computer networks

The idea of reading email while lounging by the pool
text or instant messaging while doing the laundry
or lounging in the Jacuzzi listening to your MP3 collection is appealing to us all.

Unfortunately
many
or even most
wireless units don't come with security features already functioning. This may not seem like a big issue to someone who is simply setting up a home network
but there are a number of potential problems you should consider.

The most serious problem is the increase in identity theft. If your network is unsecured
the personal data on your wireless electronic equipment is also unsecured. The order you just placed for a book at Amazon may have given your contact and payment information to an unscrupulous hacker!

Nearly every town in which "WiFi" is common will have "War Drivers" and "War Chalkers" at work. These are people who walk or drive around town with wireless equipment
searching for unsecured networks. The "Chalkers" then live up their name
marking curbs and other public items with chalk so that others can more easily find and exploit your network.

Not all "War Drivers" are hackers
of course. Many just want to use your network for free
but the risk is high if you don't learn how to protect yourself. You can usually find quite a bit of free information as to how to secure your network at the website of your router's manufacturer
or by doing a search in a search engine for a phrase like "secure home wireless."

Beyond the truly malicious
there are also your neighbors who may find your network by accident and enjoy nosing into your activities and using your Internet access at will
slowing down your network speed in the process.

Even many businesses use cheap
home-use quality equipment for their company networks. With the poor security often found on small business networks
anyone with a basic knowledge of wireless can access sensitive company and customer data.

If you are unable to secure your network yourself
there are many service companies who will do it for you. A search of your local yellow pages or an inquiry at your neighborhood computer store should yield professional help and get your private data private again

IT network managers have to fight the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" mindset to win resources. With computer networks
that mindset is dangerously complacent. IT networks will keep pumping data until they die or let in hackers. Here are some winning arguments against "if it ain't broke…"

IT Network Maintenance: Better Analogies

Don’t let your IT network's budget get lumped with IT in general--or worse
operations in general. "If it ain't broke
don't fix it" sometimes makes sense in IT or operations. Upgrading workstations or desks can cost productivity
making it self-defeating.

You have to stress that IT networks are different from workstations or desks.

• IT networks are harder to repair.
• IT networks cannot be done without until fixed. You depend on them for email
  web
  file transfers
  and in some organizations
  printing
  fax and telephone. If your network breaks you may be forced to rely on hand-written letters.
• IT network improvements rarely lower productivity on the front line. Instead
  a faster
  more reliable network can improve front-line productivity.

Here are the analogies you should stress to counter "if it ain't broke":

• Plumbing: IT networks will appear to function until they burst. The damage will be more expensive than maintenance ever could have been. In the meantime
  you are losing productivity to all the little "leaks."
• Dams: If a poorly maintained IT network bursts
  the eventual flood will harm overall productivity.
• War: There is no such thing as "good enough" when you are in competition. With an IT network
  you're in a quiet arms race with hackers. You are also competing with your business competitors in terms of productivity.
• Health: Your IT network has to be in top physical condition. You can't make up for bad habits with a week or two of "rejuvenation." Meanwhile
  your day-to-day performance will suffer.
• Cars: Don't wait for your IT network to conk out. Get a regular tune-up of up-to-date equipment.

IT Network Maintenance: What Can Go Wrong

Now
let's drive the point home. Here are some concrete
easy-to-explain reasons to keep your network up-to-date:

• Power supplies. Without redundant backups
  your network is vulnerable to a shutdown. The lost productivity will make extra equipment seem inexpensive in comparison.
• Integrity. Faulty or contradictory data can break older networks. Newer equipment has solved these problems. Again
  the potential cost of lost productivity makes newer equipment a good value.
• Firewalls. Hackers can leak trade secrets stolen from unprotected networks. Firewall software upgrades are relatively inexpensive.
• VOIP. Organizations worldwide are switching to VOIP--not just outside-line telephones but also switchboard and teleconferencing. If your network is out-of-date
  it may fail when you eventually try this new technology.
• Speed. Older platforms such as 10BASET will throttle your bandwidth. You can now upgrade to a Terabit or more. Just think of the seconds
  minutes
  hours
  and days lost as staff wait for email to arrive and web pages to load.

Final tip: show how cost-effective IT network maintenance really is. Get a firm cost estimate from a vendor. Just make sure your cost estimate is as competitive as it can be. You can often get new equipment at half the cost of retail by buying refurbished equipment.

Close your case for a better network with this wisdom: no matter what you pay
keeping your network up-to-date is cheaper than the consequences of letting it fall into disrepair.

By engaging small business decision makers in discussions about their IT networking needs
you can highlight how automating services like faxing will save your prospect’s or client’s company on manual labor
which indirectly translates into substantial salary savings over the course of the year.

At the very least
network-based faxing will free up staff to focus on higher-level activities
rather than "babysitting" an archaic fax machine.

Listen for Other IT Networking Opportunities

As you get to know more about the prospect’s or client’s business
keep your antenna up for additional solution opportunity areas
such as centrally-managed Internet access for each desktop.

Besides faxing and Internet access
a client/server network makes sharing
protecting and securing information much easier. Through permissions and auditing
small business owners can ensure that only those authorized have access to sensitive information.

By centralizing the storage of data
small businesses can also more easily protect data with a tape backup drive
antivirus software
firewall software and an uninterruptible power supply (UPS).

Who Are You Promoting IT Networking To?

Tailoring your message for different audiences and interests is also key. If you’re discussing IT networking with the president or owner of the company
the hot buttons might include costs
the value of proactive technology investments
industry trends
competitive factors and lower labor costs through more automation.

The Bottom Line about IT Networking

If you’re discussing IT networking with middle management or employees in the trenches
make sure to shift gears. Staff and the internal guru will likely want to talk about ease of use and administration
how the network will make their job easier and the amount of training required to become proficient.

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Computer Consultants Secrets. All Worldwide Rights Reserved. {Attention Publishers: Live hyperlink in author resource box required for copyright compliance}

Starting an IT consulting business requires patience and dedication. The hardest part is often getting new clients. In this article
learn some more of the steps you should take before beginning your IT consulting practice.

Step Sixteen: Get Your Networking Contacts into a Follow Up Plan

With every business card you collect
jot down the date that you met them and any relevant notes about them. If you have a follow up request like they said "hey give me a call about that
or
hey call me on Tuesday about setting that up"
immediately jump on those.

Follow up on the request tomorrow if not sooner. If you can’t follow up with a personal call
send a handwritten note that says you look forward to seeing them again and if you need any help between now and when we meet again
give me a call. Include your card in the note
and put your contact's card on a rolodex and put him on a 30
60
call back schedule.

Step Seventeen: Re-Evaluate Your Networking Organization Options

Take another look at the different networking groups you attended as a guest. Which ones did you like? Which ones have the most potential for the most business opportunities? Start joining and participating. The purpose is to get known and to raise your profile in the community.

Pick out at least 4 groups and join them. Drop off your check personally to the director or office manager. Be direct and tell him or her that you have this new IT consulting business and that you are looking for small business that you can help out with LANs
etc. Ask them what is the best way to get to know these small business owners that are most likely to need your IT consulting services.

At every 60-90 minute event
you should be talking to eight or ten people. Half of them may be a waste of time
half of them could be potential clients
half could be potential referrals. It’s a matter of staying organized and keeping your name in front of them.

After you go through the first ninety days and you’ve gone to one of these every week
move on to more sustainable networking.

Step Eighteen: Do Your First Direct Mail Campaign

Have your testimonials in place from your earlier clients
and get your networking organizations’ directory on disc. Send out a personal letter and your business card to every member who may fit into the IT consulting sweet spot. Offer them a free 30-minute needs assessment coupon with an expiration date. Tell them you look forward to seeing them at upcoming event and then you can always follow up with a phone call.

