Section 1 - Networking concepts:

• Introduction to and benefits of using layered models
• The OSI layered model
  • Application, Presentation, Session, Transport, Network, Datalink, Physical
• The TCP/IP layered model
  • Application, Transport, Internetwork, Network Interface
• TCP/IP data encapsulation
• Layer and equipment interaction with TCP/IP model
• Comparison of the OSI model the TCP/IP model
• Introduction to network analysis tools using the freeware Wireshark analyser

Section 2 - Ethernet fundamentals:

• Introduction to Ethernet
• The various forms of cabled Ethernet
• Ethernet addresses - The MAC address - Physical/Unicast, Multicast and Broadcast
• Ethernet frame formats:
  • Ethernet V2
  • IEEE 802.3
  • Sub Network Access Protocol
• Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detect (CSMA/CD)
• 'Layer 1' networking – The Ethernet hub

Section 3 - LAN switching fundamentals:

• Introduction to bridging and switching
  • Separation of collision domains - LAN segmentation
• Ethernet switching:
  • MAC address learning
  • Forwarding and filtering of frames
  • Broadcast, multicast and unknown unicast frame handling
  • Cut-through switching / Fragment-free switching / Store and forward switching
  • Full duplex operation
  • Auto-negotiation
• Loops in bridged/switched networks
  • The problem
  • The solution - Spanning Tree Protocol (STP)
• Overview of VLAN concepts and operation
  • VLAN tagging
  • VLAN trunking

Section 4 - Internet Protocol (IP) fundamentals:

• Introduction to the Internet Protocol (IP)
• The IP (v4) packet header
• IP addressing
  • Dotted decimal notation and binary view
  • Converting between dotted decimal notation and binary
  • Class A, Class B, Class C (Class D and Class E) addresses - The first octet rule
  • Network address masks
  • Converting IP addresses between decimal and binary format

Section 5 - Other layer 3 functions:

• Address Resolution Protocol (ARP)
• Default gateway
• Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP)
  • ICMP - Time exceeded
  • ICMP - Destination unreachable
  • ICMP - Redirect
  • ICMP - Echo request and echo reply
    • Ping and Traceroute
• Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)
• Name systems
  • The Hosts file on Windows/UNIX/LINUX systems
  • The Domain Name System (DNS) Section

Section 6 - Routing IP and routing protocols:

• Routing
  • The IP router
  • Path selection
  • Routing tables
  • Brief look at routing protocols
    • RIP, OSPF, IS-IS, BGP

Section 7 - Transport layer protocols – Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and User Datagram Protocol (UDP):

• OSI layer 4 functions
• The use of port numbers
• Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)
  • The TCP header
  • Connection-opening and closing
  • Segmentation of data and data sequencing
  • Error recovery
  • Flow control using windowing
  • TCP retransmissions
  • Resetting a TCP connection
  • TCP options
    • Maximum segment size
    • Selective acknowledgements
    • Window scaling
    • TCP timestamps
• User Datagram Protocol (UDP)
  • Why use UDP?
  • The UDP header

Section 8 - Some Common Application Layer Protocols:

• Overview of some applications used with TCP/IP and UDP/IP
  • File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
  • Telnet
  • Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP)
  • Domain Name System (DNS)
  • Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP)
  • Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP)
  • Post Office Protocol - version 3 (POP3)
  • Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)