Network Hardware

Front 1

Routers

Back 1

Based on IP addressing

Divides networks. Passes data between networks (until it reaches the destination network)

Separates broadcast domains

Front 2

Switches

Back 2

Based off of hardware address (MAC/physical/ethernet address)

Extends network and broadcast domains (router divides). Can be broken up with VLANs.

Like a big bridge.

Managed: Allows admin to create VLANS, configure ports, add security. Has an IP for remote configuration.

Unmanaged: (pretty much a hub) device makes no decisions, just passes data along

Front 3

Access points

Back 3

Access to a wired network for wireless devices.

Access point usually paired with router in SOHO configs (wireless router)

Front 4

Cloud-based network controller

Back 4

Software Defined Networking (SND)

Software manipulates Control Plain to optimize Data Plain. Like an automatic traffic controller.

Can be centralised, controlling physically remote networks

Front 5

Firewall

Back 5

Network-based: hardware, filters traffic in or out of a network. Usually between secure and unsecure networks, also between networks and servers.

Host-based: Software on your PC, for example

Can operate based on addressing, port, file type, content, or context

Front 6

NIC

Back 6

Network Interface Card

Used to communicate with a network (wired or wireless)

Has a hardware/MAC/physical/ethernet address (hexadecimal)

Hint 6

Network Interface Card

Front 7

Repeater

Back 7

Boosts signal without making a change.

Signal degrades through copper wire in 100m. Fibre goes farther but still needs repeaters.

Front 8

Hub

Back 8

Can only receive or send. Cannot make changes or make decisions. Basically multiport repeater.

Sends same data out along all channels, like a power strip. Data congestion, any device on network can receive that data.

Outdated.

Front 9

Cable/DSL modem

Back 9

Modulator/Demodulator

Takes signal from (usually) ISP and translates it to data your network can understand (ie, fibre signal or DSL to ethernet signal)

Front 10

Bridge

Back 10

A repeater which avoids data collision, by separating content by reading the MAC addresses of the source and destination.

Like a switch but smaller (2-4 ports)

Front 11

Patch panel

Back 11

Usually in comm closets and data centres.

All wall ports lead here to be parched (or not) into live sockets. Not all ports have to be live.

Front 12

PoE

Back 12

Power over ethernet.

You don't need a dedicated powerline, the electricity comes through the ethernet cable. Simple as that.

Need a switch with PoE capabilities or a power injector (a repeater which adds power to signal).

Hint 12

Power over Ethernet

Front 13

EoP

Back 13

Send data over existing powerlines. Very rare.

Front 14

Layer 7

Back 14

Application (Host -Data)

Human-computer interaction.

Allows software to access network resources by providing the interface for lower layers

Coordinates partnering applications

Ensures data integrity and error recovery procedures are in place

Example: web browsers, email, apps

Hint 14

Application

Front 15

Layer 6

Back 15

Presentation (Host - data)

Presents data to layer 1.

Encodes and decodes data for transmission.

Defines how data should be formatted.

Compression and encryption (and inverses) done here.

Hint 15

Presentation

Front 16

Layer 5

Back 16

Session (Host - data)

Synch and send to ports. Create a session between two devises.

Ex: Logical ports.

Hint 16

Session

Front 17

Layer 4

Back 17

Transport (Host - segments)

Data transfer logistic (what to send, where, how fast)

ex TCP/UDP

Hint 17

Transport

Front 18

Layer 3

Back 18

Network (media - packets)

Actual packet data transfer.

Ex IP, routers

Hint 18

Network

Front 19

Layer 2

Back 19

Datalink (media - frames)

Node to node transfer. Also handles error correction for layer 1.

Sublayers: MAC layer and LLC layer

Ex switches, bridges, network cards

Hint 19

Data link

Front 20

Layer 1

Back 20

Physical (media - bits)

The necessary physical structure of a network.

Ex hubs, repeaters, electric cables, radio waves.

Hint 20

Physical

Front 21

OSI Model (Layers in order)

Back 21

Physical

Datalink

Network

Transport

Session

Presentation

Application

Hint 21

Please do not throw sausage pizza away

Front 22

QoS

Back 22

Quality of Service

Any device which regulates loss of data, latency, etc.

Prioritises certain time-sensitive data (VOIP, streaming) over other less urgent data (email, web traffic).

Hint 22

Quality of Service

Front 23

WEP

Back 23

Wired Equivalent Privacy

Wireless encryption, using the RC4 algorithm

No longer secure, uses the same key over and over. If you monitor traffic for long enough you can crack the key.

Hint 23

Wired Equivalent Privacy

Front 24

WPA

Back 24

WiFi Protected Access

Wireless encryption, uses TKIP (Temporal Key Integrity Protocol) which rotates keys. By the time someone has collected enough data to crack the key, it's already changed.

Hint 24

WiFi Protected Access

Front 25

WPA2

Back 25

WiFi Protected Access (gen 2)

Wireless encryption, uses AES (Advanced Encryption Standard). Replaced TKIP with CCMP (Counter Mode Cipher Block Chaining Message Authentication Code Protocol)

Hint 25

WiFi Protected Access (gen 2)

Front 26

WPA-PSK

Back 26

WiFi Protected Access - Pre-Shared Key (usual SOHO network)

Front 27

WPA Enterprise

Back 27

Takes you to a central service to log on with username/password