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Computer Consulting 101 Blog. All Worldwide Rights Reserved. {Attention Publishers: Live hyperlink in author resource box required for copyright compliance}

The traditional approach to implementing an intranet is to purchase a software package
modify it for your needs
and install it on your system.

Over the past few years
another option has grown in popularity – the implementation of a web-based solution.

As you consider the choice between installed software and a web-based intranet
here are some considerations:


1. The most important requirement of any intranet is that everyone uses it.

To assure broad-based participation
the intranet must be easy to implement
simple to use
cost-effective to maintain
and offer each individual user the power to post
access and use content in a way that serves their specific needs. In short
the intranet must have value to everyone.

Web-based intranets are designed around this concept. The interface and navigation are consistent with their use of the web – an environment in which they feel in control
using familiar tools.

In contrast
the business world is littered with countless elegant and feature-rich soft-ware based intranets that have failed. Why? Because they represented an alien environment into which the user was expected to venture. Few employees had the time or the interest (or courage) to enter
rendering the intranet impotent
with the powerful tools unused.

This is the plight of traditional
out-of-the-box software solutions. Unlike web-based intranets
they force users into a constrained environment requiring in-depth training
built around rules designed for the group
rather than the individual.


2. Software intranets have unpredictable costs: in time
attention and money.

Software based solutions require extensive internal support. The ongoing expense in both staff time and money takes the focus of your IT group away from mission-critical tasks.

System integration
Implementation
maintenance
technology upgrades
training and user support are all on-going tasks that represent a significant
recurring investment. The cost can be substantial
far exceeding your initial license cost and monthly fee.


3. Web-based intranets offer a predictable cost and cutting-edge technology.

Most web-based solutions offer a fixed monthly fee that covers all maintenance
technology upgrades
training and user support. The costs are predictable
the technology evolutionary
and it's all done with minimal involvement of your IT staff.

It's for these reasons that companies needing broad-based participation in a changing environment are choosing web-based intranets over traditional software solutions.

People have more flexible time due to wireless network. Thanks to the invention of wireless. People can now work from home while taking care of their kids or doing house works. No more stress from traffic jam anymore. Is this great?

Well
there is something you should realize. Working from home while using a wireless local area network (WLAN) may lead to theft of sensitive information and hacker or virus infiltration unless proper measures are taken. As WLANs send information over radio waves
someone with a receiver in your area could be picking up the transmission
thus gaining access to your computer. They could load viruses on to your laptop which could be transferred to the company's network when you go back to work.

Believe it or not! Up to 75 per cent of WLAN users do not have standard security features installed
while 20 per cent are left completely open as default configurations are not secured
but made for the users to have their network up and running ASAP. It is recommended that wireless router/access point setup be always done though a wired client.

You can setup your security by follow these steps:

1. Change default administrative password on wireless router/access point to a secured password.

2. Enable at least 128-bit WEP encryption on both card and access point. Change your WEP keys periodically. If equipment does not support at least 128-bit WEP encryption
consider replacing it. Although there are security issues with WEP
it represents minimum level of security
and it should be enabled.

3. Change the default SSID on your router/access point to a hard to guess name. Setup your computer device to connect to this SSID by default.

4. Setup router/access point not to broadcast the SSID. The same SSID needs to be setup on the client side manually. This feature may not be available on all equipment.

5. Block anonymous Internet requests or pings. On each computer having wireless network card
network connection properties should be configured to allow connection to Access Point Networks Only. Computer to Computer (peer to peer) Connection should not be allowed.

Enable MAC filtering. Deny association to wireless network for unspecified MAC addresses. Mac or Physical addresses are available through your computer device network connection setup and they are physically written on network cards. When adding new wireless cards / computer to the network
their MAC addresses should be registered with the router /access point. Network router should have firewall features enabled and demilitarized zone (DMZ) feature disabled.

All computers should have a properly configured personal firewall in addition to a hardware firewall. You should also update router/access point firmware when new versions become available. Locating router/access point away from strangers is also helpful so they cannot reset the router/access point to default settings. You can even try to locate router/access point in the middle of the building rather than near windows to limit signal coverage outside the building.

There is no guarantee of a full protection of your wireless network
but following these suggested tips can definitely lessen your risk of exposing to attackers aiming at insecure networks.

STEP 1 - Stripping
Start by pulling out about 12 feet of bulk network cable to making the process a little easier. Carefully remove the outer jacket of the cable exposing about 1 1/4" of the twisted pairs. Be careful when stripping the jacket as to not nick or cut the internal wiring. After removing the outer case you will notice 8 wires twisted in pairs and a rip cord (white thread).

STEP 2 - Inspecting
Inspect the newly revealed wires for any cuts or scrapes that expose the copper wire inside. If you have breached the protective sheath of any wire you will need to cut the entire segment of wires off and start over at step one. Exposed copper wire will lead to cross-talk
poor performance or no connectivity at all. It is important that the jacket for all network cables remains intact.

STEP 3 - Preparation
To prepare the wires and to make them easier to work with
you can untwist the pairs so they will lay flat between your fingers. The white piece of thread can be cut off even with the jacket and disposed.

STEP 4 - Layout
Now based on the wiring specifications you are following you will need arrange the wires in a certain pattern. There are two methods set by the TIA
568
and 568B. 568B is the most common network cables
widely used for computer networks and digital phone systems. So for our demonstration we will use that. Starting from the left-top side of the RJ-45 plug
the wiring should be in the order shown at the right.

STEP 5 - Jack Preparation
Again
press all the wires flat between your thumb and forefinger as shown in step three. Verify the colors have remained in the correct order. Using a pair of scissors
cut the top of the wires even with one another so that they are 1/2" long from the base of the jacket. Ensure that the cut leaves the wires even and clean; failure to do so may cause the wire not to make contact inside the jack.

STEP 6 - Wire Insertion
Ensuring that the wires remain flat and in order
push them into the RJ-45 plug with the flat surface of the plug on top. The white / orange wire should be on the left looking down at the jack. You can tell if all the wires made it into the jack and maintain their positions by looking head-on at the plug. You should be able to see a wire located in each hole
as seen at the bottom right. You may have to use a little effort to push the pairs firmly into the plug. The cabling jacket should also enter the rear of the jack about 3/16" to help secure the cable once the plug is crimped.

STEP 7 - Crimping
Now place the wired plug into the crimping tool. Give the handle a firm squeeze
you should hear a ratcheting noise as you continue. Once you have completed the crimp
the handle will reset to the open position.

STEP 8 - Testing
Once your new cable is completed
it is not a bad idea to test the cable to ensure that it will function in the field. It is vital that all eight wires have connectivity and are in the correct order. Mis-wired network cables could lead to headaches down the road. In addition
with power-over-ethernet making its way into the market place
crossed wire pairs could lead to physical damage of computers or phone system equipment; making it even more crucial that the pairs are in the correct order. A simple cable tester can quickly verify that information for you.

You can find these instructions with pictures Here

Wireless networks work using radio waves instead of wires to transmit data between computers. That's the simple version. If you're curious to know what's going on in more detail
then it's all explained in this article.

Ones and Zeros.

I'm sure you know that computers transmit data digitally
using binary: ones and zeros. This is a way of communicating that translates very well to radio waves
since the computer can transmit ones and zeros as different kinds of beep. These beeps are so fast that they're outside a human's hearing range -- radio waves that you can't hear are
in fact
all around you all the time. That doesn't stop a computer from using them
though.

Morse Code.

The way it works is a lot like Morse code. You probably already know that Morse code is a way of representing the alphabet so that it can be transmitted over radio using a dot (short beep) and a dash (long dash). It was used manually for years
and became a great way of getting information from one place to another with the invention of the telegraph. More importantly for this example
though
it is a binary system
just like a computer's ones and zeros.

You might think of wireless networking
then
as being like Morse code for computers. You plug a combined radio receiver and transmitter in
and the computer is able to send out its equivalent of dots and dashes (bits
in computer-speak) to get your data from one place to another.

