This blog mainly consist of COMPUTER HARDWARE,NETWORKING as well as SOFTWARE Troubleshooting.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
How to Make CROSS & STRAIGHT cable
STEP 1: Choose the right cable…
1. To Connect PC to PC Cross Cable.
2. To Connect PC to HUB/SWITCH/ROUTER Straight Cable.
3. To Connect HUB/SWITCH/ROUTER to HUB/SWITCH/ROUTER Straight
Cable
STEP 2: Understanding CAT 5 Cables…
Wires: CAT 5 Cable has 4 pairs of copper wire inside it.
Colors: Standard cables has BROWN, BROWN WHITE, GREEN, GREEN-
WHITE, BLUE, BLUE WHITE, ORANGE, ORANGE WHITE.
STEP 3: Making Straight Cable…
Nomenclature: let us first give a number scheme for cabling which we will
follow throughout this tuto. BROWN (8), BROWN WHITE (7),
GREEN (6), GREEN WHITE (3), BLUE (4), BLUE WHITE (5),
ORANGE (2), ORANGE WHITE (1)
Requirements: Two RJ45 Connectors, Crimping tool & CAT 5 cable of desired
length(less than 250 meters).
STEP 3.1:
There are two standards adopted for Cabling EIA/TIA 568A & EIA/TIA 568B.
When you use single standard (either EIA/TIA 568A or EIA/TIA 568B) on both the end of cable then the resulting cable is STRAIGHT CABLE.
On the other hand if you use different cabling standard on the ends of cable then the resulting cable is CROSS CABLE
I’ll use EIA/TIA 568B standard for creating cross and straight cable
1. Remove the covering of CAT 5 cable.
2. Straighten the eight wires of the cable.
3. Using Crimping tool’s cutter cut the end of wires so that they are of same length
4. Arrange the wire in order 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8 respectively as I have mention or as shown in the diagram.
5. Insert the arranged cable in the RJ45 connector with clip pointing down exactly as shown in the figure.
6. In crimping tool insert the head of RJ45 connector and crimp (press) it hardly.
7. Follow same step with same color order for the other end of cable too.
8. The wire you made by following these steps is a STRAIGHT cable.
STEP 4: Making CROSS Cable…
Of the Eight wires in Cat 5 not all are used for data transfer when using 100Mbps Ethernet card. Only 2 pairs of cable are used i.e. 2 wire for transmitting signal and two wires for receiving signal.
So now you can guess why we have to make CROSS CABLE for connecting same kind of devices. Because if use same color coding on both the side than transmitter of one m/c will send data to transmitter of another and data packets will lost, so we have to change wiring code so that transmitter of one connects to reciver of other and vice-versa.
Here are the Steps:
Steps 1 to 6 are same as for STRAIGHT through cables
7. Only difference is in color coding of other side of wire.
8. Wire that is on 1st number on A-side (one end) should be on 3rd number on B-
side (other side) & vice-versa.
9. Wire that is on 2st number on A-side (one end) should be on 6rd number on B-
side (other side) & vice versa.
10. Now Crimp the RJ45 connector.
11. Your CROSS wire is completed.
How to Cabling Your Network
There are two main ways of connecting PCs together to form a network. There are others, but for now, we will consider only the Ethernet alternatives:
- Coaxial Ethernet
Coaxial ethernet is really a fading concept. Two types are available, Thick-wire and Thin-wire. Thick-wire is very unlikely to be found on modern networking equipment but thin-wire is fairly common. Thin-wire ethernet consists of lengths of 50ohm coax cable that are terminated in BNC bayonet connectors. Thin-wire compatible equipment sport a round barrel that the coax is plugged into. Unfortunately, connecting thin-wire is not always so simple. It is important that a thin-wire cable is correctly terminated and not all thin-net NICs are able to automatically terminate a cable. In this case, it is necessary to use a t-piece c/w a terminator so that a cable impedance of 50ohm is maintained. Failure to observe this will result in communication problems between the network devices.
