Question: Instructions

This assessment is a practical assessment and will enhance and test your practical skills related to the subject topic. You are required to set up a simple network using two PCs and a router (or a third PC for the router), or use simulation software to set up the same network.

To complete this assessment you are expected to refer to information beyond the text book. This assignment is open, in that you are free to choose the devices or software you use to complete the specified tasks. Students are expected to research the necessary commands by themselves. There are numerous web sites available that discuss Linux networking. You are expected to list your sources of information for the different tasks. When completing this ''project'', you may encounter errors or experience difficulties getting your setup to work. If this occurs, your challenge is to analyse why they happen and report on how you solved the problems you encountered.

Additional information will be provided in your subject resources for technology options to use in creating this lab closer to the assessment due date.

Part 1 - Setting up a Network

You are required to set up a network consisting of a PC, router and server. The router will have two ethernet network interfaces and be configured to route network traffic between them. The PC (client) will be connected to one of the router''s interfaces and another PC (server) will be connected to the router''s other interface.

Client <--> Router <--> Server

Each side of the router will be in its own LAN segment and should have a different network address, use private IP address ranges for each LAN Segment.

Perform the following activities and support your workings with screenshots[10 marks]:

1. Configure the PC, Server and Router interfaces with appropriate network addressing;

2. Configure routing (IP packet forwarding) on the router;

3. On the client ping the client''s own network interface, then the local router gateway interface, then the remote (server side) router interface, then the server;

4. Use the traceroute command from the client to the server. Include results of the traceroute in your submission.

Part II - Configuring Network Services

Perform the following activities:

1. DNS: Configure a DNS Server on the server device and demonstrate that forward and reverse DNS are working from the client PC;

2. DHCP: Configure DHCP on the server and show that the client PC has successfuly recieved an IP Address and other network parameters (default router, netmask, DNS) using DHCP;

3. Firewall: Configure traffic filtering on the router to block network traffic between the two lan segments, and then unblock traffic between them.

A series of screen shots with commentary on each of the required tasks is to be submitted. The submission has to include an explanation of the tasks and all the commands used alongwith the output (or final result) in report format.

Rationale

This assessment item is designed to assess the understanding and use of some advanced topics in TCP/IP and how it is used to establish a internet environment. This assessment is designed to enhance analytical skills, planning and design capabilities of students under some predefined requirements. In particular, the assessment covers the following learning objectives:

be able to analyse IP addressing requirements and design an addressing scheme;

be able to analyse the requirements of IP routing and choose appropriate routing methods;
be able to demonstrate how internetworking devices obtain their network configuration;

be able to explain how data flows through the internet; and

be able to ascertain and evaluate selection of applications and protocols for transferring data across the internet;

Marking criteria
Marks will be awarded for

Correctness of the commands used

Correctness of the output (screen shots)

Clarity of explanation

Correct in-text referencing and reference list according to CSU standard

Presentation 

Cover Page - Should include Assessment No. , Assessment Title, Student Name, Student ID, Student Email

Executive Summary - this section should contain a brief summary of the report mentioning about all questions. This section should be a maximum of one A4 size page.

Main (Body of Report) - Use this section to answer all the questions in Part I & Part II.

References - (Must be in APA style both in-text and at the end of the report) This is part of the marking rubric.