Nutter's Know How

chapter 8.9

-configuring a NIC driver

NIC stands for network interface card. To configure a NIC driver you could do it one of two ways. The first way is to use the driver disc that comes along with the motherboard, or an adapter card. the second way is to supply a driver that has been downloaded via the manufacturer.

-uninstalling a NIC driver

If you wish to UNINSTALL a NIC driver you must, go to the adapter properties and click the driver tab. once at this stage you must select roll back driver. if there was never a previous driver present the roll back driver option wont show. If this occurs you will need to find a driver for the device and install it manually, if no other drivers can be found on the computer.

- Installing a NIC driver

The first thing you must do is to disable any virus software that could stop, corrupt or damage any of the files being installed. the second thing that needs to be taken into account, is that only one river should be installed at a time. The best way to download the driver is to go to the manufacturer’s website and to download a driver file. the file will automatically install and update the driver. If this is not the case, and you wish to update the driver you can go to device manager and click update driver, that’s located on the toolbar. The last thing that needs to be done after the install is that you must REBOOT your computer to check that it has been installed successfully, and nothing has gone wrong.

- attaching the computer to a network

the first thing to do is to plug in a network cable (Ethernet port)  into the networking port on the computer. The other end goes into a wall jack. once the networking cable has been connected, to check it is working look for lights beside the Ethernet port to which should be a solid green colour. Next the computer will need an IP address, this is usually performed automatically by the computer that receives it from a nearby DHCP server. The last step to do, is to test if the network works by performing PING.

- Modem Instillation

The modem is a device that allows for data to be transferred between two computers using analog signals which are located on telephone lines. It starts by the modem changing the digital data to the analogue signals so that they can be transferred successfully. next  the modem which will be taking in the signals then converts them back into digital data so that it can be read by the computer. This process is known as  modulation and demodulation. Any external modems must be connected via the USB or serial ports. All modems can communicate by using audio tone signals.

Most modem software uses the Hayes-compatible command set, these are the AT commands:

AT = attention code that precedes all modem action commands.

AP = dial the phone number, xxxxxxx, using pulse dialing.

ATDT xxxxxxx = dial the phone number, xxxxxxx,  using tone dialing.

ATA = answer the phone immediately.

ATHO = hang up  the phone immediately.

ATZ = reset  the modem to its power up settings.

ATF = reset the paremeters and settings to the factory defaults.

AT+++ = break the signal, change from data mode to command mode.

P = signifies pulse dialing.

T = signifies tone dialing.

W = indicates that the modem will wait.

Chapter 8.10

- telephone technologies

analougue telephones use regular voice telephone lines to communicate. It uses a modem to transmit a telephone call to other modems e.g. Internet Service provider. The two main problems when using the phone lines with it are:

1. cannot be used for voice calls whilst using the modems.

2. the maximum band width of the modem is only 56 kbps.

ISDN is a standard. it is used for sending voice, video, and data across telephone wires.  ISDN uses digital technology to transmit the data so that it can produce a higher-quality voice and allow it to be at a higher-speed to transmit data. The ISDN offers three differnet digital connections which are BRI, PRI and BISDN. Lastly ISDN coonsist of two different channels B and D.

DSL means that you dont need to dial up to connect to the Internet. This is because DSL uses the existing copper telephone lines to produce high-speed digital data communication for end users and telephone companies. it also shares the telephone wire with analog signals.

ADSL is  the most used DSL technology. it has different bandwidth. ADSL has a fast downstream speed of 1.5 Mbps, Downstream is the process of transferring data from the server to the end user. The high speed upload rate of ADSL is slower. ADSL does not perform well when hosting a web server or FTP server as both of which involve upload-intensive Internet activities.

- power line communication

PLC stands for power line communication. It can send and receive data by using power distribution wires, in other simpler terms it is run through the local electrical grid. PLC uses analogue signals that  can carry voice and data. They are useful in the fact that they can be used in the every day home so that network cables do not need to be installed, but an electrical outlet must be supplied.

- broadband

broadband is used so that vast amounts of signals can be sent, using different frequencies, of which are all run on one cable. A benefit of using broadband is that two different frequencies and two different transmissions are used so that they do not inter-collide. The frequencies that are used in broadband can then be split into channels, which helps in the main purpose of broadband which is being able to send two or more transmissions at once.

- VoIP

VoIP is more or less the same as making a phone call as it uses the same principals. It does this by converting analogue signals into digital data transported via IP packets. The one disadvantage when using VoIP is that you must be connected to the internet for it to work.

Chapter 8.11

- network preventive maintenance techniques

so that networks can perform and operate accurately they must be maintained. It is very important to maintain networks as they may malfunction and cause hassle for more than just one computer. It is important to make sure that network rooms are kept cool as it overheating can be a major problem, this can be done by installing more fans to condition the air. Another thing that must be considered is that the network devices must have there filter cleaned on a regular basis, to ensure that they don’t get clogged up and effect the network. Lastly the cables must be check regularly to see if the cable has broke or has become faulty.

Chapter 8.12

- trouble shooting a network

the trouble shooting process from Cisco curriculum:

1. gather data from the customer.

