Computer Networks — Learning Roadmap¶

This roadmap is your study plan. Work through the phases in order. Each phase builds directly on the previous one. Mark your current position with ← You Are Here and update it as you progress.

Prerequisites Map¶

Confirm you have working knowledge of these before entering Phase 1:

Basic computer literacy  ──┐
                            ├──► Computer Networks  (start here)
Command-line basics      ──┘

If either prerequisite is missing, spend a day on basic tutorials first and return here.

Learning Path Visualization¶

flowchart TD
    A([Prerequisites Met]) --> B

    subgraph P1["Phase 1: Foundation  •  Weeks 1–3"]
        B["Module 01: Introduction"]
        B --> C["Module 02: Physical & Data Link"]
        C --> D["Module 03: IP Networking"]
    end

    subgraph P2["Phase 2: Core Protocols  •  Weeks 4–7"]
        E["Module 04: Transport Layer"]
        E --> F["Module 05: Application Layer"]
        F --> G["Module 06: Routing Protocols"]
    end

    subgraph P3["Phase 3: Applied Skills  •  Weeks 8–11"]
        H["Module 07: Wireless Networking"]
        H --> I["Module 08: Network Security"]
        I --> J["Module 09: SDN & Cloud Networking"]
        J --> K["Module 10: Network Programming"]
    end

    subgraph P4["Phase 4: Mastery  •  Weeks 12–15"]
        L["Module 11: Troubleshooting & Tools"]
        L --> M["Module 12: Capstone Project"]
        M --> N(["Topic Complete"])
    end

    D --> E
    G --> H
    K --> L

    style A fill:#2a9d8f,color:#fff,stroke:none
    style N fill:#2a9d8f,color:#fff,stroke:none
    style P1 fill:#edf2fb,stroke:#8d99ae
    style P2 fill:#fef3c7,stroke:#d97706
    style P3 fill:#fee2e2,stroke:#dc2626
    style P4 fill:#dcfce7,stroke:#16a34a

Phase Breakdown¶

Phase 1: Foundation¶

Goal: Understand what a network is, how data moves through layers, and build comfort with IP addressing. Leave Phase 1 able to explain what happens when you type a URL and press Enter.

Phase 1 Exit Criteria:

• Can explain the OSI layers to someone with no networking background
• Can subnet a /24 address space into four equal subnets without a calculator
• Scored ≥ 70% on Module 01, 02, and 03 tests
• Completed at least one Beginner-level project from PROJECTS.md
• GLOSSARY.md has at least 10 entries

Milestone unlocked: Foundation Built

Phase 2: Core Protocols¶

Goal: Develop genuine fluency with TCP, UDP, DNS, HTTP, and routing concepts. Leave Phase 2 able to trace any network request from application to wire and back.

Phase 2 Exit Criteria:

• Can describe the TCP 3-way handshake and explain what each step achieves
• Can trace a full DNS + HTTP + TLS exchange step by step
• Scored ≥ 75% on all Phase 2 module tests
• Completed at least one Intermediate-level project from PROJECTS.md

Milestone unlocked: Core Mastery

Phase 3: Applied Skills¶

Goal: Apply knowledge to realistic, complex scenarios. Combine concepts across modules. Leave Phase 3 able to design and secure a real network.

Phase 3 Exit Criteria:

• Completed a project combining concepts from at least 3 different modules
• Scored ≥ 80% on all Phase 3 module tests
• Written a working TCP client/server in Python
• QUESTIONS.md open questions are mostly resolved (status: 🟢)

Milestone unlocked: Applied Practitioner

Phase 4: Mastery¶

Goal: Synthesize everything. Build something substantial. Demonstrate expert-level diagnostic ability.

Phase 4 Exit Criteria:

• Capstone project complete and documented in PROJECTS.md
• Overall topic score ≥ 80%
• CHEATSHEET.md is complete and genuinely useful as a reference
• GLOSSARY.md has definitions for every term encountered throughout the topic

Milestone unlocked: Topic Mastery

Time Estimates Summary¶

[!NOTE] These estimates assume roughly 5 focused hours per week. If you're studying part-time, the calendar weeks will stretch accordingly. Consistency matters more than pace — 30 minutes daily beats 5 hours on Sunday.

Milestone Definitions¶

Alternative Paths¶

Fast Track (If You Have Prior Experience)¶

If you already have solid experience with TCP/IP basics and IP addressing:

Skim Module 01 → Take Module 01 test → If ≥ 85%, start at Module 04 → Continue normally

Deep Dive Path (Maximum Understanding)¶

For maximum depth, add these supplementary activities between phases:

• After Phase 1: Read "Computer Networks" by Tanenbaum & Wetherall, Chapters 1–3
• After Phase 2: Work through Beej's Guide to Network Programming (free online)
• After Phase 3: Read the original RFC papers listed in RESOURCES.md

Project-First Path (Learn by Building)¶

If you learn best by doing rather than reading:

Module 01 → Beginner Project → Module 02 → Beginner Project → ...

Alternate one module of theory with one hands-on project at each step.

You Are Here¶

Current Phase: Not started

Current Module: None — begin at Module 01

Last Completed Module: None

Next Action: Open Module 01 and read the Overview section.

Update this section each time you advance to a new module or phase.