comptia network plus 2012 courseware sample

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CompTIA Network+ Certification Support Skills (Exam N10-005)

Study Notes

G523eng ver073

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Acknowledgements

www.gtslearning.com

Course Developer ............................................................ gtslearning

Editor ....................................................................... James Pengelly

This courseware is owned, published, and distributed by gtslearning, the world's only specialist supplier of CompTIA learning solutions. [email protected] +44 (0)20 7887 7999 +44 (0)20 7887 7988 Unit 127, Hill House, 210 Upper Richmond Road, London SW15 6NP, UK

COPYRIGHT

This courseware is copyrighted 2013 gtslearning. Product images are the copyright of the vendor or manufacturer named in the caption and used by permission. No part of this courseware or any training material supplied by the publisher to accompany the courseware may be copied, photocopied, reproduced, or re-used in any form or by any means without permission in writing from the publisher. Violation of these laws will lead to prosecution.

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Information in this course is subject to change without notice. Companies, names, and data used in examples herein are fictitious unless otherwise noted.

Where the course and all materials supplied for training are designed to familiarize the user with the operation of software programs and computer devices, the publisher urges the user to review the manuals provided by the product vendor regarding specific questions as to operation.

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Table of Contents

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Table of Contents

Course Introduction i

Table of Contents .......................................................................................... iii About This Course ....................................................................................... viii

Module 1 / Network Media and Devices 1

Module 1 / Unit 1 Topologies and the OSI Model 3

Key Features of Networks ............................................................................. 3 Clients and Servers ....................................................................................... 7 Network Topologies ..................................................................................... 10 The OSI Model ............................................................................................ 16 Physical Layer ............................................................................................. 19 Data Link Layer ........................................................................................... 20 Network Layer ............................................................................................. 22 Upper Layers ............................................................................................... 23 OSI Model Summary ................................................................................... 25 TCP/IP Protocol Suite .................................................................................. 26

Module 1 / Unit 2 Cabling and Connectors 32

Selecting Network Cable ............................................................................. 32 Twisted Pair Cable (UTP / STP / ScTP) ....................................................... 33 Other Copper Cable Types .......................................................................... 36 Fiber Optic Cable ........................................................................................ 38 Repeaters .................................................................................................... 42 Media Converters ........................................................................................ 43

Module 1 / Unit 3 Ethernet 45

IEEE 802 Standards .................................................................................... 45 Media Characteristics .................................................................................. 46 Media Access Control .................................................................................. 49 Ethernet (IEEE 802.3) ................................................................................. 52 Ethernet Media Specifications ..................................................................... 54 MAC Addressing ......................................................................................... 58 Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) ............................................................. 60 Network Adapters ........................................................................................ 63 Protocol Analyzer ........................................................................................ 67

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Module 1 / Unit 4 Bridges and Switches 70

Hubs and Bridges ........................................................................................ 70 Switches ...................................................................................................... 73 Configuring a Switch .................................................................................... 76 Power over Ethernet (PoE) .......................................................................... 79 Virtual LANs (VLAN) .................................................................................... 80 Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) ..................................................................... 82

Module 1 / Summary Network Media and Devices 85

Module 2 / Addressing and Routing 87

Module 2 / Unit 1 Internet Protocol 89

Internet Protocol Basics ............................................................................... 89 Subnet Masks .............................................................................................. 92 Configuring TCP/IP ...................................................................................... 94 ipconfig / ifconfig .......................................................................................... 97 IP Routing Basics ........................................................................................ 99 ICMP and ping ........................................................................................... 101

Module 2 / Unit 2 Addressing Schemes 106

IP Addressing Schemes ............................................................................ 106 Creating Subnets ....................................................................................... 108 Public Internet Addressing ......................................................................... 112

Module 2 / Unit 3 DHCP, APIPA, and NTP 115

Static versus Dynamic IP Addressing ........................................................ 115 Configuring DHCP ..................................................................................... 118 Network Time Protocol (NTP) .................................................................... 121

Module 2 / Unit 4 IPv6 123

IPv6 Address Format ................................................................................. 123 IPv6 Addressing Schemes ......................................................................... 125

Module 2 / Unit 5 Routing 129

Routing Basics .......................................................................................... 129 Routing Algorithms and Metrics ................................................................. 132 Routing Protocols ...................................................................................... 134 Installing and Configuring Routers ............................................................. 141 Routing Troubleshooting Tools .................................................................. 144 Internet Group Management Protocol ........................................................ 147

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Module 2 / Summary Addressing and Routing 149

Module 3 / Network Applications 151

Module 3 / Unit 1 Transport Protocols 153

Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) ........................................................ 153 User Datagram Protocol (UDP) ................................................................. 156 TCP/IP Ports ............................................................................................. 157 Port Scanners ............................................................................................ 158

Module 3 / Unit 2 Name Resolution 161

Host Names............................................................................................... 161 Name Resolution Methods ........................................................................ 163 Configuring DNS Servers .......................................................................... 166 Name Resolution Troubleshooting ............................................................. 168

Module 3 / Unit 3 Internet Applications 172

TCP/IP Services ........................................................................................ 172 World Wide Web (HTTP) ........................................................................... 173 File Transfer Protocol (FTP) ...................................................................... 176 Email (SMTP / POP3 / IMAP4) .................................................................. 178 Conferencing and VoIP Protocols .............................................................. 183

Module 3 / Unit 4 WAN Technologies 186

WAN Basics .............................................................................................. 187 Telecommunications Networks .................................................................. 190 Modern Telecommunications Networks ..................................................... 194 Packet-switched WAN Services ................................................................. 197 Local Loop Services .................................................................................. 200 Installing Modems ..................................................................................... 207

Module 3 / Unit 5 Remote Access 211

Remote Connectivity Protocols .................................................................. 211 Virtual Private Networks ............................................................................ 215 Remote Access Servers ............................................................................ 221

Module 3 / Summary Network Applications 225

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Module 4 / Network Security 227

Module 4 / Unit 1 Security Fundamentals 229

Security Basics .......................................................................................... 229 Social Engineering ..................................................................................... 230 Malware ..................................................................................................... 233 Network Reconnaissance .......................................................................... 236 Network Attack Strategies ......................................................................... 240 Policies and Procedures ............................................................................ 246 Patch Management ................................................................................... 249 Training ..................................................................................................... 251

Module 4 / Unit 2 Security Appliances 254

Secure Network Topologies ....................................................................... 254 Network Address Translation ..................................................................... 259 Firewalls .................................................................................................... 262 Proxy Servers and Gateways .................................................................... 268 Intrusion Detection Systems ...................................................................... 272 Vulnerability Assessments and Pentests .................................................. 276

Module 4 / Unit 3 Authentication 279

Authentication Technologies ...................................................................... 279 Encryption and PKI .................................................................................... 281 Local Authentication Protocols ................................................................... 286 Remote Authentication Protocols ............................................................... 288 Network Access Control ............................................................................ 292

Module 4 / Unit 4 Installing Wireless Networks 296

Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11) ................................................................................... 296 Setting Up a Wireless Network .................................................................. 300 Wireless Security ....................................................................................... 307 Wireless WANs ......................................................................................... 311

Module 4 / Summary Network Security 315

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Module 5 / Management, Monitoring, Troubleshooting 317

Module 5 / Unit 1 Configuration Management 319

Change and Configuration Management ................................................... 319 Documentation .......................................................................................... 321

Module 5 / Unit 2 Installing Wired Networks 328

Wiring Standards ....................................................................................... 328 Wiring Distribution ..................................................................................... 330 Distribution Frames ................................................................................... 335 Wiring Schemes ........................................................................................ 340 Installing WAN Links .................................................................................. 342 Cable Testing Tools ................................................................................... 344 Planning a SOHO Network Installation ...................................................... 348

Module 5 / Unit 3 Deploying Virtual Networks 352

Virtualization Technologies ........................................................................ 352 Virtual Platform Applications ...................................................................... 354 Cloud Computing ....................................................................................... 359

Module 5 / Unit 4 Monitoring and Management Tools 363

Performance Management Appliances ...................................................... 363 High Availability Appliances ....................................................................... 368 Network Monitoring Utilities ....................................................................... 373 Logs .......................................................................................................... 377 Simple Network Management Protocol ...................................................... 379 Remote Administration Tools ..................................................................... 382

Module 5 / Unit 5 Network Troubleshooting 388

Troubleshooting Procedures ...................................................................... 388 Troubleshooting Common Connectivity Scenarios .................................... 396 Troubleshooting Intranetworking Infrastructure .......................................... 400 Troubleshooting Configuration Issues ....................................................... 404 Troubleshooting Internetworking Infrastructure .......................................... 409 Troubleshooting Services .......................................................................... 412

Module 5 / Summary Management, Monitoring, Troubleshooting 417

Index 419

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About This Course

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About This Course

Who Should Follow This Course?

