Living Online Using Windows XP
IC3 Module C — Courseware 1118-1
© CCI LEARNING SOLUTIONS INC.
LIVING ONLINE 1103-0C
ii
MODULE C: PREFACE
Preface
This courseware is one in a series prepared by CCI Learning Solutions Inc. for use by students and instructors in courses on
computer software applications. CCI designed these materials to assist students and instructors in making the learning
process both effective and enjoyable.
CCI Learning Solutions Inc. would like to acknowledge the contributions of the instructors and consultants who have
worked with CCI Learning Solutions Inc. for their participation in the development of this courseware. We acknowledge the
financial support of the Government of Canada through the Book Publishing Industry Development Program for our
publishing activities.
In providing this courseware for the use of students and instructors, CCI does not intend to replace the user’s manuals and
other documentation supplied by the software manufacturer. The manufacturer’s documentation covers topics in more detail
than this courseware, and the material CCI provides is based on interpretation of available information at the time of
publication. It is therefore subject to change.
Courseware Developer & Managing Editor
Publishing Manager
Sue Wong
Kelly Hegedus
Technical Editor, Cover Design
Grammatical Proofreader
Bob Garnett
Lorraine Ambrosio
No portion of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means,
electronic, mechanical, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of CCI Learning Solutions Inc.
The information in this courseware is distributed on an “as is” basis, without warranty. While every precaution has been
taken in the preparation of this courseware, neither the author nor CCI Learning Solutions Inc. shall have any liability to any
person or entity with respect to any liability, loss, or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the
instructions contained in this courseware or by the computer software and hardware products described therein.
Any other brand name or product mentioned in this publication is a trademark or registered trademark of their respective
companies and are used for identification purposes only.
CCI Learning Solutions Inc.
Copyright 2002, 2003, 2004 CCI Learning Solutions Inc.
United States: 1-888-997-4224
ISBN: 1-55332-071-9
Canada: 1-800-668-1669
All rights reserved.
www.ccilearning.com
Printed in Canada.
The exercises in this courseware require you to use the data files provided for the book.
The data files can be downloaded from http://www.ccilearning.com/data. Complete instructions on
how to download the files are located on page viii.
LIVING ONLINE 1118-1
© CCI LEARNING SOLUTIONS INC.
About This Courseware
Approved by Certiport
We are pleased to announce that our courseware has been approved for the IC³ Certification. This book fulfills
the basic requirements for the Living Online IC³ exam; please refer to the IC³ Courseware Mapping at the back
of our book to see where the features are covered. What this means is that after completing the exercises in this
book, the user could be prepared to take the Living Online IC³ exam for the Internet and Computing Core
Certification Program. Passing these exams demonstrates a level of proficiency to employers and customers.
The exams are available through participating IQ test centers.
IC³ . . . What Is It?
IC³, or the Internet and Computing Core Certification program, is a global training and certification program
providing proof to the world that you are:
Equipped with the needed computer skills to excel in a digital world.
Capable of using a broad range of computer technology – from basic hardware and software, to operating
systems, applications and the internet.
Ready for what the work employers, colleges and universities want to throw your way.
Positioned to advance your career through additional computer certifications such as CompTIA’s A+, and
other desktop application exams.
IC³ . . . Why Do You Need It?
Employers, Colleges and Universities now understand that exposure to computers does not equal understanding
computers. So, more than ever, basic computer and Internet skills are being considered prerequisites for
employment and higher education.
This is Where IC³ Helps!
IC³provides specific guidelines for the knowledge and skills required to be a functional user of computer
hardware, software, networks, and the Internet. It does this through three exams:
Computing Fundamentals
Key Applications
Living Online
By passing the three IC³exams, you have initiated yourself into today’s digital world. You have also given
yourself a globally accepted and validated credential that provides the proof employers or higher education
institutions need.