Note: Thin-wire ethernet is also known by it's technical notation of 10base2.
- TP Ethernet
TP, or Twisted Pair Ethernet is the modern equivalent of 10base2 cable systems. Far more flexible, neater and less prone to network faults, TP appears on a myriad of networking and communications equipment. If you have your single PC already connected to your CM then you are already using RJ45 TP cabling and it will almost probably feature in your network. CAT5 cable consists of 4 pairs of wires, with each pair being two insulated copper wires twisted together. These 'twisted-pairs' are then sheathed in a plastic outer sleeve that come in a variety of colours, although 'computer' beige is probably the most common;-). The standards for ethernet over Cat5 cabling define a maximum length of 100 metres for operation at 10MBps, but in practice it is perfectly possible to extend this maximum by 20 or 30 metres without detriment to network communication.
RJ45 refers to the connector that is crimped onto the end of the CAT 5 cable. The connector is rectangular in shape and has a tab at the top. The cable is inserted so that the tab latches onto a small recess in the socket, rather like the side latch on the ubiquitos BT telephone plug.
Almost all of the network set-ups featured on this site use RJ45 cabling exclusively, with each cable being of the 'straight' type. Where necessary, x-over cables are also employed. The following diagrams show how the two types of ethernet detailed above can be used in a network, with straight RJ45 cables depicted by BLUE lines and cross-overs in RED. Thinwire Co-ax cable is shown in grey.
Connecting a Single PC to a CM connected PC
- With Thinwire
For this set-up a single piece of thinwire co-ax is used to connect two PCs, with each end of the cable physically connected to a T-piece, with the 'spare' connector capped with a terminator to maintain the cable impedance.
It is important to use the correct cable type for thinwire so that the impedance is correct. The official designation is RG58.
- With RJ45
Where two PCs are connected using an RJ45 cable, a cross-over cable needs to be used. An RJ45 cross-over cable actually crosses the transmit and receive pairs in the cable so that one NICs transmit connects to the other NICs receive, and vice versa.
Connecting Multiple PCs to a CM connected PC
- With Thinwire
To add additional clients to the network, remove one of the t-pieces and connect another thinwire coax cable to the vacant connector and replace the terminator at the t-piece of the last device.
Note that some network cards have an on-board termination setting.
- With RJ45
In an RJ45 cabled network, adding additonal clients requires the use of an intermediary device such as a hub or a switch. PCs connect to the hub/switch using straight cables and these are, in turn, connected internally within the hub or switch.
In this environment, there is no requirement for RJ45 cross-over cables.
Straight v. X-over Cables
The requirement for RJ45 cross-over, or x-over, cables is dictated by the type of devices that are being connected. There are two interface types associated with networking equipment, DTE (Data Terminating Equipment) and DCE (Data Communications Equipment). DTE devices mainly consist of PC NICs and Routers. When connecting a DTE device to a DCE device, e.g., a PC to a Hub, a straight cable is required. When the two connecting devices have the same interface type, i.e., both DCE or both DTE, then a x-over cable is necessary.
| Device | I/F Type | Device | I/F Type | Cable Type |
| PC | DTE | | DCE | Straight |
| PC | DTE | Cable Modem | DCE | Straight |
| PC | DTE | PC | DTE | X-Over |
| | DCE | | DCE | X-over |
Unfortunately, these examples do not constitute hard and fast rules. Some Cable Modems, especially those integrated in Set-Top Boxes, have DTE interfaces, so any PC or Router that connects to it will need a x-over cable. Also, when connecting two hubs together a x-over cable may not be necessary if one of the hubs has an uplink port. An uplink port will have a DTE type interface, so a straight cable can be used to connect to another DCE port, such as a hub port. On many hubs, one of the ports may have a port that is switchable between DCE and DTE. This function can be manual, so a switch has to be activated, or an interface can auto-detect what type of interface it needs to be.
