Netowrk Configuration Flashcards
TCP/IP Protocol Suite
- A set of rules (protocol) for communication between network devices.
- Based on a four-layer model: Link (Network Interface), Internet, Transport, and Application.
Link/Network Interface Layer
- Operates at the physical level.
- Responsible for transmitting data over local area networks (LANs) using cables (copper, fiber optic) or wireless (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth).
Internet Layer
- Handles addressing and routing of packets across wide area networks (WANs).
- Uses Internet Protocol (IP) for communication.
Transport Layer
Manages how data is sent using TCP (guaranteed delivery) or UDP (faster but not guaranteed).
Application Layer
Manages high-level protocols for tasks like email, file transfers, and encryption.
TCP
(Transmission Control Protocol)
Speed: Reliable but slower than UDP.
Uses: File transfers, email, web browsing.
Type: Connection-oriented.
UDP
(User Datagram Protocol)
Speed: Faster but less reliable.
Uses: Streaming, gaming, VoIP.
Type: Connectionless.
IPv4
Internet Protocol Version 4 for device communication.
Address assignment: static (manual) or dynamic (via DHCP).
A 32-bit addressing protocol for devices on a network.
IPv4 Addressing:
IPv4 is the most common IP addressing method.
Address format: Four decimal numbers separated by dots (dotted decimal notation), e.g., 192.168.1.1.
Each part (octet) represents an 8-bit binary number (0–255).
Binary Representation:
An IPv4 address consists of 32 bits (4 octets × 8 bits each).
Subnet masks determine the network and host portions of an address.
- Types: Public, Private, Loopback, APIPA.
Subnet Mask
- Define which part of the IP address represents the network and which represents the host.
- Example: Subnet mask 255.255.255.0 (binary: 11111111.11111111.11111111.00000000) means:
- Network portion: 192.168.1
- Host portion: .4
IPv4 Address Classes:
Class A: 1-127 (Default subnet mask: 255.0.0.0)
~16.7 million hosts per network.
Class B: 128-191 (Default subnet mask: 255.255.0.0)
~65,536 hosts per network.
Class C: 192-223 (Default subnet mask: 255.255.255.0)
~256 hosts per network.
Class D: 224-239 (Multicast addresses).
Class E: 240-255 (Experimental, not used publicly).
Subnetting:
- Splits large networks into smaller ones for better efficiency and management.
- Uses Classless Inter-Domain Routing (CIDR) notation, e.g., 192.168.1.1/24.
Private vs. Public IP Addresses:
Private IPs:
- Not routable over the Internet.
- Ranges:
Class A: 10.0.0.0–10.255.255.255
Class B: 172.16.0.0–172.31.255.255
Class C: 192.168.0.0–192.168.255.255
Public IPs:
- Routable over the Internet, assigned by ISPs.
- Addresses assigned for Internet use.
Specialized IPv4 Addresses
- Loopback
- APIPA
- DORA Process (Discover, Offer, Request, Acknowledge)
Loopback
- (127.0.0.1)
- Used for testing and troubleshooting network configurations.
APIPA
- Automatic private IP addresses
- (169.254.0.0–169.254.255.255)
- Self-assigns IP addresses from the 169.254.x.x range when DHCP is unavailable.
- Allows local communication but cannot access external networks due to the lack of a default gateway.
DORA Process
- (Discover, Offer, Request, Acknowledge)
- The four-step process used by DHCP to assign dynamic IP addresses.
IP Address Assignment
- Static Assignment
- Dynamic Assignment
Static Assignment
- Manual configuration of IP address settings for a device.
- IP address, subnet mask, default gateway, and DNS server are manually configured.
- Time-consuming and prone to errors, especially in large networks.
Dynamic Assignment
- Automatic allocation of IP address settings via protocols like DHCP, APIPA, or Zero-Config.
- Reduces errors and simplifies management.
Components of a Fully Configured Client
:
IP Address
Subnet Mask
Default Gateway
DNS Server
IP Address
Identifies the device on a network.
Subnet Mask
Separates the network and host portions of an IP address.
Default Gateway
The router’s IP address used to access external networks.
DNS Server
Resolves domain names into IP addresses
Zero-Config
Enhanced version of APIPA with additional features:
- mDNS (Multicast Domain Name Service) for resolving names to IPs without DNS.
- Service Discovery: Detects available devices (printers, scanners, etc.) on the network.
Implementations:
Apple: Bonjour.
Windows: LLMNR (Link Local Multicast Name Resolution).
Linux: Systemd-resolved.
BootP
- Bootstrap Protocol
- Predecessor to DHCP, introduced in 1985.
- Uses a static database of MAC-to-IP mappings, making it less dynamic than DHCP.
WINS:
Windows Internet Name Service, used for resolving NetBIOS names to IPs in Windows environments.
DHCP
- Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol
- Automates IP address assignment, reducing human errors and conflicts.
- Assigns IPs from a defined scope (range of valid IP addresses) to devices.
- Ensures no duplication of IPs through dynamic leasing.
DHCP Lease Process (D.O.R.A): Discover, Offer, Request, Acknowledge
DNS (Domain Name System)
- Translates human-readable domain names (e.g., example.com) into IP addresses (e.g., 192.168.1.1) and vice versa.
- Makes accessing web resources easier by using names instead of numeric IPs.
How DNS Works
- A user enters a domain name (e.g., example.com) into their browser.
- The computer contacts a DNS server to resolve the name to its corresponding IP address.
- The DNS server responds with the IP address, enabling the computer to connect to the web server.