The purpose of this lab is to gain familiarity and experience with
local area networks (LANs). LANs enable end hosts that are in
relatively close proximity (e.g., in a lab, or on the floor of a
building) to communicate. LAN communication takes place at the data
link layer (layer 2 of the protocol stack). There are a number of
data link layer protocols, but Ethernet is the most widely used
example.
Students will be introduced to the basic concepts of local area
networks in this lab by building a shared medium, single segment
network. Students will also be introduced to widely used switched
Ethernet LAN technology, some of the problems that can occur in
switched Ethernet LANs, and how these environments are scaled to
connect larger numbers of end hosts.
This lab will be conducted entirely via Schooner. This lab will be
about the same level of complexity as Lab #2 so please start early.
Lab #3 will be the only lab in which LANs and Ethernet are covered, so
if you would like to experiment with LANs in other ways, please see
Prof. Barford for ideas.
