Networking Basics CCNA 1 Companion Guide

The only authorized Companion Guide for the Cisco Networking Academy Program

 

New and improved features help you study and succeed in this course:

• Chapter objectives—Review core concepts by answering the questions at the beginning of each chapter. 
• Key terms—Refer to the updated lists of networking vocabulary introduced in each chapter and turn to the highlighted terms in context.
• Glossary—Consult the all-new glossary with more than 700 terms.
• Check Your Understanding questions and answer key—Evaluate your readiness with the updated end-of-chapter questions that match the style of questions you see in the online course assessments. The answer appendix explains each answer.
• Challenge questions and activities—Challenge yourself with review questions and activities designed to be similar to the complex questions you might see on the CCNA exam. The answer appendix explains each answer.
• Extra practice problems—Reinforce processes and math formulas used to analyze basic networking features by completing the extra practice problems in Appendix C.

Networking Basics CCNA 1 Companion Guide is the official supplemental textbook for v3.1.1 of the CCNA® 1 course in the Cisco® Networking Academy® Program. The authors have completely rewritten the Companion Guide to provide a fresh, complementary perspective on the online course content. The book covers all the topics in the course yet provides additional examples and alternative approaches to individual topics—all to aid the learning process and lock in your understanding of basic networking concepts and technologies.

 

Companion CD-ROM

This CD-ROM includes:

• Additional Topics of Interest–Beneficial to becoming a well-rounded networker.
• Interactive Media Activities–More than 20 activities from the online course that visually demonstrate key topics.
• Packet Tracer v3.2–A Flash-based simulation and visualization learning tool.

Student Resources on the Web

Cisco Press provides additional content that you can access by registering your individual book at ciscopress.com. Membership and registration are free and give you access to the extra practice problems answer key, Packet Tracer configuration files, and additional content from Cisco Press books.

 

Table of Contents

Chapter 1               Introduction to Networking

Objectives  

Key Terms  

Connecting to Networks and the Internet  

    What’s a Network?  

    Network Components  

    Enterprise Networks and Home Internet Access  

    TCP/IP Protocol Suite and TCP/IP Software  

Network Math  

    Bits and Bytes  

    Decimal Numbering System: Base 10  

    Binary Numbering System: Base 2  

    Converting From 8-Bit Binary Numbers to Decimal Numbers  

    Converting from Decimal Numbers to 8-Bit Binary Numbers  

    Generic Decimal-to-8-Bit-Binary Conversion Process  

    Converting IP Addresses Between Decimal and Binary  

    Using a Conversion Chart  

    Hexadecimal Numbering System: Base 16  

    Boolean or Binary Logic  

Summary  

Check Your Understanding  

Challenge Questions and Activities  

 

Chapter 2               Networking Fundamentals  

Objectives  

Key Terms  

Networking Basics and Terminology  

    A Brief History of the Networking Universe  

    The Need for Networking Protocols and Standards  

    Ethernet LANs and LAN Devices  

    Wide-Area Networks  

    MANs and SANs  

    Virtual Private Networks  

    Network Topologies  

Bandwidth  

    LAN and WAN Bandwidth  

    Throughput Versus Bandwidth   

    Calculating Data Transfer Time  

    Analog Bandwidth  

    Planning for Bandwidth   

The OSI and TCP/IP Networking Models  

    OSI Model  

    TCP/IP Networking Model  

Summary  

Check Your Understanding  

 

Chapter 3               Networking Media  

Objectives  

Additional Topics of Interest  

Key Terms  

Copper Media  

    Digital Transmission Using Copper Wires  

    Popular LAN Copper Cabling  

Optical Media  

    Comparing Fiber-Optic Cabling and Copper Cabling  

    Electromagnetic Spectrum  

    Fiber-Optic Cabling  

Wireless Media  

    Enterprise WLAN Components and Design   

    WLAN Organization and Standards  

Summary  

Check Your Understanding  

Challenge Questions and Activities  

 

Chapter 4               Cable Testing  

Objectives  

Additional Topics of Interest  

Key Terms  

Frequency-Based Cable Testing  

    Waves  

    Sine Waves and Square Waves  

    Analog and Digital Signals   

Signals and Noise  

    Signaling over Copper and Fiber-Optic Cabling  

    Attenuation and Insertion Loss on Copper Media  

    Sources of Noise on Copper Media  

    Types of Crosstalk  

    Cable Testing Standards  

Summary  

Check Your Understanding  

 

