Networking Fundamentals

Instructor: Haris Chughtai (Linkedin)

dc.expert123@gmail.com

Course developed & delivered by Haris Chughtai (dc.expert123@gmail.com)

 ● Networking Fundamentals
○ What are computer networks?
○ Layer-2 MAC Addresses
○ Layer-3 IP Addressing & Classes (A, B, C)
○ Types of Networks (LAN, CAN, MAN, WAN)

Networking Fundamental ○
○
OSI & TCP/IP Reference Models
Understanding each layer of TCP/IP Model
○ Typical Network Devices (Switch, Router, AP)

Course Content ○ Common Network Services (DHCP, DNS,

NAT, SNMP, NTP, HTTP, etc)
○ Typical Home Network Design
○ Typical Organization's Network Design
○ What’s next - how to move forward to begin
your career?

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U N D E R STAN D I N G N ETWO R K S

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What are Computer Network (or Communication Networks)
● A computer network is a group of
interconnected nodes or computing
devices that exchange data and resources
with each other.

● https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WexBQ1XgaDw

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MAC & IP Addresses
● The MAC address - Media Access Control address is a unique identifier assigned to a NIC (Network interface
controller/Card). MAC Address is also known as the Physical Address of a network device. MAC address is a unique
identifier assigned to a NIC (Network interface controller/Card). MAC Address is also known as the Physical Address of a
network device

● An IP address is a unique address that identifies a device on the internet or a local network

● The primary distinction between MAC and IP addresses is that MAC addresses are used to verify the computer's physical
address. It uniquely identifies the network's devices. While IP addresses are logical & used to uniquely identify a device's
network connection.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SxUlR6L-pk
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NETWORK TYPES & COMPONENTS

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Types of Networks
● Most important aspect of any network is to provide connectivity from point-A to point-B

● Depending on their geographic proximity network can be categorized as PAN, LAN,WAN, and
WLAN (Wireless LAN)

● Commonly used terms in the industry are LAN, WLAN & WAN

● Common WAN technologies are MPLS & SDWAN

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_zSIXb7tLQ
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Networking Components - Wired/Wireless
● Computer networks could be wired or wireless or both type of devices
○ Wired /Cabled - Fiber or Copper
○ Wireless - WiFi, 4G/5G, Satellite

● Typically organization’s network consist of mix of Wired (copper & fiber) and Wireless (WiFi) devices

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Networking Components - Devices
● Commonly used devices in modern networks are Wireless APs, Switches, Routers & Firewalls

● Firewall is mainly a security device to protect network from cyber attacks

● In smaller networks, multiple network device functionalities can be combined into one device e.g. Home Internet
modem combes AP, Switch, Router functionalities into one!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMamgWllRFY

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Common Networking Devices
ROUTERS ACCESS POINTS SWITCHES
A router is a device that connects two or An Access Point (AP) or Wireless Access Point A network switch connect multiple devices,
more networks. E.g. connecting your (WAP) is a networking device that creates a such as computers, wireless access points,
home network to Internet. wireless local area network (WLAN) usually in printers, and servers; on the same network
home, office or large building to allows within a building or campus. A switch
Think of a router as an air traffic wireless-capable devices to connect to a wired enables connected devices to share
controller and data packets as aircraft network. AP connects to a wired router, information and talk to each other.
headed to different airports (or networks). switch, or hub via an Ethernet cable, and
projects a WiFi signal to a designated area. Switches function on layer-2 data
Routers function on layer-3 link/Network Access layer.
Network/Internet layer. APs typically function on layer-2 data
link/Network Access layer.

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Typical Home Network Typical Organization’s Network

Modem/Router/
FW/WLAN
AP/Switch

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Course developed & delivered by Haris Chughtai (dc.expert123@gmail.com)

Networking Devices Positioning in OSI Model

Layer
Host
Network
Devices
, APs,

Firewalls commonly work on layer3-4 (Network & Transport) however advance Firewalls are capable to provide
layer 4-7 protection

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 O S I & T C P/ I P M O D E L

● The OSI/ISO and TCP/IP models serve as fundamental frameworks for

understanding network communication and data transfer. While the OSI
model provides a comprehensive reference for communication between
systems, TCP/IP forms the backbone of the internet

● In this section we will study Networking reference frameworks (OSI &

TCP/IP models) that facilitate communication between devices in a network
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OSI Reference Model

The OSI Model (Open Systems

Interconnection Model) is a conceptual
framework used to describe the
functions of a networking system. The
OSI model characterizes computing
functions into a universal set of
rules and requirements in order to
support interoperability between
different products and software. In
the OSI reference model, the
communications between a computing
system are split into seven different
abstraction layers.

