Computer Networking Assignment

Task

This is a practical assessment and will enhance and test your practical skills related to the subject topic. You utilise Cisco Packet Tracer (CPT) for task completion. To complete this assessment you are expected to refer to information beyond the textbook.

When completing this project, you may encounter errors or experience difficulties getting your setup to work. If this occurs, your challenge is to analyse why they happened and report on how you solved the problems. 

Students are required to set up a network consisting of PCs, routers, switches and servers: 
4 Client(s) <--> Switch <--> Router <--> Router <--> Switch <--> Server(s)

You will need to configure routing between routers by employing any dynamic routing protocol. The PCs (clients) will be connected to switches and switches to the router's interfaces. Clients and Servers are connected on different networks (don’t attach clients and servers on the same network).

How do you select the IPv4 addresses for your submission?

As we know that IPv4 addressing supports different address classes, e.g. Class A, Class B, Class C, etc. The class you are expected to use will depend on your student ID.  Find the sum of all digits of your ID until the sum becomes a single digit. If the obtained single digit is between 1 and 3, please use Class C. For 4 to 6 or 7 to 9, please use Class A or Class B respectively.

Let's say, your ID is 12345678. If we add them we get 1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8 = 36, and then 3+6 = 9; So, you choose Class B. 

Another example: If one's ID is 56789023, we calculate 5+6+7+8+9+0+2+3 = 40, and then 4 + 0 = 4; So s/he selects Class A.  

Task 1 - Setting up a Network [4 * 1.5 = 6 marks]

Perform the following activities and report with screenshots and short descriptions:

1. Configure the PCs, Server and Router interfaces with appropriate network addressing;
2.  Configure any classless dynamic routing protocol on the routers;
3. On any client, ping the client's own network interfaces, then the local router gateway interface, then the remote router interface, then the servers. Check full network conductivity;
4. Use the traceroute command from the client to the server. Include results of the traceroute in your submission, explaining meaning of traceroute output.

Task 2 - Configuring Network Services [4 * 2 = 8 marks]

Using the same network topology that you have set up in Task 1, perform the following additional activities and report with screenshots and short descriptions:

1. DHCP: Configure DHCP servers and show that the client PC has successfully received IP Addresses and other network parameters (default gateway, subnet mask and DNS IP address) using DHCP
2. WEB Server: Configure WEBs server on the dedicated machines in their specified networks, with URL as yourname.csu.org
3. DNS: Configure DNS Servers on the server device and demonstrate that forward and reverse DNS are working from the client PC; test DNS Server by browsing yourname.csu.org from client PC, DNS must resolve this URL to IP address of WEB Server. You may use CNAME to implement reverse DNS in the CPT.
4. Firewall: Configure traffic filtering on the web servers to block ONLY HTTP TCP traffic between one of the client PCs and WEB Servers and allowing all other IP traffic, provide evidence of such traffic filtering. You should verify the firewall by using PING and HTTPS TCP traffic which should not be blocked.

Task 3 [6 marks]

Write a reflective discussion around how you accomplished task 1 and task 2 in 500-700 words. 

Please check your submission by Turnitin and add the similarity score with your report.

The discussion must be accompanied by commentary on each of the required steps undertaken. The submission must include a comprehensive explanation of each task in your own words and all the commands used along with the output (or final result) in report format. You can embed screenshots from the previous two tasks in your discussion. Lack of personalised discussion around the concepts utilised to accomplish the tasks will lead to deduction of marks. More information on reflective writing is available from here.

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