Chapter 5               Cabling LANs and WANs  

Objectives  

Additional Topics of Interest  

Key Terms  

Cabling LANs  

    LAN Cabling Fundamentals  

    Connecting Ethernet Networking Devices  

    Using the LAN: Models for PC Communications  

Cabling WANs  

    WAN Physical and Data Link Layers  

    Choosing DCE and DTE Cables  

    Fixed and Modular Routers  

    Router Console Cabling  

Summary  

Check Your Understanding  

Challenge Questions and Activities  

 

Chapter 6               Ethernet Fundamentals  

Objectives  

Additional Topics of Interest  

Key Terms  

Ethernet Fundamentals  

    The History of Ethernet  

    The Names of Different IEEE Ethernet Types  

    IEEE Ethernet Standards and the OSI Model  

    Ethernet Framing  

    The Format of MAC Addresses  

    Sending Frames over Different Types of Ethernet  

    LLC, SNAP, and Determining the Type of Protocol  

Ethernet Operation  

    Rules Governing When a Device Can Transmit: CSMA/CD   

    Full Duplex, Half Duplex, and Collision Domains  

    Autonegotiation of Duplex and Speed  

    Deterministic and Nondeterministic Media Access  

Summary  

Check Your Understanding  

Challenge Questions and Activities  

 

Chapter 7               Ethernet Technologies  

Objectives  

Additional Topics of Interest  

Key Terms  

10- and 100-Mbps Ethernet  

    10-Mbps Ethernet  

    10BASE-T  

    100-Mbps Ethernet  

Gigabit Ethernet and Beyond  

    1000BASE-X  

    1000BASE-T  

    Future of Ethernet  

Summary  

Check Your Understanding  

Challenge Questions and Activities  

 

Chapter 8               Ethernet Switching  

Objectives  

Key Terms  

Ethernet Switch Operations  

    Layer 2 Bridging and Switching Operations  

    The Cisco Switch CAM  

    Switch Internal Processing  

    Spanning Tree Protocol  

LAN Design: Collision Domains and Broadcast Domains  

    Collision Domains  

    Layer 2 Broadcast Domains  

    Identifying Networking Devices by OSI Layer  

    Data Flow Using Layer 1, Layer 2, and Layer 3 Devices  

    The Ambiguous Term Segment  

Summary  

Check Your Understanding  

Challenge Questions and Activities  

 

Chapter 9               TCP/IP Protocol Suite and IP Addressing  

Objectives  

Additional Topics of Interest  

Key Terms  

TCP/IP Model  

    TCP/IP Network Access (Network Interface) Layer  

    TCP/IP Internet Layer  

    TCP/IP Transport Layer  

    TCP/IP Application Layer  

    Perspectives on the TCP/IP and OSI Models  

IP Addressing Fundamentals  

    Basic Facts About IP Addresses  

    Address Assignment and Address Classes   

    Network Math  

    Subnetting Basics  

    Ensuring Unique IP Addresses Throughout the Internet  

Assigning and Mapping IP Addresses   

    Static IP Address Configuration  

    Dynamic IP Address Configuration Using DHCP  

    Comparing Static and DHCP Address Assignment  

    Using ARP and Proxy ARP on LANs  

Summary  

Check Your Understanding  

Challenge Questions and Activities  

 

Chapter 10             Routing Fundamentals and Subnets  

Objectives  

Key Terms  

IP Routing (Forwarding)  

    A Brief History of Some Confounding Terms  

    Routing Between Two Connected LAN Subnets  

    A Deeper Look at Routing  

    IP Routing: Working with Layer 2 Protocols  

    Important Characteristics of IP   

    Full IP Header   

Routing Protocols   

    How Routers Learn IP Routes  

    Routing Protocol Features  

    Comparing Routing Protocols  

IP Subnetting  

    A Brief Review of Subnetting  

    Determining the Number of Required Subnets and the Resulting Subnet Mask  

    Determining the Subnet Numbers and Assignable IP Addresses in Each Subnet  

    Determining the Subnet in Which a Host Resides  

Summary  

Check Your Understanding  

Challenge Questions and Activities  

 

Chapter 11             TCP/IP Transport and Application Layers  

Objectives  

Key Terms  

The TCP/IP Transport Layer  

    Flow Control and Windowing  

    Establishing and Terminating TCP Connections  

    TCP Error Recovery (Reliability)  

    Segmentation, Reassembly, and In-Order Delivery  

    TCP and UDP Header Reference  

    Identifying Application Processes Using Port Numbers  

The TCP/IP Application Layer  

    Application Protocols Used by End Users  

    Application Protocols Often Used for Network Management  

    Application Protocol Summary  

Summary  

Check Your Understanding  

Challenge Questions and Activities  

 

Appendix A          Answers to Check Your Understanding and Challenge Questions                           

Appendix B           Decimal to Binary Conversion Table  

Appendix C           Extra Practice  

Glossary