All About Frequencies.

You might wonder
though
how the computer could possibly transmit enough bits to send and receive data at the speed it does. After all
there must be a limit on how much can be sent in a second before it just becomes useless nonsense
right? Well
yes
but the key to wireless networking is that it gets around this problem.

First of all
wireless transmissions are sent at very high frequencies
meaning that more data can be sent per second. Most wireless connections use a frequency of 2.4 gigahertz (2.4 billion cycles per second) -- a similar frequency to mobile phones and microwave ovens. As you might know
though
a frequency this high means that the wavelength must be very short
which is why wireless networking only works over a limited area.

In addition
wireless networks make use of a technique known as 'frequency hopping'. They use dozens of frequencies in the range they are given
and constantly switch between them. This makes wireless networks more immune to interference from other radio signals than they would be if they only transmitted on one frequency.

Access Points.

The final step is when it comes to all the computers on a network sharing Internet access. This is done using a special piece of wireless equipment called an access point. Access points are more expensive than wireless cards for one computer
as they contain radios that are capable of talking to around 100 computers at the same time
and sharing out access to the Internet between them. Dedicated access points are only really essential for larger networks
though -- if you only have a few computers
it is possible to use one of them as the access point
or you could just get a wireless router.

They Understand Each Other.

That's all well and good
then
but how does wireless equipment made by entirely different companies manage to work together when this is all so complicated? Well
the answer is that there are standards that all wireless devices follow. These standards are technically called the 802.11 standards
and are set by the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers). It is thanks to people sticking to their standards that wireless networking is so easy and cheap to use today.

You Don't Need to Worry.

If all this talk of frequencies has you a little worried
you don't need to be -- wireless networking hardware and software handles all of this automatically
without you needing to do a thing. Don't think that you're going to have to tell one wireless device what frequency another is using
because it's just not going to happen
alright? Wireless networking
for all its complicated workings
is really far more simple to use than you'd ever expect.

While many small companies only call in a local computer consulting business when something computer-related breaks
there's a lot to be gained by forging a proactive
long-term relationship with a local computer consulting business in your area.

Consider Getting Advice from a Computer Consulting Business

If you need to get advice once-in-a-while on how your computers can be better utilized
or you have a specific computer-related problem that needs to be solved
a computer consulting business is generally the way to go.

However
if computer-systems and information technology (IT) are really important to your industry and your company
outsourcing your computer-related service needs to a local computer consulting business is often a much better solution than just piecemeal
ad-hoc usage of a computer consulting business.

Hiring a Computer Consultant

Many computer consulting businesses choose to specialize and end up becoming extremely valuable to their particular area or niche. In many cases
these kinds of computer consulting businesses can know almost as much about your industry and competitive challenges as you do.

So to help your company grow and to make sure it's not being short-sighted with its computer-related needs
consider getting advice from a computer consulting business.

Wearing Lots of “Hats” is Fine… But Don't Let These “Hats” Blind-Sight You

Sometimes small companies already have an idea of what their computer-related needs are when they enlist the help of an outside computer consulting business.

There are several advantages to bringing in an outside computer consulting business
as opposed to trying to limp along with someone internally who just wears the “hat” of the occasional computer person.

One of the most important reasons to bring in a computer consulting business though is that a computer consultant is someone who is an expert in his or her field. This means you can have access to an expert for a fraction of the cost it would take to hire that caliber of professional on a full time basis.

In almost all cases
a computer consultant like this can troubleshoot problem much faster and much more effectively than your internal employees.

A Fresh Computer Consultant Perspective

A computer consultant or computer consulting business can also being in a fresh perspective to your company.

It's often really helpful to have a fresh set of eyes to look at your company and its IT infrastructure. Over time
non-technical small business owners and managers have a tendency to see the same things within their own companies. A good computer consultant or computer consulting business brings a new and fresh perspective into your situation and can help you truly visualize the forest through the trees.

How Computer Consulting Businesses Help

A good computer consulting business or computer consultant is prepared to do any number of things to help your company make the most out of any business or technology challenge it faces. This may include personal coaching
training for small and large groups of employees
and leading strategy-planning meetings with key people… almost as if that computer consultant were your part-time chief information officer (CIO).

The best computer consultants will not enter into your company with a preset plan
but rather will tailor a plan according to the specific needs of your company. A good computer consulting business will have computer consultants on their staff who can quickly find out what the needs of your company are and then come up with cost-effective solutions.

The Bottom Line

In this article
you've been introduced to the basics of why to hire a computer consulting business and what computer consulting businesses can do for your company.

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The Answer To The Media Access Control Question
----------------------------
Over the past few weeks I have received quite a few e-mails about Ethernet cards
both wired and wireless
and more specifically
about Media Access Control (MAC) addresses. I think the main reason I’ve received so many questions about Ethernet cards and MAC addresses is people trying to secure their home wireless networks and their desire to use MAC address filtering. This type of filtering in wireless networks can be configured to allow or deny specific computers to use or attach to the wireless network
based on the MAC address.

My first thought was to write an article just about MAC addresses and wireless Ethernet. After thinking about it I decided to expand on this and go over some specific information about Ethernet cards and communication.

Different Ways Of Finding Your MAC Address And More
--------------------------------------------------
There are several ways of finding your Ethernet and communications protocol information. Many Ethernet card manufacturer’s have proprietary software that can reveal this information but they work differently depending on the manufacturer. So we will use the Windows 2000 and XP “ipconfig” utility since this is available in the majority of Windows Operating Systems.

First
go to “start” -> “run” and type “cmd” without the quotes. Then hit the enter key. At the command line type “ipconfig /all”
again without the quotes. Actually
just typing ipconfig without the /all will work but will only provide you with abbreviated information regarding your network cards. An example of what you might see by typing the “ipconfig /all” command is below with each item commented in green lettering:

Fault Tolerant And Highly Availability Computer Systems
----------------------------
There are several ways of finding your Ethernet and communications protocol information. Many Ethernet card manufacturer’s have proprietary software that can reveal this information but they work differently depending on the manufacturer. So we will use the Windows 2000 and XP “ipconfig” utility since this is available in the majority of Windows Operating Systems.

First
go to “start” -> “run” and type “cmd” without the quotes. Then hit the enter key. At the command line type “ipconfig /all”
again without the quotes. Actually
just typing ipconfig without the /all will work but will only provide you with abbreviated information regarding your network cards. An example of what you might see by typing the “ipconfig /all” command is below:

OutPut Of The “Ipconfig /All” Command
----------------------------------------------------------
Windows IP Configuration


Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Home Computer
This is the name of your computer
typically defined during the windows installation. However
it can be changed after installation.

Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . : domain.com
If your computer participates in a network such as a Microsoft Windows domain this item may contain the name of the domain.

Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
The Node Type may say Unknown
or peer-to-peer
or in some cases “hybrid”. It is a setting that has to do with the Windows Internet Naming Services used in certain types of Windows domain networks.

IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
This setting determines if Windows XP or 2000 will function as an IP router. If you have two or more network cards you can setup your system to act as a router
forwarding communications requests from one network to another. Windows 2000 can be configured to do this in a pretty straight forward fashion; Windows XP will need a registry modification.

WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy is another setting that is related to the “Node Type” we discussed earlier. It is normally not a required setting in a home or small office network
or newer types of Microsoft Windows domains.

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection 2:
If you have multiple Ethernet (network) cards in your systems
as I do in this laptop
you will have multiple listings. This one happens to be the second Ethernet card
an internal wireless Ethernet card.

Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom 802.11b/g WLAN
This is the description of the Ethernet card
usually the Name / Manufacturer and type of Ethernet card. In this case
it is a Broadcom wireless Ethernet card built into my laptop.

Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-90-4B-F1-6E-4A
And here we have the MAC address. The MAC address is a 48 bit hexadecimal code and is suppose to be a totally unique address. It is 48 bits because each number or letter in hexadecimal represents 8 bits. Hexadecimal numbers range from 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
A
B
C
D
E
F. There are 6 alpha-numeric codes hence 6*8=48(bits). The first 3 codes identify the manufacturer of the card and the remaining codes are used to create a unique number. Theoretically there should never be a card with same MAC address on a local network. However
there are a few exceptions. There are software tools that allow you to change this code. In fact
this is a step some hackers take to attack other systems on a local network. I say local network because MAC addresses are not routable between network segments. By spoofing this address
you can impersonate another machine on the local network. Traffic that was bound for the intended target can be redirected to the hacker’s machine. This is the address you would also use to populate a MAC address
or physical address table when setting up your wireless access point to support MAC address filtering.

DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
DHCP
or the Dynamic Host Control Protocol
if enabled means your computers IP address is being provided by a DHCP server on you network. The DHCP server could be your wireless access point
cable/dsl router
cable modem
or a server on your network. Also
if a DHCP server is not enabled on your network
your computers Operating System will auto generate a random IP address within a certain predefined range. This means you could network a group of systems together without having to manually assign the IP settings.

IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.117
This parameter provides you with your current IP address. The address listed above is what is called a "private" address. There are certain classes of IP addresses that have been set aside for private use. This means for your internal
local
or private network at home or office. These addresses are not
or should not
be routable on the Internet. The Internet routes what are called “valid” IP addresses. Your cable/dsl router or cable modem has a valid IP address assigned to its “external” network interface. The external interface may be your phone line or cable TV cable.

Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
The Subnet Mask is a special number
or in some sense
filter
that breaks down your IP address
in this case private IP address
into certain groups. IP addresses and Subnet Masks can be a complicated matter and would take an entire article to go over.

Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.254
The default gateway
the IP addresses listed above
is the IP address of the device that will route your request
such as when you try to browse a website
to the Internet. It is a bit more complicated than that though as gateways or routers can route traffic to various different networks
even other private networks. At your home or small office
this gateway most likely is your cable/dsl modem or router.

DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.49
The DHCP server
remember we talked a little about this above
is the device that assigns your computer an IP address and other information. DHCP servers can assign all kinds of information such as; Default Gateway
Domain Name Servers (DNS)
IP address
Subnet Mask
Time Server
and much more.

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.49
64.105
Servers are internal or external servers that resolve Fully Qualified Domain Names (FQDN)
such as www.defendingthenet.com
to IP addresses. This is done because computers don’t actually transmit your requests using the domain name
they use the IP address assigned to the FQDN. For most home or small office users
the primary DNS server is the IP address of your cable/dsl router. Your cable/dsl router than queries an external DNS server on the Internet to perform the actual resolution of the FQDN to IP address. The address 192.168.0.49 is an internal private device on my network whereas the 64.105.197.58 is an external public Internet DNS server and is present just in case my router has trouble performing the DNS resolution tasks.

Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Sunday
March 19
2006
6
PM
This information tells you when your computer received its IP address and other information from a DHCP server. You will notice it says “Lease Obtained”
that is because most DHCP servers only lease the IP address to you from a pool of available address. For instance
your pool may be 192.168.1.1 through 192.168.1.50. So your DHCP server has 50 IP addresses to choose from when assigning your computer its IP address.

Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Wednesday
March 29
2006
9
PM
When the IP address
assigned by the DHCP server
lease expires it will attempt to lease you the same or another IP address. This function can typically be changed on the DHCP server. For instance
on some fully functional DHCP servers
you can configure the Lease to never expire
or to expire within 1 day and so on.

Why Are MAC Addresses So Important And How Do They Work
------------------------------------------------------
To jump back to MAC address for just a bit. You may think that IP addresses are the most important thing when it comes to network communication. The reality is
MAC addresses are very important because without them computers would not be able to communicate over Ethernet networks. When a computer wants to speak with another computer on a local network
it will make a broadcast request
or ask a question
of who owns a particular IP address. For instance
your computer may say “Who is 192.168.0.254”. Using the information above
my default gateway is 192.168.0.254 and will answer “I am “00-90-4B-F1-6E-4A” 192.168.0.254”. It sends back its MAC address. That MAC address then goes into what is called a Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) table on your computer. You can see this information by going to the command prompt like you did above and typing "arp –a". You will get information like the following:


Internet Address Physical Address Type
192.168.0.49 00-12-17-5c-a2-27 dynamic
192.168.0.109 00-12-17-5c-a2-27 dynamic
192.168.0.112 00-0c-76-93-94-b2 dynamic
192.168.0.254 00-0e-2e-2e-15-61 dynamic

How A Hacker Can Use MAC Addresses In An Attack
----------------------------------------------
You will notice the IP addresses and to the right of them the MAC addresses. Without this information
without the MAC address
you would not be reading this article right now. MAC addresses are not routable like IP addresses. They work on your local or private network. However
devices on the Internet perform the same tasks. Routers and switches maintain a list of their peer devices MAC address just like your computers and devices on your home or office network. I mentioned above that MAC addresses can be changed in order to redirect requests. For instance
if I were on your office network and you had an internal web server that took personal information as input
I could tell your computer to go to my laptop for the web site by broadcasting my MAC address tied to the real web servers IP address. I would do this when you computer asked “Who is the “Real Web Server””. I could setup a fake web server that looks just like the real thing
and start collecting information the real web server would normally collect. You can see how dangerous this can be.

Conclusion
-----------
There are several other easy ways you can find your MAC address but they can be a little confusing if you have more than one internal network card. Most external USB
or PCMCIA wired and wireless Ethernet cards have their MAC address printed on them. In cases where the wired or wireless network card are inside your computer
such as in laptops
the MAC address is sometimes printed on the bottom of the laptop. Even Desktop systems cards that are inserted in PCI slots have the MAC address printed on the Ethernet card.

You may reprint or publish this article free of charge as long as the bylines are included.

Original URL (The Web version of the article)
------------
http://www.defendingthenet.com/NewsLetters/FindingYourMACAddressOnWiredAndWirelessNetworkCards.htm

About The Author
----------------
Darren Miller is an Information Security Consultant with over seventeen years experience. He has written many technology & security articles
some of which have been published in nationally circulated magazines & periodicals. If you would like to contact Darren you can e-mail him at Darren.Miller@defendingthenet.com. If you would like to know more about computer security please visit us at http://www.defendingthenet.com.

Optic fibers are used widely in the medical field for diagnosing and treating a variety of ailments. Because optic fibers can be made extremely thin and made into flexible strands
they can be used for insertion into blood vessels
lungs and other parts of the body. Optic fibers have been enabling physicians to look and work inside the body through tiny incisions with an instrument called an Endoscope. An Endoscope is a medical instrument made to carry two bundles of optic fibers inside one long tube. One bundle of optic fiber directs light at the tissue being examined
while the other bundle of optic fiber transmits light reflected from the tissue
producing a detailed image. Endoscopes may be designed to look into specific areas of the human body. For example
physicians can use the optic fibers in the Endoscope to examine knees
shoulders and other joints in the body.

Arthroscopy (pronounced ahr-THROS-kuh-pee) is a technique of using another medical instrument called the Arthroscope. This instrument is straight and cylinder-like with a series of lenses and optic fiber bundles that come in sizes of 1/12 to 1/5 inch (2 to 5 millimeters.) The Arthroscope is used to examine a joint in a body
such as knee joints
ankles
elbows
hips and shoulders. This is done by the Arthroscope being inserted into a joint of the body through a small incision. A light is then transmitted by the use of the optic fibers to the tip of the Arthroscope to illuminate the joint. The use of optic fiber through the Arthroscope enables a physician to thoroughly examine a joint for diagnosis or treatment.