To learn more about IC³, visit www.certiport.com/ic3
To find a testing center near you, visit www.certiport.com/iQcenterLocator
About Certiport:
Certiport, Inc. is the leading provider of global, performance-based certification programs and services designed
to enable individual success and lifetime advancement through certification. For more information about
Certiport’s offerings, visit www.certiport.com
Note: Certiport is a registered trademark of Certiport, Inc. in the United States and other countries.
© CCI LEARNING SOLUTIONS INC.
LIVING ONLINE 1118-1
Table of Contents
Preface
About This Courseware .................................................iii
Table of Contents .......................................................... iv
Courseware Conventions ............................................... vi
Courseware Setup......................................................... vii
Working With the Data Files ....................................... viii
Unit 1: Getting Connected
Lesson 1: Networking Fundamentals
Objectives....................................................................... 2
What is a Network? ........................................................ 2
Where the Personal Computer Fits.................................. 3
Networking Standards .................................................... 3
Connecting to a Network ................................................ 6
Benefits of Networking................................................... 9
Disadvantages of Networking ....................................... 11
Summary ...................................................................... 14
Review Questions......................................................... 14
Lesson 2: Looking at the Internet
Objectives..................................................................... 15
Introducing the Internet ................................................ 15
Connecting to the Internet............................................. 17
Recognizing Intranets and Extranets ............................. 22
Summary ...................................................................... 23
Review Questions......................................................... 24
Lesson 3: Understanding E-mail
Fundamentals
Objectives..................................................................... 25
What is Electronic Mail? .............................................. 25
Internal Mail................................................................. 26
Internet E-mail.............................................................. 26
Understanding an E-mail Address................................. 27
Looking at E-mail Message Components...................... 28
Using E-mail Options ................................................... 30
Using E-mail Appropriately.......................................... 34
Managing Spam............................................................ 37
Understanding Bad Netiquette ...................................... 38
Identifying Common E-mail Problems.......................... 39
Summary ...................................................................... 42
Review Questions......................................................... 42
Lesson 4: Using Microsoft Outlook Express
Objectives .................................................................... 44
What is Outlook Express?............................................. 44
Using the Folder List .................................................... 46
Sending Messages ........................................................ 47
Receiving Messages ..................................................... 52
Attaching Files ............................................................. 55
Managing Messages ..................................................... 61
Sorting Messages.......................................................... 62
Working with the Address Book................................... 71
Performing Some Maintenance..................................... 76
Summary ...................................................................... 84
Review Questions......................................................... 85
Lesson 7: The Risks of Computing
Objectives .................................................................. 178
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Unit 2: Using the Internet
Lesson 1: Getting Started
Objectives .................................................................... 88
Understanding Basic Terminology................................ 88
Understanding the World Wide Web ............................ 88
Using the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) ................ 90
Looking at the Home Page............................................ 91
Understanding the Domain Name Format..................... 92
Looking at Online Databases ........................................ 93
Identifying Other Elements........................................... 95
Summary ...................................................................... 97
Review Questions......................................................... 97
Lesson 2: Looking at Web Browsers
Objectives .................................................................... 98
Using a Web Browser................................................... 98
Looking at Mailing Lists............................................. 104
Subscribing to a Newsgroup (Usenet)......................... 106
Summary .................................................................... 108
Review Questions....................................................... 108
Lesson 3: Using Microsoft Internet Explorer
Objectives .................................................................. 110
Getting Started............................................................ 110
Looking at the Screen ................................................. 111
Summary .................................................................... 125
Review Questions....................................................... 126
Lesson 4: Using Information From the Web
Objectives .................................................................. 127
Retrieving Information from a Web Page ................... 127
Printing a Web Page ................................................... 132
Downloading Information........................................... 136
Customizing the Web Browser ................................... 139
Summary .................................................................... 142
Review Questions....................................................... 142
Lesson 5: Searching for Information
Objectives ................................................................. 143
“Surfing” the Internet ................................................. 143
Searching a Specific Web Site .................................... 144
Using Directories........................................................ 146
Using Portal Sites ....................................................... 148
Using Search Engine Technology ............................... 151
Narrowing the Search ................................................. 157
Using Boolean Terms ................................................. 161
Other Search Tools ..................................................... 166
Summary .................................................................... 168
Review Questions....................................................... 168
Lesson 6: Qualifying the Information
Objectives .................................................................. 169
Evaluating the Information ......................................... 169
Having an Impact on Society ...................................... 171
Benefits of Using Computers...................................... 175
Summary .................................................................... 176
Review Questions....................................................... 176
Appendices
© CCI LEARNING SOLUTIONS INC.
