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Introduction
This course brings together the acronyms, protocols and components that are essential to understanding how networks operate today. Students will learn how signals travel across different types of physical network structures, and how those signals carry useful data from one device to another. As you will see, the same key principles and components form the foundation of all networks, from the smallest peer-to-peer systems to the worldwide Internet. The knowledge gained in this course will serve as a firm foundation for a continued course of study in networking. There are no prerequisites for this course other than basic experience using a personal computer. What is a Network?A network can be defined as two or more computing devices that are connected to share data and other resources. Freestanding computers, that are not connected, can only exchange data by means of a portable storage medium such as a floppy disk or tape. But when computers communicate directly over some type of physical connection, they can share many resources beyond data, such as:
The devices that communicate over a network are often computers. However, a network can also include any device capable of sending or receiving electronic information. Thus, in addition to computers, networks can also connect:
Generically speaking, any communicating network device is called a "node." If you think of a connect-the-dots puzzle, nodes are the dots that the network must connect. A network can consist of as few as two computers in the same room or millions of computers around the planet. No matter what their size, all networks have certain characteristics in common:
In this course we will explain each of these elements and show how they work together to allow machines and people to communicate. Why Study Networking?Not too long ago, networks were only used by large corporations. They were controlled by small groups of technical specialists and generally did not affect the daily lives of most people. However, as the price of computer hardware has steadily fallen, both computers and networks have become common appliances. At the same time, the Internet has become both a worldwide communication system and a powerful entertainment medium. Even home users are setting up small networks to transfer files and share Internet connections. Just because more people are now using networks does not mean that more people understand them. When science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke said, "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic," he could have been describing today's worldwide networks. Each day millions of computer users, even advanced users, log on to corporate networks and the Internet, with little or no understanding of the way those systems work. This course will replace some of the magic with knowledge. When you complete this course you will understand how computers communicate across a room, building, city, or the world. You will be able to describe what happens when you use a browser to view a World Wide Web (Web) site. You will be able to set up a simple home or office network. If you choose to end your study of networks after this course, you will know more about those systems than most computer users. You will understand the possibilities and limitations of networking technology and will be a smarter consumer. If your goal is to be one of the essential people who maintain and design networks, this course will prepare you for more advanced study of network administration, analysis, and design. In this course you will learn the concepts and principles that you will use every day for the rest of your networking career. NACSE, National Association of Communication Systems Engineers, offers certification for participants of the WestNet Networking courses. 
IconologyIcons used in this course:
Course Requirements
NOTE: You may purchase the textbook and the CD-ROM through WestNet Learning Technologies, 5420 Ward Road, Suite 150, Arvada, CO, 80002, (ph) 303-424-9168, (fax) 303-432-2565.
Technical Requirements Minimum Hardware Requirements
Minimum Software Requirements
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The Introduction to Networking course provides an introductory overview of the fundamental concepts of networking and data communications. This course is designed for those students who have basic experience using a computer, and would like a better understanding of how networks move information between computers.
For this course, you will need: