Building an Efficient Ethernet Cable for a LAN Network Essay

Building an Efficient Ethernet Cable for a LAN Network Essay

Abstract

The objective of this report was essentially to understand the entire process of building an efficient Ethernet cable for a LAN network and secondly be able to diagnose a network with the sole aim of retrieving information about the certain network and stand a chance to troubleshoot errors encountered by the network under the instructions of set of commands. Thereafter the report will review into details the software referred to as the LanTraffic V2, which has been objectively established to generate online traffic and thereafter monitor into accuracy the connections between the sender and the receiver over the communication network. Also to note is that the general uses of this particular software will also be discussed.

Introduction

In the modern day age, communication is vital for every organization whether small or big. Data communication and computer networking are the two major modern technologies that have been employed to ensure fast and smooth communication in these organizations. In the computer networking realm, we have two types of networks, we have the LAN and the wireless networks. The LAN networks utilize cables to transmit data from one location to another in super fast speeds. They utilize cables such as fiber optic and Ethernet cables to ensure transmission and exchange of data amongst many users at any particular time. Wireless networks such as those of mobile phones too are suede to exchange data. Network diagnostic is required sometimes to find the IPs of connected networks, the errors and other sorts of useful information. The LanTraffic software is used to conduct traffic tests by generating traffic from speeds of 10 Mbps to 10 Gbps under different protocols.

Experiment 1

Objective: Understand the process of making a Network Cable

Requirements:

The following are the general requirements for constructing a network cable. They are;

Four pairs of CAT 5 Cable, RJ45 Connectors, Cable Cover Protection, A Crimper, and Network

Cable Tester.

Theory:

The overall objective of cable networks is to connect two devices and let them share data. Such both devices normally communicate hence sharing data. Ethernet cable is the common cable used in LAN networks and it usually comprise of eight (8) cables of different colours. Two RJ45 connectors are normally attached at each end of the Ethernet cable so that it is easier for the cable to be plugged into either device mounting. In many occasions, one end of the connector is plugged into computer while the other is plugged into the network device that takes the dimension of a router, a server or even another computer.

Figure 1: A picture of an Ethernet cable <http://cdn2.pcadvisor.co.uk/cmsdata/features/3502678/ethernet-cable.jpg>

Experimental steps:

Cut the four pair of Ethernet cable using the clamper to the required length. Then plug the Ethernet cable cover protection on the rear ends of the already cut Ethernet cable. The cut the casing of the cut Ethernet cable to a approximate distance of two to three centimeters and finally arrange the colours as shown in the below diagram.

Figure 2: A representation of how colors are matched in Ethernet cable <https://static.spiceworks.com>

To ensure a working Ethernet cable, ensure that you clip the both sides of the cable and it is always good to test the cable using a network cable tester to eliminate any there be flaws.

Results:

After assembling every part as required, we were able to build a working Ethernet cable since we were able to experience the LED lightning when a connection using the cable was undertaken.

Experiment 2

Objective: to explore the commands employed in network diagnostics

The following are the commands used during the experiment. They are; Ping, the Nbtstat, Traceroute, Arp, the Winipcfg and the Netstart.

Requirements:

A working computer

Observations

1^st command: The Ping

This particular string of command is employed to verify if a certain IP address is visible over a connection in a network. This utility also helps detect the device that you pinged to is either working or not.

Example: Ping 127.5.9.2

When we actually ping the IP address 127.5.9.2 the likely result we get is as below,

Reply from 127.5.9.2: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128

Second command: netstat

This is a priceless utility that actualizes very detailed information in regard to your computer on how it is communicating with other devices over the communication network

When we exemplify the command Netstat –a, actually this string of command will entail the active connections, the TCP and the UDP ports in its results.

When we exemplify the Netstat –e, Ethernet statistics which include the data packets and bytes will be shown.

When we exemplify the Netstat–m, this string of command will verify and show the network code memory statistics over the connected communication network.

