Where do I get started with learning more about networking

[pikkie-mahn-mastah]

I want to work in IT someday, and I want to start the learning process now. I know a fair amount about basic home networking, and how it all works, but I want to further my knowledge on the subject. Where would I get started, is there a recommended book or website for me to go to to learn the ropes (or cords for that matter).

[Josephdalepi]

4 minutes ago, pikkie-mahn-mastah said:

I want to work in IT someday, and I want to start the learning process now. I know a fair amount about basic home networking, and how it all works, but I want to further my knowledge on the subject. Where would I get started, is there a recommended book or website for me to go to to learn the ropes (or cords for that matter).

fanfact: read wikipedia articles about everything

after that, start reading guides

you can learn it all pretty easy

[Unhelpful]

6 minutes ago, pikkie-mahn-mastah said:

I want to work in IT someday, and I want to start the learning process now. I know a fair amount about basic home networking, and how it all works, but I want to further my knowledge on the subject. Where would I get started, is there a recommended book or website for me to go to to learn the ropes (or cords for that matter).

I have a massive list of authors that I can send later, for now one decent beginner-level youtube channel is danscourses. Covers some general stuff and cisco stuff. 

 

How basic are we talking? What is a switch? What is a vlan? How do I subnet? What level are we talking about here.

[SamTheWelshDragon]

Cisco.

[Josephdalepi]

Just now, JoeyDM said:

I have a massive list of authors that I can send later, for now one decent beginner-level youtube channel is danscourses. Covers some general stuff and cisco stuff. 

 

How basic are we talking? What is a switch? What is a vlan? How do I subnet? What level are we talking about here.

funfact: i can use all of it and can make it all work, but i have no idea what most of the stuff actually is

ive got a 16 port switch working perfectly, but what it actually is?

fuck if i know

[Mohenjo]

8 minutes ago, pikkie-mahn-mastah said:

I want to work in IT someday, and I want to start the learning process now. I know a fair amount about basic home networking, and how it all works, but I want to further my knowledge on the subject. Where would I get started, is there a recommended book or website for me to go to to learn the ropes (or cords for that matter).

Look into compita A plus. then try networking plus 

[MichelleS]

I would recommend going to Pluarlsight, Microsoft Virtual Academy, or EdX and finding some courses. In my experience Pluralsight is one of the best course providers. 

 

Good luck and happy learning!

[pikkie-mahn-mastah]

2 minutes ago, JoeyDM said:

I have a massive list of authors that I can send later, for now one decent beginner-level youtube channel is danscourses. Covers some general stuff and cisco stuff. 

 

How basic are we talking? What is a switch? What is a vlan? How do I subnet? What level are we talking about here.

I know how to setup an advanced home network with switches, I also know the difference in Category wire, and I know how to differentiate bit from byte. don't know much about anything else you listed, I think I'd better just start from scratch.

[pikkie-mahn-mastah]

thank you all!

[Unhelpful]

4 minutes ago, pikkie-mahn-mastah said:

I know how to setup an advanced home network with switches, I also know the difference in Category wire, and I know how to differentiate bit from byte. don't know much about anything else you listed, I think I'd better just start from scratch.

I'd start everything by looking into how switches actually function.

 

If you want to learn some basics concepts + basic configuration for cisco stuff look into the danscourses youtube channel.

[Unhelpful]

5 minutes ago, pikkie-mahn-mastah said:

I know how to setup an advanced home network with switches, I also know the difference in Category wire, and I know how to differentiate bit from byte. don't know much about anything else you listed, I think I'd better just start from scratch.

In order for learning about switches I would say learn about the MAC Address Table, then subnets, then VLANS. A massive, important, repeating concept that if you get into any branch of IT you'll probably have to touch on is VLANS.

 

Then branch into routers.