This course is designed for new or intending network support technicians wishing to qualify with CompTIA Network+ Certification. It is also suitable for experienced technicians who require an industry-backed credential that validates their skills and knowledge.

The CompTIA Network+ certification ensures that the successful candidate

has the important knowledge and skills necessary to manage, maintain,

troubleshoot, install, operate and configure basic network infrastructure,

describe networking technologies, basic design principles, and adhere to

wiring standards and use testing tools.

CompTIA website

What are the Course Prerequisites?

You should have the following skills and experience prior to attending the course:

Taken and passed both CompTIA A+ Certification exams or have equivalent knowledge and experience.

Six months to one year of post A+ Certification support experience.

Experience of supporting end-users and PC-based systems.

Optionally, you can take a prerequisites test to check that you have the knowledge required to study this course at the gtslearning Freestyle site accompanying this study guide (see below for details on registering).

Course Outcomes

This practical "hands-on" course will teach you the fundamental principles of installing and supporting networks. On course completion, you will be able to:

Describe the features of different network protocols and products for LANs, WANs, and wireless networks.

Understand the functions and features of TCP/IP addressing and protocols.

Identify threats to network resources and appropriate security countermeasures.

Install and configure network cabling and appliances.

Manage, monitor, and troubleshoot networks.

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How Certification Helps Your Career

The main aim of this course is to help to prepare you for CompTIA's Network+ Certification Essentials exam (exam code N10-005).

Certification proves you have the knowledge and skill to solve business problems in virtually any business environment. Certifications are highly valued credentials that qualify you for jobs, increased compensation, and promotion.

Benefits of certification

The CompTIA Network+ credential proves knowledge of networking features and functions and is the leading vendor-neutral certification for networking professionals. Worldwide, more than 325,000 individuals are CompTIA Network+ certified and 21% of IT staff within a random sampling of US organizations within a cross section of industry verticals hold Network+ Certification. Network+ is mandated or recommended by organizations such as Apple, Cisco, HP, Ricoh, the U.S. State Department, and U.S. government contractors such as EDS, General Dynamics, and Northrop Grumman.

Indeed, CompTIA Network+ is the first step in starting a networking career, and is recognized by Microsoft as part of their MS program. Other corporations, such as Novell, Cisco and HP also recognize CompTIA Network+ as part of their certification tracks.

CompTIA Career Pathway

Completing this course will help you to pursue a career in network support, in job roles such as network administrator, network technician, network installer, help desk technician and IT cable installer.

CompTIA offers a number of credentials that form a foundation for your career in technology and allow you to pursue specific areas of concentration. Depending on the path you choose to take, CompTIA certifications help you build upon your skills and knowledge, supporting learning throughout your entire career.

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Study of the course can also help to prepare you for vendor-specific technical support qualifications and act as groundwork for more advanced training. Other qualifications available include:

Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) - a foundation-level certification of competency in Cisco networking appliance installation and configuration.

Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE) - Windows-specific qualifications covering support and design of client and server infrastructure, as well as other Microsoft technologies.

Corporations such as Novell, Cisco, and HP also recognize CompTIA

Network+ as part of their certification tracks.

Help Desk Support Analyst - The Help Desk Analyst certification series, administered by the Help Desk Institute (www.thinkhdi.com), certifies learners' customer service and Help Desk management skills. Various levels of certification are available, including Customer Support Specialist, Help Desk Analyst and Help Desk Manager.

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About the Course Material

The course material has been prepared as an aid for your use throughout the training course. You may keep this manual for your own reference after the course is finished. We hope you will find the course material useful for future reference.

The course comes in two parts. This "Study Notes" volume contains the main text of the course for you to refer to in class and to review at home as you prepare for the exam. The course text is divided into several modules, each covering a different subject area. Each module is split into a series of units containing related topics for study. Each unit has a set of review questions designed to test your knowledge of the topics covered in the unit.

At the back of the "Study Notes" volume there is an index to help you look up key terms and concepts from the course.

The accompanying "Labs and References" book contains a list of the CompTIA certification objectives (and where in the study notes you can find useful material to prepare for each objective), tips for taking the CompTIA exams, the practical labs for you to complete in class, answers to the end of unit review questions, and a glossary of terms and concepts used in computer support.

If you are viewing this course as an ebook, the "Labs and

References" volume is located after the index - use the bookmarks

panel to navigate between sections.

Integrated Video Training from Professor Messer

Professor Messer has long been a web hero for CompTIA certification students. With professionally-produced lessons covering the full exam objectives and online forums, Professor Messer is a trusted online source for exam information. Professor Messer uses gtslearning's CompTIA certification courseware to develop and record his popular video training sessions. Now you can easily follow along with his video presentations using the links provided in this course book. You can use the links in three ways:

1) If you have an ebook, just click the link to open the video in your browser.

2) If you have a QR code scanner, point your camera at the code to open it in your phone or tablet's browser.

3) If you have a printed book but no scanner, enter gtsgo.to/ followed by the code printed under the QR graphic into your browser. For example, to access the code shown above and open gtslearning's home page, enter gtsgo.to/pk28w.

We do endeavor to keep the video links up-to-date, but if you come

across a broken link, please email the link code (for example

"pk28w") to [email protected] and we will update it.

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Course Conventions and Icons

The following conventions have been used in this course. These are especially useful for following the practical lab exercises.

Bullet and number lists - steps for you to follow in the course of completing a task or hands-on exercise and review questions are indicated by numbered bullet points. Other bullet points indicate learning objectives and feature lists.

File and command selection - in the labs, files, applets, dialogs and other information that is displayed on the screen by the computer is shown in sans serif bold. For example: Click OK, Select Control Panel, and so on.

Sequences of commands - in the labs, a sequence of steps to follow to open a file or activate a command are shown in bold with arrows. For example, if you need to access the system properties in Windows, this would be shown in the text by: Start > Control Panel > System.

Commands - commands or information that you must enter using the keyboard are shown in Courier New Bold. For example: Type [email protected]. Courier New Bold-Italic represents some sort of variable, such as your student number. For example, if your student number is "5", you would follow the instruction ping 10.0.0.x by entering ping 10.0.0.5.

Using the mouse - when instructed to click, use the main mouse button; when instructed to alt-click, use the secondary button (that is, the button on the right-hand side of the mouse, assuming right-handed use). Sometimes you need to use both the keyboard and the mouse - for example, Ctrl+click means hold down the Ctrl key and click the main mouse button.

The following symbols are used to indicate different features in the course book:

Icon Meaning

A tip or warning about a feature or topic.

A reference to another unit, where more information on a topic can be found.

A link to a Professor Messer video presentation. Click or use a QR scanner to open the link or enter gtsgo.to/ followed by the code printed under the QR graphic into your browser.

