Course: The Bits and Bytes of Computer Networking

Welcome

👋 Welcome to Course 2, The Bits and Bytes of Computer Networking! Whether you’re joining us for the first time or have previously taken the Internet lessons in the first course, I'm excited to guide you through this journey of computer networking.

My Journey into IT

🔍 My passion for IT began when I was nine years old and my dad brought home our first computer. As a mechanical engineer, he used it for his work, and I was fascinated by this device. Tinkering with the computer, I learned to install software, including games, and eventually opened up the case to explore its inner workings. This curiosity grew as I learned through trial and error, sparking my interest in the mechanics of technology.

💡 Growing up as a first-generation Mexican American, pursuing a tech career wasn’t commonly discussed. While my friends focused on job security after graduation, I nurtured my passion for computers. Despite the lack of resources at my school, my parents encouraged my hard work and interest. Eventually, I decided to study computer science in college, which laid the groundwork for my IT career.

🎓 Fast forward to today, I’ve spent over seven years at Google, managing large-scale IT projects. As a Corporate Operations Engineer, I focus on understanding the impact of changes on our corporate infrastructure, making networking skills essential.

The Importance of Networking

🌐 Computers communicate much like humans do; effective communication requires a shared language. In computer networking, protocols serve as the rules for communication. This course will cover how computers interact, ensuring they can exchange messages correctly.

🔌 We'll explore the TCP/IP five-layer model and briefly touch upon the OSI model. Don’t worry if these concepts are new; we'll dive into them thoroughly. Understanding these layered models is crucial, as they help simplify the complexity of networking, with protocols facilitating data movement.

🔧 As you learn about networking, you'll also discover how to troubleshoot common issues that arise in internet and business networks. By the end of this course, you'll understand the five layers of our model, how computers send messages, and how services like DNS and DHCP operate.

✨ Ready to uncover the fascinating world of computer networking? Let’s get started!