Protecting Your Data or Computer ..............................178
Understanding Data Security.......................................179
Establishing a Safe Working Environment ..................180
Using Ergonomics.......................................................180
Understanding Viruses ................................................182
Performing a Data Backup ..........................................186
Summary.....................................................................187
Review Questions........................................................187
Appendix A: Productivity Tools..................................A-1
Appendix B: Glossary of Terms ..................................B-1
Appendix C: Index ......................................................C-1
Appendix D: Courseware Mapping ............................ D-1
Lesson 8: Accessing the Internet in a Legal
& Safe Manner
Objectives ..................................................................189
Restricting Access.......................................................189
Recognizing Copyright Issues .....................................190
Identifying Ethical Issues ............................................191
Protecting Yourself .....................................................193
Keeping Up with Technology......................................196
Looking at Personal Responsibilities ...........................196
Summary.....................................................................197
Review Questions........................................................198
© CCI LEARNING SOLUTIONS INC.
LIVING ONLINE 1118-1
Courseware Conventions
The following conventions are used throughout the courseware:
Italic characters represent terms.
Bold characters represent menu options, menu choices or toolbar buttons.
The word “type” means to type: the indicated text
The text set in this typeface indicates text to be typed, for example the save as file name.
The word “press” means to press the specified
.
Instructions for exercises are in numbered steps.
The instructions throughout this courseware assume that you will be using a mouse.
Exercise text meant to be typed is typeset in this font. The Paragraph symbol (¶) is
used to indicate pressing the
key for the end of a paragraph or to leave a blank
line.¶
Using the Book
Course Length: This book contains information to cover all the objectives in the certification
program, with a number of exercises designed so that you can emphasize and reinforce concepts. It
has been designed to fit within a 15 to 20 hour course. Suggested timings have been provided with
each lesson as a guide; this will vary depending on the size of your class, the experience or skill level,
and the number of tools you may have available for specific topics.
Step by Step Process: Each concept covered in an application module has an accompanying step by
step exercise to demonstrate how the feature works. The exercises take users through each step of the
process to accomplish the task, with appropriate screen captures to show the progress.
This book provides a variety of ways to complete a task. Whenever you see this symbol, it shows another
method to complete that task or additional information you need to know about the feature or step. As you
learn each feature, oftentimes there are hints or tips you can use to accomplish the task faster or more
productively. Alternatively, this could be a warning or an extra point about the feature that may occur,
depending on what is happening on the computer.
Multiple Exercise Sets
Our books provide a variety of exercises to teach a concept. These exercises are set up in the
following method:
Exercise
Hands on, step by step exercises that guide students through procedures and commands.
They are presented immediately following a topic explanation and provide basic
instructions on the most productive method of using a feature.
Practice Exercise
Hands on, step by step guided exercises presented after an exercise. These exercises provide
extra practice and reinforcement or may present an alternative method of completing a task.
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© CCI LEARNING SOLUTIONS INC.
Courseware Setup
This courseware was developed using specific software and hardware configurations. In order to
complete this courseware, you will require the following minimum requirements:
Hardware Requirements
500 MHz or higher (1.2 GHz or higher recommended)
128 Mb RAM or higher (256 Mb or higher recommended)
Printer (user must have access rights to print documents)
300 Mb or higher free space on the hard drive
Mouse or other compatible pointing device
101 enhanced keyboard
In order to fully recognize some of the components that make up a computer, it is preferable to have
access to these actual components, wherever possible.