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TCP/IP Reference Model
● TCP/IP model is the concise version of OSI model

● TCP/IP model is a four-layer model that divides network communications into four distinct categories or layers

● The model is often referred to as the TCP/IP stack

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TCP/IP Model Evolution
● The OSI reference model was the first communication model and was termed as general-purpose model because of its
ability to fit in any type of network but without fitting the protocols in. Due to its inability to fit protocols, TCP/IP reference
model which is commonly known as Internet Model was developed in year 1983 by US Military Wing called ARPANET.

● In 1983 January 1, TCP/IP was made active permanently for the commercial use. From then, TCP/IP has made a
revolution in the field of networking and telecommunication as it was able to overcome the drawbacks of general
purpose OSI Model.

● TCP/IP stands for Transmission Control Protocol Internet Protocol, with the help of which, protocol implementation
over the network can be achieved.

● The TCP/IP model also has a layered architecture which allows easy data communication along with the facility of
integrating multiple protocols. The layout remains similar to OSI Model but the number of layer, their functionalities and
properties got changed.

● This Internet Model (TCP/IP) comprises of only four layers as compared to seven layers of OSI Model. These four layers are
generated by combining the layers of OSI model internally so that protocols can be implemented. These layers have fixed
positions too and their positions cannot be altered.

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7-Layer OSI vs 4-Layer TCP/IP
● OSI - 7 Layer Model
○ The open systems interconnection (OSI) model is a
conceptual framework used to describe the flow
of information from one computing device to
another operating in a networking environment. It
is protocol independent.

● TCP/IP - 4 Layer Model

○ Simplified version of OSI model. or Network
○ Provides a communication protocols suite using
which network devices can be connected to the
Internet. It relies on standardized protocols
or Network Interface

What's the difference between two models?

TCP/IP is a practical model that addresses specific communication challenges and relies on standardized protocols. In contrast, OSI serves as a
conceptual comprehensive, protocol-independent framework designed to encompass various network communication methods.
TCP/IP model can be thought as the practical interpretation of the conceptual OSI model

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Practical Example of Reference Model Application
● The OSI and TCP/IP models serve as fundamental frameworks for
understanding network communication and data transfer. While the OSI model
provides a comprehensive reference for communication between systems,
TCP/IP forms the backbone of the internet.

● Now let's run through a real world example of network communication

between two devices considering OSI model layers:
○ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LANW3m7UgWs

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 T C P/ I P M O D E L

● TCP/IP model is the one upon which the internet communication is

based on.

● In this section we will study the functionality provided by each

layers of TCP/IP models.

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Commonly used Protocols in Each Layer of TCP/IP Model

Connection-oriented Connection-less
Commonly
used

IPv4 & IPv6

(most commonly used)

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Network Interface (or Network Access) Layer
● The Network Access Layer is the lowest layer of the TCP/IP protocol hierarchy & it
combines layers 1 (Physical) and 2 (Data link) of the OSI model.

● The protocols at this layer perform three distinct functions:

a. They define how to use the network to transmit a frame, which is the data unit passed
across the physical connection.
b. They exchange data between the computer and the physical network.
c. They deliver data between two devices on the same network.

● Ethernet has evolved as the industry’s de-factor protocol for modern networks

● Ethernet has two sub layers:

a. Media Access Control (MAC) Sublayer :— MAC sublayer provides an interface with the
network adapter.
b. Logical Link Control (LLC) Sublayer :— LLC sublayer is responsible for error-checking
functions for frames delivered also responsible for managing links between communicating
devices.

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Internet Layer (or Network Layer)
● The Internet layer (or network layer) is responsible for receiving frames from the data link layer, and
delivering them to their intended destinations among based on the addresses contained inside the
frame.

● The network layer finds the destination by using logical addresses, such as IP (internet protocol). At
this layer, routers are a crucial component used to quite literally route information where it needs to
go between networks.

● Common protocols used in Network/Internet layer are:

● IP: Two types: IPv4 - 32 Bits & IPv6 - 128 Bits

● ARP - Address Resolution Protocol (Provides MAC ←→ IP mapping)

● ICMP - Internet Control Message Protocol

○ Frequently used in network troubleshooting

● IGMP - Internet Group Messaging Protocol

○ Commonly used for multicasting applications e.g. IPTV

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Transport Layer
● The transport layer manages the delivery and error checking of data packets. It regulates the size, sequencing, and
ultimately the transfer of data between systems and hosts.

● The two most important protocols in the Transport Layer are TCP & UDP:

a) Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) - Connection-oriented, TCP provides reliable data delivery service with end-to-end
error detection and correction which is also known as three-way-handshake

b) User Datagram Protocol (UDP) - Connection-less, UDP provides low-overhead, connectionless datagram delivery service.