2. verify the obvious issues.

3. try quick solutions first.

4. evaluate the problems and implement the solutions.

5. close with the customer.

BY LUKE NUTTER

what is a Network?

A network is a system that is made up of various links. any website that allows for a user to link from other’s websites is known as a social networking site. any connection you have with your fiends is known as a personal network. some examples of every day networks are:

• mail delivery system
• telephone system
• public transportation system
• corporate computer network
• the internet

networks can be useful in helping to link computers to share data and helps in more than one computer being able to the same printer, without having to buy a separate printer for each computer. As well as printers networks also help in connecting up mobile phones, game consoles and televisions like the ones in store that preview the same film at the same time. when a network is transferring data it can take different paths to get to where it needs to be, by taking the fastest route.

A good example of  the various paths is that if you wanted to get from one side of London to the other it is easier and faster to go round through the out side lanes around London as there is less traffic, instead of going through the centre of London where there is a lot more traffic.

Uses of Networks

One thing that computer networks are used in mostly is businesses, homes, schools and government agencies. They are mainly connected using the internet. The devices that can be connected to a Network are:

• Laptops and desktop computers
• printers and scanners
• smart phones and PDA’s

another way that networks are useful is in the way that if you are on one computer a need information from another you can access it. Three main ways they are connected in are by using copper cabling, fibre optics cabling and wireless connection.

-  The 6 benefits of networking

1. fewer peripherals needed
2. increased communication capabilities
3. avoids file duplication and corruption
4. lower cost licensing
5. centralized administration
6. conserves resources

LAN, WAN and WLAN

LAN = local area network, meaning lots of devices interconnected to one administrated control. LANs are networks in homes schools buildings etc. LANs usually are of a short distance although it is not always the case though.

WAN = wide area network, meaning they are networks in which connect LANs in separate locations. An example of of a WAN is the internet as it is made up of lots of LANs.

WLAN = wireless local area network, if has all the capabilities and consistency of a LAN network, but it is wireless instead of being connected up.

By Luke Nutter

In this blog i will explain and show how to install a x3350 Lexmark printer on windows xp using screen shots and the snipping tool to create images that show a step by step on how to install it. see below for the steps ↓

1. the first step is to know how to access the snipping tool if ever you need it: Go to start > all programmes > accessories > snipping tool

2. before any instellation process is used you should plug in the printer USB cable into the computer and the back of the printer.

3. to get to the Lexmark installation download the appropriate driver and click it to access it. the software can be gained from the Lexmark website

4. once on the installation step click the install button

5. then you will be on the printer connection part of the installation where you would connect your printer cable up and click the, with a USB bubble and then press continue if it hasn’t moved on automatically.

6. the next step is the terms and conditions page. All that is needed on this page is click agree, as you dont need the hassle of reading through it all.

7.  the next  step is to type an appropriate share name and tick the share box and click continue.

8. the image studio page will appear where you from there know its down loaded

9. the last thing to do to see if its working is to perform a test print

10. to see if the printer is connected and dosnt have any visible problems you go to the print window that pops up when you go to print something like a word document, the other way is to go into devices and printers to see if it is connected.

by luke nutter

printer types

when looking at printers there is more than one type. There are three main types of printers that vary greatly in how they they print their characters and images. the first type of printer is a laser printer which prints using electrophotographic technology, which means a laser is used to mark out images on a roller which is rolled on to the paper as dry ink so if wet will not run.

The 2nd type of printer is called an ink jet printer, the most common household printer. these printers use electrostatic spray technology, this means it will spray the paper with ink from ink cartridges, through small or short nozzles nether touching the page being printed.

The 3rd printer type is called a Dot Matrix printer which uses impact technology meaning it uses an ink ribbon or tape which inputs characters and words on the paper.

colour wise?

a printer only uses 4 colours as that is all it needs to mix together to create the others that it is needed for words or an image etc. the colours are known as cyan, Magenta, yellow and black. when people talk about printers and how fast they print and the quality, the speed is taken in ppm (pages per minute) and the quality is taken in DPI (dots per inch).

reliability and cost

when people say the reliability of a printer it means what warranty does it have, whether it is a 3 or 4 year warranty, it means the amount of time you are allowed before you are not allowed to take the printer back to get another one if it is broken, from faults that were not your own. Reliability also means  the scheduled servicing and the mean time between failures also known as MTBF, that the printer has.

Cost is also a major factor when viewing or buying printers. there are 7 points to take in account from the cisco curriculum when considering the cost which are:

1. Initial purchase price                                    5. warranty costs

2. cost of supplies e.g. paper and ink           6. the amount of material to be printed

3. price per page                                                   7. the expected lifetime of the printer

4. maintenance costs

Laser printer

A laser printer is a printer that can produce various images, at a very high speed and is the fastest of the three printers, when creating basic images and documents like word or an image from google images. The printer uses a laser beam to create the image. A laser printer has 8 main components that all work together in the printing process to allow what you want to be created. these components are a toner cartridge, laser scanner, high voltage power supply, a paper transport mechanism, Transfer corona, Fuser assembly, control circuitry and an Ozone filter. A laser printer has a printing proccess of 6 steps. below is an image of the steps in use from the cisco curriculum at http://vendorlib/curr/ITE_ppt/ITE_PC_v40_Chapter7.html:

Impact printers

an impact printer works by having a printer head to push ink onto a ribbon. when using this type of printer it has many good and bad things about it. some advantages are that it uses inexpensive consumables, uses continuous feed paper and has a cop printing ability. some disadvantages are that it is noisy, It has low resolution graphics, limited colour capability and lastly it prints fairly slower compared to other printers.