Review questions to help test what you have learned.

A hands-on exercise for you to practice skills learned during the lesson.

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Freestyle Support Site

gtslearning's Freestyle support site hosts study resources such as a prerequisites test and practice exam.

Get tests and practice exams to accompany the course at gtslearning's Freestyle site

1) Ask your training provider for the course enrollment key: ________________________

2) Visit the Freestyle site (gtsgo.to/oup4x) and click the Create new account button.

Creating an account

3) Complete the sign-up process. You will need to validate the account using your email address.

4) When you have validated your account, open gtsgo.to/nu4g8 and log in if necessary.

5) Enter your enrollment key to get access to the course resources.

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Content Seal of Quality

This courseware bears the seal of CompTIA Official Approved Quality Content. This seal signifies this content covers 100% of the exam objectives and implements important instructional design principles. CompTIA recommends multiple learning tools to help increase coverage of the learning objectives. The contents of this training material were created for the CompTIA Network+ Certification Essentials exam (exam code: N10-005) covering CompTIA certification exam objectives that were current as of December 2011.

It is CompTIA's policy to update the exam regularly with new test

items to deter fraud and for compliance with ISO standards. The

exam objectives may therefore describe the current "Edition" of the

exam with a date different to that above. Please note that this

training material remains valid for the stated exam code, regardless

of the exam edition. For more information, please check the FAQs

on CompTIA's website (support.comptia.org).

Four Steps to Getting Certified

This training material can help you prepare for and pass a related CompTIA certification exam or exams. In order to achieve CompTIA certification, you must register for and pass a CompTIA certification exam or exams. In order to become CompTIA certified, you must:

1) Review the certification objectives at certification.comptia.org/Training/testingcenters/examobjectives.aspx to make sure you know what is covered in the exam.

2) After you have studied for the certification, take a free assessment and sample test from CompTIA at certification.comptia.org/Training/testingcenters/samplequestions.aspx to get an idea what type of questions might be on the exam. You can also use gtslearning's free practice tests on Freestyle (gtsgo.to/nu4g8).

3) Purchase an exam voucher on the CompTIA Marketplace, which is located at www.comptiastore.com.

4) Select a certification exam provider and schedule a time to take your exam. You can find exam providers at certification.comptia.org/Training/testingcenters.aspx

Visit CompTIA online - www.comptia.org to learn more about getting CompTIA certified. Contact CompTIA - call 866-835-8020 ext. 5 or email [email protected].

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Network Media and Devices

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Module 1 / Network Media and Devices

The following CompTIA Network+ domain objectives and examples are covered in this module:

CompTIA Network+ Certification Domain Areas Weighting

1.0 Network Technologies 21% 2.0 Network Installation and Configuration 23% 3.0 Network Media and Topologies 17% 4.0 Network Management 20% 5.0 Network Security 19%

Refer To Domain Objectives/Examples

Unit 1.1 Topologies

and the OSI Model

1.1 Compare the layers of the OSI and TCP/IP models. OSI model (Layer 1 - Physical, Layer 2 - Data link, Layer 3 - Network, Layer 4 - Transport, Layer 5 - Session, Layer 6 - Presentation, Layer 7 - Application) TCP/IP model (Network Interface / Link Layer, Internet Layer, Transport Layer, Application Layer

1.2 Classify how applications, devices, and protocols relate to the OSI model layers. MAC address IP address EUI-64 Frames Packets Switch Router Multilayer switch Hub Encryption devices Cable NIC Bridge

1.6 Explain the function of common networking protocols. TCP/IP suite

3.5 Describe different network topologies. Point to point Point to multipoint Ring Star Mesh Bus Peer-to-peer Client-server Hybrid

Unit 1.2 Cabling and Connectors

3.1 Categorize standard media types and associated properties. Fiber (Multimode, Single mode) Copper (UTP, STP, CAT3, CAT5, CAT5e, CAT6, CAT6a, Coaxial) Media converters (Single mode fiber to Ethernet, Multimode fiber to Ethernet, Fiber to Coaxial, Single mode to multimode fiber) Distance limitations and speed limitations

3.2 Categorize standard connector types based on network media. Fiber (ST, SC, LC, MT-RJ) Copper (RJ-45, RJ-11, BNC, F-connector, DB-9 [RS-232])

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Module 1 / Unit 4 Bridges and Switches

Objectives

On completion of this unit, you will be able to:

Install and configure intranetworking components:

Hubs

Bridges

Switches

Describe the purposes and functions of VLANs.

Understand the use of STP to prevent switching loops.

Hubs and Bridges

Hubs and bridges are no longer widely deployed as standalone appliances but as their role has been taken on by more advanced devices (such as Ethernet switches) it is important to understand what basic functions they provide.

Hubs

Hubs are the central point of connection for Ethernet segments configured in a star topology. Hubs act like a repeater so that every segment receives signals sent from any other segment. Hubs are also known as multiport repeaters (or concentrators). They work at the Physical layer of the OSI model.

All the ports on a hub are in the same collision domain.

Fast Ethernet is restricted to using two hubs within a single network

but this restriction does not apply to a switched network. Gigabit

and 10G Ethernet require the use of switches.

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Bridges and Switches

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Bridges

A bridge is a device that provides communications between two or more segments. Workstations on one segment are able to communicate with those on another segment via the bridge. Like a repeater, a bridge extends the maximum distance of network, but it may also be used to segment the network and reduce traffic.

A bridge can be used to divide an overloaded network into separate segments. Each of the segments experiences far lower traffic loads since the bridge only passes signals from one segment to another if appropriate. Intrasegment traffic (traffic between devices on the same segment) remains within this segment and cannot affect the other segments.

A bridge works most efficiently if the amount of intersegment traffic (traffic between devices on different segments) is kept low.

A network designer should try to follow the 80:20 rule, which states

that a well-designed network will keep 80% of traffic local (on the

same segment), with only the remaining 20% of traffic needing to

pass to another segment. They need to ensure clients (resource

users) and their associated servers (resource providers) are placed

on the same segment whenever possible.

Features of Bridges

The main features of a bridge are as follows:

Bridges work at the data link layer since they need to understand the MAC addresses within frames.

Most bridges are only able to link segments of the same type (for example, Ethernet to Ethernet).

Bridges can be used to link different cable types (such as coax and twisted pair).

Segments on either side of a bridge are in separate collision domains.

Segments on either side of a bridge are in the same broadcast domain (packets that are destined for all hosts on the network).

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Bridge Operation

A bridge works in the following manner.

1) Computer A sends a signal to computer D. Note that the frame contains a source hardware address of MA and a destination hardware address of MD.

2) The bridge listens to all traffic on all attached segments (this is known as promiscuous mode) and consequently it receives the signal at port 1.

3) The bridge reads the destination in the frame and, using its port address table, determines the port to which the network card with hardware address MD is attached. The bridge is able to locate the hardware address MD in its port:MAC address table and transmits the signal out of port 2 only.

4) If no record of the hardware address exists or the frame is a broadcast or multicast, then the bridge forwards the frame to all segments except for the source segment (acting like a hub).

Bridge operation

An Ethernet bridge builds the port address table in memory. When the bridge is initialized, the bridging table is empty but information is constantly added as the bridge listens to the connected segments. The bridge can enter a particular hardware address against a port number in the bridging table by examining the source hardware address on frames and noting the port that received the frame. Entries are flushed out of the table after a period to ensure the information remains current.

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Switches

Ethernet networks implemented with a bus or hubs rely on a contention-based technology for accessing the network. Devices can only transmit on the network when it is free. These opportunities become less frequent as more devices are added to the network and the probability of collisions increases.

HP ProCurve 24-port switch

These problems can be overcome by moving from this "shared Ethernet" system to "switched Ethernet". This move involves the replacement of hubs and bridges with switches. Switches have now almost completely replaced legacy devices such as hubs and bridges. The use of switches is mandatory for Gigabit Ethernet and Ethernet 10G.