Software Requirements
Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP2
Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2900 or higher
Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0.2900 or higher
If you are using a lower version of Windows XP, you may not have the same screens or options as noted
in this courseware. The SP2 version of Windows XP has more and enhanced security features and as such,
will limit or restrict some of the features discussed in this courseware for living online.
The objectives outlined in each lesson can be achieved by properly using the material and exercises in
this courseware, and by paying close attention to your instructor. You should not hesitate to ask
questions if you have problems in working through the material.
A computer can be made up of a variety of components, some of which are either not discussed in
great detail or at all in this courseware. The objectives in the IC3 program are designed to provide you
with the basic fundamental knowledge for working with computers and achieve a digital literacy
competency. For more information about other computers or types of computers not discussed in this
courseware, please speak to your instructor for additional resources you can access.
Outlook Express and Internet Explorer are have more features than can be mastered in a single course.
This courseware presents a tremendous amount of material in a simple, easy-to-learn format and was
designed to teach digital literacy skills for living online. You should read ahead during the course; you
should also reread regularly. This will increase your retention of important concepts and skills, and
will help you cope with the size and power of these programs as you continue to learn.
This courseware assumes and requires that you have a good working knowledge of the PC and
Windows, as well as how to use a mouse and keyboard.
The explanations in this courseware are based on the default settings established during the
installation of the Microsoft Windows XP SP2 program. Your computer (or the computers in the
classroom lab) may be configured differently. If so, please check with your instructor, or consult the
Microsoft Windows User Guide or the Microsoft web site to change the setup.
© CCI LEARNING SOLUTIONS INC.
LIVING ONLINE 1118-1
Working With the Data Files
The exercises in this courseware require you to use the data files provided for the book. In order to
maximize the usage of these data files, it is recommended that you reserve a minimum of 50Mb of
space on your hard drive (or network, as applicable).
Follow these steps to download the Student Files from the CCI web site:
1
Navigate to http://www.ccilearning.com/data
2
Select the IC3 Module C Student Files 1118-1-student-data.exe file from the list of files. Click
the Download button.
3
Click Open in the File Download dialog box.
4
In the Winzip Self-Extractor dialog box that appears, use the Browse button to specify the
Windows Desktop as the location to unzip the file and click Unzip.
5
The IC3 Mod C Files folder, containing the required Student work files, has now been
downloaded to your desktop.
You can reinstall and use the work files as many times as you like.
All student data files have been checked for viruses at the time of development. The courseware
developer is not responsible for any virus infection that may occur as a result of the customer or
distribution channel manipulation. Please ensure your anti-virus software is current with the latest virus
pattern to prevent new viruses from infecting the system.
LIVING ONLINE 1118-1
© CCI LEARNING SOLUTIONS INC.
Unit 1: Getting Connected
This unit will introduce you to some of the common terminology
and tasks associated with going “online”. You will begin with a
look at what networks are, how they can connect you to others
either in the office or off-site, and how to use e-mail to
communicate.
Lesson
1
2
3
4
© CCI LEARNING SOLUTIONS INC.
Topic
Networking Fundamentals
Looking at the Internet
Understanding E-mail Fundamentals
Using Microsoft Outlook Express
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USING THE INTERNET
Lesson 1: Networking Fundamentals
Objectives
Suggested Timing: 1 Hour
In this lesson you will look at what a network is and how it relates to “living online”. On successful completion,
you will be familiar with the following concepts:
What a network is
Network standards
Different types of networks
What’s required to connect to a network
Advantages and disadvantages of being connected
to a network
What is a Network?
1.1.1
1.1.2
A network in simple terms exists whenever two or more computers are connected together for the
purpose of sharing resources and information. A network can be as small as two computers in a home,
or as large as a company that has branches around the world.
Living online refers to the process of being able to connect to the Internet and find information
whenever it is needed. The Internet is a “living” network of resources where you can communicate
with others online to find new, updated, or archival information.
Resources
Resource
Local Area Network
Internet
User
User
User
User
As a user living online, you can access the many resources, as well as communicate with other users
connected, via the Internet.
