1. What is a Network? Types of Networks (LAN, WAN, MAN, PAN)

• Core Concepts
  • Definition of a Network
  • Types of Networks Overview
  • Local Area Network (LAN)
  • Wide Area Network (WAN)
  • Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
  • Personal Area Network (PAN)

2. OSI and TCP/IP Model Overview (7 layers explained)

• Core Concepts
  • OSI Model Layers Explained
  • TCP/IP Model Overview
  • Functions of Each Layer

3. Common Networking Devices: Switch, Router, Firewall, Hub, Bridge

• Core Concepts
  • Switch
  • Router
  • Firewall
  • Hub
  • Bridge

4. IP Address Classes and Private vs Public IPs

• Core Concepts
  • IP Address Classes (A, B, C, D, E)
  • Private vs Public IP Addresses
  • Basics of Subnetting
  • IPV6 Explained

5. MAC Address vs IP Address (and why both matter)

• Core Concepts
  • What is a MAC Address?
  • What is an IP Address?
  • Differences and Importance

6. Introduction to Ports and Protocols (HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, SMTP, etc.)

• Core Concepts
  • What are Ports?
  • Common Network Protocols Overview
  • HTTP vs HTTPS
  • FTP (File Transfer Protocol)
  • SMTP (Email Protocol)

7. Network Cabling and Hardware

• Core Concepts
  • Ethernet Standards (Cat5, Cat5e, Cat6, etc.)
  • Fiber Optic vs Copper Cables
  • Structured Cabling Basics
  • Cable Testing and Tools (Cable testers, Toner, Crimpers)
  • RJ45 Pinouts and Wiring Standards (T568A/B)

8. IP Services

• DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol)
  • How DHCP works
  • DHCP relay (ip helper-address)
  • Configuring DHCP on routers and switches
• DNS (Domain Name System)
  • Purpose of DNS
  • Forward and reverse lookup
  • How to configure DNS on a client/router
• NAT (Network Address Translation)
  • Static NAT
  • Dynamic NAT
  • PAT (Port Address Translation / NAT overload)
• SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol)
  • Versions (v1, v2, v3)
  • Community strings
  • SNMP traps
• Syslog
  • Logging levels (severity 0-7)
  • Syslog server configuration
• NetFlow
  • Flow monitoring and traffic analysis
• NTP (Network Time Protocol)
  • Syncing time across devices

9. IP Routing

• Routing Protocol Concepts
  • Administrative distance
  • Metric
  • Route sources: Static, Dynamic, Connected
• Static Routing
  • Configuring static routes
  • Default routes
  • Floating static routes
• Dynamic Routing Protocols
  • OSPF areas and LSAs
  • DR/BDR concepts
  • OSPF neighbor states
  • Single-area OSPF configuration
  • EIGRP
  • EIGRP Config
  • RIP
  • RIP Config

10. IP Connectivity

• IPv4 and IPv6 Addressing
  • Subnetting (FLSM, VLSM)
  • Calculating host/network portions
  • Link-local vs. global unicast (IPv6)
• Routing Table Interpretation
  • How to read a routing table (show ip route)
• First Hop Redundancy Protocols (FHRP)
  • HSRP (Hot Standby Router Protocol)
  • VRRP, GLBP

11. Network Access

• Switching Concepts
  • MAC address table
  • CAM table
  • Frame forwarding
• VLANs (Virtual LANs)
  • Access and trunk ports
  • VLAN tagging (802.1Q)
  • Voice VLAN
• Inter-VLAN Routing
  • Router-on-a-stick configuration
  • Layer 3 switch routing
• Spanning Tree Protocol (STP)
  • PVST and PVST+
  • Root bridge election
  • STP port roles: Root, Designated, Blocking
  • PortFast and BPDU Guard
• EtherChannel
  • PAgP, LACP
  • Load balancing across links

12. Security Fundamentals

• ACLs (Access Control Lists)
  • Standard and extended ACLs
  • Wildcard masks
  • Applying ACLs to interfaces
  • Named ACLs
• Port Security
  • Sticky MAC
  • Violation modes: protect, restrict, shutdown
• AAA (Authentication, Authorization, Accounting)
  • Local and RADIUS/TACACS+
  • Login authentication methods
• VPN Concepts
  • Site-to-site vs remote-access VPN
  • IPsec fundamentals & Configuration

13. Automation and Programmability

• REST APIs
  • JSON, XML, HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE)
• Cisco DNA Center and SDN Basics
  • Controller-based networking
  • Northbound and Southbound APIs
• Python and CLI Tools (basic)
  • Read and interpret simple Python scripts
  • Know about tools like Postman, Ansible

14. Wireless Fundamentals

• WLAN Components
  • Access Points, WLCs
  • Lightweight vs Autonomous APs
• Wireless Standards
  • 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax
  • Frequency bands and channels

15. Network Troubleshooting Tools and Commands

• Basic Connectivity
  • ping - Test reachability
  • traceroute - Track packet path
  • ipconfig / ifconfig - View IP configuration
• Interface and VLAN Commands
  • show ip interface brief - Interface summary
  • show running-config - Current configuration
  • show vlan - Displays configured VLANs
  • show mac address-table - MAC-to-port mappings
  • show interfaces - Interface statistics and errors
• Routing and Protocols
  • View routing table
  • show ip protocols - View routing protocols
• Address Resolution
  • arp -a - View ARP cache
• DNS Troubleshooting
  • nslookup - DNS query tool
  • dig - Advanced DNS lookup
• Session & Port Connectivity
  • telnet - Test TCP port connectivity
  • ssh - Secure remote access
• Packet Analysis
  • tcpdump - CLI packet capture
  • Wireshark - GUI packet analyzer
• Device Discovery
  • show cdp neighbors - Cisco device discovery
  • show lldp neighbors - Non-Cisco device discovery
• Logging and Diagnostics
  • show logging - View syslog messages
  • debug ip packet - Real-time packet tracing
  • show version - System details and uptime