For the average end user, a computer network seems simple. All they need to do is plug their PC into an ethernet port or connect it via Wi-Fi, and presto-they’re connected and ready to work. The thing is, though, computer networks are vastly more complex under the hood than most people think. They’re so complex, […]
13 Top Open Source Port Scanners for Windows for Host Discovery
Although I have been a TCP/IP networking professional for decades, in the last 10 years I’m also involved in network security as well. One of the tasks I’m responsible to do in my work environment is to either coordinate or perform network assessment projects on my own. A major part of a network security assessment […]
15 Best Firewall Management Software Tools for Rules and Policies
Firewall management is one of the most challenging aspects of enterprise network security. The main issue is that many enterprise networks are complex, they contain a blend of many different vendors and technologies and this makes it time-consuming and difficult to maintain and support. The big hardware firewall vendors (like Cisco, Checkpoint, Fortinet, Palo Alto […]
11 Alternatives to Solarwinds NPM for I.T and Network Monitoring
In my 20 years career in the fields of IT and TCP/IP networking I have procured and used countless of software tools to help my company in our day-to-day operation of complex infrastructures. I’ve used Solarwinds Orion back in the day and was a solid tool. However, I’ve also used other competitive software in the […]
Comparison of Fiber Optic vs Copper Ethernet Cables in Networking
Ever since the explosion in popularity of the Internet back in the late 1990s, networking technology companies have worked tirelessly to improve the infrastructure that supports it. From the earliest token-ring networks to the latest satellite swarm technology like SpaceX’s Starlink, there have been tremendous leaps forward. However, when it comes to Local Area Network […]
All About the “ip helper-address” Command on Cisco – Configuration and Explanation
In the world of networking, managing and configuring devices to work efficiently across complex networks is crucial for administrators. One useful and important feature in Cisco networking devices (primarily Layer 3 devices) is the IP Helper Address. The “ip helper-address” Cisco command provides a solution to forward broadcast traffic between Layer 3 network subnets, particularly […]
NetworkLessons Review – Is it the Right Training for CCNA-CCNP-CCIE?
What if I told you that there are over 700 practical Cisco networking tutorials waiting for you on a single website that can help you learn hundreds of different Cisco networking topics? The resource I’m talking about above is NetworkLessons.com and is probably one of the few online education portals with so many practical lessons on Cisco […]
Top 10 PRTG Alternatives for Monitoring Networks and IT Infrastructure
The Paessler PRTG network monitoring solution is well known to network engineers and administrators. It conveniently monitors network activity including bandwidth usage, IP allocation, device status, network health, and even CPU utilization on networked devices (plus much more). Paessler requires users to use a PRTG core server system running on Windows server OS (or two […]
How to Configure SNMP on Cisco Devices (Routers, Switches)
Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP), so “simple” yet so powerful. SNMP delivers a standardized framework that can be used for the monitoring and management of network devices. SNMP is one of the most powerful tools that can be used by today’s network administrators and engineers. SNMP allows admins to poll for data such as CPU […]
Comparison of TCP/IP vs OSI Models in Networking
Communication is key in modern life. Emails, phone calls, video calls are obvious examples. But, video streaming, ecommerce, eLearning, gaming etc are also a kind of communication. We are performing some type of communication in most of our life aspects. Successful communication requires that all participating parties know how to “talk” to each other and, […]
Prevent Spoofing Attacks on Cisco ASA using RPF
A common attack found on TCP/IP networks is IP spoofing. This is usually used for Denial-of-Service, Identity hiding, or even to bypass firewalls or Access-Lists security rules. The spoofing attack works like that: A malicious attacker sends packets towards a target host. The attacker disguises itself by inserting a fake source IP into the packet. […]
A Complete Guide to Scaling your Network Monitoring Solution
If your organization is growing, you know first-hand how important it is to have a network monitoring solution. But what do you do when your network starts to outgrow your current monitoring solution? Here is what you need to know about scaling based on your organizational goals. Your organization can efficiently tackle the ongoing and […]
12 Best Computer Networking Books for Beginners & Experts
I have read tens of books (both in ebook format and also hard copy textbooks) in my networking professional career over the last 18 years. In fact, all of my preparation for my Cisco and other IT certifications was based on book studying (in addition to hands-on practice of course). Personally, I believe that having […]