INFORMATION SHEET 2.1-6 WEEE Directives And 3Rs Waste Management Program

Learning Objective:

After reading this INFORMATION SHEET, YOU MUST be able to be

familiar the WEEE directives and 3Rs.

Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive

The symbol adopted by the European Council to represent waste electrical and electronic equipment comprised a crossed- out wheelie bin with or without a single black line underneath the symbol. The black line indicates that goods have been placed on the market after 2005, when the Directive came into force. [1][2] Goods without the black line were manufactured between 2002 and 2005. In such instances, these are treated as "historic WEEE" and falls outside re-imbursement via producer compliance schemes.

Directive revisions

The directive has undergone a number of minor revisions since its inception in 2002. These include updates in 2006 and 2009.

After nine years the Directive was seen as failing to achieve some of its goals, hence the legislation had been amended again. On December 20, 2011 the European Parliament and the European Council agreed on amendments to the Directive, subject to a second-reading vote, which was taken on January 19, 2012.

The changes affect the method for calculating collection rates, which were previously four kg per inhabitant per year. To provide a transitional period of seven years to introduce the revised method of calculation, the present method is retained for the first four years from the time the amended Directive comes into force. For the next three years, commencing with the fifth year after the amendment, the calculation of collection rates will be revised to 45% of the weight of E&E products entering the market. Once this seven years transitional period is over, EU member states will individually select the actual collection options they wish to use.

The overall aim is for the EU to recycle at least 85% of electrical and electronics waste equipment by 2016.

Member state implementation

The directive imposes the responsibility for the disposal of waste electrical and electronic equipment on the manufacturers or distributors of such equipment. It requires that those companies establish an infrastructure for collecting WEEE, in such a way that "Users of electrical and electronic equipment from private households should have the possibility of returning WEEE at least free of charge". The directive saw the formation of national "producer compliance schemes", into which manufacturers and distributors

paid an annual fee for the collection and recycling of associated waste electronics from household waste recycling centers.

Deadlines

The directive places WEEE into numerous categories, the first tier being historic and non-historic. Historic WEEE implies equipment placed on the market prior to 2005 and the WEEE directive places the onus upon the owner of the equipment to make provisions for its recycling. Where equipment was placed on the market after 2005, it is known as non-historicWEEE (denoted by a bar underneath the crossed-out wheeled bin symbol, and it is the responsibility of the producer/distributor to make provisions for its collection and recycling.

The WEEE directive sets a total of 10 categories of WEEE for reporting purposes.

• Large household appliances

• Small household appliances

• IT and telecommunications equipment

• Consumer equipment

• Lighting equipment

• Electrical and electronic tools

• Toys, leisure and sports equipment

• Medical devices Monitoring and control instruments

• Automatic dispensers

• Uninterruptable power supplies, lead-acid batteries.

• Cathode ray tubes (televisions, computer monitors).

• Fluorescent tubes, backlights to laptop screens, thin-film transistors.

• Electrical/electronic equipment containing polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB).

• Fridges and freezers, due to chlorofluorocarbon (CFC), an ozone- depleting substance.

As of 2012 revisions to the regulations, all refrigerants are considered Hazardous.

WEEE that is delivered to household waste recycling centers (HWRC), also known as designated collection facilities (DCFs), is collected by or delivered to approved authorized treatment facilities (AATFs). The waste electrical and electronic equipment is then weighed and categorized in accordance with the directive. Post re-processing (recycling), total volumes of each category are reported to the producer compliance scheme and the reprocess or i s reimbursed accordingly. Totals of obligated WEEE for all AATFs are collated by the environment agency on a quarterly basis and reported to the EU.

Historically, there were problems with the implementation of the producer compliance schemes due to a "double counting" and reporting of reprocessed WEEE to producer compliance schemes. This arose where

obligated WEEE was partially treated by the first AATF to receive the waste, prior to it being passed onto a second AATF for further treatment. Both the first and second AATF would then claim against the same waste electronics, resulting in a "net debt" against the wastes being treated.

Additional legislation that applies is:

• The Environmental Protection (Duty of Care) Regulations 1991.

• Hazardous Waste Regulations (England & Wales) 2005.

• Waste Framework Directive, or Directive 2008/98/EC.

