1.2.4.3 Lab – Researching WAN Technologies (Instructor Version)
Instructor Note: Red font color or gray highlights indicate text that appears in the instructor copy only.
Objectives
Part 1: Investigate Dedicated WAN Technologies and Providers
Part 2: Investigate a Dedicated Leased Line Service Provider in Your Area
Background / Scenario
Today’s broadband Internet services are fast, affordable. With the use of VPN technology, the connection can also be secure. However, many companies still need a 24-hour dedicated connection to the Internet, or a dedicated point-to-point connection from one office location to another. In this lab, you will investigate the cost and availability of purchasing a dedicated T1 Internet connection for your home or business.
Required Resources
A device with Internet access.
Part 1: Investigate Dedicated WAN Technologies and Providers
In Step 1, you will research basic characteristics of dedicated WAN technologies, and in Step 2, you will discover providers that offer dedicated WAN services.
Step 1: Research WAN technology characteristics.
Use search engines and websites to research the following WAN technologies. Put your findings in the table below.
| WAN Technology | Dedicated Connection (yes/no) | Last Mile Media | Speed/Range | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Copper (yes/no) | Fiber (yes/no) | Wireless (yes/no) | |||
| T1/DS1 | yes | yes | yes | yes | 1.544 Mb/s |
| T3/DS3 | yes | yes | yes | yes | 44.736 Mb/s |
| OC3 (SONET) | yes | no | yes | no | 155.52 Mb/s |
| Frame Relay | yes | yes | yes | yes | 56 Kb/s – 1.544 Mb/s |
| ATM | yes | yes | yes | yes | 155 Mb/s – 622 Mb/s |
| MPLS | yes | yes | yes | yes | Up to 10 Gb/s |
| EPL (Ethernet Private Line) | yes | yes | yes | no | Up to 10 Gb/s |
Step 2: Discover dedicated WAN technology service providers.
Navigate to http://www.telarus.com/carriers.html. This webpage lists the Internet service providers (also known as carriers) that partner with Telarus to provide automated real-time telecom pricing. Click the links to the various carrier partners and search for the dedicated WAN technologies that they provide. Complete the table below by identifying each service provider’s dedicated WAN services, based on the information provided on the website. Use the extra lines provided in the table to record additional service providers.
| Internet Service Provider | T1/DS1/PRI | T3/DS3 | OC3 (SONET) | Frame Relay | ATM | MPLS | EPL Ethernet Private Line |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Comcast | x | ||||||
| CenturyLink | x | x | x | ||||
| AT&T | |||||||
| Earthlink | |||||||
| Level 3 Communications | |||||||
| XO Communications | |||||||
| Verizon | |||||||
Part 2: Investigate a Dedicated Leased Line Service Provider in Your Area
In Part 2, you will research a local service provider that will provide a T1 dedicated leased line to the geographical area specified. This application requires a name, address, and phone number before the search can be performed. You may wish to use your current information or research an address locally where a business might be looking for a WAN connection.
Step 1: Navigate to http://www.telarus.com/geoquote.html to try GeoQuote.
GeoQuote is a web application that automates the search for WAN technology service providers, and provides price quotes in real-time. Complete the required fields.
a. Click the Service Type drop-down list and select Data (High Speed Internet).
b. Type your First Name and Last Name, your sample Company, and your Email address.
c. Type the Phone Number to connect to the WAN. This number should be a landline number.
d. Click the button marked Step 2.
Step 2: Provide Information.
a. Choose Internet T1 (1.5 MB) in the GeoQuote Step 2 window (below).
b. In the GeoQuote Step 3 window, in the Installation BTN field, enter your sample business telephone number.
c. Enter your address, city, state, and zip code in the GeoQuote Step 3 window.
d. In the GeoQuote Step 4 window, click I am just window shopping.
e. Click Continue in the GeoQuote Step 4 window to display the results.
Step 3: Examine the results.
You should see a list of quotes showing the available pricing of a T1 connection to the location you specified. Was the pricing in the area you chose comparable to those pictured below?
________________________________________________________
Answers will vary depending on service location and availability.
What was the range of prices from your results?
________________________________________________________
Answers will vary depending on service location and availability.
Reflection
1. What are the disadvantages to using a T1 leased line for personal home use? What would be a better solution?
______________________________________________________
A symmetrical service such as T1 would be more expensive and unnecessary for home use. Home users typically do much more downloading than uploading and an asymmetrical service such as DSL or Cable could provide faster downloads at a more affordable price.
2. When might the use of a dedicated WAN connection, of any type, be a good connectivity solution for a business?
______________________________________________________
Answers will vary. A business, which requires fast Internet speeds, for both downloading and uploading, and an uninterrupted connection, would benefit from a dedicated WAN connection.
3. Describe other WAN technologies that provide high-speed, low-cost options that could be an alternative solution to a T1 connection.
______________________________________________________
Frame Relay, MPLS, and Metro Ethernet or Ethernet Private Line (EPL) are technologies that would be worth researching.