ETU 07223

TELECOM PRACTICE
GC-20- ETE
 Wide Area Network
Connection.
WAN services use fiber optic, wireless, satellite, and other
transmission media. However, the use of these media to the
local loop is not common at this time.
A typical WAN structure includes the
following components
Component Description

Devices physically located on the subscriber's premises. CPE includes the telephone
Consumer wire, telephone, modem, and other equipment, both the devices the subscriber
Premises owns and the ones leased from the WAN provider. The wiring typically includes UTP
Equipment (CPE) cable with RJ-11 or RJ-45 connectors. CPE is sometimes used synonymously with
DTE.

A device on the network side of a WAN link that sends and receives data. The DTE
resides on the subscriber's premises, and marks the point of entry between the LAN
Data Terminal and the WAN. DTEs are usually routers, but computers and multiplexers can also act
Equipment (DTE) as DTEs. Broadly, DTEs are any equipment at the customer's site, and can include all
computers. In a narrow sense, the DTE is the device that communicates with the
DCE at the other end.
Channel Service The CSU/DSU is a device that connects a physical circuit installed by the telco to
Unit/Data Service Unit some CPE device, adapting between the voltages, current, framing, and
(CSU/DSU) connectors used in the circuit to the physical interface supported by the DTE.

The point where the telephone company's telephone wiring connects to the
subscriber's wiring. The demarc can also be called the network interface or
Demarcation point point of presence.
(demarc) Typically, the customer is responsible for all equipment on one side of the
demarc. The phone company is responsible for all equipment on the other side
of the demarc.

Cable that extends from the demarc to the central telephone office. The
demarc media is owned and maintained by the telephone company. Typically,
Local loop
it is UTP, but it can also be one or a combination of UTP, fiber optic, or other
media. Fiber optic cable to the demarc is rare.
 The switching facility closest to the subscriber, and the nearest point of presence
for the WAN provider. It provides WAN-cloud entry and exit points for incoming
and outgoing calls, and acts as a switching point to forward data to other central
offices. A CO provides services such as switching incoming telephone signals to
Central Office (CO)
outgoing trunk lines. It also provides reliable DC power to the local loop to
establish an electric circuit. COs use long-distance, or toll, carriers to provide
connections to almost anywhere in the world. Long-distance carriers are usually
owned and operated by companies such as AT&T or MCI.

A device that communicates with both DTEs and the WAN cloud. DCEs are
typically routers at the service provider that relay messages between the
Data
customer and the WAN cloud. In a strict sense, a DCE is any device that supplies
Communication
clocking signals to DTEs. Thus, a modem or CSU/DSU at the customer site is often
Equipment (DCE)
classified as a DCE. DCEs may be devices similar to DTEs (such as routers), except
that each device plays a different role.
 The hierarchy of trunks, switches, and central offices that make up the network of
telephone lines. It is represented as a cloud because the physical structure varies, and
WAN cloud different networks with common connection points may overlap. Few people
thoroughly understand where data goes as it is switched through the "cloud." What is
important is that data goes in, travels through the line, and arrives at its destination.

Packet-
Switching A switch on a carrier's packet-switched network. PSEs are the intermediary points in
Exchange the WAN cloud.
(PSE)
 Common WAN transmission media
Carrier Speed Description
 Existing wires use only one twisted pair
Plain Old  Analog signals are used through the local loop
Telephone Service 56 Kbps
 A modem is required to convert digital signals to analog
(POTS)

 T-Carrier is a digital standard widely deployed in North America.

 T1 lines usually run over two-pairs of unshielded twisted pair
(UTP) cabling, although they can also run over other media such
as coaxial, fiber-optic, and satellite.
1.544  A T1 line has 24 channels (also known as DS0's) that each run
T1 (a.k.a. DS1) at 64 Kbps.
Mbps
 T3 lines usually run over fiber-optic cable.
 A T3 line has 672 channels that each run at 64 Kbps.
 A T1/T3 connection requires a CSU/DSU.
E1 2.048 Mbps  E-Carrier is a digital standard very similar to T-Carrier, but it is widely deployed
in Europe.

 An E1 line has 32 channels (also known as DS0's) that run at 64 Kbps.

34.368
E3  An E3 line transmits 16 E1 signals at the same time.
Mbps
 E1/E3 connections also require a CSU/DSU.

J1 1.544 Mbps  J-Carrier is a digital standard very similar to T-Carrier, but it is widely
deployed in Japan.

