I would like to receive communications.” checkbox), and click the blue View Document button at the bottom right, which will be active when all the required information is provided. Once again, you’ll be brought back to the original page. Third time’s a charm! Now, click that orange PDF button for the third time, and you’ll finally see the PDF open in the browser. Save the PDF to your hard drive. At the bottom of each page you’ll see “Authorized licensed use limited to:” followed by your name and the date and time, with a disclaimer. Note Due to the dynamic nature of the content available on the Internet, Web sites, Web pages, and hyperlinks change often. If one or more of the sites, pages, or links referenced in the steps of any lab exercise in this book are no longer available, with a little help from Google, you should be able to find what you’re looking for. 3a–3b Step 3 Within the introduction, scroll down to the paragraphs defining the contents of each section (page 22). Note The page numbers given in this chapter for the PDF are for the 2018 version. If you’re using a later version, the page numbers might vary. a. What are some of the key points covered in Section One? b. Which section contains general information on 1000 Mb/s (Gigabit) Ethernet? Step 4 Locate Section One’s Clause 3.1.1, “Packet format” (page 118). Note the diagram of the Ethernet frame. List and explain the purpose of each of the fields of an Ethernet frame. A full explanation of the fields follows and goes through page 122. 20 MINUTES Lab Exercise 3.02: CSMA/CD—Past and Present Originally, with half-duplex Ethernet, where nodes could transmit and receive—but not at the same time—just a single node could access any given network segment at a time. When two or more PCs tried to send data on the network at the same time, the frames collided, causing the frames to become corrupted. Therefore, the designers of Ethernet had to devise a method for the network nodes to access the network media without stepping on each other’s frames. This network access method was called carrier sense multiple access/collision detection, or CSMA/CD. The CSMA part of CSMA/CD defined the method by which multiple network nodes monitored the network media to determine if any other nodes were currently transmitting data. The CD part defined how the network nodes dealt with collisions when they occurred. CSMA/CD went from always used on earlier networks to never used on modern networks. Learning Objectives In this lab exercise, you’ll review the carrier sense multiple access/collision detection function of Ethernet. By the end of this lab exercise, you’ll be able to Explain why half-duplex used CSMA/CD Explain why full-duplex doesn’t use CSMA/CD Lab Materials and Setup The materials you’ll need for this lab exercise are Mike Meyers’ CompTIA Network+ Guide to Managing and Troubleshooting Networks textbook  Internet access Getting Down to Business Jonathan remembers the first CompTIA Network+ exam he passed many years ago. He tells you that at that time, CSMA/CD was still a thing! Then he asks you to explain why half-duplex communications always used CSMA/CD, while full-duplex communications don’t use it at all. Step 1 In the PDF you downloaded in the previous exercise, read Clause 1.1.2.1 Half duplex operation (page 56). In your own words, explain why half-duplex communications always used CSMA/CD. Step 2 In the PDF you downloaded in the previous exercise, read Clause 1.1.2.2 Full duplex operation (page 56). In your own words, explain why full-duplex communications never use CSMA/CD. 45 MINUTES Lab Exercise 3.03: Origins of Ethernet Now that you’ve had a chance to examine actual Ethernet standards, it’s time for you to learn how it all began. It’s a rather interesting story! Learning Objectives In this lab exercise, you’ll learn about the origins of Ethernet. By the end of this lab exercise, you’ll be able to Explain the story of how Ethernet began Lab Materials and Setup The materials you’ll need for this lab exercise are  Internet access Getting Down to Business Read the following Web pages. You’ll answer questions about what you read in this lab exercise. https://www.parc.com/about-parc/parc-history/ https://www.techspot.com/guides/477-xerox-parc-tech-contributions/ https://www.hpe.com/us/en/insights/articles/the-birth-and-rise-of- ethernet-a-history-1706.html https://youtu.be/g5MezxMcRmk (a video linked to in the previous link) https://www.arnnet.com.au/slideshow/462393/pictures-20-milestones- ethernet-first-40-years/ https://personal.utdallas.edu/~zhoud/ee6375- 2004/lecture_2_introduction_to_VLSI_design/The%20History%20of %20Ethernet%20-%20Robert%20Metcalfe.htm https://blog.telegeography.com/luminiferous-ether-how-ethernet-got- its-name-local-access-pricing-service http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/3com- corporation-history/ https://ethernethistory.typepad.com/my_weblog/2007/08/genesis-of- 3com.html https://www.versatek.com/the-non-linear-evolution-of-standards/ https://ifnetwork.biz/resources/blog/12-important-moments-evolution- ethernet-metro-ethernet Step 1 In what year was Ethernet invented? Step 2 At which company was Ethernet invented? Step 3 Why was that company formed? Step 4 Which person is credited as the main inventor of Ethernet? Step 5 What were the motivations for creating Ethernet? Step 6 What earlier network was used as a template for Ethernet, and how was it fundamentally different? Step 7 Why was the network called Ethernet? Step 8 What was the original speed of Ethernet? Step 9 What was the topology used originally for Ethernet? Step 10 What type of cable was used for the original Ethernet? Step 11 Which company did the main creator of Ethernet start to commercialize Ethernet products? Step 12 What were their first products? Step 13 Which companies standardized Ethernet? Step 14 What types of networks and companies that created them competed with Ethernet, but ultimately went away? Lab Analysis 1. What’s the difference between half-duplex and full duplex? 