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                                  EXPERIMENT NO. - 02
Aim:Study and installation of various networking devices
1. Media converter
2. L2 Switch/Broadcast switch
3. Wireless access point and wireless modem routers
4. L3 switch/multilayer switch
5. Router
6. Firewall/UTM
1. Media converter : A media converter, in the context of network hardware, is a cost-effective and flexible device intended to implement and optimize fiber links in every kind of network. Among media converters, the most often used type is a device that works as a transceiver, which converts the electrical signal utilized in copper unshielded twisted pair (UTP) network cabling to light waves used for fiber optic cabling. It is essential to have the fiber optic connectivity if the distance between two network devices is greater than the copper cabling’s transmission distance.
Different Installation Methods
Wall Mount Installation
Wall mounting is a space-saving solution for installing media converters, especially in environments where desk or rack space is limited. This method helps keep the devices out of the way, reducing clutter and potential damage.

Steps for Wall Mount Installation:

Choose a Location: Select a location on the wall near your network devices and ensure there is access to a power outlet./p>

Mounting Bracket: Use the provided mounting bracket. Attach it to the wall using screws and anchors appropriate for the wall material (e.g., drywall, concrete).

Attach the Converter: Securely fasten the media converter to the secure bracket to prevent any movement or disconnection.

Connect Cables: Connect the necessary fiber and Ethernet cables to the media converter, ensuring proper cable management to avoid strain on the connectors.

Media Converters

Desktop Installation
Desktop installation is ideal for small setups or temporary installations where flexibility and easy access are needed.

Steps for Desktop Installation:

Place the Converter: Position the media converter on a stable, flat surface close to the devices you are connecting.

Connect Cables: Attach the fiber and Ethernet cables to the appropriate ports on the media converter, ensuring the cables are not bent or kinked.

Power Connection: Connect the power adapter to the media converter and plug it into a power outlet. Ensure the converter is powered on and functioning correctly.

Media Converters

Rack Mount Installation
Rack mounting is commonly used in data centers and larger network environments where multiple media converters need to be organized efficiently.

Steps for Rack Mount Installation:

Select a Rack-Mount Chassis: Choose a rack-mount chassis that can accommodate the number of media converters you plan to install.

Install Converters in Chassis: Slide the media converters into the slots in the chassis and secure them with screws or clips.

Mount Chassis in Rack: Attach the chassis to the rack using rack mount screws. Ensure it is level and securely fastened.

Connect Cables: Connect all necessary fiber and Ethernet cables to each media converter. Use cable management solutions like Velcro ties to organize cables and reduce strain on connectors.

Power Supply: If the chassis supports redundant power supplies, connect them to ensure uninterrupted operation. Power on the converters and check for proper functionality.
2. L2 Switch/Broadcast : Layer 2 switching (or Data Link layer switching) is the process of using devices’ MAC addresses to decide where to forward frames. Switches and bridges are used for Layer 2 switching. They break up one large collision domain into multiple smaller ones.

In a typical LAN, all hosts are connected to one central device. In the past, the device was usually a hub. But hubs had many disadvantages, such as not being aware of traffic that passes through them, creating one large collision domain, etc. To overcome some of the problems with hubs, bridges were created. They were better than hubs because they created multiple collision domains, but they had limited number of ports. Finally, switches were created and are still widely used today. Switches have more ports than bridges, can inspect incoming traffic and make forwarding decisions accordingly. Also. each port on a switch is a separate collision domain, so no packet collisions should occur.

Layer 2 switches are faster than routers because they don’t take up time looking at the Network layer header information. Instead, they look at the frame’s hardware addresses to decide what to do with the frame – to forward, flood, or drop it. Here are other major advantages of Layer 2 switching:

fast hardware-based bridging (using ASICs chips)
wire speed
low latency
low cost