Skip to content
Online
Campus
  1. Campus
  2. Courses
  3. Networking Basics: How the Internet Reaches Your Desk
Free courseTechnology & IT

Networking Basics: How the Internet Reaches Your Desk

Learn how routers, IP addresses, DNS, Wi-Fi and protocols connect your desk to the internet, and how to test a connection step by step. Five short lessons and a quiz, with a certificate of completion.

60minutes
5lessons
1final quiz
Freecertificate of completion

What you’ll be able to do

  • Name the devices on the path from your desk to the internet and say what each one does
  • Read an IP address and explain public and private addresses, DHCP and DNS
  • Compare Ethernet cabling with the 2.4, 5 and 6 GHz Wi-Fi bands and choose sensible Wi-Fi security
  • Explain TCP, UDP, common port numbers, firewalls and VPNs in plain language
  • Follow a step-by-step connection test using ping, ipconfig or ifconfig, nslookup and tracert
  • Describe a network problem clearly enough for a provider or colleague to act on it

Curriculum

01

Course lessons

5 lessons · module quiz
  1. 01How the internet reaches your deskLesson
  2. 02IP addresses, DHCP and DNSLesson
  3. 03Ethernet and Wi-FiLesson
  4. 04Protocols, ports, firewalls and VPNsLesson
  5. 05Testing a connection and next stepsLesson
  6. 06QUIZNetworking Basics: final quizQuiz