A related scenario is the local area network (LAN). Many companies or organizations have an internal
computer network that allows users to access internal company resources and to communicate with
other employees. The LAN is typically also connected to the Internet.
1.1.3
Computers that connect to a network can be any type of computer from a mainframe to a PC or an
Apple desktop or notebook to a PDA or cell phone. Each computer could be configured with a
different operating system as well. There are no restrictions other than having the network software
understand the protocol or rules and language needed to recognize the computer type and its operating
system. For simplicity purpose in this courseware, we use the PC as our model for how a computer
connects to a network. This model will reflect the standard guidelines for connecting any computer to
a network, regardless of the type of computer it is; the differences will lie in the technology required to
match the protocol needed to connect to a network such as notebook or desktop model, PC or Apple or
mainframe, cable or wireless, etc.
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© CCI LEARNING SOLUTIONS INC.
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Where the Personal Computer Fits
1.1.2
The personal computer (PC) is the most commonly used tool to connect to a network. Before dealing
with networking, consider how the PC communicates with the outside world. The PC is shown
schematically here:
The microprocessor chip is the “brains” of the PC. It
communicates with the other components (like the
memory or the disk) of the PC via an internal
connecting device called a “bus”.
To communicate with external devices such as
printers and scanners, the PC needs an interface
card. Most PCs will have a number of empty “slots”
where you can plug interface cards, depending on
what types of external devices you intend to use. The
interface cards have connectors that you can see at
the back of your computer.
If you want to connect your PC to a network, you
need an interface card appropriate for the type of
network, suitable cable, and appropriate software.
Networking Standards
1.1.2
When you interconnect two or more computers so that they can communicate and share resources, you
have established a network.
Imagine attending a meeting where everybody spoke at the same time, in different languages, and
about different subjects — confusion would reign! For meetings to be effective, they need to adhere to
an agreed-upon protocol or set of rules.
Protocols also make networking possible. There are rules governing the type of cables, interface cards,
and electrical signal format. The Ethernet cabling standard is an example of this type of protocol and
is very popular for office and home networks.
There are also protocols governing how information will flow between computers on a network. These
are called transport protocols which will determine:
the way a computer indicates it needs to send information over the network
how the receiving computer checks that the information was received correctly
how the sending computer must address (label) the information so it goes to the correct
destination computer
Application level protocols determine how a program on one computer communicates with a program
on another computer. An example of this is the browser program on your computer “talking” to the
web program on the web server computer. They will “talk” using the hypertext transfer protocol
(http).
The basic concepts of networking are not very difficult to understand. The networking standards that
have evolved since the introduction of the PC have made networking easier and more affordable.
There are a number of different ways that networks can be set up and configured that go beyond the
scope of this courseware. The most common types of networks are discussed here.
© CCI LEARNING SOLUTIONS INC.
LIVING ONLINE 1118-1
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USING THE INTERNET
Peer-to-Peer Networks
1.1.1
1.1.3
Peer-to-peer networks are inexpensive and easy to put together. They are ideal for home and small
office networks. The network is called peer-to-peer because all computers have equal authority — no
single computer controls the network.
Any computer can share its resources (e.g., hard
drive, printers, etc.) with other computers on the
network. For example, computer C can declare its
high speed color printer as a shared resource. Then
when computer A wants to print a document, the
high speed color printer will appear in the list of
available printers almost as if it were connected
directly to computer A.
The peer-to-peer protocols were included starting with the Microsoft Windows 95/98/ME operating
systems. There are also several proprietary peer-to-peer network systems available. Windows NT (or
higher) has a network component built in that uses more complex protocols to connect computers.
Client-Server Networks
Client-Server networks are typical for larger networks. One computer, called the network server, is
dedicated to controlling network traffic and managing the resources.
1.1.3
This type of network provides better performance
and security than a peer-to-peer network because
the server controls who can access what resources
and when. It is also considered a central server as
all files used by the company may be stored here
for an employee to access from anywhere in the
world. The server is called a network node.