Switch Operation

An Ethernet (or LAN) switch performs the same sort of function as a bridge but can provide many more ports (bridges only came with up to 4 ports). Each port is a separate collision domain. In effect, the switch establishes a point-to-point link between any two network nodes. This is referred to as microsegmentation. The basic mode of operation for a switch is referred to as "store and forward". This works as follows:

1) Computer A transmits a frame intended for Computer B.

2) The switch receives the frame into a port buffer and obtains the destination MAC address from the Ethernet frame. The port buffer holds frames until they can be processed. The switch can also perform error checking on the frame using the CRC.

3) The switch uses its MAC address table to look up the port connected to the destination MAC address.

4) The switch uses its high speed backplane to send the frame out on port 3 for computer B to receive (creating a temporary virtual circuit).

5) None of the other connected devices (such as, computer C) see any activity on the network while this process takes place. Therefore, these other devices are able to transmit and receive at the same time.

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Switch operation

A switched network means that each port is in a separate collision domain. Collisions can only occur if the port is operating in half duplex mode (if a legacy network card is attached to it for instance) and even then collisions only affect the segment between the port and that adapter; they do not slow down the whole network.

As with a bridge though, traffic on all switch ports is in the same broadcast domain, unless the switch is configured to use VLANs (see below).

There are many types of switches other than Ethernet switches (or

"basic switches"). Some are used to implement WANs (ATM and

SONET switching for instance) and some are used to forward

traffic at OSI layers 3 and above. The functions of these "multilayer

switches" are covered in Unit 5.4.

Building the MAC Address Table

If a MAC address cannot be found in the MAC address table then the switch acts like a hub and transmits the frame out of all the ports (except for the incoming port). This is referred to as flooding. The switch builds the MAC address table by analyzing incoming frames for a source MAC address. It can then add a MAC address entry against the particular port number.

Entries remain in the MAC address table for a period before being flushed. This ensures problems are not encountered when network cards (MAC addresses) are changed.

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The address table is implemented as Content Addressable Memory (CAM), a special type of memory optimized for searching rather than random access.

Switch Models

Switches from different vendors come in a variety of different ranges to support various sizes of network. While a basic model might feature 12-48 ports and little scope for expansion29, advanced switches support interconnections via high speed backplanes and expandable capacity through plug-in modules plus power supply redundancy, management consoles, and media converters for fiber optic connectivity.

HP ProCurve modular switch

The market is dominated by Cisco's Catalyst series (over 70% of sales by port) but other notable vendors include HP (ProCurve), Nortel, Foundry, and 3Com.

29 Standalone switches can be connected together using uplink ports but this solution does not scale well. The uplink port may run at the same speed as the standard ports or there may be an option to use fiber optic (GBIC / SFP) connections.

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Configuring a Switch

Some switches do not offer any configuration options or interface. These are known as unmanaged switches. You just have to plug them in and they operate automatically. These switches are usually inexpensive and are intended only for home or small office use.

Managed switches often support more complex functions, including configuring VLANs, port authentication, load balancing, Quality of Service (QoS), and traffic shaping, and filtering.

Filtering and QoS are covered in more detail in Unit 5.4.

These functions can be accessed via the switch's management interface. A switch may support the following interfaces:

Console port - this requires connecting a terminal (a laptop for instance) to the switch via a separate physical interface.

Management port - this means configuring an IP address on the switch to use for management functions and connecting to it via one of the normal Ethernet ports. Most switches support a browser-based interface as well as a Command Line Interface (CLI).

SNMP - this enables the switch to be administered using network management software.

A switch may also support autoconfiguration using a DHCP server to obtain addressing information and a TFTP server to obtain a configuration file.

Autonegotiation Switches normally support a range of Ethernet standards so that older and newer network adapters can all be connected to the same network. In most cases, the port on the switch is set to autonegotiate speed and full or half duplex operation but a static configuration can be applied manually if necessary.

See the section on Troubleshooting in Unit 5.5 for more information

about solving problems with switch port configurations.

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Configuring port settings on a Dell switch

Diagnostics Most managed switches will provide diagnostic information through the management interface.

Diagnostic information on a Netgear switch

Depending on the model of switch, this may be as simple as numbers of packets into and out of each port, along with numbers of errors, or may include information such as graphs of throughput against time, or a breakdown of error statistics by type.

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MAC Address Filtering

MAC filtering means specifying which MAC addresses are allowed to connect to a particular port. This can be done by specifying a list of valid MAC addresses but this "static" method is difficult to keep up-to-date and relatively error-prone. Some switch models allow you to specify a maximum number of permitted addresses and automatically learn a set number of valid MAC addresses. For example, if port security is enabled with a maximum of two MAC addresses, the switch will record the first two MACs to connect to that port but then drop any traffic from machines with different network adapter IDs that try to connect.

Port Mirroring Unlike a hub, a switch forwards unicast traffic only to the specific port connected to the intended host. This prevents sniffing of unicast traffic by hosts attached to the same switch. There are circumstances in which capturing and analyzing network traffic is legitimate activity however and port mirroring provides the facility to do this. Port mirroring30 copies all packets sent to one or more source ports to a mirror (or destination) port.

Configuring port mirroring on a Dell switch

The mirror port would be used by management or monitoring software (such as a Network Analyzer or Intrusion Detection System [IDS]). Either ingress or egress traffic or both can be captured. Optionally, in order to avoid overloading the monitoring system, packets may be filtered based on criteria such as layer 3 or 4 protocols.

30 On a Cisco switch, this is referred to as a Switched Port Analyzer (SPAN).

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Port mirroring demands a lot of processing and can lead to the

switch hardware becoming overloaded and consequently crashing.

If possible, trial any security solution that requires port mirroring

under typical loads before deploying it on a production network.

Power over Ethernet (PoE)

Power over Ethernet (PoE) or Power over LAN is a means of supplying electrical power from a switch port over ordinary data cabling to a connected powered device, such as a VoIP handset or wireless access point.

PoE is defined in two IEEE standards:

802.3af - powered devices can draw up to about 13W over the link31.

802.3at (PoE+) - powered devices can draw up to about 25 W32.

PoE switches are referred to as Power Sourcing Equipment (PSE)33.

Power can either be supplied over pairs 1/2 and 3/6 (referred to as Mode A or "phantom power" as these are the ones also used for data in 10/100BASE) or over 4/5 and 7/8 (Mode B). Gigabit Ethernet only uses the former method.

When a device is connected to a port on a PoE switch, the switch goes through a detection phase to determine whether the device is PoE-enabled. If not, it does not supply power over the port and therefore does not damage non-PoE devices. If so, it determines the device's power consumption and sets the supply voltage level appropriately.

Powering these devices through a switch is more efficient than using a wall-socket AC adapter for each appliance. It also allows network management software to control the devices and apply schemes, such as making unused devices go into sleep states and power capping.

31 Power is supplied as 350mA@48V and limited to 15.4W but the voltage drop over the maximum 100 feet of cable results in usable power of around 13W. 32 Various proprietary schemes were used between the ratification of 802.3af and 802.3at. 33 If an existing switch does not support PoE, a device called a power injector can be used.

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Virtual LANs (VLAN)

Virtual LAN simply means that through the use of switching technologies, different groups of computers on the same cabling can appear to be in different LANs, creating two or more VLANs. Conversely, hosts on different local networks but connected via a WAN can be configured to be on the same VLAN.

One benefit of VLANs is traffic management. Bridge devices only forward traffic when needed, with the exception of broadcasts and multicasts. Routers don't forward broadcasts and multicasts34. Both types of device can be used for joining remote networks together and then also be used to manage the flow of network traffic.