 A J1 line is virtually identical to a T1 line.

J3 32.064 Mbps  A J3 line has 480 channels that run at 32 Mbps.

 J1/J3 connections also require a CSU/DSU.

 If your organization needs WAN connectivity, you
can choose from the following service options
Bandwidth Line Signaling
Service Characteristics
(Max.) Type Method

Public Switched Telephone Dialup over regular telephone

56 Kbps POTS Analog
Network (PSTN) lines

Dedicated line with consistent

Leased lines 56 Kbps POTS Analog
line quality
Public Switched Telephone Network
56 Kbps POTS Analog Dialup over regular telephone lines
(PSTN)

Dedicated line with consistent line

Leased lines 56 Kbps POTS Analog
quality

Dedicated line
X.25 64 Kbps POTS Analog Variable packet sizes (frames)
Ideal for low-quality lines

POTS
1.54
Frame Relay T-1 Digital Variable packet sizes (frames)
Mbps
T-3
Asynchronous Transfer Coaxial, twisted Fixed-size cells (53-byte)
1.2 Gbps Digital
Mode (ATM) pair, fiber-optic High-quality, high-speed lines

Basic rate operates over regular

telephone lines and is a dialup
Integrated Services 144 Kbps (BRI) POTS
Digital service
Digital Network (ISDN) 4 Mbps (PRI) T-1
Primary rate operates over T-
carriers

Operates using digital signals

6.1 Mbps
over regular telephone lines
DSL (1.544 or lower is POTS Digital
DSL comes in many different
more common)
flavors (such as ADSL and HDSL)
• Whether ordering a WAN connection from a service provider or
configuring a back-to-back router lab, you should know how to
connect the devices. There are several different types of cables used
in WAN connections and choosing the correct cable largely depends
upon identifying the following below;
Component Details

When a device communicates over a serial interface, the interface operates in one of
the following modes:

 The interface/device providing clocking is known as the DCE (Data

Communications Equipment).
Interface  The interface/device not providing clocking is known as the DTE (Data Terminal
operating Equipment).
mode
When you configure a router to connect to a network through a serial interface, the
router must be connected to a device (such as a CSU/DSU or another router) that
provides clocking signals. When you configure two routers in a back-to-back
configuration through their serial ports, one router interface must be configured to
provide the clocking signals for the connection.

The following WAN service options will also affect which type of cable is needed for a
WAN connection:

 X.25

Service  Frame Relay

 Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM)

 Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN)

 DSL
• Be aware of the following WAN connection details:
 When ordering a WAN service:
o The network engineer specifies how fast the circuit should run, such as 1.544 Mbps
(T1) or 56 Kbps (POTS or DS0).
o The Telco installs the circuit running at the specified speed.
o The network engineer purchases a CSU/DSU to connect to the end of the circuit, and
then connects the router to the CSU/DSU.
o The CSU/DSU clock rate must then be configured to match the circuit speed.
Because the router is the DTE, the clock rate is received by the CSU/DSU and does
not require configuration.
 When connecting a back-to-back router lab configuration, one router
should be chosen as the DCE and the other router as the DTE. The cable
connecting the two back-to-back routers has both a DCE and a DTE end.
Connect the DCE end of the cable to the interface you want to be the DCE
device.
WAN types include the following:

Method Description
A point-to-point connection is a single, pre-established path from the customer's network
Point-to-
through a carrier network, such as a telco, to a customer's remote network. A point-to-point
Point
line is usually leased from a carrier and thus is often called a leased line.
A circuit switching network allows data connections that can be initiated when needed and
terminated when communication is complete, working much like a telephone line for voice
Circuit
communication. A circuit switched network uses a dedicated connection between sites. It is
Switching
ideal for transmitting data that must arrive quickly in the order it is sent, as is the case with
real-time audio and video.
A packet switched network allows data to be broken up into packets and sent across the
Packet shared resources. Packets are transmitted along the most efficient route to the destination.
Switching Packet switching is ideal for transmitting data that can handle transmission delays, as is
often the case with Web pages and e-mail.
Qns;
• How does a packet switched WAN service differ from a circuit
switched WAN service?
• Who is responsible for the local loop, the customer or the service
provider?
• What is the significance of the demarc?
• What is the difference between the Data Terminal Equipment (DTE)
and Data Communication Equipment (DCE)?
• Which WAN services use already-installed telephone lines?
• What media type is used by ATM?