Importance of Networking Fundamentals Networking fundamentals are essential for anyone interested in a career in networking, especially those pursuing the CCNA certification. The first few days of training will cover basic concepts that serve as the foundation for future learning and professional growth. Understanding these basics is crucial to building a successful networking career.
Defining Computer Networks A network refers specifically to computer networks rather than social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter. It serves as the backbone for applications by enabling communication between computers through data transfer over various mediums, akin to messengers delivering messages across distances.
Basics of Ethernet and LANs Ethernet represents one of the simplest forms of networking where two computers connect via cables (like Cat5) using RJ45 connectors on their network interface cards. As more devices join a local area network (LAN), switches facilitate communication among them efficiently without needing multiple direct connections.
'Wide Area Network' Connectivity Explained 'Wide Area Network' (WAN) connects multiple LANs across larger geographical areas using Internet Service Providers (ISPs). This allows offices located far apart, such as New York and Boston, to communicate effectively without expensive private cabling solutions—leveraging existing ISP infrastructure instead.
.Internet's Global Structure & Application Access. The internet functions essentially as an extensive WAN composed of interconnected smaller WANs worldwide facilitating global communications through standardized protocols. Applications like YouTube operate on this principle by hosting public servers accessible via HTTP requests from users’ browsers which retrieve content seamlessly from remote locations.