Telecommunications and Networking Cabling Media Information Technology Lesson Plan Performance Objective Upon completion of this lesson, the student will demonstrate an understanding of the common network cabling media, their strengths, and limitations. Specific Objective Students will be able to correctly differentiate between different types of network cabling Students will be able to assemble a straight through cable. Students will be able to assemble a crossover cable. Terms Baseband Bandwidth UTP cable STP cable Coaxial cable Fiber-optic Time This lesson should take approximately 15 60-90 minute class periods to teach (three weeks). Preparation TEKS Correlations: This lesson, as published, correlates to the following TEKS. Any changes/alterations to the activities may result in the elimination of any or all of the TEKS listed. 130.274. Telecommunications and Networking c) Knowledge and skills. (1) The student demonstrates the necessary skills for career development, employability, and successful completion of course outcomes. The student is expected to: 1
(E) solve problems and think critically The student analyzes various types of configurations and upgrading. 5) The student analyzes various types of configurations and upgrading (C) distinguish between different types of cables used in the telecommunication and data networking Occupational Correlation (O*Net www.onetonline.org/): Job Title: Network and Computer Systems Administrators O*Net Number: 15-1142.00 Reported Job Titles: Systems Administrator, Network Administrator, Network Engineer, Information Technology Director (IT Director), Systems Engineer, Network Manager, Network Specialist Tasks: Maintain and administer computer networks and related computing environments including computer hardware, systems software, applications software, and all configurations. Diagnose, troubleshoot, and resolve hardware, software, or other network and system problems, and replace defective components when necessary. Operate master consoles to monitor the performance of computer systems and networks, and to coordinate computer network access and use. Design, configure, and test computer hardware, networking software and operating system software. Monitor network performance to determine whether adjustments need to be made, and to determine where changes will need to be made in the future. Soft Skills: Active Listening, Speaking, Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself and others Accommodations for Learning Differences It is important that lessons accommodate the needs of every learner. These lessons may be modified to accommodate your students with learning differences by referring to the files found on the Special Populations page of this website. 2
Preparation Students should have a basic understanding of topologies Review and familiarize yourself with the terminology, and all aspects of network cabling Review slide presentation: Cabling Media Have materials and websites ready to go prior to the start of the lesson each day References Writer knowledge Instructional Aids Instructor computer or projection Unit Lesson: Network Cabling Media Slide Presentation: Networking Cabling Media Computers for student Internet research Samples of the following types of cables and their associated connectors o Standard telephone line o Coaxial o Cat5 o Fiber-optic Enough materials for each student to successfully make at least one standard patch cables o RJ-45 connectors o UTP/STP cable o RJ-45 Crimps o Cable tester Computers with Internet access for student research Activity 1: Cabling Chart o Sample chart for instructor Activity 2: Cabling Quiz o Answer key for instructor Activity 3: The Grand Tour o Activity 3: The Grand Tour Instructor Instructions Activity 4: Let s Go Shopping Student Instructions o Quote sheet o Activity 4: Let s Go Shopping Instructions for instructor Activity 5: Building a Network Patch Cable o Activity 5: Building a Network Patch Cable Grading Rubric 3
Introduction Say: This portion of the course will give us an opportunity to look more in-depth at a fundamental element of networks that many people overlook completely. This is because we so rarely notice it when it is handled properly, but it becomes very obvious when it has not been handled correctly. Look around you and tell me some of the components you may or may not see that are fundamental to the operation of networks. [Give the students an opportunity to point out various network components and see if any of them come up with cabling as an answer.] If students do arrive at cabling: Say: Very good!! Cabling forms the backbone of every network and without it all communications would fail. Even wireless access points have to be connected to a network so they can transmit their wireless signals and grant access to the network, or Internet. We are now going to learn about different types of network cables, their advantages, disadvantages, and limitations. You ll even get the opportunity to make your own network cable before we are done. Begin slide show. If students do not arrive at cabling as an answer: Say: I noticed that you missed the one component that we re going to talk about today cabling. Can you have network communications without some transmission cable somewhere being physically connected to something else (other than the power cable that is)? Even wireless access points have to be connected to a network so they can transmit their wireless signals and grant access to the network/internet. We are now going to learn about different types of network cables, their advantages, disadvantages, and limitations. You ll even get the opportunity to make your own network cable before we are done. Begin slide show. 4
