ETHERNET

The purpose of an assignment is to ensure that the Learner is able to: 

Use methods of enquiry and research in a disciplined field.

Interpret and evaluate text.

Have a sound understanding of key principles and theories, rules and awareness.

Solve unfamiliar problems using correct procedures as well as investigate and critically analyse information and report thereof.

Present and communicate information reliably and coherently.

Instructions and guidelines for writing assignments
1. Use the correct cover page provided by the institution.
2. All essay type assignments must include the following:
2.1 Table of contents
2.2 Introduction
2.3 Main body with subheadings
2.4 Conclusions and recommendations
2.5 Bibliography
3. The length of the entire assignment must have minimum of 5 pages. Preferably typed with font size 12
3.1 The quality of work submitted is more important than the number of assigned pages. 4. Copying is a serious offence which attracts a severe penalty and must be avoided at all costs. If any learner transgresses this rule, the lecturer will retain the assignments and ask the affected learners to resubmit a new assignment which will be capped at 50%. 5. Use the Harvard referencing method.

QUESTION ONE

1.1

A network backbone is the cabling that connects and form foundation of the hubs, switches, and routers on a network. Describe the backbone structures that form the foundation for most LANs

1.2

Describe the three most common implementations of IEEE 802.11 wireless standard. For each of the standard include the following:

1.2.1 Bandwidth
1.2.2 Frequency range
1.2.3 Modulation technology used

QUESTION TWO

2.1

Explain why wireless technology was not initially widely adopted and give THREE advantages and THREE disadvantages of using wireless peripheral
devices over wired.

2.2

Describe how signal reflection could be a problem in an Ethernet LAN and explain how this is prevented.

QUESTION THREE
3.1

Suppose the local area network (LAN) 1.x used a bus topology rather than a star topology like the following:

3.1.1 Explain the protocol(s) that have to be used in the bus topology but will not be used in the star topology?

Page 3 of 4

QUESTION FOUR

You have been asked to help upgrade the LAN at every successful CPA firm with five departments in one building and a total of 560 employees. Although the firm’s employees understand accounting, they haven’t spent much time improving their network. Currently, it runs 10Base-T Ethernet and relies on 35 hubs to connect every user workstation to the network. Most of these workstations were purchased within the past two years, when the firm experienced a growth spurt. The hubs are connected to the backbone via switches. The CPA firm wants to upgrade its LAN, but not at great cost. It also wants to ensure that it can easily expand its LAN in the future. It has already decided to use a version of Linux as its operating systems.

Based on the information given above, prepare a detailed report for CPA firm. You will need to write at least one (1) paragraph when explaining the kind of LAN you will design for this company, and include the description of the different topologies that they can use, the access methods etc. Your proposal/report should answer the following questions:

What kind of LAN will you design for this company?