Working in a Computer Network

[Data]

I really want to get into working with networks. I only know of a big network and that is the network at my school and I dont have a chance of messing with that one for sure.

So how can I learn about networking when I dont have access to one... could I run a "network simulator"... or is there any open networks out there to mess around with?

All I have at home are 3 computers, one is a Win Xp pro machine, the other two are running mandrake (linux).

NOTE: I already have a home network running.... but it seems too small (3 computers)

[dswimboy]

get NICs for all of them ($10), maybe a SOHO router from Linksys-DLink-Netgear-whatever (<$50), and some RJ45 cabling to connect them.

netwokring is relatively cheap, the wired way now.

personally, i'd really like to set up a linux box in my house, and run SAMBA on it...it's a domain controller.

you don't need a huge network to screw around. all you need is two computers and a way to connect them.

thinking about it, DSLreports.com has some good stuff. a networking faq http://www.dslreports.com/faq/networking and a network share tool http://www.dslreports.com/metashare amoung them.

[Data]

Ok I'll check them out... oh and I already have them all hooked up I used to share a folder between linux and windows.. I have a spare pc wiht no network card though.. I might want to get one to it and install samba on it... =-/

I was wondering if you could do remote desktop from windows to linux or visa versa.. or at least to the samba box..


How do you make a remote connection to a computer out of your network.. .. what info do you need besides Username and password?

[dswimboy]

you can always telnet into a linux machine. google that. there's a remote desktop client-server app called RealVNC available here, too http://www.realvnc.com/

[Data]

Umm what sucks about it is that I run my ftp on the WINDOWS box =-/ I will try to change that over the summer and I am also trying to figure out a way of getting into my network from the outside and be able to access any of the computers and not just the one running the FTP.... so remote desktop is what I am looking for but I am not sure if it will work with my set up.

[oracleguy]

Ok I'll check them out... oh and I already have them all hooked up I used to share a folder between linux and windows.. I have a spare pc wiht no network card though.. I might want to get one to it and install samba on it... =-/

I was wondering if you could do remote desktop from windows to linux or visa versa.. or at least to the samba box..


How do you make a remote connection to a computer out of your network.. .. what info do you need besides Username and password?

Yeah can also use VNC (http://www.realvnc.com/) to connect and control your windows machine from a linux machine or vice-versa.

[dswimboy]

be weary when allowing access to your network from the outside. ensure 'root' access is not allowed, and you use good passwords. this will at least deter most hackers.

[JohnnyPotseed]

Along with setting up your own private network I suggest checking with your local colleges and community colleges to see what sort of networking classes they have to offer. One I highly recommend is the Cisco Networking Academy. It teaches networking from the ground up. You'll be placed in a lab situation complete with routers and switches that will allow you to learn to configure a Cisco router from setting up the nodes through writing an access control list. The Academy also shows you how to utilize switches to prevent data collisions and create virtual private networks to isolate sensitive areas of the network.

You'll also learn all of the standards and protocols involved with networking and how they are used to propagate data and how routers communicate with one another to ensure that packets are moved from point to point along the quickest path possible.

The first four semesters will prepare you for the Cisco Certified Network Associates exam, where you and a team of classmates will be required to design a functional network for an entire school district. This includes all the cabling, subnetting and placement of the PoPs .Past that is preperation for the Cisco Neworking Proffesional program which I will be entering in the fall. It covers more of the details of network switching. If you are planning on networking as a proffesion the Cisco Academy is a good place to start. And an added bonus is that you can buy a Cisco 810 router, with the complete Cisco Internet Operating System, for about half price