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Chapter 1
Introduction to Networking
Applying Concepts: Explore Network Operating Systems
It’s easier to understand what a network operating system is if you’ve seen one or two in
action. For each of the NOSes listed previously (Windows Server 2016, Ubuntu Server,
1. Search for information about the NOS and write down a short description based
on your findings.
2. Search for images of screenshots for the NOS. What are some major elements that
you notice on these screens?
3. Find one or two introductory videos for each NOS and watch the videos. What are
some similarities between the NOSes? What are some of the differences?Answer:
Review Questions
1. In the client-server model, what is the primary protocol used for communication
between a browser and web server?
a. FTP
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b. TCP
c. HTTP
d. SSL
2. Which two encryption protocols might be used to provide secure transmissions
for browser and web server communications?
a. HTTP and HTTPS
b. SSL and TLS
c. SSL and HTTP
d. TCP and UDP
3. Which email protocol allows an email client to download email messages to the
local computer?
a. IMAP4
b. SMTP
c. TCP
d. POP3
4. Which email protocol allows an email client to read mail stored on the mail
server?
a. IMAP4
b. SMTP
c. TCP
d. POP3
5. Which application embedded in Windows operating systems allows remote
control of a computer and uses the RDP secure protocol for transmissions?
a. Telnet
b. Remote Desktop
c. SFTP
d. SSH
6. A network consists of five computers, all running Windows 10 Professional. All
the computers are connected to a switch, which is connected to a router, which is
connected to the Internet. Which networking model does the network use?
a. Star-bus
b. Ring
c. Hybrid
d. Peer-to-peer
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7. In Question 6, suppose one computer is upgraded from Windows 10 Professional
to Windows Server 2016. Which networking model can the network now support
that it could not support without the upgrade?
a. Hybrid
b. Client-server
c. Star-bus
d. Ring
8. A network consists of seven computers and a network printer, all connected
directly to one switch. Which network topology does this network use?
a. Hybrid
b. Mesh
c. Star-bus
d. Star
9. In Question 8, suppose a new switch is connected to the first switch by way of a
network cable, and three computers are connected to the new switch. Which
network topology is now used?
a. Hybrid
b. Mesh
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c. Star-bus
d. Star
10. Which type of address is used at the Transport layer to identify the receiving
application?
a. IP address
b. Port
c. MAC address
d. Protocol
11. What is the name of the domain controller database that Windows Server 2016
uses to store data about user access and resources on the network?
and a router?
12. What is the fundamental distinction between a node and a host?
13. What is the fundamental distinction between a MAN and a WAN?
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14. What is a message called that is delivered by TCP? What is a message called that
is delivered by UDP? At which layer do the two protocols work?
15. At the Network layer, what type of address is used to identify the receiving host?
16. At the Data Link layer, which type of network address is used to identify the
receiving node?
17. A computer is unable to access the network. When you check the LED lights near
the computer’s network port, you discover the lights are not lit. Which layer of the
OSI model are you using to troubleshoot this problem? At which two layers does
the network adapter work?
18. A user complains that he cannot access a particular website, although he is able to
access other websites. At which layer of the OSI model should you begin
troubleshooting this problem?
19. A user complains that Skype drops her videoconference calls and she must
reconnect. At which layer of the OSI model should you begin troubleshooting?
Which OSI layer is responsible for not dropping the Skype connection?
Hands-On Projects
Project 1-1: Set Up a Small Network
For this project, you’ll need two Windows 10 computers, a small consumer-grade switch
(one that does not require its firmware to be configured), and two regular network cables
(a regular network cable is also called a straight-through cable or patch cable). Do the
following to set up a small network:
1. Use the network cables to connect each computer to the switch. Make sure the
2. Open the Network and Sharing Center of each computer to verify that Windows
3. If you don’t see connectivity, reset the connection by restarting the computer. In
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4. Open File Explorer. In the navigation pane, look in the Network group. You
should see the other computer listed. You won’t be able to access resources on the
other computer unless you share these resources in a homegroup or share a
5. Answer the following questions:
a. Does your network use a client-server or peer-to-peer model?
b. What is the topology of your network?
c. If the lights on the switch ports were not lit or blinking, what is the best theory
of probable cause? At what layer of the OSI model would this theory be?
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Project 1-2: Use Quick Assist
In this chapter, you learned about Remote Desktop and RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol),
which IT technicians use to manage remote computers. A similar app, Quick Assist, is
also built into Windows, beginning with Windows 10’s Anniversary Update. Quick
Assist is a client-server application that uses the HTTPS protocol to provide a convenient
way for an IT technician, family member, or computer enthusiast to remotely connect to
someone else’s computer while providing assistance with a computer problem.