A VLAN is described as a separate broadcast domain. A busy segment can be broken into two distinct groups, each chatting amongst themselves. The separation of these groups into separate VLANs will minimize the impact of each groups' traffic on the other group.

For example, ports 1 through 10 and 11 through 20 could be configured as two separate VLANs, typically each with their own subnet address. Communication between the groups of ports would be as if the traffic were being routed35.

VLAN

Subnets and routing are covered in Module 2.

34 As a rule-of-thumb anyway; as mentioned elsewhere, some IPv4 routers do support multicast but they would be deployed with the intention of doing so. IPv6 routers must support multicast but broadcast traffic is eliminated completely. Under IPv6, VLANs will be deployed for security rather than performance. 35 Port-based switching is the simplest means of configuring a VLAN (static VLANs). Others (dynamic VLANs) include using the host's MAC address, protocol type, IP address, or even authentication credentials.

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From a security point-of-view, each VLAN can represent a separate security zone. These zones would typically be configured to protect the integrity and confidentiality of different departments within the organization. If something like a virus or worm were introduced in one VLAN, it should not be able to spread to other VLANs36.

Configuring VLANs on a Dell switch using the web management interface

As well as representing organizational departments and/or overcoming physical barriers between different locations, it is common practice to isolate server-to-server traffic from client-server traffic and to isolate administration / management traffic (channels used for inbound management of appliances and servers). Another standard configuration option is to create a "null" VLAN that is non-routable to the rest of the network. This VLAN is used for any ports that do not have authorized connected equipment.

VLANs are defined by the IEEE 802.1Q standard. Cisco's proprietary Inter-Switch Link (ISL) was once also widely used.

Under 802.1Q, traffic is identified by a VLAN tag inserted in the Ethernet frame between the Source Address and Ethertype fields. The tag contains information about the VLAN ID (from 1 to 4094) and priority (used for Quality of Service [QoS] functions). The Ethertype value is set to identify the frame as 802.1Q.

Construction of an 802.1Q Ethernet frame

36 Malware can "hop" between VLANs if it is able to exploit some configuration weakness.

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VLAN Trunking Protocol

On a large network, one switch will not provide enough ports for all the hosts that need to be connected to the network. This means that multiple switches must be interconnected to build the network fabric. Multiple switches may also be deployed to provide redundant links. The interconnections between switches are referred to as trunks.

When VLANs are also configured on the switches, trunking means that a VLAN can be configured across more than one switch device without having to manually configure the VLANs on each device. The protocol governing this data exchange would either be Cisco's VLAN Trunking Protocol (VTP) or Generic Attribute Registration Protocol (GARP) VLAN Registration

Protocol (GVRP).

Under VTP, switches can be grouped into management domains, identified by a domain name. Within these groups, switches are assigned the roles of either VTP server or VTP client. Modifications to the VLAN topology of the network can be made on any switch that has been assigned the VLAN server role and these changes are replicated to all switches in the management domain. In a small network with only a few switches, all switches may be configured as VTP servers. However, in a large network it is more efficient to limit the number of switches assigned this role.

Pruning refers to removing broadcasts related to particular VLANs from a trunk to preserve bandwidth. If a particular VLAN is not associated with a given trunk link, pruning it from the trunk reduces the amount of broadcast traffic passing over the link.

Spanning Tree Protocol (STP)

In a network with multiple bridges (implemented these days as switches and routers), there may be more than one path for a frame to take to its intended destination. As a layer 2 protocol, Ethernet has no concept of Time To Live. Therefore, layer 2 broadcast traffic could continue to loop through the network indefinitely. This situation is prevented using the Spanning Tree Protocol (STP), defined in the 802.1D MAC Bridges standard. This is a means for the bridges to organize themselves into a hierarchy. The bridge at the top of the hierarchy is the root bridge. This can be selected automatically by the protocol but the administrator can pre-determine metrics to make the choice of one bridge over another more likely (unless the designated bridge happens to be offline).

Each bridge then determines the path to the root bridge by exchanging information with other bridges (Bridge Protocol Data Units [BPDU]).

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Within each segment, each bridge then determines the bridge closest to the root bridge and uses that bridge to forward frames to the root. It then blocks ports connected to other non-forwarding bridges. Subsequently, bridges exchange Topology Change Notifications if devices are added or removed, enabling them to change the status of forwarding / blocked ports appropriately.

The following table shows the different states that a port can be in:

State Forwards

Frames?

Learns

MACs?

Notes

Blocking No No Drops all frames other than BPDUs.

Listening No No Port is listening for BPDUs to detect loops.

Learning No Yes The port discovers the topology of the network and builds the MAC address table.

Forwarding Yes Yes The port works as normal. Disabled No No The port has been disabled by

the administrator.

When all ports on all bridges are in forwarding or blocking states, the network is converged. When the network is not converged, no communications can take place. Under the original 802.1D standard, this made the network unavailable for extended periods (10s of seconds) during configuration changes. STP is now more likely to be implemented as 802.1D-2004 / 802.1w or Rapid STP (RSTP). The rapid version creates outages of a few seconds or less. In RSTP, the blocking, listening, and disabled states are aggregated into a discarding state.

Where VLANs are implemented, a modified version of STP must be used. If a trunk port to multiple VLANs were to be blocked, all the VLANs on that trunk would be denied access to the rest of the network. Some means must be established to disable links on a per-VLAN basis. Originally, this was accomplished using Cisco's Per-VLAN STP Protocol (PVST) but is now implemented using Multiple Spanning Trees Protocol (MSTP), defined in 802.1Q.

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Review Questions / Module 1 / Unit 4 / Intranetwork Devices

Answer the following questions. The correct answers are in the accompanying "Labs and References" manual.

1) True or false? A bridge does not forward broadcast or multicast traffic. False.

2) How does a switch keep track of the hardware addresses of hosts connected to its ports? It uses a table stored in Content Addressable Memory (CAM).

3) What is PoE? Power over Ethernet - an IEEE specification for delivering power to

devices from switch ports over network cabling.

4) The accounting department is flooding the network with a high volume of broadcast traffic, causing the entire network to slow down. What could you install to isolate that department? VLAN (switch) or router.

5) What is the function of STP? Spanning Tree Protocol prevents switching loops (where broadcast

traffic is continually looped around a switched network with

redundant links between switches).

6) What methods can be used to allocate a particular host to a VLAN? The simplest is by connection port but this can also be configured by

MAC address, IP address, or user authentication.

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Index

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Index

Where a term or phrase is abbreviated, the abbreviation is the form listed in the index. Note that index references are made to the nearest main heading for the topic in which the term appears.

1

1000BASE ................... 56 100BASE ..................... 55 10BASE ....................... 54 10GBASE ............. 57, 196 110 Block ................... 335

5

568A / 568B ............... 340

8

802 Standards .............. 45

A

AAA Server ................ 288 Access Point ........ 21, 304 ACL ............................ 255 ACR ........................... 398 Address Class .............. 92 Addressing .... 60, 91, 110, 112, 115, 123 Administration .... 322, 334 Administrative Distance ................................... 139 ADSL .......................... 204 Agent .......................... 380 All-in-One Security Appliance ................... 273 Analog .......................... 47 Analysis Engine.......... 274 Anomaly-based Detection ................................... 275 ANSI ............................. 35 ANSI/TIA/EIA 568 35, 328 Antenna Types ........... 299 Anti-replay .................. 230 Anti-spam ................... 270 Anti-Virus Software .... 235 Anycast ...................... 127 APIPA .................. 94, 118 Application Hardening 250 Application Layer .... 24, 28

Application Layer Gateway ..................... 264 Application Virtualization ................................... 356 ARIN ............................. 29 ARP (Protocol) ............. 60 arp (tool) ....................... 62 Asset Management..... 321 Asymmetric Encryption ................................... 283 ATM ............................ 198 Attacker ...................... 236 Attenuation ........... 49, 398 Authentication .... 230, 279, 282, 309 Autonegotiation ...... 55, 76 AWG ............................. 33

