Network+ Cp 2 Case Study

Kenneth Washington

Case 2-1

You are a networking professional who works in a college computer lab. The computers run only the TCP/IP protocol on an Ethernet network, and all computers use 3Com NICs. Many beginning computer science students use this lab for homework; you help them access the network and troubleshoot problems with their connections on a daily basis. One day, a student begins tampering with his computer; when he restarts the computer, it alerts him that it can't find the network. He calls you over to help. You ensure all the physical connections are sound. Then, you check the workstation's network properties and find that he has changed the frame type that his NIC uses to transmit data from Ethernet to Token Ring. Explain why this has prevented the workstation from connecting to the network. Further, explain to the student what types of changes visitors to the shared computer in the lab are allowed to make and why you have imposed such restrictions.

As previously stated all lab computers are on an Ethernet network that only runs TCP/IP protocol, and all workstations use 3com NICs. This set up has its own standards for handling and transmitting frames. Switching the frame type from the Ethernet to token ring cuts off the connection from the network because Ethernet frames and token frames are different, and won’t recognize and communicate with each other over the network. This is in part due to the routers inability to support multiple frame types at once. So for the sake of the networks connection and security changing these settings is not advised.

Case 2-3

The student appreciates the time you spent explaining what happens to the data as it moves through the OSI layers, but he wonders why he should ever care about the OSI model or data frames. He says he wants to become a network architect and concern himself with routers, switches, and cabling. The student indicates he doesn't care about the little details like packets. In...