MI Outline Outline I. Slide Presentation Cabling Media Instructor Notes Use a projection system to view Cabling Media presentation with the class II. Activity 1: Cabling Chart III. Activity 2: Cabling Quiz Have students take notes and encourage them to ask questions during the presentation portion of the lesson IV. Activity 3: The Grand Tour V. Activity 4: Let s Go Shopping VI. Activity 5: Building a Network Patch Cable Straight Through Activities 1 5 are fairly selfexplanatory within their instructions. Pace the activities for the talents of the class but plan on being able to fully complete all activities within a two-week time frame. VII. Activity 6: Building a Network Patch Cable Crossover Cable Multiple Intelligences Guide Existentialist Interpersonal Intrapersonal Kinesthetic/ Bodily Logical/ Mathematical Musical/ Rhythmic Naturalist Verbal/ Linguistic Visual/ Spatial 5
Application Guided Practice Slide presentation: Encourage students to take notes. Encourage dialog with students about the material in the presentation. Identify and explain terms. You may choose to allow students to find creative ways to quiz each other (in teams or small groups). Independent Practice Activity 1: Cabling Chart Activity 2: Cabling Quiz Activity 3: The Grand Tour Activity 4: Let s Go Shopping Activity 5: Building a Network Patch Cable Summary Review Have students refer to their notes and review terms from the slide presentation on Cabling Media. Discuss how their new understanding of cabling media can help them in the network design process. Evaluation Informal Assessment Observe student participation and note-taking during the slide presentations The Instructor should move around the room and assist students as they work on assignments and activities Formal Assessment Students will complete the following assignments: o Activity 2: Cabling Quiz o Activity 5: Building a Network Patch Cable 6
Enrichment Extension Students may further investigate newer types of cabling media such as Cat8 and the record breaking speeds we are now seeing with fiber-optics. 7
Activity 1: Cabling Chart You have studied and taken notes over multiple types of network media. You are now ready to build a study chart describing the major features of each type of cable mentioned along with one additional cable type you find on the Internet. Create your chart using a spreadsheet program. Use appropriate column headings and cable names. Include bandwidth, segment length, and common types of networks the cable is used in. Ex: Cable Type Bandwidth Segment Length Topologies Cat1 1MHz 500m Ring Note: You may not use the above example in your study chart. 8
SAMPLE Activity 1: Cabling Chart Speed Signal Type Max Segment Length Node Limit Topology Cable Type 10BaseT 10Mbps Baseband 100 Meters 1024 per Hub Star-bus (Physical star paired with a logical bus) Cat3 or higher with RJ-45 connectors 100BaseT4 100Mbps Baseband 100 Meters 1024 per Hub Star-bus Cat3 or higher with RJ-45 connectors 100BaseTX 100Mbps Baseband 2 Kilometers 1024 per Hub Star-bus Cat5(e) or higher with RJ-45 connectors 100BaseFX 100Mbps Baseband 2 Kilometers 1024 per Hub Star-bus Multimode fiber with ST or SC connectors 9
Name: Activity 2: CABLING QUIZ 1. What kind of cable is described as a central conductor wire, surrounded by insulating materials, placed inside a braided metal shield? A. unshielded twisted pair B. coaxial C. shielded twisted pair D. fiber-optic 2. What is the most common use of coaxial cable in networking today? A. connecting computers in a small network B. connecting two computers in a point-to-point connection C. connecting a cable modem to an Internet Service Provider (ISP) D. in a multipoint connection 3. What is the only important measure of coax cabling? A. RG rating B. Ohm rating C. length D. amps 4. What is the minimum category rating of UTP cabling you would need for a network that runs at 1000 Mbps? A. CAT1 B. CAT2 C. CAT5 D. CAT5e 5. What distance can a signal travel on a fiber-optic cable? A. 500 meters B. 1 kilometer C. 1000 meters D. tens of kilometers 6. What type of fiber-optic cable uses lasers to send signals? A. single-mode B. multimode C. CAT6 D. STP 10
7. Which of the following cable types does NOT use copper wires? A. coax B. STP C. UTP D. fiber-optic 8. What rating defines how much a cable resists the flow of electricity? A. category rating B. number of twisted pairs C. Ohm rating D. RG rating 9. UTP category ratings are based on what? A. The highest frequency and bandwidth that the cable can handle B. The maximum length of the cable segments C. The number of devices that can be used on a network D. The IEEE 802 standards 10. Of the following, which is the fastest category of UTP cabling? A. CAT5 B. CAT3 C. CAT5e D. CAT6 11. Which kind of cable does not provide any protection against EMI? A. UTP B. STP C. fiber D. coax 12. Which of the following is NOT an advantage of UTP cabling? A. It is inexpensive. B. It is easy to install. C. It is not susceptible to electro-magnetic interference. D. It provides protection against crosstalk. 13. Which kind of cable works best for long-distance transmissions? A. coax B. UTP C. STP D. fiber-optic 11
14. Which connector is used for UTP cabling on a network? A. RF-11 B. BNC C. RS-232 D. RJ-45 12