Optic fibers used in the Arthroscope can be used to measure temperature and other bodily
attributes as well as being used in performing surgical procedures. The problem most commonly treated by Arthroscopy is torn cartilage in the knee. This is when a small incision is made at the joint for use of the optic fiber in the Arthroscope and then a second incision is made for the use of other surgical instruments to remove the cartilage. The primary advantage of using optic fibers through Arthroscopic surgery is that the operation can be performed through a small incision
resulting in the patient experiencing the least amount of discomfort and a healing time that is much shorter
when compared to the other methods of surgery.

Aside from the uses of the Endoscopes and the Arthroscopes
another widely used function of optic fibers in the medical field is the ability for the optical fibers to be inserted into blood vessels to give a quick and accurate analysis of blood chemistry. Physicians have also found medical use of the optical fibers to direct intense laser light at a wound to stop bleeding or to burn away abnormal tissue. Fiber optic training is necessary in the field of medicine. The use of optic fiber through medical science continues to grow rapidly to everyday to develop more new and advanced medical devices to enable physicians to provide people with better service.

There has been a lot of talk recently about Google Talk and how there are serious privacy concerns with the new application.

The biggest concern seems to come with the ability to search and share multiple computers with one account. In other words
you could use a single desktop search account to search
index and allow you to share files between your desktop and laptop for example.

But are these concerns grounded in truth? Is there really a privacy issue here?

I downloaded and installed the new Desktop Search beta the other day. It has some interesting new features such as the ability to remove panels from the sidebar and dock them anywhere you like on your desktop.

And there are several more panels available to let you do anything from manage what is indexed
to passing time by playing games.

One of the coolest features is its ability to reach beyond the desktop it is on to do a variety of things. Now
I can play tic tac toe with co-workers
or even friends around the world.

But the biggest
and most troubling update to some is the ability to remotely index files
as well as share them using Google servers to temporarily store the items.

By turning this feature on you give Google the right to store your files for up to 30 days. Therein lies the crux of the issue – there seems to be no way around this 30 day requirement.

All I have to say is 'so what?'

So what if you have to give Google this ability? Google will encrypt the data so that no one else can access it. And even if there is some sort of DOJ subpoena requiring access to these files I don't think it would stand up in court.

This is because Google has set up a network whereby all your Google activities are tied to one Google account. Your personalized home page
gmail
google analytics
adwords and adsense accounts all share the same Google account. Therefore
it would be difficult for anyone to get a subpoena to review information pertaining to only part of that account.

Legalities aside
if you are that concerned about the privacy being surrendered to Google in order to use this system then don't sign up for it.

You can still download and use the new Desktop Search with most of its new features
but you don't have to use the file sharing.

But what if you want to share files between computers?

Well
do what I did – go to your favorite electronics store and buy a flash drive. I just bought a USB flash drive with over 2 gigs of storage for under $100. Now I can easily transfer anything between any computer with no worry of some government agency wanting to know what's on it.

As I said
I do have the new Google Desktop installed
and I did look at the settings for the search and file sharing
but I didn't turn them on. I have no need to be able to search my home computer from work and vice versa
nor do I need to share files between the two computers.

And if I did
I'll simply use the FTP site I have set up on a computer at home or the aforementioned flash drive.

Really
when it comes to all the other ways that Google captures your personal data
from search history to Gmail
should we be all that concerned that some files may end up being stored on a Google server somewhere?

I think we should have other concerns. For example
I think we should be concerned about what Google already knows about us via those services I mentioned earlier.

I think business owners should be concerned that such a service would allow employees to easily steal and transfer data to and from work.

I think if you are that scared of the US government infringing on your privacy then you shouldn't have a Google account
nor Google Desktop Search nor a Gmail account. In fact I don't think you should have any Internet accounts because quite honestly everyone is a target for the DOJ. Further
I can almost guarantee you that your local ISP will fold and hand over the data much easier than Google will.

So before you start complaining about how Google could infringe your privacy
remember that YOU have the ability to stop it from happening. It's just a matter of choosing to do so.

As crime globalizes
so does crime fighting. Mobsters
serial killers
and terrorists cross state lines and borders effortlessly
making use of the latest advances in mass media
public transportation
telecommunications
and computer networks. The police - there are 16
0
law enforcement agencies in the Unites States alone - is never very far behind.

Quotes from the official Web pages of some of these databases:

National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime (NCAVC)

Its mission is to combine investigative and operational support functions
research
and training in order to provide assistance
without charge
to federal
state
local
and foreign law enforcement agencies investigating unusual or repetitive violent crimes. The NCAVC also provides support through expertise and consultation in non-violent matters such as national security
corruption
and white-collar crime investigations.

It comprises the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU)
Child Abduction and Serial Murder Investigative Resources Center (CASMIRC)
and Violent Criminal Apprehension Program (VICAP).

VICAP is a nationwide data information center designed to collect
collate
and analyze crimes of violence - specifically murder. It collates and analyzes the significant characteristics of all murders
and other violent offenses.

Homicide Investigation Tracking System (HITS)

A program within the Washington state's Attorney General's Office that tracks and investigates homicides and rapes.

Violent Crime Linkage System (ViCLAS)

Canada-wide computer system that assists specially trained investigators to identify serial crimes and criminals by focusing on the linkages that exist among crimes by the same offender. This system was developed by the RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) in the early 1990s.

UTAP
stands for The Utah Criminal Tracking and Analysis Project

Gathers experts from forensic science
crime scene analysis
psychiatry and other fields to screen unsolved cases for local law enforcement agencies.

International Criminal Police Organization (ICPO) - Interpol's DNA Gateway

Provides for the transfer of profile data between two or more countries and for the comparison of profiles that conform to Interpol standards in a centralized database. Investigators can access the database via their Interpol National Central Bureau (NCB) using Interpol's secure global police communications system
I-24/7.

Interpol's I-24/7

Global communication system to connect its member countries and provide them with user-friendly access to police information. Using this system
Interpol National Central Bureaus (NCBs) can search and cross-check data in a matter of seconds
with direct and immediate access to databases containing critical information (ASF Nominal database of international criminals
electronic notices
stolen motor vehicles
stolen/lost/counterfeit travel and ID documents
stolen works of art
payment cards
fingerprints and photographs
a terrorism watch list
a DNA database
disaster victim identification
international weapons tracking and trafficking in human beings-related information
etc).

Interpol Fingerprints

Provides information on the development and implementation of fingerprinting systems for the general public and international law enforcement entities.

Europol (European Union's criminal intelligence agency) Computer System (TECS)

Member States can directly input data into the information system in compliance with their national procedures
and Europol can directly input data supplied by non EU Member States and third bodies. Also provides analyses and indexing services.

A computer network is a collection of two or more computers with communication between them through a medium. The communication medium can be through radio waves
wires
infrared
optical fibers etc.

Computer network is an integral part of our daily lives
with the most important reason being that of communication. The use of computer networking is to share resources like fax machines
printers
modems
files etc.
and its other uses are database server
computer server
email
chat
internet etc. The computer to which the resources are attached is called the server and the other computers that access the resource are called clients. In peer-to-peer computer networks there are no servers.

The sharing of fax machines
printers
and modems amongst many computers and users reduce the operational cost. A database on a computer network is a very important application as it stores and runs many important data and jobs. Emails and chats can be used for instantaneous communication and sending of files on a computer network.

The computer networks are classified
depending upon the size
as Local Area Networks (LAN)
Wide Area Networks (WAN)
Metropolitan Area Networks (MAN) and Personal Area Networks (PAN). The topology (topology is the way the computer networks and network resources are connected) of the networking can be classified as Bus Network
Ring Network and Star Network.

The networking hardware basically consists of wiring
network cards and a hub. Computer network cards are required so that one computer can understand what the other computer is “talking”. Network cards have a unique MAC address to identify computers on a computer network. Hubs connect all the computers in the network. Hubs can also be used to connect to other hubs to increase the size of the computer network. Two computers can be connected using Ethernet cards or phone lines or power lines for communication
with hardware kits available at roughly a cost of $100.

