Unit 5: Networking

Unit Description

Students learn about or review what they know about setting up and configuring a wired and a wireless network, including network devices and using tools safely. The module also includes protocols and procedures for connecting to the Internet. Students ultimately install and configure a Small Office, Home Office (SOHO) network.

Note: Hopefully, much of this module will be a review for students, especially if they have taken the IT Fundamentals+ course. If students are unfamiliar with networking basics, there is a lot of information covered here in a short amount of time. For example, understanding binary (Base 2) and hexadecimal (Base 16) number systems and the dotted decimal notation system are important for understanding IPv4 and IPv6 addresses (covered in Week 2), but these different systems can be a complex concept to understand if they are being introduced for the first time. If necessary, teachers may want to shorten or condense previous modules or the next module (troubleshooting) to provide additional time for exploring networking. Another option is to cover dotted decimal notation in week 2 and hexadecimal numbers in week 3.