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by sanitychickrl

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I've been given a project for a company that I just started working with, can anyone suggest how I should write a memo to my instructor discussing the proposed network cable system.

Here are what the company has:

2 Servers - 1 for faculty & administration & 1 for computer labs (there is 2 labs)

To save wiring costs, they use ThinNet (10base2) in the computer lab.

Plans on having the lab Netware server located in the computer room & connecting it to a repeater in the Lab 1 & one for the pc's in Lab 2.

2 Netware servers will be internet-worked using a bridge or router located in the computer room.

The labs will be connected with either a ring or star topology connected to the faculty & staff computers to the faculty/admin NetWare server which is located in the computer room.

Which network system should I use? 10BaseT, 100BaseTX, wireless or IBM token ring systems?

How would i document a network layout that shows the cabling necessary to implement a UTP star network for the Admin offices and the lab computers? because 10BaseT, 100baseTX, and IBM token ring can all use category 5 twisted pair cable (with 4 pairs of wires).

Also a linear bus network will be used for the computers in LabA & B.

I hope you can help me out.

Thanks

8 replies

by joseph moore

Sounds like a job for Visio, if you ask me.
Visio has stencils for each piece of equipment you mentioned, both physical and logical.

by mshavrov

If this question would sound 7-10 years ago, it would be understandable, but not now... :-) And I doubt that 10Base2 wiring gives you savings. I haven't seen BNC NICs for at least 6-7 years, and all I saw were ISA (not PCI). So, I would recommend you to think about upgrade up there. But if you will decide to keep Coax cable in Labs, you should use some kind of media converter to connect to Admin office. Also, keep in mind that recommended number of PCs on 10Base2 segment shouldn't exceed 30 devices.

I don't recommend to start new installation with Token Ring. Even thought they tell about "100 Mbps Token Ring", this technology is dying. Sure, you may save a lot buying used Token Ring cards and MAUs on eBay, but it does not worth that money.

UTP cabling (Cat5e Twisted Pair) is most wide used technology for today and it is supported by both, old 10BaseT and 100BaseT equipment.

Selection of network switch or hub really depend on your budget. You may buy brandname hub or third-part switch for same price. Switch will give you better performance because of it's nature. And if distance between your Labs and Servers is not too big, you may even connect them to one device. But least you can do - buy 10/100 switch and upgrade yourservers to 100 Mbps. Just imagine, that you have, for example, 50 users, who have, for example, 10Mbps connection and all of them try to access server, which has 10Mbps connection too... :-(

And about layout design... I agree, that Visio is greattool, but you should have WHAT to draw in your head before you will start Visio. It will not do design and planning for you. :-)

If you have more questions, contact me through e-mail.

Good luck,

Michael Shavrov
CCNA, CCDA, CSS1, MCSE+I, SCSA, CCSA.

by erikdr

Okay, answer 1 covers a drawing technique which is fine.
Network system: definitely not token ring, even IBM itself is slowly phasing that out.
Wireless _only_ if it is cheaper than fixed including planned periodic removal/restructuring costs. Do include encryption of the wireless traffic. In your situation, doubtful whether you can make this cheaper than fixed.
Which leaves you with good old 10Base or 100Base. When you use a switch instead of a hub (price difference has become quite small) a mixture of these will do; 100 to servers and 10 to most workstations. However for new cards and cables, usually 100 is as cheap as 10.

Hope this helps a bit,

- The Netherlands

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