Tips

Tips

• Configuring and troubleshooting wireless LAN clients

  An understanding of wireless LAN (WLAN) client and WLAN access point communication mechanisms is critical to anyone attempting to initially connect or troubleshoot a WLAN connection. In this tip, Robbie Harrell discusses some of the issues that can ...  Continue Reading

• Understanding network traffic flow analysis

  Network traffic flow is often compared to highway traffic flow. In this tip, Lindi Horton shows parallels between those two worlds and explains why traffic flow analysis is such an essential piece of knowledge for engineering a network.  Continue Reading

• IP network design, part 4: LAN design

  This final section of the IP network design series relates to the issues encountered with campus LAN design. The benefits of Ethernet switching over a traditional hub environment are first explained. The motivation behind the deployment of virtual ...  Continue Reading

• Certifications that will earn you the most money

  Ed Tittel takes a look at the five network certifications that earned the most money in 2005.  Continue Reading

• IP network design, part 3: Designing the WAN

  The wide area network (WAN) is the single biggest contributor to a corporate network's cost of ownership. Therefore, this is the area where the cost-versus-performance tradeoff is most pronounced and most critical. This article explores the various ...  Continue Reading

• Implementing software restriction policies

  This tip explains how you can use software restriction policies to keep your workstations in pristine shape and cut down on help desk calls at the same time.  Continue Reading

• Router Expert: Initial configuration of a Cisco 1200 802.11g WLAN access point

  Our router expert continues his series on building a secure wireless LAN with a Linux base. This article explains how to utilize a single Cisco 1200 series access point to provide access to three different IP network segments using VLANs and ...  Continue Reading

• LAN connectivity problem: Blame DNS, NIC or firewall?

  ITKnowledge Exchange member "BinooDas1234" had connectivity issues with a troublesome LAN, and fellow techies jumped in to help out. But does the answer lie in the DNS configuration, the NIC drivers or elsewhere? Here is a portion of the ...  Continue Reading

• IP network design, part 2: The IP addressing plan

  The IP addressing plan is the foundation upon which a successful logical design is built. Part two of this tip explains how to formulate a scalable IP addressing plan that can support the network as it grows.  Continue Reading

• OSI: Securing the Stack, Layer 5 -- session hijacking

  To help secure your systems against session hijacking, this tip walks you through the steps hackers use to hijack active sessions and take over your network. You'll also learn how to detect and prevent session hijacking attacks, a major security ...  Continue Reading

• VRFs and routing

  Doug Downer continues his series about VPN routing and forwarding instances focused on the task of configuring and verifying a VRF scenario with a requirement for separate customers on a shared device. In this tip, he shows how to configure a method...  Continue Reading

• Router Expert: Building VLAN interfaces in Linux and IOS

  Segmenting a wireless LAN with VLANs can increase security. Find out from our router expert how to support VLAN interfaces in Linux and Cisco IOS.  Continue Reading

• Cache poisoning attacks and how to prevent them

  Want something scary to think about? A compromise of your name servers could cut you off from the Internet or redirect your customers to a competitor. It could even shunt sensitive electronic mail through an intermediate mail server or reroute your ...  Continue Reading

• VPN security: Where are the vulnerabilities?

  SOX compliance mandates have pushed organizations to deliver end-to-end VPN security. This means that the VPN itself is no longer enough. Robbie Harrell explains how organizations can apply security policies to the VPN in this tip.  Continue Reading

• Router Expert: Building 802.11Q VLANs

  Network segmentation can be a great way to increase security. This article covers segmenting with VLANs and the 802.1Q standard.  Continue Reading

• Understanding the differences between IDS and IPS

  We all know that the Internet is a haven for cyber criminals who use the connectivity to launch an unprecedented number of attacks against enterprise networks. IDS and IPS have been developed to combat these threats, but they are not one in the same...  Continue Reading