The following diagram shows the necessary cabling required for both straight and x-over CAT5 cables. Each of the four pairs in a cable are colour coded for easy identification, although the colours may vary between different cables.
The Tx and Rx refer to Transmit and Receive respectively, with the + and - symbols refering to the polarity of the signals. A DTE device will transmit data using cables 1 and 2, whilst a DCE device will transmit on Pins 3 and 6. The transmit cables at one end must be connected to the receive cables at the other end for the connection to work. When constructing cables, it is important that the polarities are maintained so that the cable is not affected by interference.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Setting up a home network or office network
How to Setting up a home network or office network
Why network?
If you are a multiple-computer household, now's the time to get those computers hitched. Doing so has a lot of benefits. You can:
- Share printers, CD-ROM drives and other removeable drives between the computers.
- Eliminate SneakerNet (passing files around on floppy or CD) and share files directly between PCs.
- Share a single Internet connection between computers (provided your agreement with your ISP allows this type of sharing).
- Play multiplayer games.
- Store only a single copy of large files, saving space on the other PCs' hard drives.
You can network computers that run different operating systems, but you'll find the ideal networking setup for a small home LAN (local area network) is with XP running on your most powerful machine(s) and either Windows 98 or Windows Me running on the other computers. I don't recommend trying to include computers running Windows 95 in your network unless you are an experienced user.
You can get a complete home network up and running in 10 easy steps. Here's a summary of what's involved:
- Take stock of your existing hardware.
- If you wish to share an Internet connection using Internet Connection Sharing (ICS), choose which computer will be your ICS host.
- Decide what type of network technology you wish to use.
- Make a list of the hardware you need for each computer.
- Install the network adaptors and install your modem on the ICS host computer.
- Physically cable the computers together.
- Switch on all computers, printers and other peripherals.
- Make sure the ICS host is connected to the Internet.
- Run the Network Setup Wizard on the ICS host.
- Run the Network Setup Wizard on the other computers on the network.
Let's take that step by step.
1. Take stock of your hardware
Note each computer's location and its hardware, including peripherals such as printers and modems.
If you wish to share an Internet connection between your computers using Internet Connection Sharing (ICS), choose which computer will be your ICS host.
The ICS host has a direct connection, either by dial-up modem or high-speed link, to the Internet and provides access to the Internet for other computers on the network. Ideally, the host should be a computer running Windows XP. I'll assume you have made this choice in the following steps.
Apart from XP's easy handling of ICS, by using an XP computer as your ICS host you get the benefits of using the Internet Connection Firewall.
3. Choose a network technology
The most common choices are Ethernet and wireless LANs. For an Ethernet LAN you will need to install a network interface card, or NIC, in each computer and run cabling between the computers.
If you don't like the idea of opening your computer to install a network card, look for a USB adaptor instead.
Depending on the size of your network, you may also need a network hub or router to provide interconnection between PCs on the LAN. Two PCs can get by using an RJ-45 crossover cable; three or more computers require a hub or multi-speed hub (called a switch).
If you have a high-speed Internet connection, a high-speed router is a good option.
he Network Setup Wizard includes links to detailed advice about configuring your network, including help on designing a network layout to suit your home.
If you opt for a wireless LAN, you'll also need a NIC for each PC (there are versions which use USB adaptors as well). The big benefit for home environments is that a wireless LAN does away with the need for cabling. On the down side, though, wireless LANs tend to be slower, less robust and appreciably more expensive than traditional Ethernet LANs. In particular, wireless LANs do not always live up to their stated working range, and you may find factors such as your home's construction and design, plus interference from other devices affect your wireless LAN's performance. You may need to add an expensive Access Point to extend the range of the LAN and, even so, it may not be sufficient. The bottom line is, if you decide to go the wireless route, make sure the store will refund your money if the LAN will not provide reliable performance within the specified range.
