Resources — Module 01: Introduction to Computer Networks¶
Resources listed here are specific to this module's content. For the full topic resource list (books, courses, communities), see ../RESOURCES.md.
Primary Resource¶
The single best thing to read/watch if you only have time for one resource.
Cloudflare Learning: "What is the OSI Model?" — Cloudflare Learning Center
Clear, accurate, and practical explanation of the OSI model with real-world examples and visual diagrams. Cloudflare explains each layer in terms of their actual CDN/networking work, which grounds the theory in production use.
Official Documentation¶
The canonical reference for anything covered in this module.
- RFC 791 — Internet Protocol — The original IPv4 specification; reading Sections 1 and 2 gives you the design rationale directly from Jon Postel
- RFC 792 — Internet Control Message Protocol — Defines ICMP; explains why
pingandtraceroutework the way they do
Relevant Book Chapters¶
Specific chapters from the topic's main books that cover this module's material.
| Book | Chapter(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Networks (Tanenbaum & Wetherall, 5th ed.) | Ch. 1 — "Introduction" | Covers network types, reference models (both OSI and TCP/IP), and network hardware |
| Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach (Kurose & Ross, 8th ed.) | Ch. 1 — "Computer Networks and the Internet" | Top-down approach; focuses on why the internet works, packet vs. circuit switching |
| TCP/IP Illustrated Vol. 1 (Stevens, 2nd ed.) | Ch. 1 — "Overview" | Terse but precise introduction to TCP/IP architecture |
Videos¶
Specific videos that explain this module's concepts well.
- [Verify: "OSI Model Explained" — PowerCert Animated Videos] (YouTube, ~9 min) — Visual animated walkthrough; verify URL before relying on it
- [Verify: Networking Fundamentals series — Practical Networking] (YouTube) — Systematic coverage of OSI and TCP/IP models; check playlist for "OSI Model" episodes
Practice Sites¶
Places to get more practice problems for the specific skills in this module.
- [Subnet Calculator (verify: subnet.tips or similar)] — Use any online subnet calculator to check your subnetting work from Exercise 5
- Wireshark Sample Captures — Download pcap files and open them in Wireshark to observe encapsulation in real packets
Related Modules in This Topic¶
Other modules in this topic that closely relate to this one.
| Module | Relationship |
|---|---|
| [[networks/modules/02_physical-and-datalink]] (Module 02: Physical and Data Link) | Dives deep into Layer 2: Ethernet frames, MAC addresses, and ARP |
| [[networks/modules/03_ip-networking]] (Module 03: IP Networking) | Covers the Layer 3 packet in detail: IP addressing, routing, NAT |
| [[networks/modules/04_transport-layer]] (Module 04: Transport Layer) | Covers TCP and UDP — the Layer 4 protocols introduced here |
Related Modules in Other Topics¶
Modules from other topics in the knowledge base that cover related concepts.
| Topic | Relationship |
|---|---|
| [[pentesting-security]] | Network attacks exploit the layers introduced in this module; understanding OSI is prerequisite to understanding attack surfaces |
| [[devops-platform-engineering]] | Cloud networking, VPCs, and security groups are all built on the Layer ⅔/4 concepts from this module |
Resources to Evaluate¶
Links found but not yet verified as genuinely useful. Check before relying on these.
- [Verify: "Networking for Web Developers" — Udacity free course] — reportedly a good practical intro
- [Verify: Julia Evans "Networking! ACK!" zine] — visual explanations of networking fundamentals