Networking Basics: Learn How Networks Work
Whether you work in a wired network office or a wireless one, one thing is common for both environments: It takes network software and hardware (cables, routers, etc.) to transfer data from your computer to another, or from a computer thousands of miles away to yours. In the end, to get the data you want…
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If you’re not a network administrator and/or you don’t run a help desk, do you need to know what localhost means? The answer is no. If you want to impress the IT people who come to fix your computer or get your network working again, you may want to know what localhost is. If you’re…
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You know how frustrating it can be looking for wireless networks when you’re on the go. If you’re trying to get online using a laptop, you can’t get anything done until you’re connected. And if you’re using a smartphone or tablet, you’ll be burning up your data plan until you can connect to a free…
[Read More]Link-local IP address ranges Link-local addresses may be assigned manually or automatic operating system procedures. They are assigned most often via autoconfiguration. They are normally only used to assign IP addresses when no mechanism of address configuration exists, such as DHCP, or when another configuration method has failed. The ranges and the amount of usable…
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A name is a label that is used to distinguish one thing from another. A person’s name, for instance, comprises a set of alphabetic characters that allows a person to be individually addressed. Computers are also named to differentiate one machine from another and to allow for such activities as network communication. Computers have always…
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Not too many years ago, a home could function normally with just one computer with a direct connection to a modem and the Internet. Not anymore. Today a family of five can easily have a desktop computer, a few laptops, a couple of tablets and several smartphones. And everyone wants to be online to check…
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For as long as there are computers connected to the Internet, there will be hackers trying to make life miserable for everyone. That’s why firewalls were created for computer users: to block a hacker’s attempts to break into our computers and computer networks, either at work or at home. A firewall is a protective system…
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A firewall is a security device that can be a software program or a dedicated network appliance. The main purpose of a firewall is to separate a secure area from a less secure area and to control communications between the two. Firewalls can perform a variety of other functions, but are chiefly responsible for controlling…
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