The Benchmark LAN-T is a hardware and software based LAN trainer. Emulation of nodes, topologies and so on, are implemented in a combination of hardware, firmware and software to emulate a real network environment. All network layers can be implemented through the software. This arrangement gives the user more freedom to try out and study the behaviour of various protocols and layers of networks.

Click on the links below for detailed information on the Benchmark LAN-T Trainer.

Features
Experiments
Specifications
System Requirements
Ordering Information

Features

• Comprehensive set of experiments to observe and measure the behaviour of several LAN protocols:
• MAC Layer: ALOHA, CSMA, CSMA/CD, CSMA/CA, Token Bus, Token Ring, Star
• Data Link Layers: Stop-and-Wait, Sliding Window – Go-Back-N and Sliding Window – Selective-Repeat
• User configurable data rates – 8, 16, 32, 64,128, 256, 512 Kbps, 1Mbps
• Generation of Bit errors and Frame errors between nodes – up to 10^-6
• Variable network size – upto six nodes with each NEU. NEUs can be cascaded to increase the network size
• Emulation of two nodes by each PC . Halves the number of PCs required
• User configurable delays between nodes – emulates the propagation delay in real networks
• Allows experimentation using the software provided; source code included for better understanding. Allows programming all experiments from scratch using the library, for more in-depth exposure
• Menu driven user interface to experiments
• Comprehensive manual – suitable for both lab instruction as well as self-study, requiring minimal involvement on the part of the lab staff

Experiments

• Packet transmission – packetization of data, simple point-to-point communication
• MAC Layer – Observe and measure the performance of various MAC Layer protocols by changing the network load, distance between the nodes wherever applicable and compare them:
• BUS Topology:
  • ALOHA: Exposure to multiple access to a shared medium, throughput vs offered load
  • CSMA: Throughput vs offered load for various node distances in the form of bit delays
  • CSMA/CD: Throughput vs offered load, packet delay vs throughput at various loads
  • Token-Passing BUS: Demand assignment when compared to random access protocols, packet delay vs throughput – comparison with CSMA/CD
  • CSMA/CA: DCF mode operation – Throughput vs offered load – comparison with CSMA/CD performance
• RING Topology:
  • Token Ring: Throuhgput vs average packet delay at various loads and timeout values, performance comparison with CSMA/CD
• DLL: Observe and measure the performance of various DLL protocols by changing the network load, various timeout period, introducing bit errors and compare them
  • Stop-and-Wait: Throughput vs BER for different packet lengths and timeout values
  • Sliding Window – Go-Back-N: Pipelining concept – throughput vs BER for different packet lengths and timeout values – comparison with Stop-and-Wait
  • Sliding Window – Selective-Repeat: Pipelining with selective re-transmissions concept – throughput vs BER for different packet lengths and timeout values – comparison with Go-Back-N
• Network Layer: Study of Routing Protocols
  • Distance Vector routing: Hop-by-hop routing, routing table updation, count-to-infinity problem exposure
  • Link State routing: Routing table updation, effect of shortest path algorithm, comparison with DV routing
• Application Layer:
  • File transfer using sockets: TCP connection establishment, session management
• Serial/Parallel port networking: Simple network connectivity using serial and parallel ports in a PC, setup TCP/IP communication through PPP
• Data security in computer networks:
  • Data protection: RC4 symmetric stream cipher-key generation, encryption-decryption steps
  • Network threat: Sniffing of raw data and encrypted data in a LAN
• STAR Topology (Optional):
  • ALOHA, CSMA, CSMA/CD, Stop & Wait and Sliding Window GBN protocols performance in STAR topology
  • Switching in LAN: Switching at Layer 2, self-learning using Baran's backward learning algorithm

• Suggested Projects –
  The following projects can be undertaken with the user detailing the specification and implementation:
  • CSMA/CA – PCF mode
  • CSMA/CA – Add-hoc network
  • Sliding Window – Jumping Window
  • Routing in a Mesh WAN
  • Network Management
  • Spoofing in a LAN

Specifications

	Experiment Software
	LAN Trainer Shell		Provides a menu-driven interface
	'C' library		Programming interface to the NIU
	Stand-alone programs		For Level 1 experiments. Source code provided for study and analysis
	Saving		Saving of experiment results to a file
	Display		Display of experiment activities in the application window, wherever applicable
	Hardware
	Network Emulator Unit (NEU)
	Data rates		8, 16, 32, 64,128, 256, 512Kbps, 1Mbps
	Topology		Bus, Ring, Star (optional)
	Delay		0 to 15 bits between each pair of nodes
	Error Generators (between one pair of nodes)		Bit Error – 0 to 10-6 Frame Error – 0 to 10-5
	Nodes		6 nodes per NEU (3 PCs can be connected per NEU. Each PC acts as 2 nodes)
	Network Interface Unit (NIU)
	PC plug-in card		32 bit, 33MHz PCI Bus (PCI ver 2.0 compliant)
	MAC Layer support		ALOHA, CSMA, CSMA /CD, Token Bus, Token Ring
	Nodes		2 nodes per NIU

System Requirements

	PC		Pentium or higher One PCI slot required 512MB RAM
	Operating System		Windows XP or Windows 2000
	Number of PCs		2 to 3
	Visual C++ compiler		V5.0 or above (Optional for programming / modifying experiments as suggested in exercise and for further development)

Ordering Information

	LAN-T
	Comprising		Qty
	Network Emulator Unit (NEU)		1
	Network Interface Unit (NIU)		3
	Experiment software with libraries and source code
	Manuals User manual – Installation manual – Programmer's manual –		1 1 1
	Optional – Star Topology
	Comprising		Qty
	Star dongle		1
	Network Interface Unit		1
	User Manual		1

For more information / downloads follow the links in the right-hand panel

• LAN-T

• Download PDF