As the number of computers in an office or a home increases
so do the number of cables
so wireless networking is a viable solution. In wireless networking radio transreceivers or infrared signals are used to communicate between computers and devices. Examples of wireless networking include Wi-fi and Bluetooth technology
though there may be security issues involved in wireless networking. However there definitely is a stronger preference towards wireless networking nowadays among consumers.

Computer networks have added a new dimension to the 21st century. Today the cyber world is much faster and wider than the real world. This has all been made possible due to computer networks. Computer networks have revolutionized business
communication
travel
research
defense
society and almost all human endeavors. The evolution of computer networks has helped the technological revolution take a big leap forward.

Today it is almost inconceivable for a business not to have computers
whether it is a construction company or a high technology firm. When a business has more than one computer
they are almost always connected together in a local area network. These networks may be more or less advanced and therefore more or less costly.

Companies invest so much (in terms of both money and time) in a local area networks because there are many advantages that a local area network brings to a business and how it is administered.

Some businesses use a local area network in such a way they are highly dependent on it always working. If the company's network fails
then you may see all the employees chatting away in the corridors because they can't do their work. This means big losses for the company and causes stresses on the employees. All companies must consider their local area networks a vital asset and downtime must be avoided. This imposes huge demands on the network staff to keep such networks running almost 100% of the time.


The advantages of Computer Network Management

One of the main advantages of installing and maintaining LANs is the opportunity they create for better communication and cooperation between employees and customers.

Security considerations: Local Area Network security can be both a help and hindrance. Comprehensive security is beneficial because it provides a central and safe strategy for data access and disaster recovery. All information is protected by the design and implementation of the network security solution. On the other hand
interconnecting computers in local area networks creates a security risk
since doing so makes it technically possible for intruders to access many machines on the network at once.

Cost considerations: Installing a local area network is a relatively expensive project. Servers
cabling
switches
routers and software can all be expensive and should never be purchased without expert advice. Keeping the network operating and secure also requires a lot of resources and can be costly.

Surprisingly
a local area network can bring a number of cost savings. Sharing resources avoids the need to purchase equipment for each individual. Even more important is the security that a local area network can provide. Data loss could cost a business a great deal of money and in some cases
cause the business to shutdown altogether. Computer Network Management should require a consistent routine for data backups with regular checkups of data quality - a practice that will save a company huge sums in the event of a mishap.


Computer Network Management: preliminary analysis phases

The first phase of computer network management is to determine the source of the problem (a preliminary study that looks into several options of differing scope may be useful here) and defining it in a specification of requirements. Examples of what should be evaluated are different network operating systems
mail systems
and other applications. The choice of hardware components should also be evaluated. This phase is generally aimed at establishing what the system should do
not how it should do it.


Computer Network Management: design phase

The purpose of design phase is to determine how the requirements of the specification are to be met. The current approach to large
complex projects is to break them down into smaller
more manageable subprojects.


Computer Network Management: implementation phase

This phase involves the physical installation of the local area network. Cables are run
software is installed
and computers and other hardware are put in place.


Computer Network Management: integration and system testing phase

In this phase
commissioning of the network begins
and routines are adapted to users and the operating personnel. The system must be tested
both to ensure that the network meets the requirements set out in the specification and that it is stable enough to perform the central function it has in the organization.


Computer Network Management: operation and maintenance

Local area networks have complex operating routines. This is because there may be serious consequences when faults occur or unauthorized persons gain access to the system. Many companies have employees devoted solely to take care of running and maintaining computer networks. These system administrators may deal with network issues such as performance
reliability and security of both hardware and software.


Computer Network Management: tools

Although an organization may have computer administrators on site
they must also monitor the network more than eight hours a day. In fact
some of the worst trouble that arises with networks can happen during the night hours when nobody is using the network. With the right computer network management tools
your organization can receive the security of knowing that problems will be foreseen
prevented
and taken care of - and that your network administrator can be notified at a moment's notice
should anything go exceptionally wrong.

Do you own or manage a computer consulting company? Are you having trouble growing your computer consulting company's profits?

If so
then you must learn how to focus on your computer consulting firm's profit and bottom line.

In this article
we'll look at 7 profit secrets and strategies you can use in your computer consulting business
to ensure that you are able to balance your clients' small business IT needs against your own computer consulting company's profitability challenges.

Origins of the Problem

While focusing on your computer consulting profits may sound simple enough at first glance
this business-focused discipline often eludes many a computer consulting firm.

This usually happens because many computer consulting business owners fall in love the technology gadgetry
and get seduced by seemingly attractive reseller channel programs
at the expense of their business' profit.

At the end of the day however
your computer consulting company is a business… not a charity and not a hobby. And your computer consulting company must be run like a business.

Profit Secret #1: Show motivation with your small business computer consulting clients.
To avoid being labeled as just another clueless geek
you need to position your computer consulting services to be more in line with those of a virtual CIO for hire. So always be on the look out for new ways to enhance your clients' businesses… not just fix broken desktops and servers.

Profit Secret #2: Be dedicated to the task and relentless in your pursuit to improve the status quo.
Because it takes a lot of work to land the best computer consulting clients
you need to focus on lifetime customer value… not just one-shot-deal sales. So always remember that your proposed or recently implemented computer consulting technology solution isn't a one-shot deal. This kind of long-term vision and planning requires tremendous staying power and perseverance… which often escapes many computer consulting business owners.

Profit Secret #3: Don't be afraid to be creative with your client engagements.
Small business technology solutions often need to stay within relatively modest budgets. And your computer consulting solutions must work without the need for in-house IT staff. To satisfy these challenges
don't be afraid to think outside of the box when appropriate.

Profit Secret #4: Evaluate how your clients' systems
both paper- and computer-based
function today.
As part of your virtual CIO role
look at how these existing clients systems are meeting or not meeting present and future needs. Most of this work will be done during IT audits… another key computer consulting profit secret that can really help to separate you from the pack of mediocrity.

Profit Secret #5: Put yourself in your clients' shoes and think about what THEIR clients need from them.
Yes
as a computer consulting business owner
you need to have good people skills and a certain degree of empathy for your clients' business problems. But an even more advanced computer consulting business owner doesn't just stop at understanding their clients' business problems. The virtual CIO really digs in and learns about their clients' customers' business problems… one layer down on the value chain.

Profit Secret #6: Keep up with advances and new versions.
As virtual CIO for your computer consulting clients
your clients depend on your firm to advise them on what tools can better help their businesses grow. So while you can't allow this R&D and training to consume and devour all of your scarce weekly schedule
you do need to stay a few steps ahead of your clients' IT needs at all times.

Profit Secret #7: Summarize and share that information with your clients.
The essence of your R&D and training should focus on one major objective: will this new platform or tool add value to your computer consulting clients' existing or future installations? And how you can best summarize this information
in layperson language that non-technical clients can understand?


The Bottom Line
Your computer consulting firm's needs to be your client's virtual IT department can often be at odds with your computer consulting firm's need to be profitable. A big part of this problem happens because computer consulting business owners fall in love with technology
at the expense of their marketing and sales activities.

To make sure you don't fall into this same strap
which can kill your computer consulting profits
don't go overboard with your training and R&D activities. Be sure to keep business development activities in your weekly schedule… EVERY week. If you want to keep your computer consulting profits as healthy as possible
make sure that you're proactive in your marketing and sales activities… dig the well for computer consulting profits BEFORE you're thirsty. And a great way to start is by listening to the profit-generating secrets at http://www.computer-consulting-101.com


Copyright MMI-MMVI
Small Biz Tech Talk Blog. All Worldwide Rights Reserved. {Attention Publishers: Live hyperlink in author resource box required for copyright compliance}

Do you own or manage a computer consulting company? Would you like to achieve greater small business success? If so
then get ready to learn why most computer consulting companies get IT (Information Technology) wrong and what you can do about IT.