Using Quick Assist, the person receiving assistance works at the host computer, which is
acting as the server in this client-server application and is serving up its desktop to the
Note
Throughout this book, steps are written for Windows 10 Professional with the Creators
Update (Version 1703). Many of the projects work equally well on earlier versions of
Windows 10 Pro, on Windows 10 Home, and even on Windows 8.1. However, if you’re
To complete this project, work with a partner where one person acts as a technician
giving assistance, and the other acts as a person getting assistance. Quick Assist is
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To give assistance:
1. Click Start and type Quick Assist, or open the Windows Accessories folder
in the Start menu. Click Quick Assist and you see the Quick Assist app, as
shown in Figure 1-22.
2. Click Give assistance, and sign in with your Microsoft account if necessary.
You see a 6-digit security code that is valid for 10 minutes, as shown in Figure
1-23.
3. Do one of the following to share this information with the person you’re
assisting:
a. Copy to clipboard: Paste the security code and instructions into an email
or chat app.
b. Send email: Use Quick Assist to send the security code and instructions
directly by email.
c. Provide instructions: Prepare to read the instructions and security code on
your screen as you talk the other person through the connection process
over the phone
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After the connection is established, your computer displays the screen of the person
getting assistance (the host computer), along with a toolbar (see Figure 1-24) that will
help you interact with the other computer.
To get assistance:
1. Click Start and type Quick Assist, or open the Windows Accessories folder
in the Start menu, and click Quick Assist.
2. Click Get assistance.
3. Enter the code provided by the technician giving assistance, and click Submit.
4. Click Allow to give permission for the technician to have access to your
computer. After the connection is established, a toolbar appears at the top of
your computer screen, as shown in Figure 1-25. During a Quick Assist
session, the technician providing assistance has the same rights and privileges
as the user account that is signed in on your computer (the host computer).
Click Pause to temporarily prevent the technician from accessing your
computer. Close the toolbar to end the connection.
Project 1-3: Apply Troubleshooting Methodology
Most likely at this point in your IT career, you’ve already encountered some challenging
troubleshooting scenarios with computers, mobile devices, and perhaps even with
networks. Think back to one of the more interesting scenarios you’ve faced, one where
you were able to solve the problem. Take a few moments to write down the symptoms
you encountered, the information you gathered, and the questions you asked. Try to
remember the sense of confusion or concern that this unknowing created. Then think
through what theories you developed on the possible causes of the problem as well as
what attempts you made to solve the problem. Write down as many details as you can
remember about how you finally discovered the solution, and how you arrived at that
conclusion.
Now look back at the troubleshooting flowchart in Figure 1-21. Map your problem-
solving experience to the steps shown in the flowchart and include additional details as
they come to you. Then answer the following questions:
1. What do you notice about your progression through the OSI model layers? Even
without necessarily knowing what the OSI model is, did you naturally take a top-
to-bottom or a bottom-to-top approach to the problem?
2. What theories did you test that turned out to be wrong? What information did you
learn from those dead ends?
3. Did you involve anyone else in the problem-solving process? If so, who was that
person and how did they help?
4. What did you do to test your solution? What measures did you take to ensure the
problem didn’t happen again?
5. Considering what you’ve now learned about troubleshooting methodology, what
could you have reasonably done differently to discover the solution more quickly?
Project 1-4: IT and Networking Certifications
This book prepares you to take the CompTIA Network+ N10-007 exam, which is
considered a fundamental benchmark toward a career in IT. Many other IT certifications
also apply to IT and networking. Use the web to research and answer the following
questions:
1. Which certification does CompTIA recommend a candidate for the CompTIA
Network+ exam to already have?
2. How long does CompTIA recommend you work in networking before you take
the CompTIA Network+ exam?
3. Cisco offers a full range of certifications focused on all aspects of networking.
How long does Cisco recommend you work in networking before you take the
CCNA Routing and Switching exam for certification? Include the web address of
your source along with your answer.
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4. How long does Cisco recommend you work in networking before you take the
CCIE Routing and Switching exam? Include the web address of your source along
with your answer.
5. Microsoft offers a group of certifications collectively called the MCSE (Microsoft
Certified Solutions Expert). What are the current MCSE certifications? Include
the web address of your source along with your answer.
