Intrusion Detection and Prevention systems add an automated layer of vigilant surveillance. A network based IDS such as Snort scans traffic for known “mug shots” of bad actors, like a CCTV network trained to spot shoplifters

Firewalls and ACLs are the toll booths of the digital highway. Stateless firewalls inspect each packet in isolation—like guards checking every individual car’s license plate, where stateful firewalls keep track of entire journeys

Designing a secure network resembles planning a city’s transportation grid transitioning to IPv6 opens up countless new “roads” for devices but also introduces fresh vulnerabilities like neighbor discovery spoofing that attackers can exploit.

A port is a virtual endpoint used by computers to identify specific services or applications during network communication. It’s part of the Transport Layer (Layer 4) in the OSI model and works alongside IP addresses to ensure data reaches the correct process.

Transport protocols, such as TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) and UDP (User Datagram Protocol) helps determine how data gets transmitted over networks.

The OSI and TCP/IP models are frameworks that describe how data moves through networks. The OSI model has seven different layers, each with its own specific roles. TCP/IP simplifies this into four layers, making it easier to understand and use practically.

Every device connected to a network has a unique IP address, just like a dorm room on a university campus has its room number. This specific and precise addressing makes sure that data arrives at the correct destination, just like how mail always reaches your specific dorm room.

Switches and routers are essential to managing network traffic efficiently. A switch can be thought of as an usher at a large concert, knowing exactly where each persons seat is located and guiding them directly there

There are several fundamental network services that quietly support our daily digital interactions. DNS (Domain Name System) works like your phone's contact list, it translates easy to remember names