by Jeff Carrell, Electronic Communications Chairman
For the past year I have been discussing the various components that make up a Local Area Network. Now it's time to discuss implementation - Let's build a LAN.
Many folks now have a couple of computers in their households, or their Small Office/Home Office. In order to connect them together to form a LAN, there are a few things you need to determine first:
In this example, we will focus on using Windows for Workgroups version 3.11 or greater and Windows 95. (Specific details operating systems and other topics mentioned below are covered in previous articles - see table at end of this article for references.) Although many more operating systems are available for personal computers today, these are generally the most common. In addition, I'll be discussing using the default protocol used by these two operating systems, NetBEUI.
For most folks the priority is sharing data on their hard drives. A close second to that requirement is to share a printer that is physically connected to one PC. In doing so, all networked PC's can print to a common printer. Some folks have a laser printer on one PC and maybe a color ink jet printer on another PC. These resources are easily "shared." Another common device to share is a CD-ROM drive. When sharing a CD-ROM, often you can install software from one PC to the other(s) that don't have a CD-ROM drive.
For the ease of discussion, this article will focus on the Ethernet 10BaseT UTP cable topology. Again, there are many network topologies to choose from, but there is more support for 10BaseT above all others and it's very inexpensive to implement.
Concerning cabling, if you are fortunate to have all the PC's in a common room, then cabling between them is a much easier task. Like topologies, there are many cable types and cabling systems to choose from. However, UTP cabling and cabling systems are very economical to configure and install.
When networking a few computers together, you can decide to spend a significant amount of money, or you can opt for a small inexpensive "network starter" kit (or almost everything in-between). Many of these kits include the necessary NICs, hub and cabling to configure and install a LAN. And since, these kits have everything you need in one convenient package, you don't have to remember to get all the separate components- it's all there for you. Most major computer store chains and the plethora of general computer retail and discount stores carry either separate networking components or network starter kits (or both). You should be able to easily obtain all you need in order to build your small LAN.
Finally, if all you plan to do is network two PC's together, you can actually get away with two 10BaseT NIC's and a cross-over cable to connect them together. This allows you to build a LAN and spend less than $50 total.
In the next installment of this series, I'll discuss the specifics of configuring WFW and Win95.
For back issues of Signals refer to the archive at: www.ewh.ieee.org/r5/fort_worth/sig_arch.html
Copyright (c) 1998 Jeffrey L. Carrell. All Rights Reserved
There has been much obvious interest on the part of power companies regarding the general area of telecommunications. Although the drivers for this interest are not completely clear, one often mentioned is the desire of power companies to diversify their investment in the face of coming deregulation. While the rationality of entering the telecommunications field to escape a competitive environment is a little hard to fathom for an old-line telephone man (I've watched that business become extremely competitive in the last 15 years), the power companies definitely will have some advantages. The following list is a compilation of those advantages compared to others trying to enter the field.
PHYSICAL SUPPORT STRUCTURES
Perhaps the most obvious advantage, but it is still very important. All of those poles, supporting structures, conduits, and manholes are already there, already paid for, and in the right places.
RIGHT-OF-WAY
Power companies have not only the right-of-way that they are currently using, but also they have reserved right-of-way were growth is projected.
EXTENSIVE WIRE NETWORK
The power wires aren't exactly what communications engineers usually think about, but they go in more homes than phone wires (or any thing else for that matter). In some rural counties phone penetration is only in the order of 70% while electrical penetration is in excess of 90%. In addition to the wire network, many power companies have extensive fiber and /or microwave networks for internal communications and control use. These networks generally can be easily expanded for inter and inter Lata service.
BACK OFFICE SYSTEMS
Yes, the power companies bill vast numbers of customers, too. They have at least as good a knowledge base in developing and operating large systems as any one in the world, and they have existing systems that are close to all of the dearly developed telephone systems.
CUSTOMER CONTACT ORGANIZATION
They have in place organizations (systems, people, centers, and management) to support very large customer bases in terms of customer contact. These organizations can be (and are) used for billing questions, technical help, marketing, and miscellaneous contacts.
