-: So, we just spent a lot of time talking 2 2
about Wide Area Network technology and devices. 3 3
But what are the most common ways 4 4
that you're going to deal with as a network technician? 5 5
Well, by far, the most common one 6 6
you're going to find is either 7 7
going to be a cable modem or a fiber optic modem. 8 8
And in this case, I have a Verizon box that is a combination 9 9
switch, router, wireless access point, and media converter. 10 10
That's going to convert that cable signal, 11 11
it has this built-in cable modem, converts that, 12 12
routes it over to the Local Area Network. 13 13
Now, if you're dealing with fiber optic 14 14
networks like the new Verizon Fios Network 15 15
here in the United States, you're actually 16 16
going to see something that looks just like this. 17 17
Now, why is that? Well, because a lot of times, 18 18
they're going to convert it from fiber 19 19
to coaxial right outside your home 20 20
and then, still run it in using a coaxial connection. 21 21
For example, here at our offices, we use Verizon Fios. 22 22
Verizon Fios gives us a fiber 23 23
optic connection to the building. 24 24
It goes from their headquarters 25 25
to our headquarters and just outside 26 26
our building, it hits a media converter. 27 27
That media converter changes it 28 28
from fiber optic to a Cat6 connection. 29 29
That Cat6 copper cable then goes 30 30
through that media converter into 31 31
our distribution center where our 32 32
patch panel and our switch and router 33 33
are and it connects in there. 34 34
From there, that's where we get 35 35
that direct connection to the Internet 36 36
over that Cat6 cable and back out to that media converter. 37 37
Now, the box that we have looks 38 38
something like this, the only difference 39 39
is instead of plugging into this 40 40
coax connection, we're actually going 41 41
to use this white connection which 42 42
is where that Cat6 cable is going to come in. 43 43
And that's where the modem part 44 44
of this comes in from the fiber modem. 45 45
Again, we're just transiting that 46 46
physical layer from fiber to Cat6, 47 47
but it's still using that same modem 48 48
inside of here to connect it back into our network. 49 49
Now, another type of network you're 50 50
going to see is Satellite. 51 51
And if you're in a remote area 52 52
where you don't have fiber or DSL or cable, 53 53
you might have to use a Satellite modem. 54 54
A Satellite modem is going to look like 55 55
just like the one I just showed you. 56 56
It's still got that coax connection. 57 57
The difference is, that coax connection 58 58
runs up to the satellite dish on your roof 59 59
and that's where it's going to 60 60
be converted to radio frequency, 61 61
up to the satellite and then down to the base station. 62 62
Again, from your perspective as 63 63
a Network Technician though, 64 64
it's going to look very similar. 65 65
You're going to have this modem, this satellite modem 66 66
that you're going to plug in a 67 67
coax cable to and out the other side 68 68
comes this RJ 45, the Cat6 cable that 69 69
you can then plug into whatever you want. 70 70
The final thing you might find if 71 71
you don't have satellite or cable 72 72
or fiber or DSL is cellular. 73 73
And cellular is something that we all use. 74 74
I have this little Android phone, 75 75
I have my iPhone here sitting in my pocket, right? 76 76
All of these are cellular devices 77 77
and they are a Wide Area Network connection. 78 78
In addition to giving us individual 79 79
connections over these cellular devices though, 80 80
we can also turn them into cellular hotspots. 81 81
Where they use cellular to connect 82 82
to the Internet and then put off a 83 83
Wireless Access Point from the phone itself 84 84
so your laptop or your tablets 85 85
can connect to them and then use them 86 86
as a modem to connect to the outside world. 87 87
Again, there are lots of different 88 88
Wide Area Network technologies 89 89
that we didn't cover in this lesson, 90 90
but talked about in the previous lessons. 91 91
But these are the ones you're most 92 92
likely going to find when you're out in the field.