6. Search online for a job opening in IT networking in your geographical area and
save or print the job description and requirements. (Excellent sites that post IT
jobs are Indeed.com and Monster.com.) Answer the following questions about the
job:
a. Which degrees are required or recommended?
b. What types of skills are required or recommended?
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c. Which IT certifications are required or recommended?
Capstone Projects
In Capstone Project 1-1, you will set up a VM (virtual machine) using Client Hyper-V,
and in Capstone Project 1-2, you set up a VM using Oracle VirtualBox. We will continue
to build your virtual network of VMs in later chapters. Client Hyper-V and VirtualBox
are client hypervisors, which is software used to manage VMs installed on a workstation.
If you don’t want to use Client Hyper-V or VirtualBox as your hypervisor of choice, you
can substitute another client hypervisor, such as VMware Player, which can be
downloaded free from vmware.com. Most of the future VM projects in this book can be
Capstone Project 1-1: Set Up a Virtual Machine Using Hyper-V
In this project, you use Hyper-V, which is software embedded in Windows 10
Professional, 64-bit version, to create and manage VMs (virtual machines) and virtual
networks on a single workstation. You’ll first enable the workstation UEFI to support
virtualization and enable Hyper-V, and then create a VM in Hyper-V. Then you will
Using a Windows 10 Pro, 64-bit version, computer, follow these steps to enable
virtualization in UEFI, enable Hyper-V, and configure a virtual switch for the virtual
network:
1. For Hyper-V to work, HAV (hardware-assisted virtualization) must be enabled in
UEFI setup. If you are not sure it is enabled, power down your computer, turn it on,
press a key during start-up to access UEFI setup, and make sure hardware-assisted
virtualization is enabled. For the system shown in Figure 1-26, that is done on the
CPU Configuration screen. Also make sure that any subcategory items under HAV
are enabled. Save your changes, exit UEFI setup, and allow the system to restart to
Windows.
2. Hyper-V is disabled in Windows 10 Pro by default. To enable it, right-click Start and
click Apps and Features. Scroll down and click Programs and Features under
3. Launch the Hyper-V Manager application from the Windows Administrative Tools
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4. To make sure your VMs have access to the network or the Internet, you need to first
5. In the Virtual Switch Manager dialog box, verify New virtual network switch is
selected in the left pane. To bind the virtual switch to the physical network adapter so
the VMs can access the physical network, select External in the right pane. Then
Note
Your instructor might have special instructions for the following steps. Check with your
instructor before proceeding.
To create a VM, follow these steps:
6. In the Actions pane, Quick Create. Use these parameters for the new VM:
• Enter a name for your VM, such as VM1 or VM_Lab_A.
Note
A .iso file is a Disc Image File, which is a virtual DVD or CD. A .vhdx file is a virtual
hard disk.
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7. After the VM is created, you can edit its settings if required by your instructor, or
click Connect and then click Start. If you used an ISO file as the installation source,
when you see Press any key to boot from CD or DVD, press the spacebar so the VM
will boot from the ISO file. Figure 1-27 shows where a Windows 10 installation has
begun. Follow the prompts on-screen and make any adjustments to default settings as
directed by your instructor.
Note
If you have trouble booting to the ISO file, consider increasing the VM’s available
memory in the Settings menu. For example, 64-bit Windows installs more easily with 4
GB of RAM rather than the minimum 2 GB.
8. After you have installed Windows in the VM, open the Edge browser to confirm the
VM has a good Internet connection.
1. If you are using a 64-bit host computer and want to install a 64-bit OS in the VM,
HAV (hardware-assisted virtualization) must be enabled in UEFI setup. If you are not
2. Go to virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads and download the VirtualBox platform
package for Windows hosts to your desktop or other folder on your hard drive. Install
3. To create a virtual machine using VirtualBox, click New in the toolbar and follow the
wizard to create a VM. Select a name for your VM, for example VM1 or VM_Lab_A,
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4. With the VM selected, click Settings in the VirtualBox Manager window. In the
VM’s Settings box, click Storage in the left pane.
5. In the Storage Tree area, to the right of Controller: SATA, click the Adds optical
drive icon, which looks like a CD with a plus (+) symbol, as shown in Figure 1-29.
6. A dialog box appears. Click Choose disk. Browse to the location of the ISO file that
7. Click Start on the toolbar. Your VM starts up and begins the process of installing the
8. After you have installed Windows in the VM, open the Edge browser to confirm the
Note
If you have trouble booting to the ISO file, consider increasing the VM’s available
In future chapters, you’ll continue to build your virtual network and install resources in
the VMs on your network.