B

Backbone ......... 5, 10, 332 Bad Cable ................... 398 Bad Wiring .................. 397 Bandwidth ..................... 48 Bandwidth Shaper ...... 366 Bare Metal Hypervisor 353 Baseband ..................... 48 Baseline .............. 320, 374 Beacon ....................... 306 Behavior-based Detection ................................... 275 BERT .......................... 346 BGP ............................ 138 Binary ......................... 123 Binary/Decimal Conversion ................... 91 Bleed .......................... 402 BNC .............................. 36 Bonding ........................ 51 BOOTP ....................... 115 Botnet ......................... 241 Bounce ....................... 402 BPDU ........................... 82 Bridge ............. 21, 71, 401 Broadband .................... 48 Broadband over Powerline ................................... 206

Broadcast .............. 51, 106 Broadcast Domain . 71, 80, 108 Broadcast Storm ......... 411 Brute Force Attack ...... 240 Buffer Overflows ......... 245 Bus Topology ................ 10 Butt Set ....................... 347

C

CA ............................... 284 Cable Certifier ............. 346 Cable Length .............. 348 Cable Management .... 322 Cable Modem ............. 209 Cable Placement ........ 336 Cable Service Providers .................................... 205 Cable Tester ....... 344, 346 Cable Types .................. 32 Cabling .................... 19, 32 Caching Engine .......... 268 Callback ...................... 221 CAM .............................. 74 CAN ................................4 CARP .......................... 370 Cat 3/5/5e/6/6A ............. 35 CATV .......................... 205 Cellular Radio ............. 311 CENELEC ................... 328 Central Office .............. 190 CERT .......................... 236 Certificate Authority..... 284 Change Management . 320 Channel .............. 297, 304 Channel Bonding ........ 298 CHAP .......................... 289 CIDR ........................... 112 Circuit Switching . 187, 192 Circuit-Level Firewall... 264 Class (IP Addressing) ... 92 Classful Addressing .... 106 Client...............................7 Client-to-Site VPN ....... 215 Cloud .......................... 190

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Cloud Computing ........ 359 Coax Cable ................... 36 Collision Domain ..... 50, 71 Collisions .................... 400 Communication ........... 251 Compatibility ....... 304, 305 Compatibility Requirements ............. 350 Confidentiality ............. 229 Configuration Management ............... 319 Connectivity Software . 382 Connectors . 34, 36, 37, 40 Console Cable .............. 37 Content Inspection ...... 270 Content Switch............ 371 Contention .................... 49 Convergence .............. 132 CPE ............................ 190 CRC ........................ 20, 53 Cross-connect ............ 333 Crossover Cable ......... 341 Crosstalk ............... 33, 398 CSMA ........................... 49 CSU/DSU ................... 343

D

Data De-duplication .... 356 Data Link Layer............. 20 Datagram ...................... 90 dB Loss ....................... 398 DDoS .......................... 241 Deep Packet Inspection.................................... 273 Default Gateway ........... 99 Default Ports ............... 157 Demarc ............... 334, 342 Device Placement ....... 311 Device Types .............. 349 DHCP . 116, 118, 412, 413 Diagnostics ................... 77 Diagram ...................... 322 Dial-up ........................ 200 DiffServ ....................... 365 dig ............................... 169 Digital ............................ 47 Digital Certificate......... 284 Distance ........ 49, 300, 398 Distance Vector .......... 133 Distribution Frame ...... 335 DMZ ............................ 256 DNAT .......................... 261 DNS .... 164, 166, 412, 414

DOCSIS ..................... 205 Documentation ........... 321 DoS ............................ 241 Dotted Decimal Notation ..................................... 91 Downtime ................... 368 DRDoS ....................... 242 DSL .................... 203, 208 DSSS ......................... 297 DSx ............................ 192 Dumpster Diving. 230, 231 Duplex .......................... 51 Duplicate IP Address .. 405 DVB-S ........................ 313 DWDM ....................... 195 Dynamic DNS ............ 168

E

EAP ............................ 291 EAPoL ................ 292, 293 Eavesdropping ........... 239 E-carrier ..................... 193 Echo ........................... 399 Education ................... 251 EGP ........................... 138 EIGRP ........................ 136 Elasticity ..................... 359 Email .......................... 178 EMI ............... 32, 399, 402 Encapsulation .............. 17 Encoding ...................... 48 Encryption .................. 281 Encryption Devices ...... 24 Endpoint Security ....... 292 Enterprise WAN ......... 187 Entrance Facilities ...... 334 Environment Limitations ................................... 350 Environmental Factors 402 Environmental Monitor 347 Equipment Limitations 349 Equipment Room ....... 333 Escalation .................. 393 ESP ............................ 217 ESSID ........................ 300 Ethernet ................. 46, 52 EUI-64 ............ 21, 58, 125 Event Log ................... 377 Evil Twin ..................... 310 Exchange ................... 190 Exploit ................ 243, 245 Extranet ...................... 255

F

False Positive ............. 274 Fast Ethernet ................ 55 Fast Link Pulse ............. 55 Fault Tolerance .......... 368 F-connector .................. 36 Fiber Optic Cable ......... 38 Firewall ....... 256, 262, 265 Firmware .................... 250 Flood Guard ............... 264 Flow Control ................. 22 Footprinting ................ 237 Fox and Hound ........... 345 FQDN ......................... 162 Fragmentation .............. 22 Frame ..................... 20, 52 Frame Relay ............... 197 Frequency .. 296, 297, 402 FTP .................... 176, 384 FTP Bounce ............... 237 FTTx ........................... 205 Full Duplex ................... 51

G

Gain ............................ 299 GBIC..................... 43, 402 General Log ................ 377 Gigabit Ethernet ........... 56

H

Half Duplex ................... 51 Hashing ...................... 282 Health Monitor ............ 373 Heuristics .................... 275 Hexadecimal ............... 123 HFC ...................... 36, 205 Hierarchical Topology ... 16 High Availability .......... 368 High Bandwidth Applications ................ 363 History Log ................. 377 Hoaxes ....................... 230 Honeypot .................... 277 Horizontal Cabling ...... 331 Host ................................ 4 Host ID ................... 91, 92 Host Name ................. 161 HOSTS ....................... 163 Hotfix .......................... 250 HSPA+ ....................... 313 HTTP .......................... 173

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CompTIA Network+ Certification Support Skills (Exam N10-005)

Labs and References

G523eng ver073

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Acknowledgements

www.gtslearning.com

Course Developer ............................................................ gtslearning

Editor ....................................................................... James Pengelly

This courseware is owned, published, and distributed by gtslearning, the world's only specialist supplier of CompTIA learning solutions. [email protected] +44 (0)20 7887 7999 +44 (0)20 7887 7988 Unit 127, Hill House, 210 Upper Richmond Road, London SW15 6NP, UK

COPYRIGHT

This courseware is copyrighted 2013 gtslearning. Product images are the copyright of the vendor or manufacturer named in the caption and used by permission. No part of this courseware or any training material supplied by the publisher to accompany the courseware may be copied, photocopied, reproduced, or re-used in any form or by any means without permission in writing from the publisher. Violation of these laws will lead to prosecution.

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LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

Every effort has been made to ensure complete and accurate information concerning the material presented in this course. Neither the publisher nor its agents can be held legally responsible for any mistakes in printing or for faulty instructions contained within this course. The publisher appreciates receiving notice of any errors or misprints.

Information in this course is subject to change without notice. Companies, names, and data used in examples herein are fictitious unless otherwise noted.

Where the course and all materials supplied for training are designed to familiarize the user with the operation of software programs and computer devices, the publisher urges the user to review the manuals provided by the product vendor regarding specific questions as to operation.

