CompTIA

Network+ Guide
to Networks,
Ninth Edition

Module 1: Introduction to
Networking

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not
be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Icebreaker: Interview Simulation
1. The class will be broken up into pairs of students.
2. Each pair of students will interview each other to discover interesting or
unusual facts.
3. Then each pair will introduce each other to the class.
4. Think about connecting a story from your personal experience to topics that
are relevant to this course.

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Module Objectives
By the end of this module, you should be able to:

1. Distinguish between peer-to-peer and client-server networks

2. Identify types of applications and protocols used on a network

3. Describe various networking hardware devices and the most common physical topologies

4. Describe the seven layers of the OSI model

5. Explain best practices for safety when working with networks and computers

6. Describe the seven-step troubleshooting model for troubleshooting network problems

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Network Models

• Topology describes how parts of a whole work together

• Physical topology mostly refers to a network’s hardware and how computers, other
devices, and cables work together to form the physical network
• Logical topology refers to how software controls access to network resources
• It includes how users and software initially gain access to the network
• A network operating system (NOS) controls access to the entire network
• A NOS is required by client-server models

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Peer-to-Peer Network Model (1 of 2)

• In a peer-to-peer (P2P) network model the OS of each computer on the network is

responsible for controlling access to its resources
• There is no centralized control
• Computers, called nodes or hosts, form a logical group of computers and users
• Each computer controls its own administration, resources, and security
• Advantages
• Simple configuration
• Less expensive compared to other network models
• Disadvantages
• Not scalable
• Not necessarily secure
• Not practical for large installations

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
Peer-to-Peer Network Model (2 of 2)

Figure 1-1 In a peer-to-peer network,

no computer has more authority than
another; each computer controls its
own resources and communicates
directly with other computers

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Client-Server Network Model (1 of 3)

• Resources are managed by the NOS via a centralized directory database

• A Windows domain is a logical group of computers that a Windows Server can control
• Active Directory (AD) is the centralized directory database that contains user account
information and security for the entire group of computers
• A user can sign on to the network from any computer on the network and gain access to the
resources that AD allows
• This process is managed by Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS)
• A computer making a request from another is called the client

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
Client-Server Network Model (2 of 3)

Figure 1-2 A Windows domain uses

the client-server model to control
access to the network, where security
on each computer or device is
controlled by a centralized database on
a domain controller

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Client-Server Network Model (3 of 3)

• The NOS is responsible for:

• Managing client data and other resources
• Ensuring authorized user access
• Controlling user file access
• Restricting user network access
• Dictating computer communication rules
• Supplying applications and data files to clients
• Servers that have a NOS installed require:
• More memory, processing power, and storage capacity
• Equipped with special hardware to provide network management functions

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Client-Server Applications (1 of 2)

• Network services are the resources a network makes available to its users
• It includes applications and the data provided by these applications
• In client-server applications:
• A client computer requests data or a service from a second computer, called the server

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
Client-Server Applications (2 of 2)

Figure 1-3 A web browser (client

application) requests a web page from
a web server (server application); the
web server returns the requested data
to the client

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Network Services and Their Protocols (1 of 2)

• Protocols are methods and rules for communication between networked devices
• Two primary network protocols:
• TCP (Transmission Control Protocol)
• IP (Internet Protocol)
• Popular client-server applications include:
• Web service
• Email services
• DNS service
• FTP service
• Database services
• Remote access service

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
Network Services and Their Protocols (2 of 2)

Figure 1-5 SMTP is used to send

email to a recipient’s email server, and
POP3 or IMAP4 is used by the client to
receive email

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Knowledge Check Activity 1-1
Which of these protocols could not be used to access a server in a nearby
building?
a. Telnet
b. RDP
c. TLS
d. SSH

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Knowledge Check Activity 1-1: Answer
Which of these protocols could not be used to access a server in a nearby
building?

