TCP/IP & Ethernet Fundamentals 5-Day Course

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Ethernet, TCP/IPv4, Routing, Network Services, Security, QoS, WAN Technologies, and IPv6 Fundamentals

5-Day Instructor Led Hands-On Lab Class
Available in either Web-Based Delivery or On-Site Delivery
Minimum 10 students – Maximum 16 students

Course Description

Modern networks are built from layers of interconnected technologies. Ethernet provides local network connectivity, IPv4 provides addressing and packet delivery, TCP and UDP support applications, routing protocols determine how traffic reaches remote networks, and services such as DHCP and DNS allow users and devices to communicate efficiently.

Understanding how these technologies work together is essential for anyone responsible for installing, operating, designing, supporting, or troubleshooting networks.

CSI-HO-001-C is an intensive five-day hands-on course designed to build a broad and practical understanding of Ethernet and TCP/IP networking from the physical and data-link foundations through addressing, routing, applications, security, Quality of Service, WAN technologies, MPLS, and IPv6.

The course emphasizes a systems approach to networking. Rather than studying individual protocols as isolated subjects, students learn how protocols and technologies interact as traffic moves through a network.

Instructor-led discussion is reinforced with hands-on exercises using Cisco switching and routing systems, Cisco IOS, Wireshark, and network analysis techniques. Students configure networks, examine protocol behavior, capture packets, verify network operation, and troubleshoot problems throughout the course.

The goal is not simply to learn terminology or memorize configuration commands. Students develop an understanding of how networks actually work, how the pieces fit together, and how to systematically investigate network behavior when something goes wrong.

Throughout the course, students explore practical questions such as:

How do the OSI and TCP/IP models help us understand network operation?
How does Ethernet actually deliver frames across a LAN?
How do switches learn MAC addresses?
How do VLANs, 802.1Q trunking, and Spanning Tree affect Ethernet networks?
How does ARP connect Ethernet addressing with IPv4 addressing?
How do TCP and UDP support network applications?
How does IPv4 addressing and subnetting work?
How do DHCP and DNS support everyday network operation?
How does a router determine where to forward a packet?
How do OSPF and BGP exchange routing information?
How can Wireshark help us understand what is actually happening on the network?
How are access controls used to protect IPv4 networks?
Why does Quality of Service matter?
How do scheduling, marking, and policing affect network traffic?
How have WAN technologies evolved?
Where does MPLS fit into service-provider networking?
How does IPv6 differ from IPv4?

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

Explain the layered approach to network communications.
Relate the OSI model to the TCP/IP protocol suite.
Explain the fundamental operation of Ethernet networks.
Understand Ethernet MAC addressing and switch learning.
Explain the purpose and operation of ARP.
Explain Ethernet VLANs and IEEE 802.1Q VLAN trunking.
Describe the purpose and fundamental operation of Spanning Tree Protocol.
Explain the role of TCP and UDP within the TCP/IP protocol suite.
Understand TCP and UDP port numbers and application communications.
Use Wireshark to examine Ethernet and TCP/IP protocol operation.
Read and interpret IPv4 addresses and subnet masks.
Calculate and design IPv4 subnets.
Configure IPv4 addressing in a hands-on network environment.
Explain the operation and purpose of default gateways, address translation, and port forwarding.
Explain the fundamental operation of DHCP and DNS.
Describe how routers forward IPv4 packets.
Understand the role of routing tables and route selection.
Explain the difference between interior and exterior routing protocols.
Understand the basic operation of OSPF.
Understand the basic operation of BGP.
Configure and verify fundamental routing operation.
Apply a structured approach to troubleshooting Ethernet and IP networks.
Explain fundamental IPv4 network security concepts.
Understand the purpose and application of access control lists.
Explain the importance of Quality of Service in IP networks.
Understand fundamental QoS scheduling, marking, and policing techniques.
Describe the role of WAN technologies within network architectures.
Explain the basic purpose and operation of MPLS.
Describe how MPLS supports Layer 3 VPN services.
Recognize the role of legacy WAN technologies and how networking has evolved from them.
Explain the fundamental differences between IPv4 and IPv6.
Understand basic IPv6 addressing, ICMPv6, DHCPv6, and IPv6 routing concepts.
Use hands-on configuration and packet-analysis techniques to reinforce networking concepts.

The emphasis throughout the course is on connecting the dots between protocols, layers, devices, applications, and actual network behavior.

Students leave the course with both a broader understanding of networking and practical skills that can be applied to real network environments.

Audience

This course is designed for technical professionals who need a comprehensive understanding of Ethernet and TCP/IP networking combined with practical hands-on experience.

Ideal participants include:

Broadband and Service Provider Technicians
Field Technicians
Central Office Technicians
Network Engineers
Network Administrators
Network Operations Center personnel
Customer and Technical Support personnel
Network Design Engineers
Systems Engineers
Development and Test Engineers
Network Management personnel
IT Professionals
Technical Sales Engineers
Technical Marketing personnel
Individuals preparing for networking certifications
Anyone moving into a networking-focused technical role

The course is particularly valuable for individuals who need to understand how Ethernet, IPv4, routing, network services, security, and WAN technologies operate together as a complete networking system.

Course Prerequisites

No previous in-depth knowledge of Ethernet or TCP/IP is required.

Some general familiarity with computers, networking, telecommunications, or IT is helpful, but the course develops the required knowledge beginning with networking fundamentals and progressively builds toward more advanced subjects.