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If you suspect that this course has been copied or distributed illegally,

please telephone or email gtslearning.

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Table of Contents

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Table of Contents

CompTIA Network+ Exam Objectives 1

Domain 1.0 Network Technologies ................................................................ 1 Domain 2.0 Network Installation and Configuration ....................................... 3 Domain 3.0 Network Media and Topologies .................................................. 4 Domain 4.0 Network Management ................................................................ 5 Domain 5.0 Network Security ........................................................................ 6

Exam Tips 7

Registering for the Test ................................................................................. 7 Taking the Test .............................................................................................. 7 After the Test ................................................................................................. 8 Retaking the Test .......................................................................................... 8

Labs 9

Answers to Review Questions 134

Module 1 / Network Media and Devices ..................................................... 134 Module 2 / Addressing and Routing ........................................................... 137 Module 3 / Network Applications ................................................................ 141 Module 4 / Network Security ...................................................................... 144 Module 5 / Management, Monitoring, Troubleshooting .............................. 147

Glossary 153

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CompTIA Network+ Exam

Objectives

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CompTIA Network+ Exam Objectives

The material in this course will help you to learn and practice the CompTIA Network+ Certification Examination Objectives (Exam Code: N10-005 / Release Date: December 2011).

It is CompTIA's policy to update the exam regularly with new test

items to deter fraud. The exam objectives may therefore describe

the current "Edition" of the exam with a date different to that of the

objectives. Please note that this training material remains valid for

the dated objectives, regardless of the exam edition.

CompTIA Network+ Certification Domain Areas Weighting

1.0 Network Technologies 21% 2.0 Network Installation and Configuration 23% 3.0 Network Media and Topologies 17% 4.0 Network Management 20% 5.0 Network Security 19%

The following tables list where the domain objectives of the exam are covered in this course.

Domain 1.0 Network Technologies

Domain Objectives/Examples Unit

1.1 Compare the layers of the OSI and TCP/IP models. OSI model: (Layer 1 Physical, Layer 2 Data link, Layer 3 Network, Layer 4 Transport, Layer 5 Session, Layer 6 Presentation, Layer 7 Application) TCP/IP model (Network Interface / Link Layer, Internet Layer, Transport Layer, Application Layer

Unit 1.1 Topologies and the OSI Model

1.2 Classify how applications, devices, and protocols relate to the OSI model layers. MAC address IP address EUI-64 Frames Packets Switch Router Multilayer switch Hub Encryption devices Cable NIC Bridge


1.3 Explain the purpose and properties of IP addressing. MAC address format

Unit 1.3 Ethernet

IPv4 vs. IPv6 (formatting) Unit 2.1 Internet Protocol

Classes of addresses (A, B, C and D, Public vs. Private) Classless (CIDR) Subnetting Multicast vs. Unicast vs. Broadcast

Unit 2.2 Addressing

Schemes APIPA Unit 2.3 DHCP,

APIPA, and NTP IPv4 vs. IPv6 (formatting) Unit 2.4 IPv6

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Objectives

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1.4 Explain the purpose and properties of routing and switching. Broadcast domain vs. collision domain

Unit 1.3 Ethernet

Spanning Tree Protocol VLAN (802.1q) Port mirroring

Unit 1.4 Bridges and Switches

EIGRP OSPF RIP Link state vs. distance vector vs. hybrid Static vs. dynamic Routing metrics (Hop counts, MTU, Bandwidth, Costs, Latency) Next hop IGP vs. EGP Routing tables Convergence (steady state)

Unit 2.5 Routing

1.5 Identify common TCP and UDP default ports. SMTP 25 HTTP 80 HTTPS 443 FTP 20, 21 TELNET 23 IMAP4 143 RDP 3389 SSH 22 DNS 53 DHCP 67, 68

Unit 3.1 Transport Protocols

1.6 Explain the function of common networking protocols. TCP/IP suite


ARP Unit 1.3 Ethernet ICMP Unit 2.1 Internet

Protocol DHCP NTP Unit 2.3 DHCP,

APIPA, and NTP IGMP Unit 2.5 Routing TCP UDP Unit 3.1 Transport

Protocols DNS Unit 3.2 Name

Resolution FTP TFTP HTTPS HTTP TLS SIP (VoIP) RTP (VoIP) POP3 IMAP4 SMTP

Unit 3.3 Internet Applications

SSH Telnet SNMP2/3 Unit 5.4 Monitoring and

Management Tools

1.7 Summarize DNS concepts and its components. DNS servers DNS records (A, MX, AAAA, CNAME, PTR) Dynamic DNS

Unit 3.2 Name Resolution

1.8 Given a scenario, implement the following network troubleshooting methodology: Identify the problem (Information gathering, Identify symptoms, Question users, Determine if anything has changed) Establish a theory of probable cause (Question the obvious) Test the theory to determine cause (Once theory is confirmed determine next steps to resolve problem, If theory is not confirmed, re-establish new theory or escalate) Establish a plan of action to resolve the problem and identify potential effects Implement the solution or escalate as necessary Verify full system functionality and if applicable implement preventive measures Document findings, actions and outcomes

Unit 5.5 Network Troubleshooting

1.9 Identify virtual network components. Virtual switches Virtual desktops Virtual servers Virtual PBX Onsite vs. offsite Network as a Service (NaaS)

Unit 5.3 Deploying Virtual Networks

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Objectives

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Domain 2.0 Network Installation and Configuration


2.1 Given a scenario, install and configure routers and switches. VLAN (trunking) Managed vs. unmanaged Interface configurations (Full duplex, Half duplex, Port speeds, MAC filtering) PoE Diagnostics VTP configuration Port mirroring

Unit 1.4 Bridges and Switches

Routing tables Interface configurations (IP addressing)

Unit 2.5 Routing

NAT PAT Traffic filtering Unit 4.2 Security Appliances

QoS Unit 5.4 Monitoring and Management

Tools 2.2 Given a scenario, install and configure a wireless network. WAP placement Antenna types Interference Frequencies Channels Wireless standards SSID (enable/disable) Compatibility (802.11 a/b/g/n)

Unit 4.4 Installing Wireless

Networks

2.3 Explain the purpose and properties of DHCP. Static vs. dynamic IP addressing Reservations Scopes Leases Options (DNS servers, suffixes)

Unit 2.3 DHCP, APIPA, and NTP

2.4 Given a scenario, troubleshoot common wireless problems. Interference Signal strength Configurations Incompatibilities Incorrect channel Latency Encryption type Bounce SSID mismatch Incorrect switch placement


2.5 Given a scenario, troubleshoot common router and switch problems. Switching loop Bad cables/improper cable types Port configuration VLAN assignment Mismatched MTU/MUT black hole Power failure Bad/missing routes Bad modules (SFPs, GBICs) Wrong subnet mask Wrong gateway Duplicate IP address Wrong DNS


2.6 Given a set of requirements, plan and implement a basic SOHO network. List of requirements Cable length Device types/requirements Environment limitations Equipment limitations Compatibility requirements

Unit 5.2 Installing Wired Networks

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Objectives

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Domain 3.0 Network Media and Topologies


3.1 Categorize standard media types and associated properties. Fiber (Multimode, Single mode) Copper (UTP, STP, CAT3, CAT5, CAT5e, CAT6, CAT6a, Coaxial) Media converters (Single mode fiber to Ethernet, Multimode fiber to Ethernet, Fiber to Coaxial, Single mode to multimode fiber) Distance limitations and speed limitations


Copper (Patch panel, 110 block [T568A, T568B]) Unit 5.2 Installing Wired Networks

Broadband over Powerline Unit 3.4 WAN Technologies

Copper (Crossover, T1 Crossover, Straight-through) Plenum vs. non-plenum


3.2 Categorize standard connector types based on network media. Fiber (ST, SC, LC, MTRJ) Copper (RJ-45, RJ-11, BNC, F-connector, DB-9 [RS-232])


