Lab Exercise 1: PC Network TCP/IP Configuration

Step 1 Connect into the Internet

Establish and verify connectivity to the Internet. This ensures the computer has an IP address.

Step 2 Gather TCP/IP configuration information

Use the Start menu to open the Command Prompt, an MS-DOS-like window. Press Start, then type cmd for Command Prompt. 

The following figure shows the Command screen. Type ipconfig and press the Enter key. The spelling of ipconfig is critical while case is not. It is short for IP Configuration.

Step 3 Record the following TCP/IP information for this computer

IP address: 192.168.11.64 

Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0

Default Gateway: 192.168.11.1

Step 4 Compare the TCP/IP configuration of this computer to others on the LAN

If this computer is on a LAN, compare the information of several machines. (Maximum of 3)

Are there any similarities? Yes.

What is similar about the IP addresses? The three have the same default gateway and subnet mask.

What is similar about the default gateways? Default gateway is the same for all three machine.

The IP addresses should share the same network portion. All machines in the LAN should share the same default gateway.

Record a couple of the IP Addresses:

192.168.11.65 & 192.168.11.67.

Step 5 Check additional TCP/IP configuration information

To see detailed information, type ipconfig /all and press Enter.

Notice the Physical Address (MAC) and the NIC model (Description).

In the LAN, what similarities about the Physical (MAC) Addresses are seen?

There were no similarities found between the compared machines Physical Addresses

While not a requirement, most LAN administrators try to standardize components like NICs.

Therefore, it would not be surprising to find all machines share the first three Hex pairs in the adapter address. These three pairs identify the manufacturer of the adapter. 

Write down the IP addresses of any servers listed: 

61.6.254.146 & 61.6.254.166

Write down the computer Host Name: 

LAB2.

Write down the Host Names of a couple other computers: 

All three compared machines have the same Host NameLAB2

Do all of the servers and workstations share the same network portion of the IP address as the student workstation? No

It would not be unusual for some or all of the servers and workstations to be in another network. It means that the computer default gateway is going to forward requests to the other network. 

Step 6 Close the screen

Close the screen when finished examining network settings.

Reflection

Based on observations, what can be deduced about the following results taken from three computers connected to one switch?

Computer 1

IP Address: 192.168.12.113

Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0

Default Gateway: 192.168.12.1

Computer 2

IP Address: 192.168.12.205

Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0

Default Gateway: 192.168.12.1

Computer 3

IP Address: 192.168.112.97

Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0

Default Gateway: 192.168.12.1

Should they be able to talk to each other? Are they all on the same network? Why or why not? If something is wrong, what is most likely the problem?

Answer:

The three computers should not be able to talk to each other because Computer 3 have a different IP Address, Computers 1 and 2 are on the same network but Computer 3 is not. this is shown in their IP Address that Computer 1 and 2 have 192.168.12... as their IP Address while Computer 3 have 192.168.112...so Computer 3 should change its's IP Address to be the same as the other. If done, this allows the three to communicate with each other, in a sense that they could share files and information with each other. If somethings is wrong, it could be that between the three, one would have a different IP Address.