Because this is a hands-on course, students will work with network devices, configuration interfaces, packet-analysis tools, and lab exercises throughout the class.

Students participating remotely should have a computer capable of connecting to the provided lab environment.

For on-site classes, students should bring a laptop computer unless suitable classroom computers are being provided.

Course Materials

Students receive:

Course Student Guide
Hands-On Lab Guide
Access to the course switching and routing lab environment
Ethernet exercises
IPv4 addressing and subnetting exercises
Wireshark packet-analysis exercises
Routing configuration exercises
Security exercises
Quality of Service exercises
MPLS and IPv6 exercises

The combination of instructor-led explanation, reference material, configuration exercises, and protocol analysis is designed to reinforce both conceptual understanding and practical networking skills.

The Hands-On Approach

Networking is best understood by seeing it operate.

Throughout this course, students move beyond diagrams and definitions by configuring network devices, generating traffic, examining protocol exchanges, observing routing behavior, and analyzing packets.

Hands-on exercises reinforce each major subject and allow students to answer an important engineering question:

“How do I prove that the network is operating the way I think it is?”

This approach helps develop troubleshooting skills as well as protocol knowledge. Students learn to distinguish between what they assume a network is doing and what configuration information, operational commands, and packet captures actually prove.

Course Outline

Section 1: Establishing The Groundwork
- Overview and Introductions
- Introduction to the Internet
- Access and Applications of IP
- The Layered Model of Network Communications
- LAB – Layered Model Exercise
Section 2: Ethernet Protocol Basics
- Basics of Ethernet Part 1 – Definition of Ethernet Technology, History, Ethernet Versions
- Basics of Ethernet Part 2 – Defining a LAN, Topology Options, Cabling Options
- LAB – Ethernet Topology and Cabling Exercise
- Basics of Ethernet Part 3 – Ethernet MAC Addresses, Learning
- LAB – Ethernet MAC Address Exercise
- Address Resolution Protocol (ARP)
- LAB – ARP Experiment
- Basics of Ethernet Part 4 – Understanding VLANS, 802.1Q, Link Aggregation, VTP Protocol
- LAB – VLAN Experiment
- Basics of Ethernet Part 5 – Spanning Tree Protocol, Gigabit Ethernet
- LAB: Spanning Tree Experiment
Section 3: The TCP/IP Stack Operation
- The Layer 4 Protocols – TCP/UDP, Port Numbers, protcol semantics
  - The Wireshark Tool
  - LAB – Wireshark Installation
  - LAB – TCP Protocol dissection using Wireshark
  - LAB – UDP Protocol dissection using Wireshark
- Layer 3 IP and Addressing
- LAB – IP Addressing Exercise
- IP Subnet Addressing
- LAB – IP Subnetting exercise
Section 4: Network Operations
- Port Forwarding, Translation, Default Gateways
- IP DHCP and DNS
- Basics of IP Routing
- Interior routing with OSPF
- LAB – OSPF Routing
- Exterior routing with BGP
- LAB – BGP Routing
- Troubleshooting IP Networks – tools of the trade
- Optional LAB – Troubleshooting IP networks
Section 5: Delivering Security and Quality of Service with IP Networks
- Basics of Security
- LAB: Access Control Lists
- Basics of QoS
- Scheduling, Marking, Policing
- QoS in LANs
- LAB – QoS Lab
Section 6: Wide Area Networking Technologies
- Layer 1, 2, and 3 VPN Technologies, IPsec
- Frame Relay
- Dial on Demand Routing
- PPP and PPoE
- Multiprotol Label Switching (MPLS)
  - LAB – Basic MPLS operation
  - Using MPLS for Layer 3 VPN Services
- The Next Generation Internet Protocol – IPv6
  - IPv6 Addressing – contrast to IPv4
  - LAB – IPv6 Basics Overview Lab
  - ICMPv6
  - LAB – ICMPv6 Lab
  - DHCPv6
  - Changes to IPv6 Routing
Course Summary, Bibliography, and Resources

Related Training

CSI-HO-001-C provides a broad networking foundation that can be expanded through more specialized training.

Students who want to continue developing their networking knowledge may progress into subjects such as:

Advanced TCP/IP
IPv6 Fundamentals
Advanced IPv6
Ethernet networking
Wireshark and packet analysis
Advanced network troubleshooting
MPLS
Routing protocols
Wi-Fi networking
Voice over IP
Network security

The course also provides an excellent technical foundation for individuals pursuing networking certifications or moving into more advanced network engineering, operations, troubleshooting, and design responsibilities.

Why Take This Course?

Today’s networks require professionals to understand more than one protocol or technology.

An Ethernet problem can appear to be an IP problem. An addressing problem can appear to be a routing problem. A DNS problem can appear to be an application failure. A routing problem can affect applications hundreds or thousands of miles away.

Effective network professionals need to understand these relationships.

CSI-HO-001-C develops that broader perspective while giving students the opportunity to configure, observe, analyze, and troubleshoot the technologies themselves.

The result is not simply knowledge of Ethernet or TCP/IP—it is a stronger understanding of how networks operate as complete systems.

Course Availability:

View the course calendar and browse for our schedule. It will show scheduled courses and available dates for scheduling.

CSI-HO-001-C – Hands-On TCP/IP and Ethernet Fundamentals – 5 Day