Networking Foundations: A Free Learning Guide
Networking is part of nearly every area of IT. I created this guide to strengthen my own understanding and share what I am learning with others.
Read the guide here: Networking Foundations
This guide is intended to be a vendor-agnostic introduction for anyone building skills in IT support, systems administration, or infrastructure. It covers:
- How data moves across local and routed networks
- IPv4 addressing, subnetting, routing, and NAT
- TCP and UDP, DHCP, DNS, HTTP and TLS, and firewalls
- A practical approach to troubleshooting connectivity
No prior networking experience or lab is required. Optional VirtualBox exercises provide hands-on practice with Windows and Linux virtual machines.
This is a work in progress that I will improve as I continue learning. The source is available on GitHub under the MIT License, and feedback is welcome through GitHub Issues.
Disclaimer: AI tools assisted with research and editing. I reviewed and revised the content, but errors or oversimplifications may remain. Verify important details against the linked references and official documentation.