Basic TCP/IP Networking
In this article, I'm going to describe how a network works. I am NOT not going to load you down with details. Instead, I'm just going to describe what happens when you start your client computer. How it gets access to the network. More ...
Network Switches
A bridge or router may be referred to as a switch because it uses information in the data packet to choose a path from one network segment to another. A bridge may be referred to as a layer 2 switch because it uses information from layer 2, the Data Link layer of the OSI model. More ...
TCP/IP Protocol Suite
A good portion of the knowledge required to be a network technician relates to the TCP/IP protocol suite. This article describes the most important protocols in the TCP/IP protocol suite. Many other less frequently used protocols exist. More ...
NTP Server Systems - The Network Time Protocol
The Network Time Protocol (NTP) is utilized by NTP Server systems to distribute accurate time information to network time clients. The NTP protocol is widely used throughout the Internet to provide synchronization of computers and processes. This article discusses how NTP server systems utilize the Network Time Protocol to provide networks with an accurate reference of time. More ...
Video - Network Layer (Layer 3) of OSI Networking Model
In this video by Kevin Wallace you learn about the Network Layer of the OSI networking model. More ...
IEEE 802 Standards Specify the Basics of Physical and Logical Networking
The (IEEE) Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers is an organization that defines standards for networking. The 802 Standards Specify the Basics of physical and logical networking. More ...
Networking Protocols, Ports, Standards, and Organizations What Does it All Mean?
A protocol is a set of rules that devices agree to. A port is specific electronic connection, or software interface a protocol uses. A standard is a specification that the characteristics of the protocol's signal and the design of the interface. Networking standards are developed by networking standards organizations. More ...
Looking at the OSI 7 Layer Reference Model
The OSI (Open Systems Interconnection) model is a 7 layer reference model for how applications can communicate over a network. Don't confuse The OSI model with TCP/IP Protocol which has 4 layers and is the actual architecture used for networking. More ...
Routing Datagrams
Systems can deliver packets only to other devices attached to the same physical network. A gateway is a network point, referred to as a router, that acts as an entrance to another network. More ...
The OSI Network Layer
The Network layer (OSI layer 3) uses routable protocols to deliver data packets to networks connected through routers. Routing is the process of moving data packets from one network or network segment to another. More ...
Neighbor Discovery Protocol (NDP)
Neighbor Discovery Protocol is part of the new version of the Internet Protocol (IPv6). Its function is to resolve IPv6 addresses into valid MAC addresses. All addresses discovered by NDR are stored in a buffer known as the neighbor cache. More ...
IP Addressing
The IP protocol uses a 32-bit address to define the network segment address and the node address. If the device is to be connected to the Internet, the address needs to be unique among all other devices connected to the Internet. More ...
What Are Private IP Addresses?
Normally you have to be assigned an IP address, or a group of IP addresses by a Regional Internet Registry. However, if you just need IP addresses for an internal network that will not be routed to the Internet, you can select from blocks of IP addresses reserved as Private IP addresses. More ...
RIP (Routing Information Protocol)
RIP is an Interior Gateway Protocol (IGP) that uses hop count as a metric. RIP comes in versions 1, 2, and RIPng (RIP next generation) an extension of RIPv2 for support of IPv6. More ...
Free eBook: IPv6 Addressing
All the IPv4 addresses are quickly being used up. The conversion to IPv6 is now underway. In this free eBook, Aaron Balchunas describes IPv6 and how to configure it to work along side IPv4. Learn which protocols will need to be updated to work with IPv6. Learn how to configure IPv6. More ...