Name: ANSWER KEY 7pts Each Activity 2: CABLING QUIZ 1. What kind of cable is described as a central conductor wire, surrounded by insulating materials, placed inside a braided metal shield? A. unshielded twisted pair B. coaxial C. shielded twisted pair D. fiber-optic 2. What is the most common use of coaxial cable in networking today? A. connecting computers in a small network B. connecting two computers in a point-to-point connection C. connecting a cable modem to an Internet Service Provider (ISP) D. in a multipoint connection 3. What is the only important measure of coax cabling? A. RG rating B. Ohm rating C. length D. amps 4. What is the minimum category rating of UTP cabling you would need for a network that runs at 1000 Mbps? A. CAT1 B. CAT2 C. CAT5 D. CAT5e 5. What distance can a signal travel on a fiber-optic cable? A. 500 meters B. 1 kilometer C. 1000 meters D. tens of kilometers 6. What type of fiber-optic cable uses lasers to send signals? A. single-mode B. multimode C. CAT6 D. STP 13
7. Which of the following cable types does NOT use copper wires? A. coax B. STP C. UTP D. fiber-optic 8. What rating defines how much a cable resists the flow of electricity? A. category rating B. number of twisted pairs C. Ohm rating D. RG rating 9. UTP category ratings are based on what? A. The highest frequency and bandwidth that the cable can handle B. The maximum length of the cable segments C. The number of devices that can be used on a network D. The IEEE 802 standards 10. Of the following, which is the fastest category of UTP cabling? A. CAT5 B. CAT3 C. CAT5e D. CAT6 11. Which kind of cable does not provide any protection against EMI? A. UTP B. STP C. fiber D. coax 12. Which of the following is NOT an advantage of UTP cabling? A. It is inexpensive. B. It is easy to install. C. It is not susceptible to electro-magnetic interference. D. It provides protection against crosstalk. 13. Which kind of cable works best for long-distance transmissions? A. coax B. UTP C. STP D. fiber-optic 14
14. Which connector is used for UTP cabling on a network? A. RF-11 B. BNC C. RS-232 D. RJ-45 15
Activity 3: The Grand Tour Student Instructions For this activity you are going to compose a letter to the network administrator of your school district or a local telecommunications company. 1. Introduce yourself as a networking student at the beginning of the letter. Ask if the company ever gives tours or holds open houses for the public. Close the letter by thanking the person reading it for his or her time. Make sure to spell-check the letter and have your teacher proof-read it. 2. Prepare a list of five questions you would ask the network administrator regarding cabling, connections, and other network hardware. 3. Prepare a thank-you not in advance for having been allowed to participate in a tour (as described in step one). Mention some of the items you observed during your visit. If you might be interested in seeking employment at their facility mention it and ask about steps you would need to take to prepare for such a position. 16
Activity 3: The Grand Tour Instructor Instructions For this activity students are going to compose a letter to the network administrator of your school district or a local telecommunications company. 1. Introduce yourself as a networking student at the beginning of the letter. Ask if the company ever gives tours or holds open houses for the public. Close the letter by thanking the person reading it for his or her time. Make sure to spell-check the letter and have your teacher proof-read it. 2. Prepare a list of five questions you would ask the network administrator regarding cabling, connections, and other network hardware. 3. Prepare a thank-you note in advance for having been allowed to participate in a tour (as described in step one). Mention some of the items you observed during your visit. If you might be interested in seeking employment at their facility mention it and ask about steps you would need to take to prepare for such a position including any required credentials e.g certifications and degrees. Once all the students have completed their letter in step one read the letters to the class. Have students choose the letter they feel best represents their thoughts. Mail the letter on behalf of the class to the network administrator of your choice. Have the students compare the questions they created in step two. You can do this by putting the questions into a spreadsheet and displaying it on a projector. Eliminate repeated questions and have each student select at least one question from the remaining question bank that they can ask the network administrator should they be invited to tour the facility and or business you chose. If you are invited to a tour with a network administrator have each student review their thank you note and make adjustments as needed to reflect the new information they learned on the tour. Have them mail the thank you notes to the network administrator. 17
Activity 4: Let s Go Shopping This is a group activity. You may choose to work either alone or in pairs. You will need Internet access to complete this activity. Fly By Night Inc. has asked you to develop a quote for a new network segment they need implemented as soon as possible. They want data speeds in excess of 1000Mbps. They need to connect 24 computers to a new switch which also needs to be purchased. The maximum cable length for each computer will be 30 meters. Based on their needs develop a quote for Fly By Night. Things to consider: What type of cabling and connectors (UTP/STP, or maybe Fiber?) How many connectors? How much cable? What type of switch? Shipping and handling fees Be prepared to justify your decisions to the class. 18
Name/s: Activity 4: Quote Sheet for Let s Go Shopping Item Description Quantity Individual Price Total Price Total 19