4. Make a list of hardware needed
Make a list of the hardware you need for each computer, not forgetting any cabling, and buy it. If you're a little dazzled by the choices and configurations, consider purchasing a networking kit. These kits contain all you need to set up a two- or three-PC network. If possible, look for hardware which features the Windows XP Logo, indicating it is fully compatible with XP.
5. Install the adaptors
Install the network adaptors and install your modem on the ICS host computer (you can also let the computers connect to the Internet independently by installing modems on each).
6. Cable the computers
Physically cable the computers (and hubs or routers) together. Of course, you won't need to do this if you've chosen to go the wireless route.
If you're installing an Ethernet network and have a lot of cabling work to do, you may prefer to get a professional to come in and do this work for you. It won't be cheap, but you can be sure you get the job done correctly and hopefully with minimal damage done to walls, ceilings and floors.
7. Switch it on
Switch on all computers, printers and other peripherals.
8. Connect the ICS host
Go to the ICS host computer and make sure it is connected to the Internet.
9. Run the Network Setup Wizard on the ICS host
To run the Network Setup Wizard on the ICS host, click Start -> Control Panel -> Network And Internet Connections -> Setup Or Change Your Home Or Small Office Network. Follow the instructions in each screen and press Next to continue.
XP's Network Setup Wizard takes much of the pain out of setting up a home network.
The Network Setup Wizard will guide you through:
- Configuring your network adaptors (NICs).
- Configuring your computers to share a single Internet connection.
- Naming each computer. (Each computer requires a name to identify it on the network.)
- Sharing the Shared Files folder. Any files in this folder will be accessible to all computers on the network.
- Sharing printers.
- Installing the Internet Connection Firewall to guard you from online attacks.
10. Run the Network Setup Wizard on all computers
To do so:
- Insert the Windows XP CD in the first computer's drive.
- When the XP Welcome Menu appears, click Perform Additional Tasks.
- Click Setup Home Or Small Office Networking and follow the prompts.
- Repeat steps 1 to 3 for each computer on your network.
The quickie XP network
If you want a really easy networking experience and you have the hardware to support it, consider clean installing Windows XP on two or more computers. First install your network hardware (network interface cards, cabling, et cetera), then perform a new installation of Windows XP. During installation, XP will sense your hardware setup, ask for a name for each computer, and then ask which type of setup you wish to create. Select Typical Settings For A Default Network Configuration.
That's it. Provided your hardware is XP-compatible, XP will create a LAN using the workgroup name MSHOME.
Using your network
Once you have your network up and running, you can easily access other computers on the network via My Network Places (click Start -> My Network Places).
The Task Pane in My Network Places lets you access computers on your network and adjust settings.
The Task Pane in My Network Places lets you view your network connections and view each of the computers in your workgroup (the workgroup consists of all computers on a network which share the same workgroup name – by default, XP gives all computers on your home network the workgroup name MSHOME, although you can change this if you wish). When you initially open My Network Places, you'll see icons for the Shared Files folder of each of the active network computers.
With your home network installed, your PC suddenly gains all the advantages of the other PC's on the network. If you've been lusting after your sister's colour photo printer, you can now print directly to it from your own machine. Provided, that is, your sister decides to share her printer. (You might offer to let her share your laser printer in return as an inducement – sharing works both ways.)
To share a printer, on the computer which is directly connected to the printer:
- Click Start -> Control Panel -> Printers And Other Hardware -> Printers And Faxes. (Note: These steps will be a little different if you're sharing a printer on a PC running a version of Windows other than XP. For example, under Windows Me, you click Start -> Settings -> Printers.)
- Click the printer you wish to share.
- Click Share This Printer in the Task Pane.
- In the printer's Properties dialog, click the Sharing tab.
- Click Share Name and OK.
Make a printer accessible to others on the network by sharing it.
Once a printer has been shared you can access it from other computers on the network. To do so:
- Click Start -> Control Panel -> Printers And Other Hardware.
- Click Add A Printer.
- In the Add New Printer wizard, when asked whether the printer is a local or network printer, select the latter.
- In the next screen, select the option to Browse For A Printer and click Next.
