Basic Network Creation

Practical Task

In this sprint, you will build the first working version of your network, configure devices correctly, and test whether communication works as expected. You must show that the network is physically connected, correctly addressed, and able to communicate both locally and through the gateway. The goal is not just to connect devices, but to prove that the network works and explain how and why it works.

First Sprint: Planning Your Network

Your first sprint focuses on planning and designing your network. You should identify the purpose of the network, who the end user is, which devices need to be connected, and what services or resources need to be available. You should also begin planning the layout of the network and deciding what success will look like. This gives you a clear foundation before you move into building, configuring, and testing the network.

Core Requirements

To complete the task successfully, you must:

connect the network devices correctly using Ethernet
check and confirm physical connectivity
configure valid IP settings on both PCs
make sure both PCs are on the same subnet
set the correct default gateway
test local communication between devices
test communication to the gateway
identify and fix at least one fault
explain what the default gateway does
explain what the next hop is in your network

12EMT - Networking Practice Task

This evidence document is used to show what you built, how you configured it, how you tested it, and how you know it worked. It is important because network tasks are not just about following steps — you need to provide proof that the physical setup, IP configuration, communication, and troubleshooting were completed successfully. Good evidence makes your process visible and shows your understanding of how the network operates, what went wrong when faults occurred, and how those issues were identified and fixed.

FILL THIS OUT

Basic Connectivity

A network begins with a physical connection between devices. The simplest form is a point-to-point connection, where one device is directly connected to another using a single cable.

This creates one clear path for data between a sender and a receiver.

In most real networks, devices connect through a switch, which allows multiple devices to communicate on the same network. A router is then used to connect that network to other networks (such as the internet).

Before any configuration, always check the physical setup:

cable is plugged in firmly
correct ports are used
devices are powered on
link lights are active

If the physical layer is not working, nothing else will.

Ethernet is the standard wired technology used to connect devices in a local network.

It uses cables (commonly Cat5e or Cat6) with RJ45 connectors.

Ethernet operates at the lower levels of networking (physical and data link), meaning it handles how data is physically sent between devices.

What is an IP Address?

An IP address is the logical address of a device on a network. It allows devices to identify each other and send data to the correct destination. You can think of it like a street address for a device — without it, data would not know where to go.

An IPv4 address is written as four numbers separated by dots (e.g. 192.168.1.10). Each device on a network must have a unique IP address.

Network portion is defined by Subnet size, generally for private networks you will use class C or /24 networks

Watch this video

This video defines an IP address as a unique numerical identifier that allows internet-connected devices to locate and communicate with each other. It details the evolution from IPv4, which uses a 32-bit structure, to the more robust IPv6, which provides a significantly larger pool of addresses to accommodate global growth. Finally, the video explains the practical side of network management, distinguishing between public and private IP addresses and describing how Network Address Translation (NAT) and DHCP facilitate secure, efficient connectivity for both home and enterprise users.

Subnet Masks

A subnet mask tells a device which addresses are part of its local network and which are outside it.

For example:

IP: 192.168.1.10
Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0

This means the network is 192.168.1.x, and any device in that range can be contacted directly.

If a device is outside this range, the data must be sent to the default gateway.

Next Hop and Default gateways

When a device wants to contact something outside the local network, such as a DNS server, it sends the packet to its default gateway. The default gateway is the first next hop. (Usually the address of the router)

From there, the packet may pass through many routers. At each step:

the router checks the destination IP address
it decides the next hop
it forwards the packet closer to the destination

This is why packets are often described as hopping from router to router across networks.

If a computer needs to look up a website name, it may send a DNS request to a DNS server that is outside the local network. The packet does not jump straight there in one step. Instead, it moves through a series of next hops until it reaches the DNS server.

For two devices to communicate on a local network, they must be physically connected, have valid IP addresses, be in the same subnet, and not share the same IP address. To communicate beyond their own local network, they also need the correct default gateway so traffic can be sent to the router, which then forwards it toward other networks. If any of these settings are incorrect, communication will fail or be limited.

Task: Investigating Network Hops

Use the tracert command to explore how data travels across networks.

Instructions

Open Command Prompt
Run the following command:

tracert google.com

What to observe

the list of hops (routers) between your computer and the destination
how many steps it takes to reach the destination
how the response time changes at each hop
where timeouts (* * *) may occur

Questions to answer

How many hops does it take to reach the destination?
What is the first hop? (What device is this likely to be?)
Do all hops respond? Why might some not respond?
What does this show about how data moves across networks?

How Names Become IP Addresses (DNS)

Humans use names like website addresses, but networks use IP addresses.

DNS (Domain Name System) translates names into IP addresses so devices know where to connect.

Usually, a device will use the router as its default DNS setting. The router may then either resolve the request itself or pass it on to a global DNS server such as 8.8.8.8.

Example:

you type a website name
your device sends the DNS request, often to the router
the router checks or forwards the request to a DNS server such as 8.8.8.8
the correct IP address is returned
your device connects using that IP

If DNS is not working, websites may not load even if the network connection itself is working.

This video goes through that process in more depth

How Devices Get IP Addresses (DHCP)

Devices can either be given a manual IP address or receive one automatically.

DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) automatically assigns:

IP address
subnet mask
default gatewaya
DNS server

This is what most home and school networks use.

If DHCP fails, a device may not get a valid IP address.

Network Troubleshooting (Windows Tools)

This video introduces a set of common Windows network troubleshooting tools used to check configuration and diagnose network issues. It focuses on four key commands: ipconfig, ping, tracert, and nslookup.

ipconfig is used to check your device’s network settings, including IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway.
ping is used to test whether your device can communicate with another device.
tracert (trace route) shows the path a packet takes across the network by listing each hop (router) it passes through.
nslookup is used to check how domain names (like websites) are translated into IP addresses.

These tools are Windows-specific commands and are useful for identifying whether a problem is related to configuration, local connectivity, routing, or DNS.

Once your first network is working, return to the main 91895 page and move into Sprint 2, where you apply advanced techniques to improve your network.

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