Inkjet printers

Ink jet printers work by using ink filled cartridges that are stored behind nozzles, these nozzles are used to spray ink from the cartridges on the page being printed. the ink is sprayed in patterned dots of various colours to create an image. some factors of an ink jet print are that the print is high quality, its easy to use and isn’t that expensive when taking the other printer types in account. when we talk about ink jet printer nozzles there are two types, Thermal and piezoelectric.

Scanner types

A scanner is a peripharel, that enables you to input photo’s and pictures of a hard copy into a soft copy, into the computer.There are four main types of scanners, these scanners are called, An all in one scanner, a flatbed scanner, a drum scanner and lastly a hand held scanner. when the scanner image is in the computer as a soft copy, it can be modified, saved and even e-mailed to other people so they can view the image.

All in one scanners

the first scanner i am going to talk about is the all in one scanner.

Introduction

In this assignment i will explain and present the facts and figures on the  knowledge i have gathered from the cisco curriculum at http://www.cisco.com/web/learning/netacad/index.html and http://vendorlib/curr/ITE/start.html. this post will talk all about  chapter 6 in curriculum which covers laptops and portable devices along with their components, the standards of phones and the configuration of a laptop. lastly it will talk about how to trouble shoot laptops, portable devices  and how to identify maintenance techniques for them as well.

laptops and portable devices

the very first laptops were very expensive for people to buy and were also very heavy. Over the years now laptops have dropped in price dramatically to what they were when they first came out. Not only has the price dropped but the weight has decreased so they are easier to carry round.  laptops can now have certain things added to them such as fire walls, cameras and video ports etc. Other portable devices other than laptops are things like smart phones and PDAs. PDAs are used to organise and help arrange things, they also benefit in apps such as a calender, contacts book, calculator and many more. smart phones can do all that a PDA can, maybe slightly less apps, but they can also phone and message people. As you can tell PDAs have gone out of  fashion quite a bit now as smart phones have taken over being capable of fulfilling more things than the common PDA.

laptop components

components of a laptop are quite different compared to desktop components as they are put into a completely different casing and wouldn’t fit in a desktop case. laptops have been able to get  better and smaller as the components within the case of the laptop are shaped to fit in sync with all the other components making it more compact. as well as internal components there is also external components that benefit in many ways. some of these are the key board, the touch pad, the monitor even the battery and in older models the nipple also like the touch pad, you use it to navigate the mouse across the screen, but it is allot harder to use.

ports and sides of a laptop

usually the base of the laptop holds the access to the battery, the memory and sometimes the hard rive. Also in some older models the base of the laptop can have a docking bay port used to connect the docking station. on the back of the laptop there is an AC power port and a parallel connector port. on the side of a laptop there is many, many various ports to help enable many things. There are USB ports, Ethernet ports, s-video ports, head phone and micro phone jacks, expansion slots and ventilation grills, VGA ports and disk drives. lastly the front of the laptop would usually have the least amount of things. It consists of things like speakers, blue  tooth or in fared ports and  the switch or  latch used to open the laptop lid. All these these things help to create the basic out line and casing for the laptop.

keyboards and features

when the laptop lid is opened it allows many more keys and features to be accessed. now in the 21 st century pretty much all laptops have a touch pad built into them along with a keyboard. there is also the standard power button and on some older models there are some volume keys built in. on some ADVENT models are symbols that can be viewed at the front. Each symbol represents something different. there are battery symbols, wireless symbols, blue tooth/ infra-red symbols, whether a num or caps lock is enabled or disabled and last but not least the stand-by symbol.

laptop and desktop component caparisons

desktops and laptops contain many various  components which fore fill many actions to benefit your needs that you wish to complete on the computer no matter what it is, all the components do something or there would be no point in putting them in the laptop/desktop. most of the things a desktop can do, so can a laptop the only main difference is the fact that the laptop is portable. although both these have  more or less the same components they are both arranged and placed differently in the case, and there parts cannot be swapped with each other as they are made and formatted differently. in some cases desktop components as the are standardized, where as if a laptop tries to share the same part it is unlikely they could as it they are made  specifically to be compact and manufactured so they fit in the case as that brand have designed it.

maintenance

if you know how to do it maintaining your laptop can become simple. first thing to know is how to keep your laptop clean and in a good condition. before you use any cleaning devices like compressed air you need to make sure every thing is turned off and no devices are connected to the laptop, also make sure that the components can be cleaned with what ever you are going to use to clean them or they may not work again. vents and fans should use compressed air, LCD screens should be wiped over with a soft piece of cloth. drives can be cleaned with cleaning disks. lastly disks can be cleaned with lint free cloth.                       by Luke Nutter