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 A P P LI CAT I O N LAY E R

● Some of the commonly used network services/protocols used by

Application layer include DNS, DHCP, NTP, SNMP, SMTP, NAT, NTP,
FTP, TLS, TELNET HTTP etc

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DNS - Application Layer Network Services
● DNS - Domain Name System: A DNS server translates domain names that are easily
understood and remembered by humans into the IP address of a remote application or server

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6R9gRWIIK8

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DHCP - Application Layer Network Services
● DHCP - Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol: Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) is
a client/server protocol that automatically provides an Internet Protocol (IP) host with its IP
address and other related configuration information such as the subnet mask and default
gateway.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kS42C3vqFco

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NAT - Application Layer Network Services
● NAT - Network Address Translation: NAT stands for network address translation. It's a way of
mapping an IP address space into another by modifying network address information in the IP
header of packets
○ Typically it is used to map multiple private addresses inside a local network to a public IP
address before transferring the information to the internet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wE6hk2quigo

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SMTP - Application Layer Network Services
● SMTP - Simple Mail Transport Protocol: The Simple Mail Transfer Protocol is an Internet standard communication protocol for electronic
mail transmission. Mail servers and other message transfer agents use SMTP to send and receive mail messages.

● With technology evolution, now most email clients typically use SMTP only for sending out messages to a mail server for relaying, and
typically submit outgoing email to the mail server on port 587 or 465 per RFC 8314. For receiving incoming messages, IMAP (which
replaced the older POP3) is becoming standard.

● Originally, the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) used TCP port 25. Today, SMTP should instead use port 587 — this is the port for
encrypted email transmissions using SMTP Secure (SMTPS). Port 465 is also used sometimes for SMTPS. However, this is an outdated
implementation and port 587 should be used if possible.

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HTTP - Application Layer Network Services
● HTTP - Hypertext Transport Protocol: The Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is the foundation of the World Wide Web,
and is used to load web pages using hypertext links. HTTP is an application layer protocol designed to transfer information
between networked devices.

● HTTPS - Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure is an extension of the HTTP with encryption and verification. The only
difference between the two protocols is that HTTPS uses TLS (previously SSL) to encrypt normal HTTP requests and
responses, and to digitally sign those requests and responses. As a result, HTTPS is far more secure than HTTP.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0QbnxKRD0w

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NTP - Application Layer Network Services
● NTP - Network Timing Protocol: Network Time Protocol (NTP) is an internet protocol used to
synchronize with computer clock time sources in a network. It belongs to and is one of the oldest
parts of the TCP/IP suite. The term NTP applies to both the protocol and the client-server
programs that run on computers.

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SNMP - Application Layer Network Services
● SNMP - Simple Network Management Protocol: Simple Network Management Protocol
(SNMP) is an internet standard protocol used to monitor and manage network devices
connected over an IP. SNMP is used for communication between routers, switches, firewalls,
load balancers, servers, CCTV cameras, and wireless devices.

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 IP ADDRESSING

● Most important aspect of any network is to provide connectivity

from point-A to point-B

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Understanding IP Addressing
● IP is a Network/Internet Layer Protocol. It comes in two flavors of IPv4 & IPv6

● IPv6 - 128 Bits (advanced and futuristic)

● IPv4 - 32 Bits (old but commonly used however now deprecating)

○ 4 Octets of 8 bits each = 32 Bits (aka dotted decimal notation)
○ Divided into Network & Host Portion
○ Based on the Network & Host portion IP Addresses are categorized into four Classes - A, B, C, D, E
○ Class A, B, C are commonly used in the networks whereas Class D, E are special purpose address spac

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHV1aOnu7oM

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IPv4 Address Format - Dotted Decimal Notation

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 Categories

Assignment

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 What’s Next?
How to move further to
being a new career?

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Gain Additional Networking Knowledge to make a career
A. Start with Youtube Courses
a. Practical Networking - Networking Fundamentals Course (15 videos - short & quick)
b. Network Direction Network Fundamental course (28 videos - detailed)
c. Jeremy’s IT Lab - Full CCNA Course (118 videos - detailed)

B. Enrich your Theoretical Concepts from other online material

i. Comptia Network+ Study Guide
ii. CCNA Study Guide Free
iii. CCNA Study Notes
iv. Cisco Academy learning Free courses

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Step by Step Guide to begin your Networking Career
● New to IT, you like Computer Networking but not sure how to move forward?

● Following my 8-steps guide to begin your career journey

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Keep learning, keep growing

Learning is not attained by

chance; it must be sought for with
ardor and diligence.”
– Abigail Adams

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