Networking Chapter 6 Homework Comptia Network Certification The Cisco Networking Academy

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1. Sign in to your router’s administrative interface. Refer to your LastPass vault if you

need help remembering this information.

2. Access the wireless settings page. Review the settings that appear on this page,

3. Answer the following questions:

a. Which 802.11 standards will this router use to communicate with wireless clients?

b. Which channel is selected by default?

c. Why do you think this channel was selected, and how do you think you can change

it?

d. Is the SSID set to broadcast or not?

e. What would happen if you disabled the broadcast?

f. Would clients still be able to communicate with the router?

4. Disconnect the patch cable between your computer and the router.

5. Click the Network icon in your taskbar. Windows displays a list of wireless networks

that are broadcasting availability. List the top three networks that are available.

6. Select the name of your wireless network. If you are comfortable with automatically

connecting to this network in the future, check Connect automatically and then click

7. After connecting, open a browser and navigate to speedtest.net or a similar speed test

website. Run a speed test to determine your connection’s download and upload speeds,

respectively. What are your test results?

Project 6-3: Optimize Wireless Security on a SOHO Router

Properly securing a wireless access point is not the kind of chore most home users think to

do. Some IT students have actually created businesses securing home networks for their

neighbors, friends, and family. In this project, you work with AP settings that increase a

home wireless network’s security. These steps are specific to a Linksys router, but can

easily be adapted for other consumer-grade AP brands.

1. On your (or a friend’s, with their permission) home network, sign in to the router’s

2. As you make changes, be sure to write down access information for the network

owner. Provide instructions on where to keep this information safe, such as locked

3. On the wireless settings page, change the SSID to a name that is unique and

4. Whether the SSID is broadcast or not is a personal preference. It’s more convenient

5. On the wireless security page, check the security mode. Select WPA Auto if

6. Change the security key to a nondictionary code that includes both letters and

numbers, and at least 10 digits. The more digits, the more secure the key. A long

7. On the administration page, set the admin password to a phrase that, again, includes

8. Go to each device that is used regularly on the network and force each device to

“forget” the network so the previous settings will be removed from the device.

Reconnect each device to the network with the new settings.

Project 6-4: Establish a Wireless Network Baseline

One of the first pieces of information you’ll want to have handy when troubleshooting

wireless issues is a baseline with which to compare current conditions at the time of the

problem. Free software like NetStress can help you gather this kind of information while

your network is working well.

You’ll need two Windows computers (use Windows 10 or 8.1) on the same LAN to

complete this project. Both computers must be connected wirelessly to the LAN. You’ll

also need an Ethernet patch cable to create a wired connection for one computer.

1. Go to nutsaboutnets.com and look for the free NetStress download. At the time of

this writing, the download is available at the address nutsaboutnets.com/netstress.

Download and install the NetStress application on two different computers that are

connected to the same LAN. One computer will function as the transmitter

computer, and the other will function as the receiver. During installation, you might

see some messages. If so, respond as follows:

• If you get a warning that the app you’re trying to install isn’t a verified app from

• If you see a Setup dialog box warning that the application requires

2. Open the NetStress application on both computers. In the Select Network Interface

3. On the Transmitter computer, click the blinking Remote Receiver IP button at the

4. In the menu bar, click Start.

6. Using Snipping Tool, which is a screen capture application embedded in Windows,

7. Connect one of the computers to the router/AP with an Ethernet cable and rerun the

test for a couple of minutes again. Take a screenshot of these results as well, then

answer the following questions:

a. On the Receiver, what were the average TCP and Total throughputs when both

c. How can you explain the differences?

8. Make some notes about these installations on your Wikidot website.

Capstone Projects

Capstone Project 6-1: Install and Use Packet Tracer

If you plan to pursue networking or security as your area of specialty in IT, you might

consider earning a few Cisco networking certifications after you complete your CompTIA

Network+ certification. The Cisco Networking Academy website provides many useful

tools for advancing your networking education. One of those tools is a network simulator

called Packet Tracer.

