All network devices that would like to join to the networking infrastructure need to be initialized to use the same language and to get the unique identity within the network to allow them talk each other. This initialization is typically called Computer Network Setup. Network setup for the devices such as LAN cards, LAN switches, network routers need to be initialized according to standard configuration based on your corporate guidelines.
The following will discuss basic Computer network setup for network devices, it will not discuss further about the deployment of clients security software if the organization deploys something like network security software for the corporate. As we know that protecting the computers from any malware is strongly recommended, either for corporate network or home network.
Computer Network setup
The most efficient network setup for the computers connected to the network is to set the LAN connection to receive the IP address automatically from the DHCP server. The default setting after a fresh Windows OS installation of a computer is “obtain the IP address automatically”. It will not be efficient to setup hundreds of computers in the network with Static IP address one by one. Check out the article about simple networking computers that discuss about sharing the internet connection at home, it shows you a way to “obtain the IP address automatically”.
Network setup – the servers
All the servers must have fix IP address and registered to the DNS server, because the server will be accessed by the users using the server name instead of the IP address. You also need to have the naming standard of the servers when you design the network configuration which registers the naming standard and the fix IP addresses used. Network setup for the fix IP address will need to configure the following:
- IP Address
- Subnet mask
- Preferred DNS server and or Alternate DNS server
- Wins server (if required)
Instead of selecting ‘Obtain an IP address automatically’, you need to select ‘Use the following IP address’ radio button and type in the IP address as in your documentation register. Refer to the Guinea Smelter – IP addresses register in the network configuration article, for the preferred and alternate DNS servers you can use GUISML-HR-DC01 and GUISML-HR-DC02 IP addresses (192.168.100.253 and 192.168.100.252).
Network setup – the switches
Network setup for switches is optional for small size local area network, but for medium and large sized local area network – network setup is a strongly recommended. This network setup includes configuring the standard naming devices; IP address and gateway configuration; enabling the STP protocol (enabled by default) and manual STP tuning if required.
How to complete the computer network setup for switch?
Assume that this is a core switch in the HR building in our previous network configuration naming standard which has the following configuration:
Switch name (hostname): GUISML-HR-Cs1
IP address: 192.168.100.250
Gateway: 192.168.100.254
Connect the switch console port to the laptop for setup configuration; you can consult with the switch manual book how to make a console connection with the laptop. For Cisco switches you can use one of the following tools to work with the switch network setup configuration.
- Command line interface (CLI)
- Switch menu
- Visual Switch Manager (VSM) web interface
In the main menu select [K] for command line, remember that the command you enter will be saved by the system immediately – the ‘copy run start’ command in the router does not exist in the old style Cisco switch. For new switch such as 2950 you need to treat it the same way as in Cisco router.
Switch>enable
switch# conf t
Enter to the global configuration mode to configure the network setup for the hostname of this switch to GUISML-HR-Cs1
switch(config)#hostname GUISML-HR-Cs1
set the enable password to password123 (or whatever your preference is) and then encrypt the password with the ‘service password-encry’
GUISML-HR-Cs1(config)# enable secret password123
GUISML-HR-Cs1(config)# service password-encry
Configure all of the 6 tty port for telnet and set the telnet password (example password123)
GUISML-HR-Cs1(config)# line vty 0 5 GUISML-HR-Cs1(config-line)# login GUISML-HR-Cs1(config-line)# password password123 GUISML-HR-Cs1(config-line)# exitBy default VLAN 1 is used for management purposes, set the IP address and the default gateway
GUISML-HR-Cs1(config)#int vlan 1 GUISML-HR-Cs1(config-if)# ip address 192.168.100.250 255.255.255.0 GUISML-HR-Cs1(config-if)# no shut GUISML-HR-Cs1(config-if)# ip default-gateway 192.168.100.254Network setup for the switch has been completed with the naming standard and a unique IP address that will make it easy for maintenance by using Telnet.
Now we need to make port 1 connected to Cisco router and port 24 will be connected to the other switch port at the mine office. Provide the description to port 1 that will connect to Cisco router and configure it to 100Mbps with full duplex.
GUISML-HR-Cs1(config)#int f0/1 GUISML-HR-Cs1(config-if)# descript Uplink to Router 2600 GUISML-HR-Cs1(config-if)# speed 100 GUISML-HR-Cs1(config-if)# duplex full GUISML-HR-Cs1(config-if)# int f0/24 GUISML-HR-Cs1(config-if)# descript Uplink to Switch in Mine Office GUISML-HR-Cs1(config-if)# duplex full GUISML-HR-Cs1(config-if)# exit GUISML-HR-Cs1(config)# exit GUISML-HR-Cs1# copy running-config startup-configWhen using the “int” command to access the interface configuration mode the parameters supplied to it usually begin with the letter f, specifying Fast Ethernet. However, when using some newer devices which support Gigabit Ethernet, the parameter supplied must be preceded by the letter g instead.
Network setup for the router will be discussed in separate article.
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