The management of WEEE is applied via the waste hierarchy, with particular emphasis upon reduction of waste arising, re-use of equipment and recycling (recovery) of materials: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. [14] In January 2012, proposals were debated by the European Parliament to recast the WEEE Directive. The proposals included increasing recycling rates. Having been adopted by member states, the re-drafted directive now requires higher recovery rates of 20kg per capita per annum as opposed to previous figures

of 4kg per capita.

Public awareness

In April 2005 the Royal Society of Arts in the UK (in conjunction with Canon) unveiled a 7 meter tall sculpture titled WEEE Man on London's South Bank, made from 3.3 tons o f electrical goods—the average amount of electrical waste one UK individual creates in a lifetime. The giant figure was subsequently moved to the Eden Project in Cornwall as part of a UK tour.

3Rs

The three R's - Reduce, Reuse and Recycle - all help to cut down on the amount of waste we throw away. They conserve natural resources, landfill space and energy.

Plus, the three R's save land and money communities must use to dispose of waste in landfills. Siting a new landfill has become difficult and more expensive due to environmental regulations and public opposition.

Everyone can help meet this goal and save natural resources, energy, and money by following the three R's.

REDUCE

The best way to manage waste is to not produce it. This can be done by shopping carefully and being aware of a few guidelines:

• Buy products in bulk. Larger, economy-size products or ones in concentrated form use less packaging and usually cost less per ounce.

• Avoid over -packaged g o o d s ,  especially  ones  packed with several  materials such as foil, paper, and plastic. They are difficult to recycle, plus you pay more for the package.

• Avoid disposable goods, such as paper plates, cups, napkins, razors, and lighters. Throwaways contribute to the problem, and cost more because they must be replaced again and again.

• Buy durable goods - ones that are well-built or that carry good warranties. They will last longer, save money in the long run and save landfill space.

• At work, make two-sided copies whenever possible.

• Maintain central files rather than using several files for individuals.

• Use electronic mail or main bulletin board.

• Remove your name from the mailing lists of materials you no longer want to receive: write to Mail Preference Service, c/o Direct Marketing Assoc., P.O. Box 90008, Farmingdale, NY 11735.

• Use cloth napkins instead of paper napkins.

• Use a dish cloth instead of paper towels.

REUSE

It makes economic and environmental sense to reuse products. Sometimes it takes creativity:

• Reuse products for the same purpose. Save paper and plastic bags, and repair broken appliances, furniture and toys.

• Reuse products in different ways. Use a coffee can to pack a lunch; use plastic microwave dinner trays as picnic dishes.

• Sell old clothes, appliances, toys, and furniture in garage sales or ads, or donate them to charities.

• Use resealable containers rather than plastic wrap.

• Use a ceramic coffee mug instead of paper cups.

• Reuse grocery bags or bring your own cloth bags to the store. Do not take a bag from the store unless you need one.

RECYCLE

Recycling is a series of steps that takes a used material and processes, remanufactures, and sells it as a new product. Begin recycling at home and at work:

• Buy products made from recycled material. Look for the recycling symbol or ask store managers or salesmen. The recycling symbol means one of two things - either the product is made of recycled

     material, or the item can be recycled. For instance, many plastic containers have a recycling symbol with       a numbered code the identifies what type of plastic resin it is made from. However, just because the           container has this code does not mean it can be easily recycled locally.

• Check collection centers and curbside pickup services to see what they accept, and begin collecting those materials. These can include metal cans, newspapers, paper products, glass, plastics and oil.

• Consider purchasing recycled materials at work when purchasing material for office supply, office equipment or manufacturing.

• Speak to store managers and ask for products and packaging that help cut down on waste, such as recycled products and products that are not over packaged.

• Buy products made from material that is collected for recycling in your community.

• Use recycled paper for letterhead, copier paper and newsletters.

INFORMATION SHEET 2.2-1

NETWORK CONNECTIVITY

Learning Objective:

After reading this INFORMATION SHEET, YOU MUST be able to understand network connectivity.

Network Connectivity

Network connectivity describes the extensive process of connecting various parts of a network to one another, for example, through the use of routers, switches and gateways, and how that process works.

Network connectivity is also a kind of metric to discuss how well parts of the network connect to one another. Related terms include network topology, which refers to the structure and makeup of the network as a whole.

There are many different network topologies including hub, linear, tree and star designs, each of which is set up in its own way to facilitate connectivity between computers or devices. Each has its own pros and cons in terms of network connectivity.

