Assignment No.

: _1

Assignment Cover Sheet

Student Information (If for group assignment, please state names
Grade/Marks
of all members)

Name ID

Smith Maharjan E2400368

Bishesh Manandhar E2400360

Office
Module/Subject Information
Acknowledgement

Module/Subject Code BIT 107

Module/Subject Name Data Communication and Networking

Lecturer/Tutor/
Mr. Niraj Chudali
Facilitator

Due Date

Assignment Title/Topic Network Model

Intake (where applicable)

Word Count Date/Time

Declaration

. I/We have read and understood the Programme Handbook that explains on plagiarism, and I/we testify that,
unless otherwise acknowledged, the work submitted herein is entirely my/our own.
. I/We declare that no part of this assignment has been written for me/us by any other person(s) except where
such collaboration has been authorized by the lecturer concerned.
. I/We authorize the University to test any work submitted by me/us, using text comparison software, for instances
of plagiarism. I/We understand this will involve the University or its contractors copying my/our work and storing it
on a database to be used in future to test work submitted by others.

Note:1) The attachment of this statement on any electronically submitted assignments will be deemed to have the
same authority as a signed statement.
2) The Group Leader signs the declaration on behalf of all members, if for group assignment.

Signature: Date:

Mail.

Feedback/Comments*

Main Strengths

Main Weaknesses

Suggestions for improvement

 Student acknowledge feedback/comments

Grader’s signature Student’s signature:

Date: Date:
Note:

1)A soft and hard copy of the assignment shall be submitted.

2)The signed copy of the assignment cover sheet shall be retained by the marker.
3) If the Turnitin report is required, students have to submit it with the assignment. The assignment shall only be marked upon
the submission of the Turnitin report.

*Use additional sheets if required.

Acknowledgement

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all those who supported and guided me
throughout the completion of this assignment.

First and foremost, I would like to thank my module leader Mr. Niraj Chudali for their valuable
guidance, encouragement, and constructive feedback during the course of this project. Their
insights and support were crucial in helping me understand and implement key networking
concepts.

I would also like to extend my appreciation to my teammates for their collaboration and
dedication in planning and testing the network design using Cisco Packet Tracer.

Special thanks to the IT Department for providing the necessary resources and technical support,
which greatly assisted in the successful implementation of this case study.

Lastly, I would like to thank my family and friends for their constant encouragement and moral
support throughout this assignment.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction..............................................................................................................................1
1.1. Background.......................................................................................................................1
1.2. Objectives of the Case Study............................................................................................1
1.3. Scope of the Project..........................................................................................................2
2. Network Design Overview......................................................................................................2
2.1. Departmental Layout.........................................................................................................2
3. VLAN and VTP configuration................................................................................................3
3.1. VLAN assignment.............................................................................................................3
3.2. VTP setup..........................................................................................................................3
4. Router and switch configuration..............................................................................................3
4.1. Router configuration.........................................................................................................3
4.2. Switch configuration.........................................................................................................3
4.3. Inter-vlan routing..............................................................................................................3
5. DHCP, FTP and HTTP services..............................................................................................4
5.1. DHCP configuration.........................................................................................................4
5.2. FTP and HTTP..................................................................................................................4
6. Security and Access Control....................................................................................................4
7. Wireless Access Setup.............................................................................................................4
8. Packet Tracer Simulation Result.............................................................................................4
9. Challenges and limitation........................................................................................................5
9.1. Technical Challenges........................................................................................................5
9.2. Software Limitations.........................................................................................................5
9.3. Teamwork and Time constraints.......................................................................................5
10. Conclusion and Recommendation........................................................................................6
10.1. Conclusion.................................................................................................................6
10.2. Recommendations......................................................................................................6
11. References.............................................................................................................................6
12. Appendices...........................................................................................................................6
13. Marking Schemes.................................................................................................................7
1. Introduction

1.1. Background

The increasing reliance on digital infrastructure in educational institutions necessitates the

implementation of robust, scalable, and secure network systems. A well-designed network
not only supports administrative operations but also enhances learning by providing seamless
access to digital resources.

