Basics of Networks

7 questions

What is an IP address?

A unique device identifier in the network.
IPv4: 32 bits, format 192.168.1.1.
IPv6: 128 bits, format 2001:0db8::

1.

Public IP is visible on the internet.
Private IP is within a local network.

How do TCP and UDP differ?

TCP — reliable, with delivery acknowledgment.
UDP — fast, without guarantees.
TCP: HTTP, email, files.
UDP: streaming, gaming, VoIP.
TCP is slower due to handshake.

What are ports?

Numeric identifier of a service (0-65535).
80 HTTP, 443 HTTPS, 22 SSH.
3306 MySQL, 5432 PostgreSQL.
0-1023 — system ports.
One IP can have many services on different ports.

Networking Basics: what is DHCP and how does it work?

On the topic "Networking Basics," start with requirements: what should work, what are the budget/performance/security constraints. Then choose a solution.

Networking Basics: how to diagnose network problems (ping, traceroute, nslookup)?

Practice for "Networking Basics": create a checklist (installation, configuration, backup, updates) and go through it once — this reduces the number of "mystical" problems.

Networking Basics: what is routing and default gateway?

Answer on "Networking Basics": updates and backups are more important than fine-tuning. Automate backups and enable 2FA.

Networking Basics: how to understand speed/loss/delay and where to look for bottlenecks?

For "Networking Basics," it is useful to: find the primary source (documentation, release notes) and reproduce the problem with a minimal example.