For instance, the above diagram is an example of a simple client-server network. Assume one user is
in the Accounting department and the other is in the Warehouse. With the appropriate access to the
server, both users can print their individual reports on the printer located at the back of the office on
the second floor. They can also access a vacation request form designed for all employees stored on
the server.
The accounting software that both of these departments use is also installed on the server; however,
the Accounting user may have access to all the modules of the accounting program whereas the
Warehouse user may only have access to the Inventory module. The Disk object in the diagram might
represent a backup device that performs a daily backup of all the company data, regardless of which
department entered the information or when it was entered.
Popular server network software systems include:
Unix
Novell Netware
Microsoft Windows Server
The server can essentially be a mainframe, minicomputer, Unix workstation or very powerful PC; it
must also have the server software installed, with the users clearly identified and access rights set up.
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© CCI LEARNING SOLUTIONS INC.
USING THE INTERNET
5
The client computer can be any type of computer that has a network card and appropriate software to
connect to recognize the server. Many larger companies have a mixture of PCs and Macintosh
computers connected to their network; all users share the information from the same server even
though the protocol to connect that computer to the server may differ. The sales people may also use
notebooks with wireless network cards and be able to retrieve e-mail even though they are making
customer visits outside of the office.
LANs and WANs
1.1.2
What is the difference between a local area network (LAN) and a wide area network (WAN)? The
same networking concepts discussed previously apply to both LANs and WANs. The difference lies in
who is responsible for the cabling.
A company or organization can do the network cabling within its own building, but are not allowed to
install cabling that will cross a public street. That is the responsibility of the public authorities —
usually the local telephone company.
As long as a network stays within a building it is referred to as a LAN. If the network crosses a public
street and makes use of publicly-supplied cabling for part of the network, it is referred to as a WAN.
The following diagram shows two computers in different buildings connected in a network to form a
simple WAN.
All networks require additional network devices. These will be discussed shortly.
When a computer or a LAN is connected to another computer or LAN in another city, or even another
country, it becomes too complex to show the public portion of the WAN. It is frequently represented
schematically by a “cloud”:
The public network, or cloud, will consist of many nodes.
© CCI LEARNING SOLUTIONS INC.
LIVING ONLINE 1118-1
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USING THE INTERNET
Connecting to a Network
1.1.1
1.1.3
There are standard network devices that facilitate putting a network together. Even the cabling comes
in standard lengths complete with appropriate connectors. So putting a network together is almost like
connecting a number of “boxes” together. Which options, devices, or software you use depends on the
needs and requirements for the network. The following information and diagrams discuss how a
computer can be connected to a network that is within close distance to each other such as an office or
home. You can also connect to a network via a modem such as connecting to the Internet from your
home computer or from your Pocket PC.
Connection/Cabling Options
There is a variety of connection or cabling options available to access information to or from a
network. Newer connection types allow the data to be transferred between a computer and the network
to flow much faster; with the costs of these connection types dropping significantly, more people are
choosing to either set up or switch to a faster connection method. Some of the more popular
connection options include:
Coaxial
This is a wire with a center wire surrounded with insulation and then a grounded
cover of braided wire to minimize electrical and radio frequency interference. This
cable type used to be the main type of cable used for company networks or television
transmission, with most company networks using Ethernet specifications in their
network configuration.
Fiber Optics
A fiber optic cable is made up of bundled glass or plastic fibers (threads) to transmit
data. This option is generally faster than coaxial cable as it has a much larger
bandwidth for transmitting data and is much less susceptible to interference that
occurs with metal cables.
Broadband
This type of data transmission is a single wire that can handle multiple paths or
channels. These paths or channels are essentially from one connection to another. For
example, the connection at the back of your computer is one end of a path and the
network is the other end of that path; each computer in the company has its own
channel to the network. Having a broadband connection allows a faster transmission
of data as the network can then handle multiple channels at one time.
Wireless
This is quickly becoming the connection option of choice as it does not require any
cables to be set in your home or office. There currently are three types of connections
available for a specific use: cell phone, home, and office. In order to be connected in a
wireless environment, each computer must have a network card with a wireless
interface and an access point. Wireless devices work with radio frequencies for data
transmission.