IT professionals, particularly network administrators and network analysts, talk about connectivity as one piece of the network puzzle as they look at an ever-greater variety of networks and the ways networking pieces go together.

Ad hoc networks and vehicular networks are just two examples of new kinds of networks that work on different connectivity models. Along with network connectivity, network administrators and maintenance workers also have to focus on security as a major concern, where the reliability of networking systems is closely related to protecting the data that is kept within them.

Working with Network Connectivity Devices

Depending on the type of topology your network uses and the type of cabling you use your LAN might require some sort of connectivity device to connect the various network computers, printers, and other devices together. In cases where you need to extend your LAN (say, to the second floor of an office building) or add a large number of new users to the LAN, other connectivity devices might be required. Some of these connectivity devices merely serve to connect devices; others are used to boost the data signal traveling on the network medium, and still others actually participate in determining how data traffic should flow on the network.

Let's start our discussion of network connectivity devices with the hub, which is a device you would use on a small network, or even in a peer-to- peer networking situation, to connect computers. The other devices that we will look at, such as repeaters, switches, and routers, are often lumped under the blanket term internetworking devices. An internetwork is a network of LANs, meaning that some sort of connectivity technology is used to extend a LAN beyond its typical size or to connect different LANs togetherinto one large networks.

Hubs

Hubs are commonly used LAN connectivity devices. They serve as the central connection points for LANs. A basic hub contains no active electronics and therefore cannot be used to extend a LAN. It basically organizes your cables and relays data signals to all the computers on the LAN.

Hubs are most commonly used on networks that use twisted-pair cabling. Ports available on the back of the hub provide the connection points for the devices on the network. Computers and other devices are attached to the hub by individual network cables. Hubs come in many sizes and shapes and supply different numbers of ports.

Repeaters

In cases where a LAN must be extended beyond the maximum run for a particular cabling type, repeaters are used. A repeater takes the signal that it receives from computers and other devices on the LAN and regenerates the signal so that the signal maintains its integrity along a longer media run than is normally possible.

Repeaters don't have any capabilities for directing network traffic or deciding the particular route certain data should take; they are simple devices that just sit on the network, boosting the data signals they receive. The problem with repeaters is that they amplify the entire signal that they receive, including any line noise. So, in worst-case scenarios, they pass on data traffic that is barely discernable from the background noise on the line.

Bridges

A bridge is an internetworking device used to help conserve the bandwidth available on the network. When LANs really start to grow, network data traffic can begin to overwhelm the available bandwidth on network media.

One strategy for conserving network bandwidth is to chop the network up into smaller segments. These segments are connected to a bridge. Bridges are smarter than hubs and repeaters and actually use some software to help get the job done. A bridge is able to read the MAC address (also known as the hardware address—remember it’s burned onto the NIC in each computer on the network) of each data packet circulating on the network segments connected to the bridge. By learning which MAC addresses live on

each of the network segments, the bridge can help keep data traffic that is local to a particular segment from spreading to the other network segments that are serviced by the bridge.

Switches

A switch is another internetworking device used to manage the bandwidth on a large network. A switch, which is often referred to as a "bridge on steroids," controls the flow of data by using the MAC address that is placed on each data packet (which coincides with the MAC address of a particular computer's network card). Switches divide networks into what are called Virtual LANs or VLANs. The great thing about a VLAN, which is a logical grouping of computers on the network into a sort of communication group, is that the computers don't have to be in close proximity or even on the same floor. This allows you to group computers that serve similar types of users into a VLAN. For example, even if your engineers are spread all over

your company's office building, their computers can still be made part of the same VLAN, which would share bandwidth.

Switches use a combination of software and hardware to switch packets between computers and other devices on the network. Switches have their own operating system.

Because switches can offer a high density of connection ports, they can even replace the hub on a network. This means that each computer on the network can be connected to its own port on the switch. When PCs are directly connected to a switch, it can supply each PC with a dedicated amount of bandwidth. For example, users on a 10Mbps Ethernet network can realize bandwidth of 10Mbps. The computers don't compete for the bandwidth the way computers do on a network that is connected via a hub.

INFORMATION SHEET 2.2-2

NETWORK INTERFACE CARD (NIC) SETTINGS

Learning Objective:

After reading this INFORMATION SHEET, YOU MUST be able to set and configure network interface card.

