CompTIA Network+ N10-006

Authorized Cert Guide

Chapter 1
Computer Network Fundamentals

Foundation Topics
Defining a Network
Networks Defined by:
Geography
Topology
Resource Location

Introducing Computer Networks

What is a computer network?
What is the purpose of networking computers?
What are some examples of network components?
How are networks defined by geography?
How are networks defined by topology?
How are networks defined by resource location?

Examples of Networks
What are some examples of how you use networks
every day?
File sharing
Video chat (Skype, FaceTime)
Web surfing
Instant messaging
Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, Vine, LinkedIn)
Voice over IP (VoIP)

Network Components
Icons representing actual
equipment:
Router
Switch
Hub
Client
Server

Cisco Router

Network Interface Card (NIC)

Network Components
Connect the components together with some media and
you have a network!

Networks Defined by Geography

Geography, in this sense, means how close the
components are to each other
PAN: Personal-area network
LAN: Local-area network
CAN: Campus-area network
MAN: Metropolitan-area network
WAN: Wide-area network

PAN: Personal-Area Network

Scale: Human
Distance: A few meters
Wired: USB
Wireless: Bluetooth
Components: PCs,
headphones, keyboards,
smartphones, and so on

LAN: Local-Area Network

Scale: Room or building
Distance: Usually 100
meters or less
Wired: Cat 6 or fiber
Wireless: 802.11
Components: PCs, routers,
switches, servers, printers,
wireless access points, and
so on

CAN: Campus-Area Network

Scale: Cluster of buildings
Distance: Usually a mile or
less
Wired: Fiber, coax
Wireless: 802.11,
microwave

Components: Routers,
switches, wireless bridges,
and so on

MAN: Metropolitan-Area Network

Scale: City
Distance: Usually a few
miles or less
Wired: Fiber, coax

Wireless: Microwave
Components: Routers,
switches, wireless bridges,
and so on

WAN: Wide-Area Network

Scale: State, country,
global
Distance: A few miles to
thousands of miles
Wired: Fiber
Wireless: Microwave
Components: Routers,
switches, satellites, and so
on

Networks Defined by Topology

Topology, in this sense, means how the components are
connected to each other.
Bus
Ring
Star
Hub and spoke
Full mesh
Partial mesh

Bus Topology

Ring Topology

Star Topology

Hub-and-Spoke Topology
A WAN link from each
remote site (spoke site) to
the main site (hub site)

Full-Mesh Topology
( 1 )
=
2

Partial-Mesh Topology

Networks Defined by Resource

Location
Client/server
o Dedicated

file server
o Shared access to files
o Networked printers
o Easier administration

Peer to peer

o Files shared between PCs

o Directly attached printers
o Scalability issues

(shared)

Client/Server Network

Peer-to-Peer Network

Summary
Various network components
Client, server
Hub, switch, router
Media, WAN link

Different network classifications

Geography
Topology
Resource location