FIELD MAINTENANCE AND INSTALLATION FORCES AND SUPPORTING FACILITIES
Pole yards, trucks, truck maintenance facilities, and most importantly, a highly experienced (but in need of telecommunications training) work force are all part of this advantage. These capabilities are all correctly located (near the customers) and ready to be used for new services using diverse technologies to generate new revenue streams (e.g., telecommunications).
TECHNICAL STAFF AND TECHNICAL PROJECT MANAGEMENT CAPABILITIES
The technical staff may not have the correct background (power engineering rather than telecommunications engineering), but there are telecommunications engineers at most, even mid-sized, power companies. They clearly understand all of the issues in building a professional technical staff and managing it.
UBIQUITOUS AND FAVORABLE PRESENCE WITH END USERS
Real "One Stop Potential" - Power companies are habitually rated above most telecommunications companies in terms of name recognition and in terms of trust by consumers. They have a head start in developing a real position in the minds of consumers as "The Utility Company."
KNOWLEDGE OF LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND REGULATORY BODIES
In most jurisdictions, the state regulatory body overseeing the power companies and the telephone companies are the same. This means that the power companies are knowledgeable in terms of procedures, regulations, staff, and members. It also means that they are invariably deeply involved in local community issues, and are generally extremely well known, and respected.
EXTENSIVE FINANCIAL STRENGTH AND MARKET ACCESS
The power companies not only have extremely hefty cash flows; they have (generally) very strong balance sheets. Their ability to fund an expansion in to an area that is notorious as a cash eater (telecommunications) is far greater than any other possible competitor.
Prepared by B & C Consulting Services
March, 1998
(c) 1998 B & C Consulting Services
SECTION OFFICER NOMINATIONS - At this point, we would normally announce candidates for 1998-99 Section Officers. However, the Nominating Committee has not provided the information, so nominations remain open. Interested individuals can contact the Nominations Chairman, Jim Painter. Next month we will announce candidates and solicit nominations by petition. Elections will run one month later, in June.
ENGINEERING CAREERS INTO THE 21ST CENTURY: MAXIMIZING INDIVIDUAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL GROWTH, is the theme of the IEEE-USA's Tenth Biennial Careers Conference, is scheduled for April 30-May 1, 1998 in Phoenix at the Sheraton Crescent Hotel. The conference will focus on success stories from individuals and from the organizations where they work. Two full days of presentations will emphasize important new research and information that can help point the way to success and fulfillment for organizations, human resource professionals, engineering managers and engineers working in technical fields. For additional information contact: Scott Grayson, 202-785-0017, s.grayson@ieee.org or see: www.ieeeusa.org/usab/CONFERENCES/cc98.html
QUICK RESPONSE TEAM TARGETS LAYOFFS - IEEE-USA has put together a "quick response" team to assist members facing layoffs. The one-day seminar is designed to make members aware of IEEE's resources that can help them in the areas of career development and employment assistance. The first quick response seminar was organized to assist members facing layoffs due to deregulation of the power industry in California. Bob Krause and Jean Eason, as representatives of IEEE-USA's Career Maintenance and Development Committee and Employment Assistance Committee, joined with local volunteers to host the seminar. For more information, contact Gary Johnson, gary.johnson@ieee.org.
IEEE-USA TESTIFIES ON WORKER SHORTAGES - On Feb. 25, IEEE-USA President John Reinert testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on High Tech Worker Shortages and Immigration Policy. According to Reinert, "Claims of high-tech worker shortages are inflated, the available domestic labor supply is understated, and the wisdom of expanding immigration is overrated." Reinert urged Congress and US industry to help free-market mechanisms work more efficiently to correct labor imbalances rather than "resort to increased immigration as a quick fix for growing workforce demand ...The hidden blessing in the current high-demand market for certain technical specialties is that it should encourage us to retrain displaced workers, attract under represented women and minorities, better educate our young people, and recommission willing and able older workers who have been forced out of the field. By raising the visa limits, the government instead would provide a powerful incentive to squander these important national resources and cause an increasing erosion of our domestic technical infrastructure." Reinert's testimony is available on-line at www.ieeeusa.org/usab/FORUM/POLICY/98feb25.html.
