Networking Essentials: From IP Addresses to Secure Tunnels
Networking Essentials: From IP Addresses to Secure Tunnels Networks connect devices, apps, and people. A basic understanding of IP addresses, routing, and secure tunnels helps you troubleshoot and stay safe online. This guide keeps concepts simple and practical. IP addresses and subnets An IP address is like a street address for a device. IPv4 uses four numbers separated by dots, while IPv6 uses longer groups of hex digits. Most home networks use private IPv4 ranges such as 192.168.1.0/24 or 10.0.0.0/8. A subnet mask, or a slash notation like /24, tells devices how big the local network is and how many addresses are available. In many homes, the router acts as the local gateway, with addresses like 192.168.1.1 and devices ranging from 192.168.1.2 to 192.168.1.254. IPv6 adds a much larger space and can auto-configure devices. Understanding these basics helps you plan a small home lab or a test network. ...