Infrared
This wireless option works with infrared light waves in order to transmit data. Some
newer devices such as printers have an infrared device installed which then allows
you to print a document to that printer provided you have an infrared wireless
network card installed on your notebook. The one downside to using infrared is that
the amount of distance between the two devices is less than using a wireless device
that works with radio frequencies.
The Network Interface Card (NIC)
The PC talks to the external world via interface cards. To connect to a network, the PC must have a
network interface card (NIC). Each NIC has a unique number or address and will have a connector
(visible at the rear of the computer) that is appropriate for the type of cabling chosen.
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USING THE INTERNET
Network cards come in a variety of styles and models that are appropriate for the computer type being
connected to the network.
Wireless PC NIC
Internal PC NIC
Wireless Apple Notebook NIC
Wireless PC Notebook NIC
Cell Phone NIC
Wireless PDA NIC
The Hub
Hubs are used to connect PCs together to
form a network. The diagram at the right
shows a four port (connector) hub for a
LAN.
A cable from the NIC in each PC connects
to a port on the hub. A cable from the hub
will also be required to connect to the
network. Hubs are relatively inexpensive to
purchase
and
install.
The
main
disadvantage of a hub is that all users
connected to a hub share equal maximum
transfer speed. For example, if the
bandwidth (speed) of the network
connection is 100 Megabits per second
(Mbps), each user in this diagram would
have a maximum connection speed of 25
Mbps.
© CCI LEARNING SOLUTIONS INC.
HUB
Each port shares a
portion of total
Bandwidth
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Network Segments
If a network has two (or more) network interface cards, each card is considered a segment. For
example, if a company occupies more than three floors in a building, a segment may be set up for each
department regardless of their location, for everyone on a particular floor, or the type of data that is
processed on that floor. Segments allow network traffic to flow faster, depending on which devices are
used to manage the amount of requests at the network.
The Bridge
A bridge is used to connect these network segments
to handle network requests. Bridges do not analyze
or re-route messages which makes receiving the
information faster. However, a bridge will not reroute or re-transmit information if anything is wrong
with the connection at either end, until it has received
the first transmission completely.
The Router
Routers work similar to bridges except they examine the destination address of the information and
pass it on the appropriate segment(s) only. For instance, when a message is received externally, when
it reaches the network server, the router will analyze the message and route it to the appropriate
recipients, if valid on the network. By the same token, if messages are sent externally via the Internet,
the router will check to ensure the information is addressed correctly when leaving the server and
forward it to the appropriate server to manage that message.
Bridges may be faster than routers but as noted, they will not check the information coming in; the
message coming in would be sent to everyone on the network, not just specific recipients.
When installing a wireless router to your network, be sure to set up the encryption (password) security
options to prevent unauthorized access from external sources using your connection to go online to the
Internet.
The Switch
SWITCH
A switch works similar to a hub except that each user
connected to the switch has access to the full
bandwidth. For instance, if the bandwidth was
100Mbits, every user on the switch would have a
connection speed to the network of 100Mbits.
Switches can also be used to join network segments.
Each port uses the
total Bandwidth
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The Firewall
The firewall can be a physical device or specialized software installed to prevent any unauthorized
external access into any network that is connected to the Internet. The firewall is designed to check
any messages that travel through the network and ensure it matches the specified security requirements
(criteria) set up by the company. If the message does not meet those security requirements, it is then
blocked from entering or exiting the network. This can be especially useful against any viruses
attached to a message.
The diagram here shows an example of firewall software that was installed on a computer dedicated
for that purpose. Depending on the network configuration, the firewall software may be installed with
the router or on individual computers (home computer).
Benefits of Networking
Networking does not make the individual workstations faster or more powerful! The benefits of
networking fall into two main categories, communication and sharing of resources.
1.1.4
Communicating
If you want to send information generated on a stand-alone PC to someone else, you would have to put
the information on a portable disk. Then you would have to physically carry or mail the disk to the
other person. By contrast, users on a network can send the information electronically.
