ZyXEL Communications EX5501-B0 User Manual page 92

Chapter 6 Broadband
PPP over Ethernet (PPPoE)
Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet (PPPoE) provides access control and billing functionality in a
manner similar to dial-up services using PPP. PPPoE is an IETF standard (RFC 2516) specifying how a
personal computer (PC) interacts with a broadband modem (DSL, cable, wireless, and so on)
connection.
For the service provider, PPPoE offers an access and authentication method that works with existing
access control systems (for example RADIUS).
One of the benefits of PPPoE is the ability to let you access one of multiple network services, a function
known as dynamic service selection. This enables the service provider to easily create and offer new IP
services for individuals.
Operationally, PPPoE saves significant effort for both you and the ISP or carrier, as it requires no specific
configuration of the broadband modem at the customer site.
By implementing PPPoE directly on the Zyxel Device (rather than individual computers), the computers
on the LAN do not need PPPoE software installed, since the Zyxel Device does that part of the task.
Furthermore, with NAT, all of the LANs' computers will have access.
IP Address Assignment
A static IP is a fixed IP that your ISP gives you. A dynamic IP is not fixed; the ISP assigns you a different one
each time. The Single User Account feature can be enabled or disabled if you have either a dynamic or
static IP. However, the encapsulation method assigned influences your choices for IP address and
default gateway.
Introduction to VLANs
A Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) allows a physical network to be partitioned into multiple logical
networks. Devices on a logical network belong to one group. A device can belong to more than one
group. With VLAN, a device cannot directly talk to or hear from devices that are not in the same
group(s); the traffic must first go through a router.
In Multi-Tenant Unit (MTU) applications, VLAN is vital in providing isolation and security among the
subscribers. When properly configured, VLAN prevents one subscriber from accessing the network
resources of another on the same LAN, thus a user will not see the printers and hard disks of another user
in the same building.
VLAN also increases network performance by limiting broadcasts to a smaller and more manageable
logical broadcast domain. In traditional switched environments, all broadcast packets go to each and
every individual port. With VLAN, all broadcasts are confined to a specific broadcast domain.
Introduction to IEEE 802.1Q Tagged VLAN
A tagged VLAN uses an explicit tag (VLAN ID) in the MAC header to identify the VLAN membership of a
frame across bridges - they are not confined to the switch on which they were created. The VLANs can
be created statically by hand or dynamically through GVRP. The VLAN ID associates a frame with a
specific VLAN and provides the information that switches need to process the frame across the network.
A tagged frame is four bytes longer than an untagged frame and contains two bytes of TPID (Tag
Protocol Identifier), residing within the type/length field of the Ethernet frame) and two bytes of TCI (Tag
Control Information), starts after the source address field of the Ethernet frame).
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