DopplerZero
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- Posted: Wed, 28 Apr 2004 22:01:38 +0000
To go along with Price's Explaination of the OSI and Kiro's Networking essentials, I'm here to explain to you what some of the stuff that runs over your network actually means and does. The stuff in the background that keeps your computer actually running without any problems, yet you don't know they are there. The networking services that process the information coming in and make it so it can be used in some way, shape, or form.
Welcome to Networking Intel and Operations. 3nodding
DHCP
Probably the most important networking service is DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol). Just from the name alone you can probably tell what this puppy does.
Every computer, in order to get out there on the world wide confusion known as the internet, needs to have a unique identifier, so things just don't get sent out all over the place, and you actually get what you wanted. Those Identifiers come in the form of IP Addresses. IP Addresses are four numbers spaced by periods, none larger then 255 (I have seen so many people do 300 numbers and think it's real sweatdrop )
Example: 12.9.200.75
There are a few IPs that can't be used, but those will be coming up a bit later with subnetting. xp For now all that you need to know is that every computer needs one of these addresses to get onto the internet without problem. Every computer that logs onto Gaia has an IP address, or else you wouldn't be able to even get to the pages.
Now, back to the subject at hand. How 99% of the worlds computers that get this magical IP address is automatically, IE you never know that you really have one or gotten one. If you want to see what yours is, just got into the command prompt or the like and do >ipconfig /all . It'll show you your IP address, as well as say automatic, and have another entry for something DHCP.
This is what you'll see. Well. Some of it. But more on that later. I'm going to be referring to this little bit here for a lot, as IPconfig can show you basically everything that you need to know about the services you are running. What we're concerned with is the IP address
Most people with an ISP get this automatically from the ISP, which is running one giant DHCP server, essentially. Dial-up, Cable, it doesn't matter. They all have an central IP. The ISP's DHCP server, once you log on, will assign you an IP to your router or modem, which will then be subnetted (Look to Kiro's Guide for more on subnetting).
DHCP doesn't just give you the IP address, it also gives you your default gateway. This is only used for networks, and it tells all the computers on the network what IP address on that LAN is the one to send the stuff out of. Think of the gateway as the large iron gate in the front of the castle. Nobody gets in or out without going through it. Same effect applies here.
But there are three things DHCP will give you. IP Address, Default Gateway, and also possibly a DNS server to go to. What is this DNS you ask? More on that later. wink
Welcome to Networking Intel and Operations. 3nodding
DHCP
Probably the most important networking service is DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol). Just from the name alone you can probably tell what this puppy does.
Every computer, in order to get out there on the world wide confusion known as the internet, needs to have a unique identifier, so things just don't get sent out all over the place, and you actually get what you wanted. Those Identifiers come in the form of IP Addresses. IP Addresses are four numbers spaced by periods, none larger then 255 (I have seen so many people do 300 numbers and think it's real sweatdrop )
Example: 12.9.200.75
There are a few IPs that can't be used, but those will be coming up a bit later with subnetting. xp For now all that you need to know is that every computer needs one of these addresses to get onto the internet without problem. Every computer that logs onto Gaia has an IP address, or else you wouldn't be able to even get to the pages.
Now, back to the subject at hand. How 99% of the worlds computers that get this magical IP address is automatically, IE you never know that you really have one or gotten one. If you want to see what yours is, just got into the command prompt or the like and do >ipconfig /all . It'll show you your IP address, as well as say automatic, and have another entry for something DHCP.
Z:\>ipconfig /all
Windows 2000 IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Nomicon
Primary DNS Suffix . . . . . . . : golspan.gsc
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : golspan.gsc
Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : golspan.gsc
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : 3Com 3C920 Integrated Fast Ethernet Controller (3C905C-TX Compatible)
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-B0-D0-DE-38-99
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.50.11.130
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 10.50.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.50.3.3
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.50.3.2
10.50.3.3
Primary WINS Server . . . . . . . : 10.50.3.2
Secondary WINS Server . . . . . . : 10.50.3.3
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Monday, April 26, 2004 10:58:40 AM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Tuesday, May 04, 2004 10:58:40 AM
Windows 2000 IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Nomicon
Primary DNS Suffix . . . . . . . : golspan.gsc
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : golspan.gsc
Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : golspan.gsc
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : 3Com 3C920 Integrated Fast Ethernet Controller (3C905C-TX Compatible)
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-B0-D0-DE-38-99
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.50.11.130
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 10.50.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.50.3.3
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.50.3.2
10.50.3.3
Primary WINS Server . . . . . . . : 10.50.3.2
Secondary WINS Server . . . . . . : 10.50.3.3
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Monday, April 26, 2004 10:58:40 AM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Tuesday, May 04, 2004 10:58:40 AM
This is what you'll see. Well. Some of it. But more on that later. I'm going to be referring to this little bit here for a lot, as IPconfig can show you basically everything that you need to know about the services you are running. What we're concerned with is the IP address
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.50.11.130
Most people with an ISP get this automatically from the ISP, which is running one giant DHCP server, essentially. Dial-up, Cable, it doesn't matter. They all have an central IP. The ISP's DHCP server, once you log on, will assign you an IP to your router or modem, which will then be subnetted (Look to Kiro's Guide for more on subnetting).
DHCP doesn't just give you the IP address, it also gives you your default gateway. This is only used for networks, and it tells all the computers on the network what IP address on that LAN is the one to send the stuff out of. Think of the gateway as the large iron gate in the front of the castle. Nobody gets in or out without going through it. Same effect applies here.
But there are three things DHCP will give you. IP Address, Default Gateway, and also possibly a DNS server to go to. What is this DNS you ask? More on that later. wink