The Problem: Why Most Computer Consulting Companies Get IT Wrong

Most owners of computer consulting companies make their jobs much harder than need be. Why? Because these computer consulting business owners fall in love with the technology… and view their small business clients as a distant second priority.

However
if you get this part of “IT” wrong
you will doom your computer consulting company to “clueless geek” status. It's crucial that you understand one extremely important principle here: Recruiting and retaining small business clients is your #1 computer consulting priority. Keeping up with IT should never get in the way of the mission of your computer consulting company.

In other words
don't get seduced by the hardware
operating systems or applications. Fall-in-love with the business opportunities surrounding how you solve your clients' biggest business problems with your recommended IT solutions. That's the real mission of a computer consulting company.

The Solution: Blend Computer Consulting and Virtual IT

To put this all in perspective with your computer consulting company
you need to understand and embrace the concept of virtual IT.

Virtual IT is what allows your computer consulting company to function as an extension of your small business clients' companies. Your computer consulting company essentially becomes the outsourced IT department for your small business clients.

As owner or manager of a computer consulting company in this role
you will most likely become the de facto CIO (chief information officer)
CTO (chief technology officer)
or IT manager for your small business clients.

And just like any well-rounded internal IT department
your virtual IT computer consulting business will need to provide
or arrange for
a complete soup-to-nuts solution that includes services like help desk
desktop support
network administration
engineering
security
training
procurement
and asset management… because anything short of the complete virtual IT solution will leave valuable computer consulting money on the table.


The Bottom Line

Most computer consulting companies are making a huge mistake when it comes to their small business engagements… because these computer consulting business owners fall-in-love with the technology
at the expense of the business opportunities. In order for your computer consulting company to flourish
make sure that you understand the concept of virtual IT and build virtual IT into every major business decision for your computer consulting company. To continue learning more about how you can use virtual IT to grow your computer consulting company
go sign-up right now for the one-hour free training seminar on 5 Easy Ways to Grow Your Computer Consulting Business at http://www.ComputerConsultingBusiness.com

Copyright MMI-MMVI
Computer Consultants Secrets .com
All Worldwide Rights Reserved. {Attention Publishers: Live hyperlink in author resource box required for copyright compliance}

San Francisco
California October 10
2006
Following a lackluster Q3
Cisco Systems emerges as the leader in the 10 Gigabit Ethernet Switch Market for the fourth quarter. Fueled by increased demand and an overall rise in the average selling price
Cisco experienced significant gains in a market of over $300 Million.

With almost 70% of the projected $1.3 Billion 10-Gig market share and a more powerful
yet affordable design
the Catalyst 6500 is poised to cement Cisco as the dominating force in the industry. With the recent release of an eight-port
10
Ethernet module for the 6500
Cisco is quickly pulling away from the rest of the pack.

In addition
upgrades like the Application Control Engine (ACE) module have prompted companies like Pure Video Networks to adopt Cisco switches to manage traffic of their popular video websites. Implementing simultaneous data center services such as server load balancing
integrated network and application switching/security
the ACE module delivers the highest performance in the industry. The ACE Simplifies application infrastructure by combining the functionality of multiple application delivery appliances into a single module
including server load balancing and off-load
Secure Socket Layer (SSL) protocol
security
and application optimization capabilities.

Already the most successful networking switch on the IT market
the 6500 Series reduces existing operational costs and improves a network's ability to respond to intensive bandwidth demands. In general
customers using the services modules for the Catalyst 6500 reduce their total cost of ownership by taking advantage of simplified infrastructure
improved investment protection
pervasive security
and the high levels of performance
scalability
and innovative technologies.

With over twenty unique service modules in five distinct categories
the Catalyst 6500 ranks among the most scalable
high-performance platform for integrated services. Currently
Cisco offers modules that address security issues
application
networking
network monitoring
wireless/mobility
and IP communications
which can be integrated into existing catalyst switches. Each modules offers upgraded performance and reinforces Cisco's hold on the market for network switches. With more than $20 Billion is sales sine it's release in 1999
the 6500 Series switch has become the most popular networking platform ever.

While Cisco has been able to fend off most threats to their position
rival Foundry Networks
and newcomer Force 10 have recently launched new 10Gbe ready products aimed at disrupting the company's market share. According to literature on Force 10's Terascale E-Series 1200
the E1200 boasts of more than double the ports of the Catalyst 6500 (1260 vs. 576 Ethernet ports/chassis). While this may be good news for the company
Force 10 has been focused on the data center vertical
and is therefore still untested in the enterprise market. Foundry's BigIron RX series switch has received favorable press for it's size/performance ratio and lower prices. With the launch of the new RX series
Foundry has mounted a consistent affront to Cisco's unchallenged reign.

Even with the competition mounting new efforts
the Cisco name is still a major factor among IT professionals whose networks depend on their equipment. Fortunately for the stalwart Cisco
reputation is still the key to market dominance.

Today's bandwidth expectations mean that Category 5 is strategically dead. The Category 5 Enhanced (5e) standards
which should have been ratified in August and may be finalized at November's committee meeting
specify new measurements that provide more margins for 100BaseTX and ATM-155 traffic. Critically
Category 5e standards make reliable Gigabit Ethernet connections possible. But many structured cabling suppliers argue that Category 5e is only an interim solution on the road to Category 6
which will support at least 200 MHz; in the interests of sufficient operating margin
the IEEE is requesting a 250-MHz Category 6 specification. Despite the fact that the Category 6 standards are only at draft stage
manufacturers are offering a host of products and claiming that these products comply with the draft proposals.
What is a category 6 cable? Out of the three cable categories (Cat-5
Cat-5e & Cat-6)
Category 6 is the most advanced and provides the best performance. Just like Cat 5 and Cat 5e
Category 6 cable is typically made up of four twisted pairs of copper wire
but its capabilities far exceed those of other cable types because of one particular structural difference: a longitudinal separator. This separator isolates each of the four pairs of twisted wire from the others
which reduces crosstalk
allows for faster data transfer
and gives Category 6 cable twice the bandwidth of Cat 5! Cat 6 cable is ideal for supporting 10 Gigabit Ethernet
and is able to operate at up to 250 MHz. Since technology and standards are constantly evolving
Cat 6 is the wisest choice of cable when taking any possible future updates to your network into consideration. Not only is Category 6 cable future-safe
it is also backward-compatible with any previously-existing Cat 5 and Cat 5e cabling found in older installations.
Category 6
(ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-B.2-1) is a cable standard for Gigabit Ethernet and other network protocols that is backward compatible with the Category 5
category 5e and Category 3 cable standards. Cat-6 features more stringent specifications for crosstalk and system noise. The cable standard is suitable for 10BASE-T / 100BASE-TX and 1000BASE-T (Gigabit Ethernet) and is expected to suit the 10000BASE-T (10Gigabit Ethernet) standards. It provides performance of up to 250 MHz.
The cable contains four twisted copper wire pairs
just like earlier copper cable standards. Although Cat-6 is sometimes made with 23 gauge wire
this is not a requirement; the ANSI/TIA-568-B.2-1 specification states the cable may be made with 22 to 24 AWG gauge wire
so long as the cable meets the specified testing standards. When used as a patch cable
Cat-6 is normally terminated in 8P8C often incorrectly referred to as “RJ-45" electrical connectors. Some Cat-6 cables are too large and may be difficult to attach to 8P8C connectors without a special modular piece and are technically not standard compliant. If components of the various cable standards are intermixed
the performance of the signal path will be limited to that of the lowest category. As with all cables defined by TIA/EIA-568-B
the maximum allowed length of a Cat-6 horizontal cable is 90 meters (295 feet). A complete channel (horizontal cable plus cords on either end) is allowed to be up to 100 meters in length
depending upon the ratio of cord length: horizontal cable length.
The cable is terminated in either the T568A scheme or the T568B scheme. It doesn't make any difference which is used
as they are both straight through (pin 1 to 1
pin 2 to 2
etc). Mixed cable types should not be connected in serial
as the impedance per pair differs and would cause signal degradation. To connect two Ethernet units of the same type (PC to PC
or hub to hub
for example) a cross over cable should be used
though some modern hardware can use either type of cable automatically.
Return loss measures the ratio of reflected-to-transmitted signal strength and is the single most difficult test to repeat with consistent results; at Category 6 levels
the difference between a pass and a fail can be the amount of bend in a test cord. Return loss is also causing headaches for connector manufacturers
because the RJ-45 system isn't up to the job. The final stumbling block with Category 5e ratification concerns the RJ-45 hardware; Category 6 is committed to RJ-45 for backward compatibility
but the ISO's proposed Category 7 system will have a new and as-yet-unspecified connector to accompany its revised cabling. Today
the return loss problem explains why manufacturers of Category 6 hardware
which is supposed to be interoperable
claim Category 6 performance only if you use the manufacturers' matched parts throughout a channel link.
The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) is working to complete a new specification that will define enhanced performance standards for unshielded twisted pair cable systems. Draft specification ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-B.2-10 specifies cable systems
called "Augmented Category 6" or more frequently as "Category 6a"
that operates at frequencies up to 500 MHz and will provide up to 10 Gbit/s bandwidth. The new specification has limits on alien crosstalk in cabling systems.
Augmented Category 6 specifies cable operating at minimum frequency of 500 MHz
for both shielded and unshielded. It can support future 10 Gb/s applications up to the maximum distance of 100 meters on a 4-connector channel.

