Cisco

802.1Q is the IEEE standard that allows switches to carry traffic from multiple VLANs across a single physical link. This is done by adding a small tag to Ethernet frames. The process is called 802.1Q encapsulation or VLAN tagging. Without tagging, a switch would have no way to separate traffic from different VLANs when sending […]

When you first connect to a Cisco switch, almost everything lives in VLAN 1. That works for a tiny lab, but in any real network you need to separate traffic for security, performance, and organization. In this lesson, we’ll show the exact process of creating a new VLAN and moving ports into it—classic layer 2

Virtual Local Area Networks, or VLANs, offer a smart way to organize and manage devices in a network without being limited by their physical connections. Imagine having the flexibility to group computers, servers, and other equipment as if they were on separate switches, even when they’re plugged into the same one. This logical separation helps

When you type a website address into your browser, you rarely think about the numbers behind it. Instead of memorizing strings like 95.85.36.216, you simply enter “netitpro.com” and the page loads instantly. This convenient mapping from human-readable names to machine-readable IP addresses is the job of the Domain Name System, or DNS. DNS is a

The Transmission Control Protocol, or TCP, plays a crucial role in ensuring data gets delivered reliably across networks. It sets up a connection between devices before sending information and waits for confirmations to make sure everything arrives correctly. This approach helps prevent lost or out-of-order packets, making it ideal for applications like web browsing or

When data travels across networks, it relies on protocols to ensure it reaches its destination properly. At the transport layer, two primary options handle this task: the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and the User Datagram Protocol (UDP). These protocols add essential details to IP packets, such as port numbers for directing traffic to specific applications.

If you’ve studied the OSI model and how data moves through network layers (check out our detailed guide on the OSI Model for a refresher), you know that local communication between devices on the same LAN relies on both logical (IP) and physical (MAC) addressing. When two hosts want to exchange data: The sender always

Introduction In the world of computer networking, the Internet Protocol (IP) is the backbone that enables devices to communicate across the globe. Specifically, IPv4, or Internet Protocol version 4, has been the standard for decades, handling the routing of data packets from source to destination. At the heart of every IPv4 packet lies the header—a

Welcome to IP Basics If you’re studying for your CCNA certification, understanding the Internet Protocol (IP) is like learning the ABCs of networking. IP is the backbone of how devices communicate over networks, especially the internet. In this article, we’ll dive into IP Version 4 (IPv4), the most commonly used version today. We’ll break down

When I first started working with networks, everything felt fragmented and confusing. Different vendors had their own ways of doing things—proprietary protocols, incompatible hardware, and no real standard way for equipment from one company to talk to another. I spent countless late nights trying to get a simple connection working between mismatched gear, only to