So we have spent a few weeks, months maybe even years learning about the hardware and operating system side of things and with that knowledge we can create a wonderful base for our IT Careers. Now the next crucial step and personally my favorite but also a major reason why I got into Cybersecurity was Networking.

A device being able to talk to another device thousands and thousands of miles away in mere seconds is absolutely legendary in my eyes and if you think about it, you are able to visit this very website because of things like networking. The world is connected via “Internet Cables” legitimately their is MASSIVE cables in our oceans right now that allow us to communicate with other nations and it is what keeps us connected. But outside of the fun stuff of networking, lets tap into why we should know it and why it’s important.

We need our devices not able to only communicate internally but also externally. From a Cybersecurity standpoint, how do I protect my device from things internally as well as externally. Well the way you do that is not only from a operating standpoint but also networking standpoint. Using technologies like Firewalls, VLANs, VPNs, Access Control Lists, SSL/TLS, HTTPS etc the list goes on and the variety of networking technologies is constantly evolving.

The simplest way I look at networking is a building (Device) with Doors (Ports), We only want specific people (services) entering those doors. So its our job to learn and know what types of activity is normal on these services. Now how do we learn networking or the wonderful world of networking. Well thankfully their is multiple ways, but I will structure it the same way from my previous posts. I think the best way to learn networking is fully hands-on with a supplemental guide to help understand whats happening.

Trainings: Packet Tracer, Boson NetSim as well as if you want to take it the next level you can invest into Networking Equipment to learn how to manage a network stack. You can also use CBT Nugget as well.

Video Trainings: Typically any form of video training or tutorial is accessible from youtube but my personal favorite and he has a wonderful CCNA Training list is Network Chuck. Check him out, fully worth the watch.

Books and Digital Content: I would only recommend 2 books “TCP/IP” and the CCNA Official Cert Guide.

Certifications: Now you may have seen me mention CCNA or Cisco a few times (Entire Time) because it truly is the best way to learn BUT that doesn’t leave compTIA out of it. I would suggest either of these 2 certifications CCNA or If you want a more entry approach which is new to me is called CCST (Cisco Certified Support Technician) – Networking but it used to be called CCENT for me. The second certification I recommend is CompTIA Network+.

Now that you have a bit of a guide or direction, remember certifications aren’t required but they make the resume look nice and it helps bypass human resources.

But we have covered Networking, Switching and Routing briefly time to finally break the true barrier and get into SECURITY!