• Router Expert: Standard interface configuration for a WLAN proxy server

  Our router expert continues his series on building a secure WLAN with a Linux base. This article covers standard interface configuration of the http proxy server.  Continue Reading

• Troubleshooting Windows VPN servers

  There are several aspects of the Windows remote access server that can create issues when a VPN client connects. This article focuses on some common trouble spots on the server side and offers steps to help pinpoint the problem.  Continue Reading

• Wireless LAN deployment and federal regulations

  A look at the bare minimum requirements to keep your WLAN compliant with federal regulations.  Continue Reading

• Secure WLAN best practices and topology

  Expert Michael Martin provides a list of wireless security "dos and don'ts" and a sample topology for a secure WLAN.  Continue Reading

• Router Expert: Filtering with MAC addresses

  This month our router expert discuss some strategies for controlling host network access using MAC address filtering.  Continue Reading

• Focus Windows port scanning with the netscan command

  How to use the netscan command to focus Windows port scanning.  Continue Reading

• Network administrator security policies

  Some security policy elements that are specific to network administrators.  Continue Reading

• Minimizing Layer 2 problems

  Understanding the fundamentals of Spanning Tree Protocol.  Continue Reading

• Auto-MDIX

  How Auto-MDIX can solve the cross-over cable conundrum.  Continue Reading

• MPLS: Experimental bits and QoS

  MPLS experimental bits are used to provide QoS capabilities by utilizing the bits set in the MPLS labels.  Continue Reading

• Protocols, Lesson 7: Subnet masks and their effect

  Understand the different effects a subnet mask can have.  Continue Reading

• Protocols, Lesson 9: Subnet routing and communications

  Lesson 9 in our protocol series covers the communications side of subnetting.  Continue Reading

• Top 10 'show' commands

  A list of the top ten 'show' commands.  Continue Reading

• MPLS - Label Switched Paths

  A look at some of the details of working with Label Switched Paths (LSPs).  Continue Reading

• Top 10 things to know about network administration

  A list of the most important things network administrators should know.  Continue Reading

• Router Expert: Understanding reverse telnet and IOS terminal lines

  Learn how users interact with the terminal server and its connected devices through the use of reverse telnet, line and group rotaries, and terminal line interfaces.  Continue Reading

• Deploying both a private and public WLAN

  Lisa Phifer answers a reader's request for information about planning and deploying a wireless LAN -- one private and one public.  Continue Reading

• Monitor your traffic with MRTG

  The Multi Router Traffic Grapher is a free tool that can help you monitor the traffic on your network. Learn more here.  Continue Reading

• The Network Life Cycle

  Each phase of the NLC has its own requirements that can typically be met with a judicious selection of tools and assessment solutions.  Continue Reading

• Router Expert: Implementing router interface redundancy

  While redundancy is simple as a concept, it becomes quite problematic in practice. This tip offers the basic options for router interface redundancy.  Continue Reading

• OSPF configuration

  Nuances of OSPF configuration could impact your network more than you expect.  Continue Reading

• Learning Guide: Voice over IP basics

  This guide contains all the VoIP basics and essentials you will need when implementing an IP telephony network.  Continue Reading

• Layer 3 MPLS VPNs

  A look at some of the details of Layer 3 MPLS VPNs.  Continue Reading

• Router Expert: Cisco asynchronous serial support

  Cisco IOS-based routers support three asynchronous serial interface types: Console, Auxiliary, and asynchronous port modules. This tip compares them.  Continue Reading

• WLAN security: Beyond the VPN

  Wired networks have used virtual private networks (VPNs) to secure transactions across this edge, but this approach has its limitations.  Continue Reading

• WLAN security checklist

  WLAN security checklist  Continue Reading

• LAN addressing

  LAN addressing  Continue Reading

• Wireless LAN requirements

  Thinking of going wireless? Find out what you need to consider in planning for a wireless network.  Continue Reading

• The importance of the subnet mask

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