Chapter 1. Local Area Networks

Terms you'll need to understand:

• Local area network

• Network topology

• Hubs

• Switches

• Bridges

• Routers

• Network media

• CSMA/CD

• Ethernet frames

• Ethernet addresses

• Collision rates

Concepts you'll need to master:

• Describe the features and functions of LAN components .

• Describe network topologies, media, and network devices.

• Describe ethernet concepts and major ethernet elements.

• Describe the CSMA/CD access method.

• Be familiar with the components of an ethernet frame.

• Troubleshoot ethernet interfaces using ifconfig, snoop, netstat , and ndd .

The first part of this chapter is a stepping stone to the rest of the book. It introduces some of the fundamental building blocks of a local area network (LAN) and the hardware used in creating one. The second part of this chapter concentrates on Ethernet, the most prevalent network protocol in use today, ending with sections on gathering network statistics and troubleshooting problems that might be encountered on an ethernet network.

The exam often contains a few questions that require you to match a number of networking elements with their associated descriptions, so knowledge of the terms introduced here, and in the Glossary, is an easy way to gain an extra point, but you have to get them ALL right to get the point.