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Courses >
PC Troubleshooting, Networking, & Security > Introduction to Networking
 Introduction
to Networking explains computer networking basics in terms that you can
easily understand, using concepts common to everyday, non-computing
experience. A brief introduction to networking history provides
context, explaining how networks have become so important to businesses
and individuals. The course emphasizes networking fundamentals,
explaining the software and hardware that makes networking possible.
The course stresses understanding how and why networks work, rather
than focusing on memorization of terms or numbers.
Upon
completion of the course, you will be capable of performing basic
computer networking tasks, such as DSL connectivity or configuring
connections to an Internet Service Provider. This course will give you
the foundation you need to begin training for CCNA Certification or
employment in a computer networking career.
Recommended Courses:
Students who enrolled in Introduction to Networking were also interested in the following courses:
Introduction to Linux
CompTIA Network+ Certification Prep
Intermediate Networking
Introduction to PC Security
CompTIA Security+ Certification Prep
Introduction to PC Troubleshooting
Wireless Networking
Syllabus:
All
courses run for six weeks, with a two-week grace period at the end. Two
lessons are released each week for the six-week duration of the course.
You do not have to be present when the lesson is released, but you must
complete each lesson within two weeks of its release.
A new
section of each course starts on the second or third Wednesday of each
month. If enrolling in a series of two or more courses, please be sure
to space the start date for each course at least two months apart.
| Week One |
| Wednesday - Lesson 01 |
Have
you ever wondered how networks started? We're surrounded by networks,
whether they're computer networks, networks of roads, or the network of
telephones that allow us to communicate every day. In our first lesson,
you'll learn how networks have evolved over the last hundred years.
You'll also find out why every additional device that connects to a
network greatly increases the value of the network. By the time you've
completed this lesson, you'll have a framework of knowledge that will
take you through the rest of the course.
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| Friday - Lesson 02 |
In
today's lesson, you'll jump right into networks and networking, and
learn how they work. We'll use examples from our everyday experience.
You'll learn how to tell the difference between a network and
networking, and realize that computer networks are a lot like freeway
networks. You'll never look at an interstate the same way again! You'll
also find out why shipping your data from one computer to the next is a
lot like sending your distant uncle a new coffee mug for his birthday.
Believe it or not, freeways and shipped gifts have a direct correlation
to how networks and networking operate!
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| Week Two |
| Wednesday - Lesson 03 |
Have
you ever heard someone refer to a computer as a server? Maybe you've
heard someone talk about connecting computers in a peer-to-peer
environment. Understanding the difference between client/server and
peer-to-peer networks really helps you learn about computers and
networking. So in today's lesson, you'll learn how to tell the
difference between client/server and peer-to-peer networks, and when to
use one instead of the other.
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| Friday - Lesson 04 |
Many
people have heard of Ethernet, but what does that mean exactly? In this
lesson, you'll learn all about Ethernet, and a whole lot more. Here
you'll find out the difference between a star topology and a bus
topology, and the advantages of each. Is Ethernet or Token Ring the
best modern network technology, and why? In this lesson, you'll get
those answers and many more!
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| Week Three |
| Wednesday - Lesson 05 |
In
today's lesson, we'll explore how routers operate, and you'll see why
routers operate a lot like how a receptionist in a growing company
handles telephone calls. In this lesson, we'll build on information you
learned in previous lessons, then you'll find out how a single
interconnected network (the Internet) can actually span the entire
globe. A global network is an amazing feat, accomplished by
interconnecting network segments and routing data! When you've
completed this lesson, you'll understand how routing helps our data to
cross the city, state, or an entire ocean.
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| Friday - Lesson 06 |
When
people communicate, they speak a language—such as English—to exchange
information. Computers communicate similarly over a network, but
instead of speaking a language, they use something called a protocol.
Protocols are similar to languages, and in this lesson, you'll learn
about the protocols used in networking. You'll also learn which
protocol has emerged as the dominant computer protocol, and why!
