Core networking concepts including IP addressing, the OSI model, and how devices communicate across networks.
Network Basics: The OSI Model in Plain Language TL;DR — Key Takeaways The OSI model is a 7-layer reference framework that describes how data travels from one application to another across a network — it is not software you install or a protocol you configure. The 7 layers of the OSI model are: Physical, Data … Read more
Common Network Ports: What They Are and What They Do TL;DR — Key Takeaways Network ports are logical endpoints that allow multiple services to share a single IP address — think of the IP address as a building’s street address and the port number as the apartment number. There are 65,535 ports available, divided into … Read more
What Is a MAC Address? How to Find and Look Up Yours TL;DR — Key Takeaways A MAC address is a unique 48-bit hardware identifier assigned to every network interface card (NIC) — it’s how devices identify each other on a local network. MAC addresses operate at Layer 2 (data link) and look like A4:83:E7:2F:5B:10 … Read more