Question: Project 1-1: Set Up a Small Network

For this project, you'll need two Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 computers, a small consumer-grade switch (one that does not require its firmware to be configured), and two regular network cables (a regular network cable is also called a straightthrough cable or patch cable). Do the following to set up a small network:

1. Use the network cables to connect each computer to the switch. Make sure the switch has power. Verify the LED lights on the network ports of the computers and switch are lit and/or blinking to verify network connectivity and activity.

2. Open the Network and Sharing Center of each computer to verify that Windows sees the computer connected to the network. (In Windows 7, click Start, Control Panel, and make sure Control Panel is set to Small icons view. Then click Network and Sharing Center. In Windows 8.1, to open Control Panel, right-click the Start button and click Control Panel.)

3. If you don't see connectivity, reset the connection by restarting the computer. In Chapter 2, you'll learn about easier methods to verify and reset a network connection.

4. Open Windows Explorer or File Explorer and look in the Network group in the navigation pane. You should see the other computer listed. You won't be able to access resources on the other computer unless you share these resources in a homegroup or share a specific folder or file.

5. Answer the following questions:

a. Does your network use a client-server or peer-to-peer model?

b. What is the topology of your network?

c. If the lights on the switch ports were not lit or blinking, what is the best theory of probable cause?

At what layer of the OSI model would this theory be? As you work your way through this book, you will continue to build your small network and its resources.