Cabling your home for computer network - still a requirement?

With proliferation of wireless networking and communication equipment it is oh-so-tempting to cut the cord and save a significant sum of money in the process. But is everything that a regular computer networking user needs can be done using just wireless network? Let’s take a look at some pros and contras:

1. One important advantage of having a cabled network is the available bandwidth or simply speed. At the present point in time the speed of connection via a simple and inexpensive CAT5E cable can be 1000Mbit/sec
whereas the best that IEEE802.11g (one of the many flavors of Wi-Fi) can offer is only 54Mbit/sec. It may not seem so significant if you think you are only browsing Internet
and the DSL speed available to you is 1.5Mbit/sec. However
if you need to print via your network connection on a remote printer
you should realize that the print jobs
depending on the amount of graphic data in them
can easily reach dozens and even hundreds megabytes. Since 1Byte=8bit one 100MByte print job will take 15 seconds (and in reality this time can be much longer) to transmit via a Wi-Fi wireless connection
and this time shrinks to mere 1 sec or less on wired 1000MBit/s Ethernet connection. Same principal applies to transferring files
backing up files on other computers in the network etc.
2. It is not possible today and with all probability will not be possible in the future to transmit power needed for your networking device via the wireless link. Unless
of course
you would be willing to be subjected to very high levels of microwave radiation. Thus a device that was marketed to you as “un-tethered” will in fact be very much tethered via the power cord or will have to be re-charged every so often. The power requirements are increasingly important for devices that are expected to be always online
such as phone sets. Therefore it is best to have it connected via a cable that can deliver both power and the communication signal at the same time.
3. Wireless communications are very much proprietary and require whole gamut of conversion equipment to transmit multi-media signals. The same CAT5E cable can without any modification support phone
computer network
balanced line level audio signal
baseband video signal as well as host of other
more specialized
control applications’ signals. With inexpensive adapters called “baluns” the same cable can carry significant number of channels of broadband television or carry a baseband video
such as security camera output
through great distances. All of those applications
except the computer network of course
will require specialized expensive conversion equipment if they needed to be transmitted via a Wi-Fi link.
4. The cost benefit of not running wires around the house is not as simple as issue as it seems. Having installed a wireless network at home you have only eliminated the need to wire for a single application – computer network. A modern home
however
requires all kinds of wiring to run even without regard to computers. The power and phones are obvious examples
as well as thermostats and security systems. Pre-wired speakers are common and most homes today have intercom systems as a desirable option
and those also require extensive wiring. It is very likely that the same contractor running the intercom or security cables is qualified to run computer cables – CAT5E or better. If you are building a home
you should definitely check if computer cabling option is available in your new home
and our advice is to go ahead and purchase it before the walls close. It is going to be a pretty involved and expensive procedure to install the cables later. As an added cost benefit of a wired computer network you will find that all modern computers ship with wired Ethernet network interface card included
and the latest models ship with 1000MBit/sec cards that are essentially free for the computer’s owner.

There are multiple sources of information available on proper planning and design of a residential cabling for voice
data
audio
video and other applications. One of the best sources is the TIA/EIA-570B standard
most resent release of which has been published in 2004. The standard outlines recommended types of the cables
principals of cable distribution in a single- and multi-dwelling units as well as recommended amount of cables to be installed based on the size of the house.

In conclusion
cutting the wire seems like a step forward
some sort of liberation of computer from the bonds of the infrastructure. I would caution the reader
however
to take a more balanced and informed approach before joining the wireless revolution. There are still (and will remain in foreseen future) sound reasons to include properly designed cabling system into the list of your dream home options.

Most people are aware that there are continuous security issues with Microsoft’s Windows operating system and other programs. However
what most people do not realize is how easy it is to significantly improve your computer’s security and reduce the likelihood of becoming a victim to ever increasingly sophisticated threats that lurk on the internet. These steps should take less than a couple of hours to complete and should not clean out your wallet.

1) Windows Update – the first crucial step you need to take to make sure that all your Microsoft applications have all the latest product updates installed. These updates or “patches” address security vulnerabilities and other issues. Microsoft usually issues these updates on a monthly cycle. Visit the Microsoft website or switch on automatic updates from the Windows Control panel. Even if your “new” computer is second hand this is still a critical first step. If you buy a used computer with Windows XP make sure Service Pack 2 or SP2 is installed.

2) Strong Passwords - people often overlook this but having well thought through passwords is an important element of your computer security. A strong password should include at least 8 characters with a mixture of text
symbols and numbers. As a minimum you need to make sure the services most at risk have a strong log-in password. These services include your bank
credit card
other financial services like PayPal
your email address and any other services like Ebay which hackers can use to generate profit.

3) Anti Virus Protection – while it is fair to say the threat of the computer virus has receded during the last couple of years they can still inflict serious damage on your computer. Part of the reason why the threat has reduced is because PC manufactures are now more frequently bundling anti virus packages with their new computers. For example last year my new Dell shipped with a 90-day trial of McAfee's Internet Security Suite. The best bet here is to purchase a security package which includes firewall and anti virus software as a minimum. Top brands include McAfee and Symantec Norton products. However
Microsoft has recently entered the market with their "OneCare" offering which is very aggressively priced.

4) Firewall - if you are using a broadband connection then a firewall is definite requirement to manage the traffic flowing between your computer and the internet. A firewall monitors the inbound internet traffic passing through the ports of your computer. Better products also monitor outbound traffic from your computer to the internet. As per above the best bet here is buy a firewall application as part of a security package which most vendors offer as standard. If a hardware firewall is included as part of your router package then you do not need anything else. A company called Zone Labs offer a great free firewall product called Zone Alarm which should be used as a minimum. Windows XP does now ship with a free firewall but the product does not monitor outbound communication and therefore I believe does not offer adequate protection.

5) Anti Spyware Tool - this software is the last piece in your basic internet security set up. This tool helps combat spyware and adware. There is a good mixture of free and paid versions on offer. Good free software include Microsoft's Windows Defender
Spybot S&D or Ewido Anti-Malware. Ewido Anti-Malware is frequently recommended in computer help forums. Be careful if you decide to purchase a solution. There are a number of rogue vendors out there which aggressively push products which offer you little value. Stick to trusted names like Webroot's Spy Sweeper or PC Tool's Spyware Doctor. These products always come out well on independent tests.