IEEE-USA ENDORSES SAFE PENSION REFORM - The IEEE-USA backed the Secure Assets for Employees (SAFE) Plan Act (H.R. 1656) in testimony before the US House Ways and Means Committee Subcommittee on oversight of pension issues. James V. Leonard, vice chairman of IEEE-USA's Engineering Employment Benefits Committee, testified that the SAFE Plan Act would "help expand pension coverage in the rapidly growing, small business sector and, at the same time, offer promising solutions to the vesting, portability, retirement-asset preservation, minimum benefits standards, and administrative complexity problems." Leonard also addressed the Clinton Administration's Secure Money Annuity or Retirement Trust (SMART) plan, which bears a resemblance to the SAFE Plan. However, he said that IEEE-USA's major objection to the SMART proposal is that it would specifically exclude professional-service providers, a growing part of the small-business community, from the plan.
OTHER IEEE-USA ACTION
SCIENCE COMMITTEE INTRODUCES NEXT GENERATION INTERNET BILL - The Next Generation Internet Research Act of 1998, H.R. 3332, amends the High-Performance Computing Act of 1991 and authorizes funding for the project through fiscal year 2000. Specifically the bill authorizes funds for the development and coordination of a comprehensive and integrated US research program which will focus on creating a network infrastructure that can support greater speed and flexibility than is currently available to computer users. Another objective of the bill is to increase the connectivity among the federal government's advanced computer networks.
PRESIDENT PROPOSES A 2.6% INCREASE IN FEDERAL R&D - On Feb. 2, President Clinton released his Fiscal Year 1999 budget proposal, which calls for a 2.6% increase in federal funding of research and development. Administration officials gave credit to the science and engineering community for raising public awareness and creating the political environment that allowed the President to propose these funding increases. One new component of the President's proposal is the creation of a 21st Century Research Fund, which allows the Clinton Administration to fund a selected group of civilian R&D programs above the budget caps by drawing on additional revenues. See the President's budget request at www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/budget/index.html.
NEW HIGH-TECH IMMIGRATION BILL INTRODUCED - On March 10, Senator Spencer Abraham (R-Mich) introduced the American Competitiveness Act (S. 1732), which is described as a "bill to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to assist the United States to remain competitive by increasing the access of the United States firms and institutions of higher education to skilled personnel and by expanding educational and training opportunities for American students and workers." The bill has seven key components (see Thomas at thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c105:S.1723:):
KIDS TEACHING COMPUTERS - For years, adults have joked that when they want to know something about computers, they ask a kid. Taking the joke seriously, 70 community groups in the western US are launching programs in which kids will teach adults - and other kids - how to use computers and the Internet. Funds, equipment and training for the project came from the US WEST Foundation, which is investing $1.9 million in the project. For more information visit www.uswest.com/com/communities/foundation/.
US 12-GRADERS SCORE LOW IN INTERNATIONAL STUDY - US 12th graders outperformed only three countries - Lithuania, Cyprus and South Africa - among the 21 nations that took part in the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) released recently. These findings are unacceptable but not unexpected, according to the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM). Even high school seniors who were taking the toughest math and science courses performed poorly compared to similar students in most other countries. Secretary of Education, Richard Riley blamed easy graduation requirements (about half of college bound seniors have not taken four years of science) along with a severe lack of teachers trained in the subjects they teach. The full report is available at www.ed.gov/inits/TIMSS/.
GREAT DEAL FOR NEW MEMBERS - All members joining the IEEE between 1 March and 15 August will pay half of the 1998 dues for IEEE and technical society memberships for the year, and will obtain full membership services through 31 December. For IEEE members interested in trying out a society membership in their areas of technical expertise, the optional technical society publications also are half-price with the program. To obtain an application, go to the IEEE homepage at www.ieee.org and click on "JOIN the IEEE" or send an email message to application-request@ieee.org.
Recognizing our Section members for their long-time commitment to the profession on the anniversary of their joining IEEE.
35 yrs
25 yrs
20 yrs
Find the words whose initials are on the right side of each equation.
Answer to last month's Brainbuster:
Jean Eason, Editor