2. What is the basic function of the FCS (frame check sequence) in an Ethernet frame? What algorithm is used for the FCS? 3. Which addresses are found in Ethernet frames? Key Term Quiz Use the terms in this list to complete the sentences that follow. 1. When devices are operating in __________ mode, __________ is active. 2. Switches and NICs today operate in __________ mode.  Chapter 4 Ethernet Standards Lab Exercises 4.01 Gigabit Ethernet Standards and NICs 4.02 Gigabit Ethernet Switches 4.03 Beyond Gigabit Ethernet Lab Analysis Test Key Term Quiz E thernet has gone through a number of evolutionary changes to bring us to where we are today. Modern Ethernet networks are based on the same technologies and standards that you learned about in the previous chapter. The newer versions continue to improve the bandwidth, but they use the same frame types, access methods, and more. Even the connectors, NICs, and switches have relatively the same form factor. Modern Ethernet enables network techs to build larger, faster, more reliable networks! 30 MINUTES Lab Exercise 4.01: Gigabit Ethernet Standards and NICs Ethernet networks have evolved over the last four decades, from the early 10 Mbps implementations to today’s standards of 100 Mbps, 1 Gbps, 10 Gbps, 40 Gbps, 100 Gbps, 200 Gbps, 400 Gbps, and now 800 Gbps! It’s even looking like 1.6 Tbps (terabits per second!) will be standardized between 2023 and 2025. Wired networks utilize either copper wire or fiber-optic cabling to physically transmit the Ethernet frames in the form of 1s and 0s from device to device. 100Base-TX (copper wire) and 100Base-FX (fiber-optic) Ethernet provide 100 Mbps performance. Both technologies have a large installed base. You’ll still need to familiarize yourself with their characteristics to provide quality network support for existing installations. However, the current trend when installing or upgrading wired networks is 1000Base-T utilizing Cat 6A UTP cabling and Gigabit Ethernet NICs and switches. Cat 5e was the first standard to support Gigabit Ethernet. In addition, many backbones are implementing either 1000Base-SX multimode fiber or 1000Base-LX single-mode fiber, depending on distance. At Jonathan’s recommendation, you’re going to spend some time exploring the characteristics of Gigabit Ethernet and gather some information on Gigabit Ethernet NICs. In the next lab exercise, you will examine Gigabit Ethernet switches. Learning Objectives In this lab exercise, you’ll examine the standards and technology of 1000Base-T, 1000Base-SX, and 1000Base-LX Ethernet. By the end of this lab exercise, you’ll be able to Define the 1000Base-T, 1000Base-SX, and 1000Base-LX Ethernet specifications, requirements, and limitations Recommend Gigabit Ethernet NICs Determine appropriate use of fiber-optic Ethernet based on application Lab Materials and Setup The materials you’ll need for this lab exercise are Mike Meyers’ CompTIA Network+ Guide to Managing and Troubleshooting Networks textbook  Internet access Getting Down to Business Recalling the cabling scenario from Chapter 2, your client, the Department of Transportation, is building a new regional Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) complex consisting of two physical buildings. One building will house all of the administrative departments (licensing, title, tags, and registration). The other building, located approximately 900 feet away from the administrative building, will be a large, garage-like structure, where the physical inspection of the automobiles will be conducted. The professional installers have submitted a proposal that has been accepted, outlining the following parameters: The proposed cabling for the internal office space of the administrative building is Cat 6A UTP. The administrative network will need to support 75 to 100 devices (computers and printers). The proposed cabling for the internal area of the inspection building is Cat 6A UTP. The network in the inspection building will need to support 25 to 40 devices (computers and printers). For the backbone between the two buildings, the proposal is single- mode fiber-optic cabling. Using this general information, follow Steps 1 through 7 to develop an implementation plan for the new site. The design should take advantage of Gigabit Ethernet technology. Step 1 Utilizing the textbook and online resources, research and document the following information for 1000Base-T Ethernet: Step 2 Utilizing the textbook and online resources, research and document the following information for 1000Base-LX Ethernet: Step 3 Utilizing the textbook and online resources, research and document the following information for 1000Base-SX Ethernet: Step 4 As discussed in the scenario, the new facility will have approximately 100 to 140 network devices (computers and printers). In order to implement Gigabit Ethernet throughout the organization, each device will need a Gigabit Ethernet NIC. Launch your browser and research the current pricing for Gi