Book Image

Networking Fundamentals

By : Gordon Davies
Book Image

Networking Fundamentals

By: Gordon Davies

Overview of this book

A network is a collection of computers, servers, mobile devices, or other computing devices connected for sharing data. This book will help you become well versed in basic networking concepts and prepare to pass Microsoft's MTA Networking Fundamentals Exam 98-366. Following Microsoft's official syllabus, the book starts by covering network infrastructures to help you differentiate intranets, internets, and extranets, and learn about network topologies. You’ll then get up to date with common network hardware devices such as routers and switches and the media types used to connect them together. As you advance, the book will take you through different protocols and services and the requirements to follow a standardized approach to networking. You’ll get to grips with the OSI and TCP/IP models as well as IPv4 and IPv6. The book also shows you how to recall IP addresses through name resolution. Finally, you’ll be able to practice everything you’ve learned and take the exam confidently with the help of mock tests. By the end of this networking book, you’ll have developed a strong foundation in the essential networking concepts needed to pass Exam 98-366.
Table of Contents (23 chapters)
Free Chapter
1
Section 1: Network Infrastructure
7
Section 2: Network Hardware
11
Section 3: Protocols and Services
18
Section 4: Mock Exams
19
Mock Exam 1
20
Mock Exam 2

Bus topology

For clarity I'm going to draw the bus topology in a way that in some implementations could be classed as slightly inaccurate, but I will explain why afterward. A bus topology can generally be described as a backbone cable with devices connected directly to it, as shown in Figure 5.1:

Figure 5.1: Bus topology

In the preceding diagram, I want to draw your attention to two things. Firstly, the backbone is quite clearly one single cable, and in some cases this would be correct, but in some others you might find it is made up of a number of shorter cables. Secondly, the various computers connecting to the backbone are shown as doing so through some form of intermediary cable. Again, in some instances this would be correct, and in others the devices would form part of the backbone and connect those shorter cables I mentioned in the first point.

In Chapter 8, Media...