How to Change the Name of a Windows Network Workgroup

There’s no magic to creating a workgroup. Out of the box, Windows assigns your PC to a workgroup named WORKGROUP, or possibly MSHOME. You can stick with those names. In fact, that’s probably what you’re doing now on your computer. Or, you can change the names of the workgroup.

 Here’s how:

1. Press the Windbreaks key combination to summon the System window or System Properties dialog box.

2. Activate the Computer Name dialog box.

• In Windows 7 and Windows Vista, click the Change Settings link in the Computer Name area.

• In Windows XP, click the Computer Name tab in the System dialog box..

In Windows Vista, type the administrator’s password or click the Continue button

4. Click the Change button. Another dialog box appears.

5. Type a new workgroup name.

In Windows 7 or Vista, you may need to choose the Workgroup option first.

Workgroup names should contain only letters and, possibly, some numbers. The name cannot contain any spaces, and Windows converts the name into ALL CAPS no matter what you type.

6. Click OK.

After a few seconds , you see a dialog box we l coming you to the workgroup.

7. Click OK.

Windows begs you to restart your PC, which is necessary for the computer to really join the workgroup.

8. Click OK to dismiss the dialog box.

9. Restart your computer.

After your computer is restarted, it belongs to the new workgroup. The workgroup affects networking on your PC as far as which network computers show up in the Network window

• Ensure that all computers connected to the network use the same workgroup name.

• To join a workgroup, enter the workgroup name as described.

• If you have trouble joining a workgroup, check the name; it must be spelled exactly.

• There’s no reason to change the workgroup name from WORKGROUP or MSHOME. More important than resetting the workgroup name is to ensure that your network is properly identified as public or private.

• Nonetheless, you may want to change the network name for your laptop. At a public wireless hot spot, everyone using the Windows default names are in the same workgroup. This may present privacy or

     security concerns.

How to Assign a Static IP Address in Windows 7, 8, 10, XP, or Vista

When organizing your home network, it’s easier to assign each computer it’s own IP address than using DHCP. Here we will take a look at doing it in XP, Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8.x, and Windows 10.

If you have a home network with several computes and devices, it’s a good idea to assign each of them a specific address. If you use DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol), each computer will request and be assigned an address every time it’s booted up. When you have to do troubleshooting on your network, it’s annoying going to each machine to figure out what IP they have.

Using Static IPs prevents address conflicts between devices and allows you to manage them more easily. Assigning IPs to Windows is essentially the same process, but getting to where you need to be varied between each version.

Windows 7 or Windows 8.x or Windows 10

If you have a small office or home network, assigning each computer a specific IP address makes it a lot easier to manage and troubleshoot network connection problems.

INFORMATION SHEET 2.2-3

Communication checking between terminals

Learning Objective:

After reading this INFORMATION SHEET, YOU MUST be able to check communication and connectivity between terminals.

The Ping command allows you to test the connection speed between you and another network node. You can use it to tell the strength, distance, and availability of a connection, either in your own network or over the internet.

Follow this guide to use the Ping command on any system.

Ping test in Windows 10

3.A black box with a flashing cursor will open; this is the Command Prompt. Type “ping” and then hit the Space bar on your keyboard.

4.Type in the address you’d like to ping and then hit the Enter key on your keyboard. Wait for the ping results. Ping test in Windows 8.

1. Move the mouse to the right-hand corner of the screen to make the vertical menu bar (charm bar) appear. Click Search.

Ping test in Windows 7 and Vista

1. Open the Start menu by clicking the orb in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen.

5. Type in the address you’d like to ping and then hit the Enter key on your keyboard. Wait for the ping results.

Ping test in Windows XP

1. Click the Start button in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen.

2. Click the Run option in the right-hand column.

3. Type “cmd” in the text box and then hit the Enter key on your keyboard

5. Type in the address you’d like to ping and then hit the Enter key on your keyboard. Wait for the ping results.

To view network connection status by using Network and Sharing Center

1. Click the Network icon in the task bar notification area, and then click Open Network and Sharing Center. Network and Sharing Center opens.

2. In Network and Sharing Center, in View your active networks, review the list of networks to locate a network. To the right of the network name , in Connections, c l i c k the name of the network

connection.

