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Computer Networking

Networking Fundamentals

Published by Pearson

Beginner content levelBeginner

An Illustrated Exploration of How Data Moves through Computer Networks

  • Practical exploration of all the individual components that make computer networking possible
  • Illustrated walkthrough of Hosts, Switches, Routers, and what each of them do to make the internet possible
  • Everything is connected to the internet these days, and understanding how that works will set you apart professionally

In today's interconnected world, a solid understanding of computer networks is not just beneficial, but essential. This course offers a simple, practical, and jargon-free approach to the complex world of computer networking. It's designed to alleviate the challenges faced in any field that intersects with networking. Whether you're a software developer working on internet-based applications, a system administrator overseeing connected services, or someone who simply wants to better understand the intricacies of networking, this course will equip you with the knowledge and skills you need.

What you’ll learn and how you can apply it

  • The devices which make Networking possible: Hosts, Clients, Servers, Switches, Routers
  • The operation of Switches and Routers, and how they facilitate data communication Everything Hosts (your computer, your phone, your server… anything) do in order to send packets
  • A perspective on the OSI model that doesn’t suck—one that helps you explain Networking to anyone

And you’ll be able to:

  • Understand MAC addresses, IP addresses, Ports, and ARP; and the unique role they each play in internet connectivity
  • Investigate, troubleshoot, and rule out network related issues faster
  • Confidently answer that age-old interview question: “What happens when you type www.google.com into a browser?”

This live event is for you because...

  • You aren’t a Network Engineer, but you want to understand what “the networking folks” do all day
  • Your day-to-day overlaps in some capacity with computer networking
  • You want to better understand and communicate the problem when “the internet is down” and you have tech support on the phone

Prerequisites

  • Basic familiarity with using a computer and navigating the internet.
  • No prior knowledge of computer networking is required.
  • This course is designed to start from the ground up, introducing fundamental concepts and gradually building on them.

Course Set-up

  • Access your Command Prompt or Terminal:
  • For Windows: Start, run, “cmd”, enter
  • For Mac: launchpad >> terminal, or ⌘+space >> “terminal”
  • For Linux: SSH into Linux server, or use the Terminal icon

Recommended Preparation

Recommended Follow-up

Schedule

The time frames are only estimates and may vary according to how the class is progressing.

Day 1

Segment 1: Network Devices (50 minutes)

  • Hosts, IP Addresses, Clients, Servers, Networks
  • Hubs, Switches, Routers
  • Q&A (10 minutes)

Segment 2: OSI Model – A Practical Perspective (50 minutes)

  • Layers 1, 2, 3
  • Layers 4, 5-7, and encapsulation
  • Q&A (10 minutes)

Segment 3: Everything Hosts Do When Speaking on the Internet (50 minutes)

  • Hosts speaking to Hosts on the same network
  • Hosts speaking to Hosts on a foreign network
  • Q&A (10 minutes)
  • (Break 10 minutes)

Segment 4: Everything Switches Do To Facilitate Internet Communication (40 minutes)

  • How Switches work and facilitate intra-network communication
  • Unicast vs Broadcast vs Flooding, VLANs, Multiple Switches
  • Q&A (10 minutes)

Day 2

Segment 5: Everything Routers Do To Facilitate Internet Communication (60 minutes)

  • Routers & Route Tables
  • How Routers move packets through Networks
  • Router Hierarchy and Network Design
  • Q&A (10 minutes)

Segment 6: Protocols & The Four Attributes Required for Internet Connectivity (60 minutes)

  • ARP, FTP, SMTP, HTTP, SSL, TLS, HTTPS, DNS, DHCP
  • Four attributes for internet connectivity
  • (Break 20 minutes)

Segment 7: Summary Lesson – Tying It All Together (60 minutes)

  • Everything that happens to move packets from a Host, through a Switch, a Router, another Switch, and to a final Router (and back)
  • What happens when you type “google.com” into a web browser?

Q&A, course wrap-up, and next steps (30 minutes)

Your Instructor

  • Ed Harmoush

    Ed Harmoush is a Network Engineer who self-studied his way into the field. He has a knack for teaching in a practical, methodical way, maximizing the learning outcome and minimizing the cognitive load for his audience. He is a lifelong learner who is always pursuing a deeper understanding of the technology he works with—and while he humbly admits he doesn’t know everything, what he does know, he can teach to anyone.

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