Answer: c. TLS
TLS (Transport Layer Security) adds encryption to other protocols, such
as HTTP, but does not provide remote access to a computer

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Network Hardware

Figure 1-7 This LAN has five

computers, a network printer, a local
printer, a scanner, and a switch, and
uses a star topology

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 LANs and Their Hardware (1 of 4)

• A LAN (local area network) is usually contained in a small space

• A switch receives incoming data from one of its ports and redirects it to another port or
multiple ports
• Will send the data to its intended destination
• The physical topology used by this network is called a star topology
• All devices connect to one central device (usually a switch)
• A NIC (network interface card) is a network port used to attach a device to a network
• Also called a network adapter
• A LAN can have several switches
• A backbone is a central conduit that connects the segments (pieces) of a network

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
LANs and Their Hardware (2 of 4)

Figure 1-11 This local network has

three switches and is using a hybrid
topology

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 LANs and Their Hardware (3 of 4)

• A router is a device that manages traffic between two or more networks

• Can help find the best path for traffic to get from one network to another
• Routers can be used in small home networks to connect the home LAN to the Internet
• Called a SOHO (small office-home office) network
• Industrial-grade routers can have several network ports, one for each network it connects to
• Difference between router and switch:
• A router is like a gateway between networks and belongs to two or more local networks
• A switch belongs only to its local network

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
LANs and Their Hardware (4 of 4)

Figure 1-14 (a) A router stands

between the LAN and the Internet,
connecting the two networks; (b) Home
networks often use a combo device
that works as both a switch and a
router

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 MANs and WANs (1 of 2)

• A WAN (wide area network) is a group of LANs that spread over a wide geographical area
• A MAN (metropolitan area network) is a group of connected LANs in the same
geographical area
• Also known as a campus area network (CAN)
• MANs and WANs often use different transmission methods and media than LANs
• PAN (personal area network) is a much smaller network of personal devices
• A network of personal devices such as your smartphone and your computer
• Other network types:
• BAN (body area network)
• SAN (storage area network)
• WLAN (wireless local area network)

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 MANs and WANs (2 of 2)

Figure 1-17 A WAN connects two

LANS in different geographical areas

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
The Seven-Layer OSI Model (1 of 2)

Figure 1-18 A browser and web

server communicate by way of the
operating system and hardware,
similar to how a letter is sent through
the mail using the U.S. Postal Service
and the road system

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
The Seven-Layer OSI Model (2 of 2)

Figure 1-19 How software, protocols,

and hardware map to the seven-layer
OSI model

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Layer 7: Application Layer

• The application layer describes the interface between two applications, on separate
computers
• Application layer protocols are used by programs that fall into two categories:
• Provide services to a user, such as a browser and Web server
• Utility programs that provide services to the system, such as SNMP (Simple Network
Management Protocol) programs that monitor and gather information about network
traffic
• Payload is the data that is passed between applications or utility programs and the OS

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Layer 6: Presentation Layer

• The presentation layer is responsible for reformatting, compressing, and/or encrypting data
in a way that the receiving application can read
• Example:
• An email message can be encrypted at the Presentation layer by the email client or by
the OS

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Layer 5: Session Layer

• The session layer describes how data between applications is synched and recovered if
messages don’t arrive intact at the receiving application
• The application, presentation, and session layers are intertwined
• It is often difficult to distinguish between them
• Most tasks are performed by the OS when an application makes an API call to the OS
• An API (application programming interface) call is the method an application uses when it
makes a request of the OS

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Layer 4: Transport Layer

• The transport layer is responsible for transporting Application layer payloads from one
application to another
• Two main Transport layer protocols are:
• TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) - makes a connection with the end host, checks
whether data was received; called a connection-oriented protocol
• UDP (User Datagram Protocol) - does not guarantee delivery by first connecting and
checking whether data is received; called a connectionless protocol
• Protocols add control information in an area at the beginning of the payload (called header)
• Encapsulation is the process of adding a header to the data inherited from the layer above
• The Transport layer header addresses the receiving application by a number called a port
• If a message is too large, TCP divides it into smaller messages called segments
• In UDP, the message is called a datagram

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Layer 3: Network Layer

• The network layer is responsible for moving messages from one node to another until they
reach the destination host
• The principal protocol used by this layer is IP (Internet Protocol)
• IP adds its own network layer header to the segment or datagram
• The entire network layer message is called a packet
• An IP address is an address assigned to each node on a network
• The network layer uses it to uniquely identify each host
• IP relies on several routing protocols to find the best route for a packet to take to reach
destination
• ICMP and ARP are examples
• Network layer protocol will divide large packets into smaller packets in a process called
fragmentation

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Layer 2: Data Link Layer

• Layers 2 and 1 are responsible for interfacing with physical hardware on the local network
• Protocols at these layers are programmed into firmware of a computer’s NIC and other
hardware
• Type of networking hardware or technology used on a network determine the data link layer
protocol used
• Ethernet and Wi-Fi are examples
• The data link layer puts control information in a data link layer header and at the end of the
packet in a trailer
• The entire data link layer message is called a frame
• A MAC (Media Access Control) address is also called a physical address, hardware
address, or data link layer address
• It is embedded on every network adapter

