PC Maintenance Class 8

Tonight we had a look at Networking in Computing, and mainly in the home. We examined the main pieces of hardware that we need in the world of networking.

Networking hardware typically refers to equipment facilitating the use of a computer network. Typically, this includes routers, switches, hubs, gateways, access points, network cards, Networking cables, modems, ISDN adapters, firewalls and other equipment.

In the most common modern computer systems, Wireless networking has become increasingly popular, however, especially for portable and hand held devices. Every computer needs a network or LAN adapter, most of which are built into the mainboards of computers these days, older ones would have had separate network cards slotted into PCI slots. Individual computers are connected via their network cards into a central switch, and the are connected with the Internet with a router. Most modern day wireless routers, combine the functions of a switch, modem and access point.

The above screenshot from the class PowerPoint shows a simple Windows Workgroup, where the third Computer is able to share out its Printer to the other two computers. Networking like this saves on resources, in other words you don't have the expense of buying the other two computers printers, or the hassle of saving a document on a memory stick and sitting physically at the machine with the printer attached to it.

Connecting a simple Cable Modem to the Workgroup, gives shared access to the Internet. Everyone at every computer can now surf the Internet and do their online shopping!

With an Access Point plugged into the switch of you mini network / workgroup you can add wireless functionality. The above diagram shows how that ties in with our sample network.

 Most people have what is known as a Wireless Router. This device combines the function of the switch, cable modem and access point. If you compare the two pictures you can clearly see how the diagrams are very similar.

PowerLine Adapters.

These devices, plug into an electrical socket and draw power for itself. At the same time, it sends data signals down the power cable. A second PowerLine adapter can then be placed on any other electrical socket in the home to receive the signal. This all works because the electrical power distributed around your home is at 50hz, however the wires are capable of carrying a range of other frequencies, which can be 'tuned in' using appropriate equipment.

The main advantage of the PowerLine adapters, is that where you computer or networked device isn't wireless, you haven't got to drill holes and feed cables through walls and floors to connect them.

 The above example, is very similar to how my own home network is set out. I use a pair of PowerLine adapters to connect my Xbox games console to the Internet.

Using the example of a school, or a small business, we simply expand on the basic principles of networking. Like the home scenario, we start off with a switch, but except plugging computers straight into that, we plug additional switches into that, spanning out to different locations within the organisation, or rooms within a school. The computers are then attached to those switched, which conversely are wired back to the master switch via long runs of network cable known as backbones. The servers in this scenario, because they hold user data, are plugged in directly to the master switch, making them central to the design of this type of network, or topology.

Patch Panels

A patch panel or patch bay is a panel, typically rack mounted, that houses cable connections. One typically shorter patch cable will plug into the front side, whereas the back holds the connection of a much longer and more permanent cable. The assembly of hardware is arranged so that a number of circuits, usually of the same or similar type, appear on jacks for monitoring, interconnecting, and testing circuits in a convenient, flexible manner.

Computers in offices these days, are plugged into wall sockets, which in turn, are cabled back to patch panels, which are located inside what is known as a comms cabinet. The patch panel then links to the switch. This provides a much more robust cabling infrastructure, and is standard practice for installations of networks.

A lot to take in, for one night, so that's where we left it for today....time had caught up with us!