[NetworkPeet]

Learn the Cisco CCNA - ther is 80% Network foundations and 20% Cisco Specific

 

I Recommend you these books

 

http://www.ciscopress.com/store/ccent-ccna-icnd1-official-exam-certification-guide-9781587201820

http://www.ciscopress.com/store/ccna-icnd2-official-exam-certification-guide-ccna-exams-9781587201813

[Samfisher]

6 minutes ago, pikkie-mahn-mastah said:

I know how to setup an advanced home network with switches, I also know the difference in Category wire, and I know how to differentiate bit from byte. don't know much about anything else you listed, I think I'd better just start from scratch.

Those things are literally a 30 minute read on Wiki that isn't that hard to understand.  Really helps how deep you want to get into networking and start working towards your CCNA.

[Unhelpful]

18 minutes ago, Josephdalepi said:

funfact: i can use all of it and can make it all work, but i have no idea what most of the stuff actually is

ive got a 16 port switch working perfectly, but what it actually is?

fuck if i know

Do you want to know?

[Josephdalepi]

Just now, JoeyDM said:

Do you want to know?

meh

i dont use uplink, and all i use it for is basically a splitter

i think ill be ok

if you want to though, go ahead

[Beskamir]

Trail and error is usually pretty effective. So try managing your home network if your aren't doing that already. After that reading wiki articles would be a good option. 

[Unhelpful]

1 minute ago, Josephdalepi said:

meh

i dont use uplink, and all i use it for is basically a splitter

i think ill be ok

if you want to though, go ahead

A switch is a multi-port network bridge that uses hardware addresses (MAC addresses) to receive, process, and forward data to a destination device. A switch forwards data to only the specified device(s), whereas a hub would broadcast the same data out of each port. 

[Josephdalepi]

Just now, JoeyDM said:

A switch is a multi-port network bridge that uses hardware addresses (MAC addresses) to receive, process, and forward data to a destination device. A switch forwards data to only the specified device(s), whereas a hub would broadcast the same data out of each port. 

so

its basically a splitter?

[Unhelpful]

3 minutes ago, Josephdalepi said:

so

its basically a splitter?

Not quite. It's much intelligent than that. There are ethernet splitters that split the 8 wires to dual 4 wires. Those are not switches. Switches maintain the full speed as opposed to reducing it, like a splitter does, and they use a MAC address table to intelligently forward data to the device it needs to go to.

 

http://superuser.com/questions/104050/difference-between-ethernet-splitter-and-switch

[Josephdalepi]

Just now, JoeyDM said:

Not quite. It's much intelligent than that. There are ethernet splitters that split the 8 wires to dual 4 wires. Those are not switches. Switches maintain the full speed as opposed to reducing it, like a splitter does, and they use a MAC address table to intelligently forward data to the device it needs to go to.

splitter

like

headphone splitter

powered headphone splitter

[NetworkPeet]

a splitter  or multi splitter is a hub / (Layer 1)    A switch buffers and sens the signal schortly after a quick check and processing things (L2)

[Unhelpful]

Just now, Josephdalepi said:

splitter

like

headphone splitter

powered headphone splitter

Yes, I know. Still not quite.

 

Would a powered headphone splitter send the same signal through all interfaces? If so, then that is more similar to a hub.

[Josephdalepi]

Just now, JoeyDM said:

Yes, I know. Still not quite.

 

Would a powered headphone splitter send the same signal through all interfaces? If so, then that is more similar to a hub.

ehh

i think i get it

more of a smart splitter

kinda like how wifi prioritizes on older routers

[NetworkPeet]

but a splitter is a dumb repeater

 

A switch is a active componente who sends the frames to only the reciever if its mac address is seen on a port

 

a hub or splitter only broadcasts the frame

[Unhelpful]

8 minutes ago, Josephdalepi said:

ehh

i think i get it

more of a smart splitter

kinda like how wifi prioritizes on older routers

A bit  there's also some insanely in-depth things that can be done with them. People spend years learning about the shit you can do with them.

 

@NetworkPeet described it pretty well.