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Networking Basics: How the Internet Reaches Your Desk
Learn how routers, IP addresses, DNS, Wi-Fi and protocols connect your desk to the internet, and how to test a connection step by step. Five short lessons and a quiz, with a certificate of completion.
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The short version
Free, no payment details
Sign up with your name and e-mail and confirm it with a 6-digit code. There is nothing to buy.
About 60 minutes
5 short lessons and one final quiz. Your progress is saved, so you can stop and come back on any device.
Certificate of completion
Finish every lesson and score 70% or more on the final quiz. Retakes are unlimited.
Not a program
This free short course is not part of a Ucademy diploma or certificate program and gives no program credit.
What you will learn
- Name the devices on the path from your desk to the internet and say what each one does
- Read an IP address and explain public and private addresses, DHCP and DNS
- Compare Ethernet cabling with the 2.4, 5 and 6 GHz Wi-Fi bands and choose sensible Wi-Fi security
- Explain TCP, UDP, common port numbers, firewalls and VPNs in plain language
- Follow a step-by-step connection test using ping, ipconfig or ifconfig, nslookup and tracert
- Describe a network problem clearly enough for a provider or colleague to act on it
Who it is for
Adults who are curious about how the internet works, people considering IT support or network roles, and office staff who want to understand their own network. No IT experience is needed.
What you need
- A Windows computer or a Mac with an internet connection
- About 60 minutes in total, which you can split across several days
- No special software; the commands in Lesson 5 are built into Windows and macOS
Lessons
- 1How the internet reaches your desk12 min
- 2IP addresses, DHCP and DNS12 min
- 3Ethernet and Wi-Fi12 min
- 4Protocols, ports, firewalls and VPNs12 min
- 5Testing a connection and next steps12 min
- ✓Networking Basics: final quizfinal quiz
Where this course can lead
IT Professional Certificate
This course is a short, practical introduction. The full program goes much further: 420 hours online: IT support, hardware, operating systems, networking and desktop administration.
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See the course →Frequently asked questions
Yes. You create a free Ucademy account and take all five lessons and the quiz at no cost.
Yes. When you finish the lessons and pass the quiz you receive a certificate of completion from Ucademy. The course is not part of a Ucademy diploma or certificate program.
About 60 minutes in total. It is self-paced and online, so you can split it across several days.
No. You need only a Windows computer or a Mac with internet access. Terms are explained as they appear.
An IP address identifies a device on a network. DNS is the service that turns a website name into the IP address that computers use to reach it.
No. It is a free short course, not part of a Ucademy diploma or certificate program, and it does not give program credit.
Start Networking Basics: How the Internet Reaches Your Desk today
Free, online and at your own pace, with a certificate of completion.