Introduction to LAN ProtocolsWhatIs a LAN?

A LAN is a h igh -sp eed data network th at covers a relativ ely small geograp hicarea. It typically connects workstations, personal computers, printers, servers, and other devices. LANs offer computer users many advantages, including shared access to devicesand app lications, file exchange between connected users, and communication betweenusers via electronic mail and other applications. LANProtocols and the OSI Reference Model LAN protocols function at th e lowest two layers of th e OSI reference model, asdiscussed in Chapter 1, "Internetworking Basics," between the physical layer and the datalink layer. The following figure illustrates how several popular LAN protocols map to theOSI reference model.Popular LAN Protocols Mapped to the OSI Reference Model LAN Media-Access Methods Media contention occurs when two or more network devices have data to send atth e same time. Because multiple dev ices cannot talk on the network simultaneously,some typ e of meth od must be used to allow one dev ice access to th e network media at at i m e . T h i s i s d o n e i n t w o m a i n w a y s : c a r r i e r s e n s e m u l t i p l e a c c e s s c o l l i s i o n d e t e c t s (CSMA/CD) and token passing.1

LAN Media-Access Methods Media contention occurs when two or more network devices have data to send atth e same time. Because multiple dev ices cannot talk on the network simultaneously,some typ e of meth od must be used to allow one dev ice access to th e network media at at i m e . T h i s i s d o n e i n t w o m a i n w a y s : c a r r i e r s e n s e m u l t i p l e a c c e s s c o l l i s i o n d e t e c t s (CSMA/CD) and token passing I n n e t w o r k s u s i n g C S M A / C D t e c h n o l o g y s u c h a s E t h e r n e t , n e t w o r k d e v i c e s contend for th e network media. When a device has data to send, it first listens to see if any oth er dev ice is currently using th e network. If not, it starts sending its data. After finishing its transmission, it listens again to see if a collision occurred. A collision occurswhen two devices send data simultaneously. When a collision happens, each device waitsa random length of time before resending its data. In most cases, a collision will not occur again between the two devices. Because of th is typ e of network contention, th e busier an e t w o r k b e c o m e s , t h e m o r e c o l l i s i o n s o c c u r . T h i s i s w h y p e r f o r m a n c e o f E t h e r n e t degrades rapidly as the number of devices on a single network increases.I n t o k e n - p a s s i n g n e t w o r k s s u c h a s T o k e n R i n g a n d F D D I , a s p e c i a l n e t w o r k packet called a token is passed around the network from device to device. When a devicehas data to send, it must wait until it has the token and then sends its data. When the datatransmission is complete, the token is released so that other devices may use the network media. Th e main adv antage of token-passing networks is that th ey are deterministic. Inoth er words, it is easy to calculate th e maximum time that will p ass before a device hasthe opportunity to send data. Th is explains the popularity of token-passing networks insome real-time env ironments such as factories, where machinery must be cap able of communicating at a determinable interval.For CSMA/CD networks, switch es segment the network into multiple collisiondomains. This reduces the number of devices per network segment that must contend for th e media. By creating smaller collision domains, th e p erformance of a network can beincreased significantly without requiring addressing changes. N o r m a l l y C S M A / C D n e t w o r k s a r e h a l f - d u p l e x , m e a n i n g t h a t w h i l e a d e v i c e s e n d s i n f o r m a t i o n , i t c a n n o t r e c e i v e a t t h e t i m e . W h i l e t h a t d e v i c e i s t a l k i n g , i t i s incapable of also listening for other traffic. This is much like a walkie-talkie. When one person wants to talk, h e presses th e transmit button and begins sp eaking. Wh ile h e istalking, no one else on the same frequency can talk. When the sending person is finished,he releases the transmit button and the frequency is available to others.Wh en switch es are introduced, fullduplex op eration is possible. Full-duplexworks much like a telep honeyou can listen as well as talk at the same time. When anetwork device is attached directly to the port of a network switch, the two devices may be cap able of op erating in full-dup lex mode. In full-duplex mode, p erformance can bei n c r e a s e d , b u t not quite as much as some like to claim. A 100-Mbp s Eth ernet segment is capable of transmitting 200 Mbps of data, but only 100 Mbp s can trav el in one direction at a time.B e c a u s e m o s t d a t a c o n n e c t i o n s a r e a s y m m e t r i c ( w i t h m o r e d a t a t r a v e l l i n g i n o n e direction than the other), the gain is not as great as many claim. However, full-dup lexoperation does increase the throughput of most applications because the network media isno longer shared. Two dev ices on a full-dup lex connection can send data as soon as it isready.2 Token-passing networks such as Token Ring can also benefit from network switches. In large networks, the d e l a y b e t w e e n t u r n s t o t r a n s m i t m a y b e s i g n i f i c a n t because the token is passed around the network. L A N T r a n s m i s s i o n M e t h o d s

LAN data transmissions fall into three classifications: unicast, multicast, and broadcast.In each type of transmission, a single packet is sent to one or more nodes.In a unicast transmission, a single packet is sent from the source to a destinationon a network. First, th e source node addresses the packet by using th e address of th edestination node. Th e p ackage is th en sent onto th e network, and finally, the network passes the packet to its destination.A multicast transmission consists of a single data packet that is copied and sent toa specific subset of nodes on the network. First, the source node addresses the packet by using a multicast address. Th e packet is th en sent into th e network, wh ich makes cop iesof the packet and sends a copy to each node that is part of the multicast address.A broadcast transmission consists of a single data packet that is copied and sent toall nodes on th e network. In these types of transmissions, th e source node addresses th e p acket by using th e broadcast address. Th e packet is th en sent on to the network, wh ichmakes copies of the packet and sends a copy to every node on the network N e t w o r k A network is a collection of comp uters and oth er dev ices that allow comp uter users tosend and receive information to and from each other.A network allows you to: share information without having to carry or mail disks or paper ensure that your staff has the same software release communicate with a colleague on another campus access shared information share printers or other devicesI n t r o d u c t i o n t o N e t w o r k s Individual workstations are sometimes connected by cable to a sh ared comp uter knownas a server. The server is usually located relatively close to the individual workstations.There is either an Ethernet card or token ring board in each computer that allows it to bec o n n e c t e d t o t h e n e t w o r k . B o t h w o r k s t a t i o n a n d s e r v e r u s e software that allows th