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| Week Four |
| Wednesday - Lesson 07 |
In
today's lesson, you'll learn how the networking protocol TCP/IP
operates. TCP/IP is a collection of protocols, and today you'll learn
how TCP/IP divides its tasks. We'll go over how TCP/IP uses addresses
to direct data to its rightful owner—it's similar to how we use street
addresses.
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| Friday - Lesson 08 |
Have
you ever wondered how your computer converts a World Wide Web address
into a Web site that appears on your screen? In this lesson, you'll
learn how the Domain Name System (DNS) translates names into numeric
addresses, and how all that allows your favorite Web site, e-mail, or
file to appear on your computer screen. You'll also learn how the
entire computer industry comes to a consensus about how the Internet
should work.
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| Week Five |
| Wednesday - Lesson 09 |
Today,
we'll take a look at Wide Area Networks (WANs) and how they compare to
Local Area Networks (LANs). You'll learn all about how data gets sent
over long distances, and how the Internet changed expensive,
long-distance network connections. You'll also learn how Point-to-Point
Tunneling Protocol (PPTP) secures those Internet connections from
prying eyes.
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| Friday - Lesson 10 |
If
you connect to the Internet, you use remote access. In today's lesson,
we'll explore the traditional means of connecting to remote LANs, and
talk about exactly how dial-up Internet access works. Then we'll
discuss modern means by which many people connect to the Internet,
including DSL and cable modems.
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| Week Six |
| Wednesday - Lesson 11 |
In
this lesson, you'll apply many of the concepts you've learned so far in
this course. We'll walk through the process of making an Internet
connection, and you'll see the step-by-step process of creating a
dial-up connection. Each step of the way, you'll come to understand
what's going on behind the scenes. From there, we'll jump to connecting
to the Internet using broadband connections, such as DSL or cable
modems.
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| Friday - Lesson 12 |
In
our final lesson, we'll tie all the previous lessons together,
clarifying how new information about networks and networking can be
quickly understood. You'll learn three categories into which networking
knowledge can be placed, and see examples to apply your newfound
network categories. By the end of this lesson, your understanding of
networking will be solid as a rock, and you'll be well-prepared for a
lifetime of continued learning about networking!
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This
course includes a knowledgeable and caring instructor who will guide
you through your lessons, facilitate discussions, and answer your
questions. The instructor for this course will be David Iseminger.
 David
Iseminger is a computer and networking expert and an experienced
teacher of networking topics. As a student first and expert second,
Iseminger knows which teaching approaches are most effective. Iseminger
has worked at Microsoft Corporation as a telecommunications specialist,
networking performance analyst, and lead programming writer for
cutting-edge network disciplines, including emerging wireless
technologies. Iseminger has published 12 computer books with various
publishers, including John Wiley & Sons, Macmillan, Microsoft
Press, and one ...for Dummies book. His formal education is
from the University of Washington where he earned degrees in English
and Comparative Literature with a minor in writing. Iseminger earned
his MCSE certification in under a month.
Requirements:
Internet access, e-mail, the Microsoft Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox Web browser, and the Adobe Flash and PDF plug-ins
(two free and simple downloads you obtain at
http://www.adobe.com/downloads by clicking Get Adobe Flash Player and
Get Adobe Reader). and a computer equipped with Microsoft Windows 95 or
newer.
Student Reviews:
"David Iseminger is an excellent instructor!! Wouldn't
hesitant to take any class he would teach and also wouldn't hesitate to
recommend him to others. He knows how to simplify complicated material
to make it comprehensible and understandable, he answers questions and
makes you feel that no question is out of bounds or silly or out of
place, is extremely warm and friendly, makes one feel very welcome in
his class, writes his lessons with clarity and coherence, using very
familiar analogies that gives one a clear picture of complex material
(I bet there is a poet in him). His class was over much too fast, it
was so enjoyable and instructive. David never showed impatience with
anyone, made you feel he could learn from you too which was so
refreshing. I learned more than I ever thought I would in such a class,
way more, and am also inspired and encouraged to learn much more on the
subject. It is instructors like David who will keep me taking online
classes. The class was extremely worthwhile and one that will stay with
me. Thanks!"