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Layer 1: Physical Layer

• The physical layer is responsible for sending bits via a wired or wireless transmission
• Bits can be transmitted as:
• Wavelengths in the air
• Voltage on a copper wire
• Light (via fiber-optic cabling)

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Protocol Data Unit or PDU

• Protocol data unit (PDU) is the technical name for a group of bits as it moves from one layer
to the next and from one LAN to the next
• Technicians loosely call this group of bits a message or a transmission

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
Summary of How the Layers Work Together

Figure 1-20 Follow the red line to see

how the OSI layers work when a
browser makes a request to a web
server

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Knowledge Check Activity 1-2
Which OSI layer adds both a header and a trailer?
a. Transport layer
b. Network layer
c. Data link layer
d. Physical layer

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Knowledge Check Activity 1-2: Answer
Which OSI layer adds both a header and a trailer?

Answer: c. Data link layer

The data link layer puts its control information in a data link layer header
and also attaches control information to the end of the packet in a trailer

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Safety Procedures and Policies

• Network and computer technicians need to know how to protect themselves

• As wells as protect sensitive electronic components
• This section takes a look at some best practices for safety

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Emergency Procedures

• Know the best escape route or emergency exit

• Fire Suppression Systems - have a fire suppression system in the data center that includes:
• Emergency alert system
• Portable fire extinguishers
• Emergency power-off switch
• Ask yourself: Does the security system allow access during a failure (fail open) or deny
access during the failure (fail close)?
• An SDS (safety data sheet) explains how to properly handle substances such as chemical
solvents and how to dispose of them
• Includes information such as identification, first-aid measures, fire-fighting measures,
accidental release measures, handling and storage guidelines, exposure controls, and
physical and chemical properties

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Safety Procedures (1 of 4)

• Electrical and tool safety is generally regulated by OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health
Administration)
• OSHA guidelines when using power tools:
• Wear PPE (personal protective equipment)
• Keep all tools in good condition and properly store tools not in use
• Use the right tool for the job and operate the tool according to the manufacturer’s
instructions
• Watch out for trip hazards, so you and others don’t stumble on a tool or cord

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Safety Procedures (2 of 4)

• Lifting Heavy Objects - follow these guidelines:

• Decide which side of object to face so load is most balanced
• Stand close to the object with your feet apart
• Keep your back straight, bend knees and grip load
• Lift with your legs, arms, and shoulders (not your back or stomach)
• Keep the load close to your body and avoid twisting your body while you’re holding it
• To put the object down, keep your back as straight as possible and lower object by
bending your knees

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Safety Procedures (3 of 4)

• Protecting Against Static Electricity

• Computer components are grounded inside a computer case
• Grounding means that a device is connected directly to the earth
• Sensitive electronic components can be damaged by ESD (electrostatic discharge)
• Static electricity can cause two types of damage:
• Catastrophic failure - destroyed beyond use
• Upset failure - shorten the life of a component

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Safety Procedures (4 of 4)

• Before touching a component, ground yourself by:

• Wearing an ESD strap around your wrist that clips onto the chassis or computer case
• Touching the case before touching any component inside the case
• Storing a component inside an antistatic bag
• In addition to protecting against ESD, always shut down and unplug a computer before
working inside it

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Troubleshooting Network Problems

• Troubleshooting steps used by most expert networking troubleshooters:

• Step 1: Identify the problem and its symptoms
• Step 2: Establish theory of probable cause
• Step 3: Test your theory to determine cause
• Step 4: Establish a plan for resolving the problem
• Step 5: Implement the solution or escalate the problem
• Step 6: Verify full functionality and implement preventative measures
• Step 7: Document findings, actions, outcomes

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Self-Assessment
What networking hardware devices have you used in the past?

What type of network or computer safety issues have you (or a friend or
another student) experienced? How did you troubleshoot those issues?

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Summary
Now that the lesson has ended, you should be able to:
• Distinguish between peer-to-peer and client-server networks
• Identify types of applications and protocols used on a network
• Describe various networking hardware devices and the most common
physical topologies
• Describe the seven layers of the OSI model
• Explain best practices for safety when working with networks and computers
• Describe the seven-step troubleshooting model for troubleshooting network
problems

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.