Wired and Wireless Networking Solutions (Part 1)

Posted: June 6th, 2021

Review Network, Protocols, Topologies, and Devices
For this assignment, you will review the traditional network standards, protocols, and topologies, plus the typical devices. Your objective is to review simple building blocks and concepts.

For part 1, you will provide a short document detailing popular solutions for wired and wireless networking, and the two leading protocol stacks. For part 2, you will create a detailed network diagram of a small office with a server, 2 workstations, and a printer on a wired network. There can be up to 8 phones and the 3 laptops connected to a WAP. Everything requires Internet access. The diagram must show the details, including at least one firewall, router, switch, and a WAN router. For this assignment, be sure to provide an original diagram.

Be sure your report includes the following:

Detailed networking architecture layout depicting a modern N-tiered cloud infrastructure
Original diagram file using Lucidchart or a diagram software of your choice. Use your NCU email address for free student access to the Lucidchart software. The link to Lucidchart has been provided to you in this week’s course resources.
Length: 2 to 3-page report with appropriate diagrams

References: Include a minimum of 3 scholarly resources in addition to those listed in the course.

The completed assignment should address all of the assignment requirements, exhibit evidence of concept knowledge, and demonstrate thoughtful consideration of the content presented in the course.

Requirements: 2 pages

Wired and Wireless Networking Solutions (Part 1)
There are two main categories of networking – wired and wireless. Wired networking uses physical cabling such as Ethernet to connect devices within a local area network (LAN). The most common wired networking protocol stack is TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol). TCP/IP uses Ethernet for the data link layer and physical layer. It has been the dominant networking protocol on the internet since the 1980s.
Wireless networking, on the other hand, uses radio waves to transmit data between devices without cabling. The two leading wireless networking standards are Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Wi-Fi, as defined by the IEEE 802.11 standards, is commonly used to provide wireless internet access within homes and businesses (Gillies and Wu 2016). Bluetooth is a short-range personal area network technology often used for connecting peripherals like headphones, keyboards, and mice.
The dominant wireless networking protocol stack mirrors that of wired networking – TCP/IP is used at the internet and transport layers, while standards like IEEE 802.11 (also known as Wi-Fi) define the lower data link and physical layers for wireless transmission (Cisco 2019). Both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth have seen numerous revisions and improvements over the years to support higher speeds and new features. Today, the latest Wi-Fi 6 standard provides speeds up to 9.6Gbps for high bandwidth applications (IEEE 2020).
Network Topologies and Typical Devices (Part 2)
Figure 1 below depicts a sample network diagram of a small office with wired and wireless connectivity:
[A network diagram showing a router connected to a switch. The switch is connected to a server, 2 workstations, and a printer. A wireless access point is connected to the switch and provides wireless connectivity for 3 laptops and 8 phones.]
As shown, a router connected to the internet via a WAN (wide area network) port provides network access. The router is connected to an Ethernet switch to allow for wired connectivity within the office. A server, two desktop workstations, and a printer connect to the switch via Ethernet cables.
A wireless access point (WAP) connects to the switch to enable wireless devices like laptops and phones to connect via Wi-Fi. In this example, three laptops and eight phones connect wirelessly to access the network resources. A firewall sits between the router and switch/WAP to protect the internal network from external threats.
This basic infrastructure demonstrates a typical small office network layout with wired and wireless connectivity. The dominant protocols in use are TCP/IP at layer 3 for routing and the internet, and Ethernet at layers 1-2 for the wired links. Wireless devices connect using the 802.11 Wi-Fi standards. Together, these protocols and devices enable seamless connectivity within the network.
In conclusion, this report has reviewed fundamental networking concepts including popular wired and wireless solutions, dominant protocol stacks, common network devices, and sample topology. The diagram provides a visual representation of how these basic building blocks come together in a small office network. Please let me know if any part of the report requires further explanation or expansion.
References:
Cisco. (2019). TCP/IP and the OSI Model. Retrieved from https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/ios-nx-os-software/ios-software-releases-121-mainline/23604-understand-tcpip-osi.html
Gillies, M., & Wu, R. (2016). Wi-Fi: Introduction to Wi-Fi technology and standards. IEEE Communications Magazine, 54(6), 138–145. https://doi.org/10.1109/MCOM.2016.7498139
IEEE. (2020). IEEE 802.11 Wireless Local Area Networks. Retrieved from https://www.ieee802.org/11/Reports/tgbupdate.htm