2 posts tagged with "Cisco"

Hello all,

It's time to dive back into network architecture fundamentals! Between balancing work tasks and setting up lab scenarios in Packet Tracer, I've been spending a ton of time working through the Cisco CCNA 200-301 domains. As I study and lab out these concepts, I want to document what I'm learning, breaking down core networking concepts into practical, hands-on guides.

Let's kick things off with one of the absolute bedrock building blocks of enterprise switching: Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs).

Mastering VLANs is easily one of the most critical milestones for anyone studying for the CCNA or managing campus networks. It isn't just about memorizing CLI command syntax; it's about deeply understanding how Ethernet frames are tagged, how switches handle traffic across trunk links, and how to write clean configuration lines that prevent network loops and security vulnerabilities.

Hello all,

It's been a busy couple of weeks balancing work, lab sessions, and CCNA prep. Lately, I've been spending a ton of time diving deep into Layer 3 network architecture—specifically, IP addressing and subnetting.

Subnetting is easily one of those topics that strikes fear into the hearts of anyone starting out in networking. When I first looked at CIDR notation and binary masks, it felt like trying to decipher matrix code. But once you break down why we divide networks and learn a few clever shortcuts, the lightbulb turns on, and it becomes second nature.

In this post, I want to take you through everything you need to master IPv4 addressing and subnetting—from the core theory and speed-calculation shortcuts to real-world Cisco IOS CLI configurations and troubleshooting gotchas.