"David Iseminger (the instructor) writes amazingly clearly,
and he manages to find accurate analogies to help explain nearly every
concept in the course. The lessons and chapters are organized
logically, and concepts are explained fully yet succinctly.
Furthermore, the material is explained in a way that makes it downright
interesting. Highly recommended for anyone interested in learning about
computer networking."
"David: This was a GREAT course, and EXACTLY what I needed.
Thanks for a great job you did. EVERYTHING about this course was simply
superb - the format, the content, the materials, the way things were
presented, etc. etc. I liked your style and material so much that I
feel I could learn a lot from you."
"Excellent course content, good analogies and examples.
Explained in an easily understood manner. Content was perfect for an
introductory course."
"Excellent course. Lots of information was provided, however it was a very easy-to-follow format and it was kept interesting."
"Excellent use of illustrations as a means of clarifying
initially difficult concepts. Very clear writing style. I also enjoyed
the humor. Overall, an excellent course."
"Finally, someone who completely understands his subject and
is capable of conveying that understanding to others. This course met
the criteria for effective teaching: Explain clearly, Illustrate and
show practical application. I will be back for more!!!"
"Great class. Loved your teaching method. I hope to have you as my intermediate professor."
"Great course!! Look forward to the Intermediate. I learned a lot."
"Great refresher course. Look forward to doing the intermediate course starting in November. Thanks."
"I absolutely loved this class. It's everything I hoped for
and more. I would like to take an advanced class from this instructor
in the future."
"I don't want you geeks over there to get big heads but...
This online course was an exceptional value. The content, presentation,
and format was well laid out, comprehendible, and user friendly. Each
lesson complimented the next and stayed on track. Undoubtedly, computer
networking can be very complex and frustrating, but I found the course
content to be at an understandable level. I look forward to the
intermediate segment and perhaps beyond. Thank you!"
"I enjoyed the course and learnt a lot which is of great
help to me in work, I might add that I am 60yrs old so you can teach an
old dog new tricks."
"I enjoyed this course and am looking forward to the
intermediate course and on. I need to understand networks &
networking better to facilitate new applications in my industry and am
certain that I will be the best in my particular field in my area with
courses such as this. This is the first on line course I have taken,
but definitely won't be the last."
"I especially liked the instructor's writing style and analogies. I feel the course taught me what it promised."
"I feel I learned a great deal from this course, and enjoyed the teacher’s writting style."
"I had an opportunity to compare this course curriculum to
another one a co-worker took. What stood out the most for me was how
well the foundation for this course was established, and how
reader-friendly the technical stuff was in this course compared to the
text my co-worker had to use. I KNOW I will retain most of what I have
learned in this study. I bet my co-worker wishes he could say the same!"
"I liked the way the instructor compartmentalized the
information and his use of analogies made it easy for me to understand
the material."
"I'm taking this class as part of my work. I haven't always
had time everyday to spend on it. But, I printed out the lessons, etc.
and read them when I had time. I've been around networks since I
started working with a Token Ring back in the 80's, but I've never
really understood networks and networking. This class has helped a lot
and helps me explain to others I work with when they have questions. I
would definitely take another class from this instructor. Very well
done!! Thank you."
"I really appreciated the instructor's writing style, with his analogies."
"I really enjoyed taking this class and feel that it has
given me a strong foundation for taking my cisco networking classes and
would recommend this class to others that want to get into the field of
networking or just want to learn a little more about networks."
"I really enjoyed the class presented by Mr. Ismeinger. I
really enjoyed how he broke it down into situations that you could
understand. I have had instructors in the past that did not do that
type of stuff and it made it very hard to understand. As the class went
on the examples presented earlier in the course really came to light."
