Network Fundamentals (20%)
Notes on core networking building blocks: device roles, topologies, cabling, TCP/UDP, IPv4/IPv6 addressing and subnetting, wireless principles, virtualization, and switching concepts.
Topics
- Role and function of network components (routers, switches, L3 switches, firewalls/IPS, APs, controllers, endpoints, servers, PoE)
- Network topology architectures (two-tier, three-tier, spine-leaf, WAN, SOHO, on-prem, cloud, hybrid)
- Physical interfaces and cabling (single-mode/multimode fiber, copper, UTP, SFP)
- Interface and cable issues (collisions, errors, duplex/speed mismatch)
- TCP vs UDP
- IPv4 addressing and subnetting
- Private IPv4 addressing (RFC 1918)
- IPv6 addressing and prefix
- IPv6 address types
- Verifying IP parameters on client OSes (Windows, macOS, Linux)
- Wireless principles
- Virtualization fundamentals (VMs)
- Switching concepts (MAC learning/aging, frame switching/flooding, MAC address table)
Directory map
No notes yet — add files here as topics are covered.