I Want to be a network Engineer. Teach Me

[Rambo3456]

I Am very interested in becoming a network engineer. I already know quite a lot about computers but my knowledge is limited to cyber security, Computer Hardware (Building and exc) and just fixing basic issues, and also using programs like regedit and CMD I Want to know more about networking stuff Like how to set up firewalls for LAN and how to configure VLANs but i dont know where to start. I've done a lot of research on the internet but i haven't found to many interesting videos

Please post links to very helpful videos to get me started and also just tell me important info Thanks

[knightslugger]

Go to college for computer science. get cisco certified.

[TurbulentWinds]

Have you ever considered that college just might be a plausible option?

[Eduard the weeb]

https://blogs.cisco.com/perspectives/so-you-want-to-be-a-network-engineer-heres-where-you-should-start

 

personal advice, if you want to become one you need to go to college and you need to actually do something to get good at it not just learn about anyway, good luck !

[Rambo3456]

I Want to prepare myself for collage so i know what to expect and so i can hopefully better in collage

 

7 hours ago, Rambo3456 said:

I Want to prepare myself for collage so i know what to expect and so i can hopefully do better in collage

 

[Techicolors]

have any community colleges near you? i'd check out what computer classes they offer. though make sure you meet pre-requisities, usually that's an Intro to computers course 

[heimdali]

Buy an HP/H3C 5500EI and perhaps a Procurve 2848, plus Network cables as needed and a second computer and some IP phones to connect to, download the documentation and start reading and trying things out.  When you´re done, get an MSR 1002 or the like, download the documentation and start reading and trying things out.

 

When done, ask yourself if you really wanna learn that.

 

[Majinhoju]

Look up the courses you're planning to take, they should tell you what you'll be learning so you can study up beforehand.

Look up Cisco certifications such as CCNA.  I imagine there's a wealth of info online you can find.

Get a hold of program called Packet Tracer (maybe something new is out now?) as it lets you design concept networks.

 

edit:  It wouldn't hurt to get a copy of esxi and load it onto a spare computer at home and tinker with VMware.  Lot of business are running virtualized environments.

[heimdali]

These businesses are probably using KVM ...

 

[Lurick]

25 minutes ago, Majinhoju said:

Look up the courses you're planning to take, they should tell you what you'll be learning so you can study up beforehand.

Look up Cisco certifications such as CCNA.  I imagine there's a wealth of info online you can find.

Get a hold of program called Packet Tracer (maybe something new is out now?) as it lets you design concept networks.

 

edit:  It wouldn't hurt to get a copy of esxi and load it onto a spare computer at home and tinker with VMware.  Lot of business are running virtualized environments.

Agreed, although Packet Tracer is a bit limited. I would suggest GNS3 or there are servers you can rent now from a company called Packet and you can get a license of VIRL from Cisco for $200 and you spin up tons of virtual devices with full functionality.

[bcguru9384]

1 hour ago, Rambo3456 said:

I Am very interested in becoming a network engineer. I already know quite a lot about computers but my knowledge is limited to cyber security, Computer Hardware (Building and exc) and just fixing basic issues, and also using programs like regedit and CMD I Want to know more about networking stuff Like how to set up firewalls for LAN and how to configure VLANs but i dont know where to start. I've done a lot of research on the internet but i haven't found to many interesting videos

Please post links to very helpful videos to get me started and also just tell me important info Thanks

try microsoft technet site as it has a plethora of information but can get overwhelming

also never hurts to goto cisco or qualcom sites as they have help sections

and their is always wiki(goto sources linked at bottom of articles)

old fashioned library great as well

 

[Crunchy Dragon]

Study for and get networking certifications, such as the previously mentioned Cisco CCNA. This will teach you some pretty good networking skills, and also help you get a job in the field. Certifications go a really long way in IT.

 

College wouldn't hurt either.

[wasab]

what is a network engineer? i wonder what they do 

[Lurick]

17 minutes ago, wasab said:

what is a network engineer? i wonder what they do 

We make sure the tubes are clean and your pr0n flows free!

 

Depends on the role, some engineers work on company networks which can range from small companies to large enterprise networks and ISPs and everything in between, others do troubleshooting, some design networks, others implement the design, some (like myself) do validation and in depth testing before a customer deploys a network. There is a lot that can fall under the title of a "network engineer" but mostly, we deal with computer networks that connect A to B

[Ithanul]

Like others mention, the network certs like Cisco CCNA are good certs to study for.  Also, mess around setting up a network from the ground up like setting up a DHCP server and having a router pass traffic around then mess with VLANs and encryption tunnels.  Probably a good starting point is do a router on a stick (one router passing different VLANs from one switch or many switches).