In this Capstone Project, you download and install Packet Tracer, take a brief tour of the

simulator interface, and create a very basic network using simulated devices in Packet

Tracer. This version of Packet Tracer is free to the public, and your school does not have to

To get the Packet Tracer download, you must first sign up for the free Packet Tracer 101

online course on the Cisco Networking Academy website. Complete the following steps to

create your account:

1. In your browser, navigate to netacad.com/campaign/ptdt-lc. Enter your name,

email, and text verification to enroll in the course.

2. Open the confirmation email and confirm your email address. Configure your

3. If desired, you can answer the NetAcad survey questions now, or wait until later.

4. Inside the course, click Download Packet Tracer. Download the correct version

for your computer, and then install Packet Tracer. Note that the download might not

5. When Packet Tracer opens, sign in with your Networking Academy account that

you just created. If you see a Windows Security Alert, allow access through your

firewall. Cisco Packet Tracer opens. The interface window is shown in Figure 6-39.

6. Return to the Networking Academy website (netacad.com), sign in if necessary,

7. Complete all three chapters, the videos, the Packet Tracer Lab, and the Quiz at the

end. Answer the following questions along the way:

a. What is a simple PDU in Packet Tracer?

b. What is a .pka file?

c. Which window shows instructions for a lab activity?

d. What color is a console cable in Packet Tracer?

e. When configuring a switch in a Packet Tracer activity, if the Config tab and CLI

tab are both locked, what device do you need to use to configure the switch?

f. Which Packet Tracer feature do you think will be most helpful for you in

learning how to manage a network?

8. Record some notes in your Wikidot website about your Packet Tracer installation.

Capstone Project 6-2: Check a Router’s Compatibility for New

Firmware

Some wireless routers are designed with many security features and require no special

firmware to enable a second (or more) SSID, guest network, or captive portal. In some

cases, however, you might be able to install DD-WRT on a router to add desired features.

The functions available in this firmware are dependent upon the extent of its compatibility

with the device on which you install it. In this activity, you check a router’s information

against the Router Database on the DD-WRT website to see which version of the firmware

the router can support. Then you check the Database Report to see which of the firmware’s

features are compatible with your router. This project does not include installing the

firmware, as the process tends to be very specific to the hardware and other variables, and

requires more advanced understanding of installation challenges and troubleshooting skills.

To complete this project, you will need a SOHO router, such as Linksys, Asus, or Netgear,

manufactured for any 802.11 standard through ac. Complete the following steps:

1. Examine the device itself and locate the router’s model number. What is the model

number?

2. Go to DD-WRT’s website at dd-wrt.com and navigate to the Router Database.

3. Some routers require a license to use DD-WRT, in which case you’d have to

purchase a license for your router. Some routers are not supported at all, while some

are labeled as “works in progress,” meaning support for that router is in the works

but no release date is scheduled. Most routers, however, are supported. If yours is,

click the correct router in the list. If your router is not supported, do a search for

Linksys WRT320N and answer the remaining questions for this router. Which

downloads did the database report for your router?

4. For some routers, multiple variations of DD-WRT are available. These variations

provide different features and require different levels of expertise to administer. If

you see a Build variations link under Additional Information, click it. If your

router’s listing does not provide this kind of information, do a search for Linksys

WRT320N and answer the remaining questions for this router. What are some

known issues reported for the router? Are there any warnings listed on the Build

variations page?

5. Continue browsing through the Build Features table, which you accessed in the

previous step through the DD-WRT Wiki link for Build variations. Which

variations are supported by your router and provide each of the following features,

respectively? (Hint: You’ll need to cross-reference this table with the database

report for your router to make sure you’re only listing variations that are compatible

with your router. This table might contain variations that were not listed for your

router.) Provide a brief description of what functions or options each feature can

provide.

a. Access restrictions

b. Chillispot

c. Kaid, Xlink Kai, or some other form of Kaid

d. OpenVPN

e. Repeater

f. Samba/CIFS client

g. Wake On LAN

h. Wiviz

Installing the DD-WRT firmware to your router is accomplished through a process called

flashing, and is beyond the scope of this book. If you’re using an old router that you can

afford to risk bricking (which means to ruin the device to the point where it is no longer

functional, effectively turning it into a brick), you might want to try it. But be sure to do