"I really enjoyed the course. As an introductory course it
found a nice balance between teaching the basics and also going far
enough beyond the basics to be useful, without being overwhelming. The
analogies were extremely helpful, as were the conclusions at the end of
each lesson. It's been said that one has to hear something 3 times
before it sinks in. I think that the lessons accomplished this, and
still flowed nicely. I also appreciated the moderate injection of
humor. Well done! Thanks!"
"I really, really enjoyed this class and I am a recent
Information Systems graduate. There needs to be more instructors like
David Iseminger. He is very user friendly. I will take his next course."
"I think course was very informative organized very well and
the concepts built on each other to help with understanding the topics.
I really enjoyed the course and plan to take additional courses in the
future."
"I thoroughly enjoyed this course. I am a project manager
that has been throwing these technical terms around for a while with
very little real technical knowledge."
"I thought the presentation of the material by the
instructer was done in a way that made it easy to understand the
various complex issues in this course."
"I took this course because I needed immediate help at work
in fixing a poorly installed peer-to-peer network. I am not a network
administrator by training, but was able to diagnose problems, add
network hardware, and re-configure the new and exisiting computers on
this peer-to-peer network. Thanks!"
"I truly enjoyed this course--because of the reallife
relationships that the instructor utilized. These references made the
subject material real and easier to comprehend."
"I wanted to learn more about a complex and somewhat
abstract subject ie networks and networking. I was pleased that the
writing style kept my interest and introduced complex subjects in a
matter of fact style. I don't think I would have gotten as much out of
just reading a book on the subject. Certainly has proven helpful to me
in my day to day dealings with computer networks and the internet thank
you."
"I would definitely recommend this class. The analogies were
good, but at times a little drawn out. However, they helped simplify
the concepts."
"Mr. Iseminger is a great teacher whose teaching style I really enjoyed. I can't wait to start Intermediate Networking."
"Mr. Iseminger's real life analogies made this complex
subject easy to comprehend. He has the perfect teaching style! I look
forward to taking other classes from him."
"Not only did I enjoy this course, but I thought the
presentation was well thought out. I found it readable, amusing,
digestable and most of all actually useful. It seemed demanding enough
for me to pay attention to and able to still be understood by me ... a
beginner. Great job."
"One of the better courses I had."
"Thank you, David, for a wonderful look at online education.
You may noticed I'm already enrolled in "Intermediate Networking," the
next course in your sequence, and I plan to take all 5 Networking
classes in a row."
"Thank you for wonderful course! I REALLY enjoyed the
lessons and learned a few things that I did not know. The classes were
very well prepared and I would HIGHLY recommend this class to anyone
who is contemplating a career in networking technology or that is just
curious how networks function. Also, the ease of convenience for the
classes or wonderful!"
"THANK YOU VERY MUCH! - Talk about turning on some
lightbulbs! Wish I had taken this class a long time ago. I will
definitely recommend the class to others."
"The comparisons made by the instructor made the material easier to understand."
"The instructor has a great way of explaining the topic to beginners."
"The instructor in this course presented some very technical
information in a very understandable format. I appreciate all the
analogies he used in order to make the information not only
understandable, but it also made it easier for me to remember. And that
is no easy trick when you reach 50 years of age!!! I enjoyed it so much
that I have already started the Intermediate Networking class online!"
"The instructor used the type of analogies I learn best from."
"This course was brilliant for me as I live in an isolated
region. It was well structured. The instruction was friendly and the
lessons were easy to understand. The whole experience was very
enriching for me."
"This was an extremely good course overall. The instructor
did a terrific job of using everyday concepts to explain how networks
and networking work. It definitely made the material much easier to
grasp. I have already signed up for the Intermediate Networking class
offered by this instructor."
"This was a very good course. Challenging yet not too
difficult for what I expected. Teaching style made learning easy and
interesting."
"This was a wonderful course. I have a basic knowledge of
networking from taking A+ classes and from working in an internet
technical support office but this was just wonderful. I printed out
every lesson and I plan to keep them for a long, long time."
"This was my first online course. It fit my schedule
perfectly. Since I travel a lot, I could print the material and read it
on the airplane."
To purchase this course, click the Enroll Now button below:
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