 

There more than just that in doing networking.  Considering network engineer can do a variety among the network jobs, even learning about routing tables, virtual routing tables, firewalls, and the variety of protocols that move data around and even how data packets are made up will no doubt help a lot.  (There is a lot of information to learn in networking)

[LAwLz]

Like everyone else have already said, CCNA is great for starting out. Even if you're not interesting in taking the cert itself (since you are just starting out to see if it suits you) reading the CCNA material gives a good and fairly deep understanding of networking as a whole.

 

10 hours ago, Lurick said:

Agreed, although Packet Tracer is a bit limited. I would suggest GNS3 or there are servers you can rent now from a company called Packet and you can get a license of VIRL from Cisco for $200 and you spin up tons of virtual devices with full functionality.

I would recommend Packet Tracer over GNS3 any day of the week for someone who is just starting out.

It's much simpler and switch support (at least when I tried it) was non-exiting in GNS3.

[mudflapman]

I've really liked what I've seen from the CBT Nuggets videos, their usual CCNA Guy (Jeremy (Ciora?)) is a fantastic teacher, I learned quite a bit with his content. Other means of me learning was basically on the job. I did 2 traineeships (one as a school based apprentice whilst still at school, the other after I finished up and moved into the workforce).

 

I'm by no means an expert, google is still my friend but I can sure hold my own in most scenarios and still learning.

 

Best thing (in my mind) you can do, buy some old hardware and build something, I picked up a few routers and old 10/100 cisco switches for cheap, and what I've learned with them is great. If you can do it in a lab, you'll be well on the way to that first certification (perhaps even a foot in the door of somewhere to go further).

[Majinhoju]

Another thing to learn if you're not already familiar with it is Active Directory.  You'll find pretty much every IT job out there requires some knowledge on it.

[Blackyk]

I took a networking class for my masters degree in IT. It was tough, mostly because of the logic used in networking that I couldn't exactly wrap my head around it. Cisco has "classes" that have a simulator and workbooks for you to use. You can buy the classes and go through them at your own pace. But be ready because after a few of the short intro classes, the nitty-gritty stuff within networking can get pretty muddy.

[Ithanul]

On 2/7/2018 at 10:52 AM, Blackyk said:

I took a networking class for my masters degree in IT. It was tough, mostly because of the logic used in networking that I couldn't exactly wrap my head around it. Cisco has "classes" that have a simulator and workbooks for you to use. You can buy the classes and go through them at your own pace. But be ready because after a few of the short intro classes, the nitty-gritty stuff within networking can get pretty muddy.

Yep, I took a networking class for my associates.  It was based around the idea of going for a CCNA degree. (I still have the book and it is not a thin one that is for sure).

What I like about the teacher our class had is he had a CCNP and showed and taught us good beginner tips for working on Cisco hardware.  So, I also say finding a good mentor who has a wealth of hands on experience helps a ton (or, watching a knowledgeable net admin do work - that is how I keep increasing my knowledge base).

[Drak3]

Lesson number uno:

 

Don't ask a forum for a formal education. Believe it or not, it isn't U of LTT.

[Guest]

Check out Chris Bryant on Udemy if you want a fairly low cost intro to CCNA: https://www.udemy.com/user/chrisbryant/

[Levisallanon]

This playlist helped me a lot during my CCENT training. After CCENT you can go on to CCNA.
This should introduce you to most of the basics at least.

 

[mynameisjuan]

On 2/6/2018 at 5:21 PM, Lurick said:

We make sure the tubes are clean and your pr0n flows free!

I can confirm this is our main priority

 

11 hours ago, Drak3 said:

Lesson number uno:

 

Don't ask a forum for a formal education. Believe it or not, it isn't U of LTT.

He can ask wherever he wants. At least he now has an idea of where to start. 

 

@Rambo3456

 

Start with certifications such as CCNA first as it will not put you in years of debt and will give you a taste to see if you even like it. Most ISPs or tier 3 jobs will hire you on certifications alone. I mean college is good for padding a resume but the amount of content you learn in CCNA and CCNP alone are everything you will ever need to know in the field.