Network Administration: From Zero to Confident Admin
Go from knowing nothing about networks to confidently designing, configuring, and troubleshooting real-world network infrastructure — no IT background required.
What you'll learn
What you'll be able to do
- Understand how data moves across networks using the OSI and TCP/IP models, and explain the role of each layer in plain language
- Design and implement IPv4 addressing schemes, including subnetting and CIDR notation, without relying on online calculators
- Configure and troubleshoot switches and routers using CLI commands in both Cisco IOS and vendor-neutral contexts
- Set up VLANs and inter-VLAN routing to segment network traffic for security and performance
- Diagnose common network problems systematically using tools like ping, traceroute, Wireshark, and nslookup
- Explain and configure key network services including DHCP, DNS, NAT, and basic firewall rules
- Recognize the fundamentals of wireless networking, network security best practices, and how to harden a basic network
- Read and build simple network diagrams and documentation that a team can actually use
How it works
A school that adapts to you
This isn't a set of static videos. Every lesson is generated live and tuned to where you actually are.
We learn your level
A quick placement check tailors your starting point so you're never bored or lost.
Lessons adapt as you go
Each lesson is written for your pace and your goal, adjusting as your skills grow.
Your AI coach keeps you moving
Checkpoints, feedback, and gentle nudges turn progress into a real result.
The curriculum
What's inside your school
6 modules · 19 lessons
How Networks Actually Work — Foundations & Mental Models
Build the conceptual bedrock every network admin needs. Students learn how data travels across a network, decode the OSI and TCP/IP models in plain language, and get hands-on with real traffic using Wireshark — so abstract theory immediately connects to observable reality.
- 1.1What Is a Network? (And Why Should You Care)Included
- 1.2The OSI Model — Seven Layers You'll Actually UseIncluded
- 1.3TCP/IP in the Real World — Protocols That Run the InternetIncluded
IP Addressing & Subnetting — Think Like a Network Engineer
Master IPv4 addressing from binary basics through real-world subnetting schemes — all without a calculator. Students learn to slice up address space efficiently, apply CIDR notation fluently, and design addressing plans for actual small-to-medium networks.
- 2.1Binary, Decimal, and the IPv4 AddressIncluded
- 2.2Subnet Masks, CIDR, and Slicing Address SpaceIncluded
- 2.3Designing Real IP Addressing SchemesIncluded
Switches, Routers & CLI — Hands-On Device Configuration
Get comfortable at the command line. Students configure real switches and routers using Cisco IOS inside Packet Tracer and GNS3, learning the exact commands needed to build, manage, and troubleshoot a functioning network from scratch.
- 3.1Switch Fundamentals — MAC Tables, Forwarding, and STPIncluded
- 3.2Router Configuration — Static Routes and Basic RoutingIncluded
- 3.3VLANs and Inter-VLAN Routing — Traffic Segmentation in PracticeIncluded
Core Network Services — DHCP, DNS, NAT, and Firewalls
Configure and troubleshoot the four services that keep everyday networks running. Students set up DHCP scopes, understand exactly how DNS resolution works step by step, implement NAT for internet access, and write basic firewall rules — working in both CLI and GUI environments.
- 4.1DHCP — Automatic IP Assignment from Request to LeaseIncluded
- 4.2DNS — How Names Become Addresses (And How to Fix It When They Don't)Included
- 4.3NAT, PAT, and Getting Traffic to the InternetIncluded
- 4.4Firewall Fundamentals and Basic ACLsIncluded
Troubleshooting & Diagnostics — Think, Test, Fix, Document
Develop a systematic, tool-driven approach to diagnosing any network problem. Students work through realistic failure scenarios using ping, traceroute, Wireshark, nslookup, and CLI show commands — always following a structured methodology rather than random guessing.
- 5.1The Troubleshooting Process — A Framework That Actually WorksIncluded
- 5.2Diagnostic Tools Deep Dive — ping, traceroute, Wireshark, and MoreIncluded
- 5.3Common Failure Scenarios and How to Crack ThemIncluded
Wireless, Security Hardening & Network Documentation — The Complete Admin
Round out the curriculum with wireless fundamentals, a practical network security hardening process, and professional documentation skills. Students finish the course by producing a complete, real-world network design document for a capstone scenario.
- 6.1Wireless Networking Fundamentals — Standards, Channels, and SecurityIncluded
- 6.2Network Security Hardening — Defense in Depth for Real NetworksIncluded
- 6.3Network Diagrams and Documentation — Leaving a Network Better Than You Found ItIncluded
Questions
Frequently asked
Your teacher
A note from your teacher
Andrew L Alverson
I've spent over 2 decades working in network infrastructure and administration — from wiring up small business offices to managing multi-site enterprise environments. I know what it feels like to stare at a blinking cursor on a router CLI with no idea what to type next, because I've been there. That frustration is exactly why I built this course the way I did: practical, sequential, and honest about what actually matters on the job versus what just sounds impressive in a textbook. My goal isn't to make you pass a test — it's to make you the person on your team who actually understands the network. I'm glad you're here, and I can't wait to see what you build with this foundation.
— Andrew L Alverson
Start your journey today
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- 6 modules, 19 lessons
- AI-adaptive lessons tuned to your level
- Quizzes & checkpoints to lock in progress
- Your own AI learning coach
- Learn on any device, at your pace
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