Activity 4: Let s Go Shopping Instructor Instructions Allow students to work either alone or in pairs. They will need Internet access to investigate pricing for this project. Encourage students to make sure they have incorporated all necessary components in the quote. Once students have completed the quote sheet have them trade quotes with other groups and discuss why they chose the types of cabling/connectors etc. included in their quotes. 20
Activity 5: Building a Network Patch Cable Straight Through Cable For this activity you will need: Access to online videos demonstrating how to build a network patch cable Short segment of UTP or STP cable (whichever your instructor provides) RJ-45 Connectors 568-B Straight through wiring map RJ-45/Ethernet crimps Ethernet cable tester or access to a computer where you can connect your cable and test for connectivity If you did not copy the wiring maps from the presentation you will need access to the Internet to locate a wiring map. 1. Go online and research how to make a network patch cable. a. There are many videos out there demonstrating this process. The steps below may be difficult to follow if you have not seen someone make a patch cable before. 2. Look at the RJ-45 connector. Notice that it has small grooves inside the connector to guide the wires into the appropriate pins and that the pins are all currently raised so that the wires can easily slip under them. 3. Take your length of UTP cable and carefully strip approximately 1 inch of the outer jacket from the cable exposing the twisted wires. 4. Untwist the wires down to where you stripped the jacket. 5. While holding the cable close to where you trimmed the jacket arrange the wires in the correct order to create a straight through cable. 6. Carefully attempt to straighten the wires without getting them out of order. 7. Trim the wires so that they are even at the ends. 8. Slide the wires carefully into the grooves inside the RJ-45 connector and crimp the connector so that the pins bite down into the wires. 9. Repeat this process for the other end of the cable making sure that when you hold the ends of the wires next to each other the connectors are facing the same way and the wiring is identical. 10. Test the cable by using it to connect a computer to a network. a. Do you still have network connectivity? If yes then your cable is good. If no then you need to check your ends and verify the wire order and that all of the wires are firmly pinched by the pins in the RJ-45 connector. 21
Activity 5: Building a Network Patch Cable Straight Through Grading Rubric 1. Cable works correctly on 1 st attempt 100 2. Cable works correctly on 2 nd attempt and student does not ask for help 95 3. Cable works correctly on 2 nd attempt and asks for help 90 4. Cable works correctly on 3 rd attempt and student does not ask for help 85 5. Cable works correctly on 3 rd attempt and asks for help 80 6. Cable works correctly on 4 th attempt and student does not ask for help 75 7. Cable works correctly on 4 th attempt and asks for help 70 8. Cable works correctly after 5 th attempt 65 22
Activity 6: Building a Network Patch Cable Crossover Cables For this activity you will need: Access to online videos demonstrating how to build a network patch cable Short segment of UTP or STP cable (whichever your instructor provides) RJ-45 Connectors 568-B Crossover cable wiring map RJ-45/Ethernet crimps Ethernet cable tester or access to a computer where you can connect your cable and test for connectivity If you did not copy the wiring maps from the presentation you will need access to the Internet to locate a wiring map. 1. Go online and research how to make a network patch cable. a. There are many videos out there demonstrating this process. The steps below may be difficult to follow if you have not seen someone make a patch cable before. 2. Look at the RJ-45 connector. Notice that it has small grooves inside the connector to guide the wires into the appropriate pins and that the pins are all currently raised so that the wires can easily slip under them. 3. Take your length of UTP cable and carefully strip approximately 1 inch of the outer jacket from the cable exposing the twisted wires. 4. Untwist the wires down to where you stripped the jacket. 5. While holding the cable close to where you trimmed the jacket arrange the wires in the correct order to create a crossover cable. 6. Carefully attempt to straighten the wires without getting them out of order. 7. Trim the wires so that they are even at the ends. 8. Slide the wires carefully into the grooves inside the RJ-45 connector and crimp the connector so that the pins bite down into the wires. 9. Repeat this process for the other end of the cable making sure that when you hold the ends of the wires next to each other the connectors are facing the same way and the wiring is identical. 10. Test the cable by using it to connect a computer to a network. a. Do you still have network connectivity? If yes then your cable is good. If no then you need to check your ends and verify the wire order and that all of the wires are firmly pinched by the pins in the RJ-45 connector. 23
Activity 6: Building a Network Patch Cable Crossover Cable Grading Rubric 1. Cable works correctly on 1 st attempt 100 2. Cable works correctly on 2 nd attempt and student does not ask for help 95 3. Cable works correctly on 2 nd attempt and asks for help 90 4. Cable works correctly on 3 rd attempt and student does not ask for help 85 5. Cable works correctly on 3 rd attempt and asks for help 80 6. Cable works correctly on 4 th attempt and student does not ask for help 75 7. Cable works correctly on 4 th attempt and asks for help 70 8. Cable works correctly after 5 th attempt - 65 24