NETWORK ESSENTIALS – DETAILED STUDY
NOTES
1. Introduction to Networking
A network is a collection of interconnected devices that communicate to share resources
and information.
1.1 Types of Networks
1. Local Area Network (LAN) – Covers a small geographical area (e.g., office, home).
2. Wide Area Network (WAN) – Covers large geographical areas (e.g., the Internet).
3. Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) – Covers a city or large campus.
4. Personal Area Network (PAN) – Small-scale network for personal devices (e.g.,
Bluetooth).
2. Networking Devices
2.1 Basic Network Devices
1. Router – Connects multiple networks and directs traffic between them.
2. Switch – Connects devices within a LAN and forwards data based on MAC
addresses.
3. Hub – Broadcasts data to all connected devices (less efficient than a switch).
4. Modem – Converts digital data to analog for transmission over telephone lines.
5. Access Point (AP) – Provides wireless connectivity within a network.
3. Networking Topologies
1. Bus Topology – Uses a single backbone cable. Simple but prone to collisions.
2. Star Topology – All devices connect to a central switch/hub. Most commonly used.
3. Ring Topology – Devices connect in a circular loop. Data flows in one direction.
4. Mesh Topology – Devices have multiple interconnections for redundancy.
5. Hybrid Topology – Combination of two or more topologies.
4. Networking Protocols
4.1 Types of Protocols
1. TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) – Standard for Internet
communication.
2. HTTP/HTTPS (HyperText Transfer Protocol) – Used for web communication.
3. FTP (File Transfer Protocol) – Used for file transfer.
4. DNS (Domain Name System) – Resolves domain names to IP addresses.
5. SMTP/POP3/IMAP – Used for email communication.
6. ICMP (Internet Control Message Protocol) – Used for error reporting (e.g., ping
command).
5. IP Addressing
5.1 Types of IP Addresses
1. IPv4 – 32-bit address (e.g., 192.168.1.1).
2. IPv6 – 128-bit address (e.g., 2001:0db8:85a3::8a2e:0370:7334).
5.2 IP Address Classes
Default Subnet
Class Range
Mask
A 1.0.0.0 – 126.255.255.255 255.0.0.0
128.0.0.0 –
B 255.255.0.0
191.255.255.255
192.0.0.0 –
C 255.255.255.0
223.255.255.255
224.0.0.0 –
D Multicast
239.255.255.255
240.0.0.0 –
E Reserved
255.255.255.255
6. Subnetting
Subnetting divides a network into smaller subnetworks to improve efficiency and security.
6.1 Subnet Mask
• Defines the network and host portions of an IP address.
• Example:
o IP: 192.168.1.10
o Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
o Network: 192.168.1.0
o Host Range: 192.168.1.1 – 192.168.1.254
6.2 CIDR Notation
• Example: 192.168.1.0/24 means 24 bits are for the network, leaving 8 bits for
hosts.
7. Network Security
7.1 Common Security Threats
1. Phishing – Deceptive emails that trick users into giving personal information.
2. Malware – Viruses, worms, and trojans that infect systems.
3. DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) – Overloading a network to make it
unavailable.
4. Man-in-the-Middle Attack (MITM) – Intercepting communication between two
parties.
7.2 Security Measures
1. Firewalls – Filters incoming and outgoing traffic.
2. Antivirus Software – Protects against malware.
3. Encryption – Secures data transmission.
4. Authentication & Access Control – Uses passwords, biometrics, or multi-factor
authentication.
8. Wireless Networking
1. Wi-Fi Standards
a. 802.11a (5 GHz, up to 54 Mbps)
b. 802.11b (2.4 GHz, up to 11 Mbps)
c. 802.11g (2.4 GHz, up to 54 Mbps)
d. 802.11n (2.4/5 GHz, up to 600 Mbps)
e. 802.11ac (5 GHz, up to 1 Gbps)
f. 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6, up to 10 Gbps)
2. Wireless Security
a. WEP (Weak encryption, outdated)
b. WPA (Better security, uses TKIP)
c. WPA2 (Strong security, uses AES encryption)
d. WPA3 (Most advanced security)
9. Network Troubleshooting Commands
Command Description
ping Tests connectivity between two devices.
tracert / Shows the path packets take to a
traceroute destination.
ipconfig /
Displays network configuration details.
ifconfig
nslookup Checks DNS resolution.
netstat Displays active network connections.
10. Cloud Computing & Virtualization
10.1 Cloud Computing Models
1. IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) – Provides virtual servers and storage (e.g., AWS
EC2).
2. PaaS (Platform as a Service) – Provides a platform for developers (e.g., Google App
Engine).
3. SaaS (Software as a Service) – Provides software applications over the internet
(e.g., Gmail, Dropbox).
10.2 Virtualization
• Uses software to create virtual machines (VMs) on a single physical machine.
• Benefits: Cost savings, efficiency, resource optimization.