For example, if the connection is named Local Area Connection, click Local Area Connection.

3. The Network Connection Status dialog box opens, and you can review the network status. For additional information, click Details.

To view network connection status by using the Network Connections folder

1. Open the Network Connections folder and view available connections.

2. Right-click the connection that you want to view, and then click Status. Review the network status. For additional information, click Details. To view details of the connection by using the command prompt

At a command prompt, type the following, and then press ENTER: ipconfig /all

Additional considerations

• Standard users can view the status of the network connection. To make any changes you might need to be a member of the Administrators group or the Network Configuration Operators group, depending on the change.

• You can also test the connectivity of your network using netview command. (in the command prompt, type “net view “).

INFORMATION SHEET 2.3-1

Wireless network connection

Learning Objective:

After reading this INFORMATION SHEET, YOU MUST be able to connect to a wireless network.

How to Connect to a Wireless Network (Wi-Fi)

To connect to a wireless network (Wi-Fi), find the Network button or option on your computer or device. In W endows, you'll find the Network icon in the System Tray. On a Mac, you'll find it on the menu bar. On

Android and iOS, you'll find the Wi-Fi option i n t h e Setting s app . After selecting your network , enter the password to connect to it.

You can also connect to your wireless network through the Desktop mode.

Follow the steps for Windows 7

Windows 7

Windows Vista

1. Click the Start menu. In the Start menu, click the “Connect To” button, which can be found on the right side of the menu.

Windows XP

2. Select “View Available Wireless Networks”. 

This will open a list of networks that are in range of your computer. Click on the one you want to connect to.

You can keep your initial PC permanently connected to the router with a wired connection, or you can switch to a wireless connection. Here's how to connect other PCs to your network.

To connect other PCs to your network

1. Sign in to the PC you want to connect to the network.

2. Connect to a network by swiping in from the right edge of the screen, tapping Settings (or if you're using a mouse, pointing to the lower-right corner of the screen, moving the mouse pointer up, and then clicking

Settings), and then tapping or clicking the network icon (or). Tap or click the network you want to connect to, and then tap or click Connect.

3. Choose your wireless network from the list that appears, and then tap or click Connect. Warning

Whenever possible, you should connect to a security-enabled wireless network. If you do connect to a network that's not secure, someone with the right tools can see everything that you do, including the websites you visit, the documents you work on, and the user names and passwords that you use.

4. Do one of the following:

If your router supports Windows Connect Now (WCN), or Wi -Fi Protected Setup (W PS), and there's a push button on the router, push the button and then wait for a few seconds while the router automatically adds the PC to the network. In this case, you don't need to enter a security key or passphrase. Enter the security key or passphrase if you're prompted to do so, and then tap or click OK.

INFORMATION SHEET 2.3-2

Wireless Router/Wi-Fi/ Access point/ repeater settings configuration

Learning Objective:

After reading this INFORMATION SHEET, YOU MUST be able to configuration Wireless Router/Wi-Fi/ Access point/ repeater settings.

Set up a wireless router

There are main steps to set up a wireless router:

1. Get the right hardware

You'll need the following hardware to set up a wireless network and connect it to the Internet:

• A wireless router.

• A PC that has a wireless network adapter.

• A PC that has a wired network adapter.

•  (The wired network adapter is used only during setup, and it can be the same PC that has the wireless

      network adapter.)

• A network (Ethernet) cable.

2. Set up the router

If your router displays the Windows logo or the phrase "Compatible with Windows," you can set it up automatically using the latest version of Windows Connect Now (WCN) on Windows 8.1, Windows RT 8.1, Windows 7, or Windows Vista Service Pack 2.

To set up a router automatically

1. Unpack the router and plug it into a power source. Because you're using WCN, you don't need to physically connect the router to your PC.

2. Connect to a network by swiping in from the right edge of the screen, tapping Settings (or if you're using a mouse, pointing to the lower-right corner of the screen, moving the mouse pointer up, and then clicking

Settings), and then tapping or clicking the network i con (or). Tap or click the network you want to connect to, and then tap or click Connect.

3. Tap or click the default network of your router, which you can identify by the manufacturer name.

4. Tap or click the network you want to connect to, tap or click Connect, and then follow the instructions on your screen.

Even if WCN is unavailable, most routers come with a setup CD to help you set up your wireless network. Review the info that came with your router.