Third Command: Arp

This particular command utility is employed to read out a 32-bit operating system unique address (IP) to an address in a MAC

Exemplifying the command, arp –s 157.55.85.212, solution to the IP number we experience is 00-aa-00-62-c6-09

4^th Command: Tracert

This is string of command directs us to the route that the data packets travel through from one computer to the final specified destination.

Example: we can tracert the YouTube web address

Under the use of the command, its easy to trace data packets sent from my computer to the YouTube address as shown in the figure below.

Figure: A view of the data packets sent from my computer

Fifth Command: winipcfg

This command utility is used to show the configuration of the TCP/IP protocol of a client connection.

Example: winipcfg

The results of the above command will be the IP address, gateway of the TCP/IP protocol and the subnet mask.

Sixth command: nbtstat

Notably, this diverse utility command actually displays the detailed statistics about the TCP/IP address connections and in turn help the user over the communication network fix the NetBIOS name resolution issues.

Example: nbtstat –a 204.165.897.4

After keying the above command, the IP address of the personal computer alongside other necessary information regarding the personal computer will be displayed.

Third Experiment

Objective of the experiment: To explore the features of a LanTraffic V2

Requirements:

The only two requirements are a set of computers (two) with LanTraffic V2 software installed in them and a working connection between the two personal computers meaning that a Ethernet cable is the most efficient.

Theory: This particular software, LanTraffic V2, is a traffic generation tool for IP networks. Data generated use TCP or UDP which are file transfer protocols.

Figure 4: The entities of LanTraffic V2 software

Sender entity:

As it has been shown in the above diagram 4, participant under category of sender can send up to sixteen connections which are generated under two diverse testing modes. These two testing modes are;

1. Unitary mode:

This unitary mode is advantageous in the manner that it gives you choice of choosing the size of data and its source while testing the traffic connection under the use of synthetic data.

1. Automatic mode:

Two laws are normally followed under this mode. The mathematical law in which you choose the starting time and the volume law where you select size of data to transfer.

The entity of the receiver:

Indeed purpose of this entity is to receive and store data packets sent by the sender entity under five protocols which are as shown in the below diagram.

Figure 5: The five protocols of the receiver entity

Basing from the above figure, there exists five modes that receiver entity can accept the data packets under;

1. The mode of the absorber , receives data packets for statistics
2. Absorber file mode saves the data packets into a file protocol.
3. The absorber and generator mode, data packets accepted by the remote receiver is utilized for computation of statistics.
4. In echoer mode, sends the accepted data back to the sender entity.
5. In echoer file mode, sends the accepted data packets back to the sender entity, saves it into a mod of a file.

Throughput graphics tab:

The major purpose of this tab is to display the throughputs of the receiver and sender entities into a graphics display.

Figure 6: The Graphics tab pictorial

Results:

The LanTraffic V2 software is valuable asset when monitoring the aspects of network connection between computers and servers. This software has been established to monitor and generate synthetic traffic that is used to test out connections between the sender and receiver entities of a working network connection.

WiFi analyzer

A wifi analyzer is rather a software that is employed to purposely identify all the access points, all the channels and later use the collected data packets to analyze and finally resolve the incidences that normally occur on a 802.11a/b/g/n.ac network protocols in the real time of connection.

This modern day software has been established to be perfect tool for the high level users and wifi network analysts as well as the administrators whose their major aim is to control their offices wireless network performance and determine who is connected to the particular network connection. Also they are able to access the speeds at which the data is transmitted and therefore optimize the wifi channels overtime.

Conclusion:

The objectives of the three experiments were achieved. I was able to build up an Ethernet cable which I was able to establish that it worked out well. It is very true that now I have great understanding of various network aspects such as the LAN connections and connections of the Ethernet cables, how they work and various errors that are likely to be encountered in such connections. Indeed I was also able to operate the LanTraffic V2 software and use it both troubleshoot and diagnosis a network connection using the software. Therefore, I can conclude that all the objectives of the experiment were achieved.

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References

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