This case study focuses on designing a virtual network for a college using Cisco Packet
Tracer, simulating a real-world networking environment. The network is required to connect
five departments—Student, Finance, Marketing, HR, and IT—each with its own set of
servers, devices, and services. By applying networking principles such as IP addressing,
VLANs, routing, DHCP, FTP, HTTP, and access control, the study aims to develop a system
that ensures efficiency, security, and departmental isolation where necessary.

This project enables students to translate theoretical knowledge into practical application by
building a comprehensive network solution for a multi-departmental organization within a
controlled simulation environment.

1.2. Objectives of the Case Study

The main objectives of this case study assignment are as follows:

 To design and configure a departmental network for a college using Cisco Packet Tracer.
 To implement IP addressing and subnetting schemes suitable for large-scale deployment,
especially for the student department which requires support for 30,000 users.
 To create and manage VLANs for individual departments to ensure security and network
segmentation.
 To configure and deploy DHCP, FTP, and HTTP servers for each department.
 To apply security rules and access controls between departments based on specified
requirements.
 To demonstrate the use of routing and switching concepts including VTP, inter-VLAN
routing, and Internet connectivity.
 To simulate and validate the network through connectivity testing and device
configuration.

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1.3. Scope of the Project

The scope of this project is limited to the design and simulation of a virtual LAN environment
using Cisco Packet Tracer. The major tasks covered under this scope include:

 Designing a college network consisting of five departments with unique configurations.

 Allocating and configuring IP addresses for all end and network devices.
 Creating VLANs for each department and configuring VTP in a specific router-switch
environment.
 Setting up servers in each department to handle DHCP, FTP, and HTTP services.
 Establishing security policies to restrict or permit inter-departmental and internet access
as per requirements.
 Implementing wireless access for all departments.
 Testing the functionality of the designed network using simulation tools provided in
Cisco Packet Tracer.
 Solving an additional subnetting challenge involving the creation of multiple subnets
from a /16 network.

2. Network Design Overview

2.1. Departmental Layout

2.1.1. Student Department

The Student Department is the largest unit in the network, designed to support over
30,000 students. It requires a scalable and efficient DHCP service to dynamically assign
IP addresses to a large number of student devices. For administrative purposes, this
department also hosts a departmental server that runs DHCP, FTP, and HTTP services,
along with a wireless access point and a printer for local use. It is connected through
Router 1, which is reserved exclusively for this department.

2.1.2. IT Department
The IT Department acts as the central service provider in this college network. It has full
internet access, unlike the other departments. The IT server hosts web content that is
accessible by public users and also provides services to other internal departments. IT
connects through Router 2, and its switch operates independently (not part of the VTP
setup under Router 3). IT also has the ability to communicate on any port <100 to all
other servers, as per the access policy.

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2.1.3. Finance Department
The Finance Department handles sensitive financial records and internal transactions. It
requires secure VLAN isolation, and its server is configured to provide DHCP, FTP, and
HTTP services specific to the department. The Finance Department can access IT
department’s web and file transfer services but is restricted from accessing the
student department or public internet. It connects to the network via Router 3, which
also handles HR and Marketing departments.

2.1.4. Marketing Department

The Marketing Department manages communication, campaigns, and outreach. It also
has a dedicated VLAN, server, printer, and wireless access point. Marketing staff can
access web and file services from the IT Department but are restricted from accessing
other departments. Like Finance, it connects via Router 3, and its switch acts as a VTP
client under the VTP domain.

2.1.5. Human Resource Department

The HR Department is responsible for employee management and recruitment. It requires

a dedicated VLAN and services similar to other departments. HR can access IT
Department resources (FTP/HTTP) and is isolated from student and public traffic. Its
switch is also a VTP client, and it shares Router 3 with Marketing and Finance.

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3. VLAN and VTP configuration
3.1. VLAN assignment
3.2. VTP setup

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4. Router and switch configuration
4.1. Router configuration
4.2. Switch configuration
4.3. Inter-vlan routing

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5. DHCP, FTP and HTTP services
5.1. DHCP configuration
5.2. FTP and HTTP

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6. Security and Access Control

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7. Wireless Access Setup

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8. Packet Tracer Simulation Result

9. Challenges and limitation

During the process of designing and implementing the virtual college network in Cisco Packet
Tracer, several challenges and limitations were encountered:

9.1. Technical Challenges

 Subnetting for 30,000 users in the Student Department required careful calculation and
efficient IP address management to avoid wastage and ensure scalability.
 Configuring inter-VLAN routing correctly was initially complex, particularly when
isolating access between departments as per the requirements.
 Setting up VTP with one server and two clients under Router 3 required proper domain
configuration and mode assignment, which led to some synchronization issues during
testing.

