Name of the Experiment:

Establishment of star network using Hub.

Objective:
To design the procedure of building a network through hardware and software and learn the method of installation LAN topology by selects the star network.

Required Instrument:
1. Computer 2. RJ-45 Connector 3. Cable 4. Hub

Theory:
A network consists of two or more computers that are linked in order to share resources (such as printers and CD-ROMs), exchange files, or allow electronic communications. The computers on a network may be linked through cables, telephone lines, radio waves, Bluetooth, satellites, or infrared light beams. A simple computer network is made up of two connected computers. All the computers in a network can access, share the data and resources with each other. A computer network is generally categorized into the three main types such as LAN (Local area network), MAN (Metropolitan area network) and WAN (Wide area network). A number of the standards are involved into the certain steps of the data communication and on these standards certain communication devices have been developed. The physical topology of a network refers to the configuration of cables, computers, and other peripherals. Physical topology should not be confused with logical topology which is the method used to pass information between workstations. There are some basic topologies of a computer network such as star, mesh, ring, bus, hybrid and tree .The most commonly used topology of a computer network is a star topology. In the star topology, all the computers are connected to a central device known as a hub or switch. Data in a network passes through the central devices and then directed towards the destination computers. The failure of one computer does not affect the working of the other computers however, the failure of the hub or switch results in halting all the network communication.

Procedure
Designing a LAN networks same a shown in Figure (2-1): Before starting the design of LAN... it must provide all requirement (hardware & software)... First we will start with:

Hardware design:
1. Install the LAN cards hardware in its specified slot(PCI) on the motherboard of each computer .for modern computer the LAN card become built in with the motherboard. 2. Determine the location of all devices in. the systems such as the computers and the hub and other devices. 3. After we determine the location of each device, then evaluate the length of media so that to connect the devices through the network. after the constant length to each host is known, so cut the media (UTP) as the length It need. 4. Press the connecter (RJ-45) in the ends of the UTP cables. at this point must consider the sequence and the placement of the wire in the connectors. for this case needed to connect the computers with the hub, this connection represent point to point PTP connection which mean that the sequence of wires must remind normally between the two devices. 5. After this we must test the cable with connector to avoid a fail in the installation, so make test cable by a small particular devices which used to rest cables. 6. Connect all devices by the cable and put connector RJ-45 in specifies location in the LAN card and on the Hub from the other device.

Figure (2-1) Star Network Topology

Software design:
1. First, install the software of the LAN card driver so as the so known the LAN card properly, assume your operating is windows XP click start>>control panel>> add H/W, then after the system detect a new H/W if not we can to the add hardware wizard and add network adapters, then next.

2. Now install the protocol of the design which is TCP/IP through: start>>control panel>>network connection>>local area network (right click - properties-install >> choose a new protocol>>add. 3. In this step determine the computer name and determine the workgroup name: my computer (right click-properties>>computer name>>write a name for the computer. and there will be the field of the workgroup.

Discussion:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Compare between Hub & Switch. Write advantage and disadvantage of peer-to-peer and client/server architectures. What is the MAC address of a network card? How does it differ from an IP address? Explain the types of star topology Ethernets. Compare Bus vs. Star topology Ethernet. Design and implement a network that compound three star subnet. (based on S/W & H/W techniques).