Networking 201

Copyright Priscilla Oppenheimer

Lab 1 Network Discovery

Objectives

Step 1. Gather Physical Layer configuration information.

  1. From the back of your PC, identify the Network Interface Card (NIC).
  2. Trace the Ethernet cable that is connected to your NIC to determine what it attaches to.
  3. Once you know what your PC is connected to, determine what that device is connected to.
  4. Draw a network map that shows your "neighborhood:" Your PC, any nearby PCs, and other local devices. Be sure to leave room on your map for other parts of the network.
  5. Now move around the room and develop your map further. By asking questions of other students, or by tracing the physical layout of cables, expand your network map to show as much of the network as you can. Ask for help if you need it.

Step 2. Gather Network Layer configuration information on Windows or Linux.

  1. On Windows open a Command Prompt window.
    1. Select Run from the Start menu and type cmd and Enter.
    2. Type ipconfig and Enter. The spelling is critical, but the case is not.
  2. On Linux, start a console session.
    1. From the taskbar, click on the Console icon (looks like a terminal and a shell).
    2. Type ifconfig and Enter. The spelling and case are critical. Notice that the spelling is different from the Windows spelling.
  3. The ipconfig and ifconfig commands give you the IP address of your computer. Add that information to your network map. Add some other computers' IP addresses to your map also.

Step 3. Gather Network Layer configuration information on Cisco IOS.

  1. Connect to one of the network devices (switch, router, or PIX firewall) using a rollover console cable.
    1. Pick out a rollover cable.
    2. Connect the cable from the COM1 port on your PC to the device's console port.
  2. Open a HyperTerminal session on the PC so that you can manage the device.
    1. Locate the HyperTerminal program. (Start>Programs>Accessories>Communications>HyperTerminal.)
    2. Start HyperTerminal
    3. Name your session something like cisco.
    4. In the Connect To window, use the Connect Using drop-down menu to select COM1 and click OK.
    5. In the COM1 Properties window, use the drop-down menus to select the following:
      1. Bits per second = 9600
      2. Data bits = 8
      3. Parity = None
      4. Stop bits = 1
      5. Flow control = none
    6. Click OK. Press Enter a few times. You should see some characters from the device that you are managing.
  3. Type enable and Enter. Type the enable password, provided by the instructor.
  4. View the configuration of the device with the show running-config command.
  5. Try some other Cisco IOS commands that will help you understand the network topology. These could include:
    1. show interface
    2. show ip route
    3. show cdp neighbors
  6. Add router interface addresses to your network map.

Step 4. Document which protocols run on this internetwork

  1. Start the Wireshark protocol analyzer.
  2. Capture network traffic for a few minutes
  3. Add a list of the major protocols to your network drawing.

Step 5. Hand in your documentation

  1. To get credit for this lab, be sure to hand in your network drawing with listed protocols.
    1. It doesn't have to be perfect! We were just exploring this week. You will learn more about the lab's configuration in the following weeks.