Local Network Setup & File Sharing for Windows PCs
Testing Network Connectivity with Ping
Once your computers are configured and connected via cable, you will test whether both computers can communicate with each other. Open a command console by going to Start, Run, then typing CMD
. (For Windows 98 or Me, use COMMAND
instead of CMD
.)
Then, once the console is open on either computer, type ping
followed by the other computer’s IP address. For example, if you are on the computer whose IP is 192.168.0.1
, you would type ping 192.168.0.2
.
If this command
Read MoreIP Address Fundamentals and Network Address Translation Explained
Understanding IP Addresses
An IP Address is a 32-bit numerical label assigned to each device connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication. IP addresses are usually written as decimal numbers with dots (e.g., 192.168.1.1
). Every IP address has at least two parts:
- Network Portion: Identifies the network segment.
- Host Portion: Identifies a specific device within that network segment.
Types of IP Addresses
Not all IP addresses are used for assigning to hosts. Some addresses
Read MoreCore Internet Protocols: DNS, HTTP, TCP/IP, Email, TFTP, IP Addressing
DNS Fundamentals
DNS, or Domain Name System, is a fundamental component of the internet that facilitates human-friendly web addresses (like www.example.com) to be translated into IP addresses that computers use to identify each other on the network. In essence, DNS acts as the internet’s phone book, allowing users to access websites using easily recognizable domain names instead of having to remember complex numerical IP addresses.
How DNS Resolution Works
- User Enters a Domain Name: When a user types
Understanding Active Directory and DHCP Configuration
Define Active Directory: Provides the ability to establish a single login and easier management of users.
What services must be in place prior to the installation of a RIS server? Having DNS, DHCP, and Active Directory.
Define Remote Desktop. It allows us to access a server remotely and perform administrative tasks from the terminal.
- DNS Server: Domain Name System (DNS) can find the IP address of a PC’s name.
- DNS Forwarder: Designated by other internal DNS servers for use in consultations to resolve
Essential Network Security Concepts
Firewalls and Network Protection
Firewalls: Mechanisms designed for protection. Their purpose is to allow only authorized data transmission and reception. They isolate and control traffic between separate networks.
What Firewalls Do (and Cannot Do):
- Control traffic flow based on rules.
- Separate networks.
However, firewalls cannot protect against:
- Connections that bypass the firewall.
- Malicious internal users.
- Completely new, unknown threats.
- Network viruses (though they can block infected traffic).
Denial
Read MoreNetwork Fundamentals and Protocols
Network Fundamentals
802.1 Standard
The 802.1 standard states that each network adapter (NIC) has a unique 48-bit physical address recorded in ROM. Thus, each computer connected to the network will have a different ID from the others.
Twisted Pair Cabling
The EIA 568B standard defines categories for differential, twisted pair cabling:
Category 5
It is the most widely used today. It uses 4 pairs of wires: 2 for transmitting data and the other two are either left free or are used to transmit voice. It can