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  Access Control List (ACL) configurations were time-consuming to test, especially when
ensuring only specific traffic (e.g., HTTP to IT department) was permitted from both
internal and public sources.

9.2. Software Limitations

 Cisco Packet Tracer does not fully simulate real-world network performance (e.g.,
latency, wireless signal strength, advanced routing protocols like BGP).
 Limited support for internet simulation, which meant internet access had to be simulated
using local servers acting as "public resources."
 Wireless device behavior was sometimes unpredictable or did not reflect real-world
WPA2 security models.

9.3. Teamwork and Time constraints

 Synchronizing group members’ contributions and configurations into a single working
Packet Tracer file took time and coordination.
 Time management was a challenge, especially during testing and troubleshooting phases.

10. Conclusion and Recommendation

10.1. Conclusion

This case study provided a comprehensive opportunity to apply theoretical networking

knowledge into a practical simulation using Cisco Packet Tracer. A functional network was
successfully designed for a college with five departments, each having its own isolated VLAN,
server services (DHCP, FTP, HTTP), wireless access, and printers. The network also met
complex access control policies, including public user access restrictions and inter-department
rules.

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Throughout the implementation, subnetting, VLAN configuration, inter-VLAN routing, DHCP
setup, and ACL application were effectively utilized to build a secure and organized network.
Simulation tests confirmed successful connectivity and proper enforcement of access rules.

10.2. Recommendations

 Real-world testing with physical equipment or advanced simulators like GNS3 or Cisco
CML is recommended for further validation beyond Packet Tracer.
 Implement network monitoring tools (like SNMP or NetFlow) in future projects to observe
traffic and performance.
 Backup configurations frequently, especially in multi-person projects, to prevent loss of
work.
 Further exploration of Layer 3 switches could reduce the reliance on routers and simplify
routing across VLANs.
 Document each configuration step during the process for better teamwork and easier
troubleshooting.

11. References

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12. Appendices

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13. Marking Schemes

BIT107 Introduction to Data Communications Assignment Marking

Scheme:

Task Marking Criteria Marks Marks

Given
1 Local Area Network Basics (20 Marks)

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  Create a network according to case study 3
 Set up the services in three servers (1 server 2M) 6
 DHCP, HTTP, FTP service in every server 3
 All end devices able to ping to each other in their own 2
network 2
 All end devices had IP address, subnet mask, default
gateway assigned correctly (static / dynamic) 4
 Tables created to show the network details for each
devices (1 table 2M)

2 Network Subnetting (20 Marks)

 Configure router interfaces correctly 3
 All end devices able to ping to each other in the same 3
physical LAN 2
 All devices able to use the services from the server in
their own LAN successfully 8
 Solve the Task 5 (Calculation steps 4M, CISCO file 4
working 4M)
 Individual Question and Answer session

3 Network Routing (20 Marks)

 Configure routers correctly for routing process (1 router 12
4M) 4
 All end devices able to ping to each other in different 4
network.
 Individual Question and Answer session
4 Network Security (20 Marks)
 Requirement ‘i’ is solved successfully 3
 Requirement ‘j’ is solved successfully 3
 Requirement ‘k’ is solved successfully 3

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  Requirement ‘l’ is solved successfully 3
 Requirement ‘m’ is solved successfully 4
 Individual Question and Answer session 4

5 Network Management (20 Marks)

 Set up VLAN ‘IT Department’ correctly 2
 Set up VLAN ‘Finance Department’ correctly 2
 Set up VLAN ‘Marketing Department’ correctly 2
 Set up VLAN ‘HR Department’ correctly 2
 Set up VTP Server (3M) and Clients (1M each) 5
successfully 3
 Set up trunk mode correctly 4
 Individual Question and Answer session

Late Submission Penalty (-5 marks per working day which includes
Saturday)
Submission without Turnitin report printed (-10 marks)
TOTAL MARKS OUT OF 100

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