- Select the appropriate printer from the list and continue with the wizard.
Sharing a folder is even easier than sharing a printer:
- Open a folder (such as My Documents), click Make A New Folder in the Task Pane and name your new folder.
- With the new folder highlighted, click Share This Folder.
- In the Sharing tab of the Properties dialog box, select Share This Folder On The Network.
- Provide a descriptive name for the folder. This name should make it easy for others on the network to recognize the folder; it doesn't have to be the same as the folder name you selected in step 1.
- You can let other people on the network view and edit your files or view them only. If you want to protect your files from tampering, remove the tick from Allow Other Users To Change My Files.
There are a variety of ways to access a shared folder. Here's one way:
- Click Start -> My Network Places -> View Workgroup Computers.
- Click the computer whose files you wish to access and then click the shared folder.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
configure a network
In this section you will learn how to configure a network, peer to peer, client server, workstation, server, basic data communication.
Peer to Peer network model
Before configuring a computer network, you have to decide that, which networking model you require. There are two main types of network models. Peer to peer and client-server network model. In the peer to peer network model you simply use the same Workgroup for all the computers and a unique name for each computer.
Additionally, you will have to give a unique IP address of the same class A, B, or C for all the computers in your network and its related subnet mask e.g if you decide to use class A IP address for your three computers in your Peer to Peer network then your IP address/Subnet mask settings can be as follows.
Computer Name IP Address Subnet Mask Workgroup
PC1 100.100.100.1 255.0.0.0 Officenetwork
PC2 100.100.100.2 255.0.0.0 Officenetwork
PC3 100.100.100.3 255.0.0.0 Officenetwork
Please note that the above example is for only illustration purpose so you can choose any IP address, computer name and workgroup name of your interest.
For doing this right click on My Computer and then click Properties then go to the Network Identification section and set these.
In a peer to peer network all computers acts as a client because there is not centralized server. Peer to peer network is used where not security is required in the network.
If a computer fails to work then all other computers work normally in peer to peer network.
Client/Server Network Model
In the client/server network model a computer plays a centralized role and is known as a server all other computers in the network are known as clients. All client computers access the server simultaneously for files, database, docs, spreadsheets, web pages and resources like hard diver, printer, fax modem, CD/DVD ROM and others. In other words, all the client computes depends on the server and if server fails to respond or crash then networking/communication between the server and the client computes stops.
If you want to configure a client-server network model then first prepare the server. Install Windows 2000 or Windows 2003 Server from the CD on the server computer and make a domain. You can create a domain by this command on the Run “DCPROMO”. You can give this command once you install the server successfully. After you give the DCPROMO command you will be asked for a unique domain name. All the client computers will use the same unique domain name for becoming the part of this domain. This command will install the active directory on the server, DNS and other required things. A step by step wizard will run and will guide you for the rest of the steps. Make sure that a network cable is plugged in the LAN card of the server when you run the DCPROMO.exe command.
When the Active directory is properly installed on the server, restart the server. You can create network users on the server computer and also name/label the network resources like computers/printers etc.
Once you install the server successfully now come to the client computers. Install Windows 2000 professional on your all client computers. Once you install the Windows 2000 professional on the clients the next step is to make this computer (client computer) a part of the network.
Configuration Steps
1. Choose a unique name for each client computer
2. Choose unique IP address for each computer and relevant.
3. Use the same domain name for all client PCs.
Network/System administrators are required to do these administrative tasks on the server and client computers. Any shared resources on the network either on the server or the clients can be access through the My Network Places in the Windows 2000 platform. There is another way to connect to the shared resources by giving this command in the run \\ComputerName\SharedDriveLetter.
Network configurations steps can be implemented by right clicking the My Computer>Properties>
For giving the IP address you will have to right click on the My Network places>properties>Local Area Connection>Properties>Internet Protocols (TCP/IP)>Properties and then give the IP address and subnet mask of the same range and class for all the computers in the network.