Another advantage of using networks for communicating is that a message can be stored on the
network and is not lost if the recipient isn’t available at the time the message is sent. This is
particularly useful when you need to communicate with a person in another time zone and don’t know
when that person will connect to the Internet to retrieve their messages. This is much more cost
efficient than calling long distance. For instance, you may want a progress report on how negotiations
are going on a prospective deal in Europe as you would like to report on it in the Sales Meeting next
Monday morning. You can send a message to the sales person in Europe requesting an update by
Friday and they can send you a response within the next two days. This is less costly and time
consuming than determining the appropriate time frame to call Europe and trying to reach the sales
person directly.
Many communication software programs contain a feature that allows users to instantly message
someone else without having to use the electronic mail (e-mail) portion of the communication
software. When using messages, you often do not get a response to the message until the recipient
replies. Instant messaging allows for “real time interaction”, similar to having a conversation with
someone in front of you. Provided all users are connected to the same network, multiple users can
participate in the same conversation. This can be very advantageous when several users need to
discuss the status of a project and each user is at a different location. There are some limitations of
using instant messaging but these can be minor issues for being able to communicate with each other
in real time.
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Sharing Devices
Some devices like a high speed color printer or an all-in-one printer can be expensive to set up on
every PC, especially if individual users will only need it occasionally. Networking allows such devices
to be shared; this can be a cost savings to the company as they don’t need to buy a device for every
system as well as saving time for technical support or maintenance.
Connecting devices that need to be shared by multiple users via the network allows the network
administrator to perform updates or troubleshoot problems from the server location. If further action is
required, technical support can then move to the location where the actual equipment resides.
Sharing Information
When people work together, they need access to common information. In a stand-alone PC
environment, the information has to be duplicated on every computer. This duplication leads to
unnecessary work, potential errors and conflicts of version, i.e., which document is the latest valid
version? In any network environment, files or folders on any disk can be set up to be shared by that
user. Other users can then access that information (provided the user has turned on their PC).
Whenever a group of people want to share information, it is referred to as a workgroup. This term is
generally used for a group of users who need to share business documents although any group of users
who need to share information for a workgroup will transfer or save their files to a common network.
This common network then becomes a centralized server for those who need information stored on the
network, e.g., business documents, software applications, templates, etc. As a central area for required
resources, the server has control over which files are accessed and which users can use those files.
This can assist to manage the files and number of requests from users on the network.
A common network can be extremely helpful to the network administrator for setting up rights or
performing maintenance for the workgroups. For instance, a workgroup can consist of all the sales and
marketing staff who need access to the contact management database stored on the server. They also
want access to the accounting program so they can input or check orders and run daily sales reports.
Instead of having to set this up on every computer for all the sales and marketing staff, the network
administrator can set up a workgroup with these staff member names and then assign rights to the
appropriate software programs. Whenever one of these members logs in, they have the same rights as
everyone else in that group. If a new employee is added to the Sales department, the network
administrator needs only to add this new employee’s user name to the workgroup and they will
automatically have the same access rights as any other sales member.
Using Dedicated Servers
A dedicated server is a computer that provides a specialized service. Because the server is dedicated to
a specialized service, they can do the job better and faster than a general purpose PC. Such servers
tend to be more expensive than regular PCs but this may be due to the specifications required to
handle the task, e.g., very large hard drive, backup drive included, etc. The biggest advantage of
dedicating a server for a specific purpose is that it allows anyone with proper access to this server to
enter, view, manipulate, or print the information on this server.
Network
A client-server LAN uses a network server to control network traffic and security. The
server manages the network and is referred to as the network node. Depending on the
size of a company, the network server may also perform the same tasks and contain the
same information as a file or database server.
File
A high speed, high capacity hard drive. The server is usually equipped with back-up
facilities. File servers are used for the company’s common information or sensitive
information that needs to be backed up regularly, e.g., designs for products, daily
correspondence, etc.
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