Module One Assignments

OSI and TCP Layered Models

Application Protocols and DNS

RS Web Hosting

Network Media

Network Media

Introduction to Network Cabling Questions

  1. What is TIA/EIA 568?

    2. TIA/EIA 568 is a set of telecommunications standards from the TIA (Telecommunications Industry Association). This standard addresses commerical building cabling for telecommunications products and services.

  2. What is the difference between TIA 568A and TIA 568B?

    3. TIA 568A and TIA 568B are the same commercial building wiring standards, but differ in that they use different ordering for the colored pairs. TIA 568A orders pins 1-8 as white/green, green, white/orange, blue, white/blue, orange, white/brown, brown. TIA 568B orders these pins as white/orange, orange, white/green, blue, white/blue, green, white/brown, brown.

  3. What is the function of a patch panel?

    4. A patch panel is a device or unit featuring a number of jacks, usually of the same or similar type, for the use of connecting and routing circuits for monitoring, interconnecting, and testing circuits in a convenient, flexible manner.

  4. Add these terms to your vocabulary list: Cat5, Cat6, and plenum.
    5. Cat5 A twisted pair cable for Ethernet that is capable of providing performance up to 100 MHz.
    Cat6 A twisted pair cable for Ethernet that is capable of providing performance up to 500 MHz.
    Plenum A part of a building that can facilitate air circulation for heaing and air conditioning systems by providing pathways for either heated/condtioned or return airflows. It lies between the true ceiling and the fake ceiling in a building, and plenum-rated cabling can be run through it.

    For the rest of the vocabulary list, please click here.

Multimode and Singlemode Fiber

  1. For signaling, what type of technology does fiber optics employ?

    2. Fiber optics transmit by converting digital signals to light on the visisble spectrum.

  2. Is fiber optic cable easy to tap?

    3. It is difficult to tap without being alerted to it. There is a noticeable drop in signal when tapped, and thus is easy to monitor.

  3. In what type of situation would you employ multimode fiber optic cable?

    4. Multimode fiber optic cable would be used for shorter-range communication, such as within a building. Multimode fiber optic can be used for distances up to 2km.

  4. What would be a conventional light source for multimode fiber optic cable?

    5. An inexpensive light source, such as LED.

  5. In what situation would you employ single mode fiber optic cabling?

    6. Single-mode fiber optic cabling is used for long range communications, for distances up to 100km before processing. This type of cabling would be used by network service providers.

  6. What would be a conventional light source for single mode fiber optic cabling?

    7. Laser beams are the conventional light source for single-mode fiber optic cabling, and is fairly expensive.

UTP, STP, and Coaxial Cabling

  1. What type of cable do these terms 10base5, "Thicknet", RG-8, 10base2, and RG-58 describe?

    2. These types describe coaxial cables, which are used in older Ethernet networks or television/digital cable.

  2. What type of cabling uses conductor pairs that are twisted?

    3. Twisted pair copper cabling uses these types of conductor pairs.

  3. What differentiates UTP from STP?

    4. STP, Shielded Twisted Pair, uses additional shielding to protect against interference and requires the use of an electrical ground. UTP, Unshielded Twisted Pair, is more common and less expensive, and does not have additional shield.

  4. What is the most common form of Ethernet cabling for Local Area Networks?

    5. UTP cabling is the most commonly used Ethernet cabling.

Cable Categories

  1. What is EIA?

    2. EIA stands for the Electronic Industries Alliance, an alliance of trade associations that develops standards for the industry. Their standards begin with RS-# (Recommended Standard) or EIA-#.

  2. What is TIA?

    3. TIA stands for the Telecommunications Industry Association. THey create standards, do market analysis, trade shows, government affairs, and more. Their standards are designated by ANSI/TIA/EIA-568 labeling.

  3. For what is Category 3 cable used?

    4. Category 3 cable supported 10 Mbit/s Ethernet and 4 Mbit/s Token Ring, and today is relatively obsolete.

  4. Compare and contrast Cat5 and Cat5e cable.

    5. Cat5 and Cat5e are within the same category of cabling. Cat5 is the update to Cat3, which supports 100 Mbit/s Ethernet, however Cat5e is the update to Cat5 and can support 1 Gbit/s Ethernet. Cat5e has tighter specifications for the cable and connectors than Cat5.

  5. In what situation would you want to employ Cat6 cable?

    6. Cat6 supports 10 Gbit/s Ethernet through 55 meters, while Cat6a can support 100 meters of 10 Gbit/s. These are used for very highspeed connections, and either Cat6 or Cat6a will be chosen depending on the distance required.

Crossover and Straight-through Cables

  1. What is an Ethernet straight-through cable? When would you use it?

    2. Straight-through cables are the most common type of Ethernet cable, and are used to connect devices such as laptops and desktops directly to the jack or Ethernet device.

  2. What is the difference between a MDI and a MDIX interface?

    3. MDI (Media Dependent Interface) are used for network interface cards, such as in laptops and desktops. MDIX cables are used in network switches, such as in network infrastructure devices. MDI cables have 'transmit' on pins 1 and 2, while MDIX have 'receive' on pins 1 and 2. MDI has 'receive' on pins 3 and 6, while MDIX has 'transmit' on pins 3 and 6.

  3. What is an Ethernet crossover cable? When would you use one?

    4. Crossover allows for connection from MDI to MDI devices, or to MDIX to MDIX devices. They are used when a device that does not have automatic crossover (non-modern Ethernet devices).

  4. If you were going to connect two CSU/DSUs, what type of cable would you use?

    5. T1 cross-over cable.

Plenum and Non-Plenum Cabling

  1. What is the disadvantage of using regular TWP copper cable in a ceiling plenum?

    2. Regular TWP copper cable is not rated to run in a plenum, and thus may worsen a fire if one is to occur, as air is flowing freely into the plenum.

Converting Media

  1. Why do you always need to provide power to the device when you convert from fiber to copper?

    2. Copper signals are electrical, and there is no way to take light off fiber and create enough power to generate electrical signals across the copper connection.

  2. Can a network signal from almost any type of media be converted to any other type of media?

    3. Yes - conversions include fiber to copper, copper to fiber, single-mode fiber to Ethernet, mutlimode fiber to Ethernet, fiber to coaxial, single-mode fiber to multimode fiber and vice versa.

Media Distance and Speed Limitations

  1. What type of cable does 10base5 networking use?

    2. 10base5 networking uses coaxial cable.

  2. How far can you run on a single run of 10baseT?

    3. 100 meters, or 328 feet.

  3. How far can you run on a single run of 100baseTx?

    4. 100 meters, or 328 feet.

  4. Complete Table 1 by adding the missing cable attributes.

    5. TIA Category Ethernet Standard Cable (Fiber) Type Speed Distance
    NA 10base5 RG-8U 10 Mbit/s 500 meters
    NA 10base2 RG-58A/U 10 Mbit/s 185 meters
    Category 5 100base-TX Twisted-pair 100 Mbit/s 100 meters
    Category 5e 1000base-T Twisted-pair 1000 Mbit/s 100 meters
    NA 1000base-SX Optical fiber (multimode) 1000 Mbit/s 200-550 meters
    NA 1000base-LX Optical fiber (singlemode) 1000 Mbit/s 2 kilometers