3.3 Compare and contrast different wireless standards. 802.11 a/b/g/n standards (Distance, Speed, Latency, Frequency, Channels, MIMO, Channel bonding)


Networks

3.4 Categorize WAN technology types and properties. Types (T1/E1, T3/E3, DS3, OCx, SONET, SDH, DWDM, Satellite, ISDN, Cable, DSL, Fiber, Dialup, PON, Frame Relay, ATM) Properties (Circuit switch, Packet switch, Speed, Transmission media, Distance)

Unit 3.4 WAN Technologies

Types (Cellular, WiMAX, LTE, HSPA+) Unit 4.4 Installing Wireless

Networks 3.5 Describe different network topologies. Point to point Point to multipoint Ring Star Mesh Bus Peer-to-peer Client-server Hybrid


MPLS Unit 3.4 WAN Technologies

3.6 Given a scenario, troubleshoot common physical connectivity problems. Cable problems (Open, Short, Split cables, Tx/Rx reversed, Cable placement)


Cable problems (Bad connectors, Bad wiring, dB loss, TX/RX reversed, Cable placement)


3.7 Compare and contrast different LAN technologies. Types (Ethernet, 10BaseT, 100BaseT, 1000BaseT, 100BaseTX, 100BaseFX, 1000BaseX, 10GBaseSR, 10GBaseLR, 10GBaseER, 10GBaseSW, 10GBaseLW, 10GBaseEW, 10GBaseT) Properties (CSMA/CD, CSMA/CA, Broadcast, Collision, Bonding, Speed, Distance)

Unit 1.3 Ethernet

3.8 Identify components of wiring distribution. IDF MDF Demarc Demarc extension Smart jack CSU/DSU


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Objectives

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Domain 4.0 Network Management


4.1 Explain the purpose and features of various network appliances. VPN concentrator

Unit 3.5 Remote Access

Proxy server Content filter Unit 4.2 Security Appliances

Load balancer Unit 5.4 Monitoring and

Management Tools

4.2 Given a scenario, use appropriate hardware tools to troubleshoot connectivity issues. Cable tester Cable certifier Crimper Butt set Toner probe Punch down tool Protocol Analyzer Loop back plug TDR OTDR Multimeter Environmental monitor


4.3 Given a scenario, use appropriate software tools to troubleshoot connectivity issues. Protocol Analyzer arp

Unit 1.3 Ethernet

ping ipconfig/ifconfig Unit 2.1 Internet Protocol

tracert/traceroute route Unit 2.5 Routing netstat Unit 3.1 Transport

Protocols dig nslookup nbtstat Unit 3.2 Name

Resolution Connectivity software Unit 5.4 Monitoring

and Management Tools

4.4 Given a scenario, use the appropriate network monitoring resource to analyze traffic. Traffic analysis Network sniffer

Unit 1.3 Ethernet

SNMP SNMPv2 SNMPv3 Syslog System logs History logs General logs

Unit 5.4 Monitoring and

Management Tools

4.5 Describe the purpose of configuration management documentation. Wire schemes Network maps Documentation Cable management Asset management Baselines Change management

Unit 5.1 Configuration Management

4.6 Explain different methods and rationales for network performance optimization. Methods (QoS, Traffic shaping, Load balancing, High availability, Caching engines, Fault tolerance, CARP) Reasons (Latency sensitivity, High bandwidth applications [VoIP, video applications, unified communications], Uptime)

Unit 5.4 Monitoring and

Management Tools

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Objectives

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Domain 5.0 Network Security


5.1 Given a scenario, implement appropriate wireless security measures. Encryption protocols (WEP, WPA, WPA2, WPA Enterprise) MAC address filtering Device placement Signal strength


Networks

5.2 Explain the methods of network access security. Tunneling and encryption (SSL VPN, VPN, L2TP, PPTP, IPsec, ISAKMP, TLS, TLS1.2, Site-to-site and client-to-site) Remote access (RAS, PPPoE, PPP)

Unit 3.5 Remote Access

ACL (IP filtering, Port filtering) Unit 4.2 Security Appliances

ACL (MAC filtering) Unit 4.3 Authentication

Remote access (RDP, ICA, SSH) Unit 5.4 Monitoring and

Management Tools

5.3 Explain methods of user authentication. PKI Kerberos AAA (RADIUS, TACACS+) Network Access Control (802.1X, Posture assessment) CHAP MS-CHAP EAP Two-factor authentication Multifactor authentication Single sign-on

Unit 4.3 Authentication

5.4 Explain common threats, vulnerabilities, and mitigation techniques. Attacks (DoS, DDoS, Man in the middle, Social engineering, Virus, Worms, Buffer overflow, Packet sniffing, FTP bounce, Smurf) Mitigation techniques (Training and awareness, Patch management, Policies and procedures, Incident response)

Unit 4.1 Security Fundamentals

Wireless (War driving, War chalking, WEP cracking, WPA cracking, Evil twin, Rogue access point)


Networks 5.5 Given a scenario, install and configure a basic firewall. Types (Software and hardware firewalls) Port security Stateful inspection vs. packet filtering Firewall rules (Block/allow, Implicit deny, ACL) NAT/PAT DMZ

Unit 4.2 Security Appliances

5.6 Categorize different types of network security appliances and methods. IDS and IPS (Behavior based, Signature based, Network based, Host based) Vulnerability scanners (NESSUS, NMAP) Methods (Honeypots, Honeynets)

Unit 4.2 Security Appliances

Evaluation Use Only

Exam Tips

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Exam Tips

Use the following notes to prepare for and book the CompTIA certification exam. Remember that you can use the practice exam available with this course at gtslearning's Freestyle site (you will also need an enrollment key from your training provider).

Registering for the Test

CompTIA Certification exams are delivered exclusively by Pearson VUE. You can locate a test center using the link on CompTIA's website certification.comptia.org/Training/testingcenters.aspx

Arrive at the test center at least 15-30 minutes before the test is scheduled (check your booking confirmation for details).

The test center administrator will demonstrate how to use the computer-based test system.

You must have two forms of ID - one with picture, both with signature, preferably with your private address (driving license, passport, and so on).

Books, calculators, laptops, PDAs, or other reference materials are not allowed.

Pens, pencils, and paper are not required! You must not attempt to write down questions or remove anything from the exam room.

It is CompTIA's policy to make reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities.

Taking the Test CompTIA have prepared a Candidate Experience video (gtsgo.to/hofvx). Watch this to help to familiarize yourself with the exam format and types of questions.

There are 100 questions which must be answered in 90 minutes. The passing score is 720 on a scale of 100-900.

Read each question and its option answers carefully. Don't rush through the exam as you'll probably have more time at the end than you expect.

At the other end of the scale, don't get "stuck" on a question and start to panic. You can mark questions for review and come back to them.

As the exam tests your ability to recall facts and to apply them sensibly in a troubleshooting scenario, there will be questions where you cannot recall the correct answer from memory. Adopt the following strategy for dealing with these questions:

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Exam Tips

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Narrow your choices down by eliminating obviously wrong answers.

Don't guess too soon! You must select not only a correct answer, but the best answer. It is therefore important that you read all of the options and not stop when you find an option that is correct. It may be impractical compared to another answer.

Utilize information and insights that you've acquired in working through the entire test to go back and answer earlier items that you weren't sure of.

Think your answer is wrong - should change it? Studies indicate that when students change their answers they usually change them to the wrong answer. If you were fairly certain you were correct the first time, leave the answer as it is.

As well as multiple-choice questions, there will be a number of performance-based items. Performance-based items require you to perform a task or solve a problem in simulated IT environments. Use your experienc

comptia network plus 2012 courseware sample

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