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AP® Networking

Syllabus

Course Essential Questions

  • How do we configure devices to be able to communicate securely on a network?
  • How does data travel from one device to another, and what are the protocols for that?
  • What are the key vulnerabilities in computer networks, and how can individuals and organizations protect against them?
  • How does a layered security philosophy protect devices and data on a computer network?

Course Learning Objectives

  • Explain the basic components of computer systems and demonstrate how hardware, software, and command-line tools interact to perform computing tasks.
  • Describe the layers of the OSI model and analyze how data is transmitted across networks using protocols and addressing schemes.
  • Identify common vulnerabilities in local and wide area networks.
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of physical, administrative and technical security controls when implementing a layered security plan.

Unit 1: Configuring and Securing a Device (Weeks 1-6)

Unit Level Essential Questions

  • How can virtual machines and Linux operating systems be configured to create an isolated, secure, and efficient computing environment?
  • In what ways do file system navigation and management tools in Linux contribute to efficient data organization and system administration?
  • How do cybersecurity practices, such as authentication methods and system security configurations, protect devices and data from evolving threats in personal and organizational environments?

Week 1: Operating Systems

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Learn about the expectations of the course. (CLO1)
  • Download, install, and configure VirtualBox and Cisco Packet Tracer on a personal computer. (CLO1)
  • Explain the significant milestones in the development of the Internet. (CLO2)

Week 2: Operating Systems

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Identify and navigate the Linux file system using basic commands. (CLO1)
  • Manage files and directories using common command-line tools. (CLO1)
  • Use command-line tools to view and manipulate file contents. (CLO1)

Week 3: Computer Hardware

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Identify and explain the role of hardware components and software types in a computing device.
  • Describe how the operating system organizes data using file systems, manages user interaction through GUIs and CLIs, and controls communication between hardware and software through drivers and firmware.

Week 4: Windows Installation

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Identify the hardware and software requirements needed to install a Windows operating system.
  • Demonstrate how to install a Windows operating system and perform basic system management tasks, including partitioning a drive and maintaining system performance.
  • Analyze and evaluate how Windows tools like Task Manager, and File Explorer can be used to troubleshoot issues and optimize the user experience.

Week 5: Windows Configuration

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Identify and differentiate the key features of Windows 10, including their uses in home and corporate environments.
  • Demonstrate the ability to configure Windows settings, perform administrative tasks using both the GUI (Control Panel) and the command-line tools (CLI and PowerShell), and manage file sharing and network configurations in a lab environment.
  • Evaluate common system and network issues by applying the six-step troubleshooting process, and create a basic preventive maintenance plan that includes tasks like virus scans, system updates, and managing startup applications to improve system reliability.

Week 6: Implementing Security Controls for Devices

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Explain the importance of authentication in protecting devices, data, and networks, and differentiate between basic and advanced authentication methods.
  • Evaluate password strength based on length, complexity, and randomness, and construct secure passwords that align with organizational security policies.

Unit 2: Network Fundamentals (Weeks 7-13)

Unit Level Essential Questions

  • How do the components, configurations, and addressing of a network work together to allow devices to communicate reliably across different environments?
  • What decisions must be made when designing a network for speed, security, and scalability and how do these decisions impact real-world performance and connectivity?
  • Why is it important to understand how data is represented, transmitted, and routed in a network and how does this knowledge help us troubleshoot and improve network performance?

Week 7: Implementing Security Controls for Devices

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Identify and define basic networking components (such as routers, switches, and PCs) within Cisco Packet Tracer and describe their roles in network configuration.
  • Demonstrate how to create a simple network topology in Cisco Packet Tracer by connecting devices using appropriate cables and assigning IP addresses to each device.

Week 8: Communication in a Connected World

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Describe different types of network connections (wired, wireless, and mobile) and apply their understanding by configuring a SOHO network, including identifying appropriate ISP connection types and end devices.
  • Analyze the differences between bandwidth and throughput, and evaluate which transmission method (wired, wireless, or Bluetooth) is most efficient in specific home or mobile network scenarios.
  • Design and build a secure home network by selecting appropriate components, configuring wireless router settings (such as Mixed Mode), and demonstrating knowledge of device roles, wireless standards, and security precautions for mobile connectivity.

Week 9: Protocols and Models

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Describe the role of protocols, protocol suites, and standards organizations in enabling network communication and interoperability.
  • Illustrate how data encapsulation works within the OSI and TCP/IP models to enable reliable communication across local and remote networks.
  • Analyze the rules and processes involved in network communication to explain how local hosts access network resources and exchange data successfully.

Week 10: Physical and Data Link Layers

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Explain the purpose and key characteristics of the physical layer and how it supports data transmission in a network.
  • Compare WAN and LAN topologies by analyzing how each uses media access control to manage data transmission.
  • Compare the advantages and limitations of copper, fiber-optic, and wireless media for different networking scenarios.

Week 11: Number Systems

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Explain how decimal, binary, and hexadecimal number systems differ in base values, digit symbols, and place value significance.
  • Compare how binary and hexadecimal are used to represent data in computer networking, and analyze why hexadecimal is more efficient for human readability in contexts like IP addressing and MAC address formatting.

Week 12: Number Systems

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Explain the purpose of IPv4 addressing and subnetting, and describe why these skills remain essential for modern network administrators despite the transition to IPv6.
  • Apply subnetting techniques, including Variable Length Subnet Masking (VLSM), to divide a given IPv4 network into efficient subnets based on specific host and network requirements.
  • Analyze a proposed IPv4 addressing scheme to determine its efficiency and identify potential improvements using subnetting and VLSM.

Week 13: IPv6 and DHCP

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Describe the key differences between IPv4 and IPv6 addressing formats, including how IPv6 addresses can be abbreviated using a double colon and leading zeros.
  • Configure a basic DHCPv4 setup on a wireless router in Packet Tracer to automatically assign IP addresses to connected devices.
  • Compare and justify the use of dynamic addressing vs. static addressing in different network scenarios, considering ease of management, scalability, and control.

Unit 3: Network Services and Operations (Weeks 14-20)

Unit Level Essential Questions

  • How do devices, protocols, and addressing systems (such as MAC, IP, and port numbers) work together to enable reliable communication across local and global networks?
  • In what ways do routers, switches, and hierarchical network designs contribute to efficient, scalable, and secure data transmission across interconnected networks?
  • How do network services and applications like DNS, HTTP, DHCP, and NAT support user access, resource sharing, and communication on modern networks?
  • How can network professionals design, configure, and troubleshoot networks to ensure performance, reliability, and adaptability in physical, virtual, and cloud environments?

Week 14: Address Resolution Protocol and Gateways

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Explain how routers connect networks across boundaries and illustrate the role of Network Address Translation (NAT) in enabling communication in small networks.
  • Compare and contrast the functions of MAC addresses and IP addresses in identifying devices and enabling communication across network layers.
  • Evaluate the importance of broadcast containment by analyzing potential issues caused by excessive broadcasts and proposing strategies to maintain efficient network performance.

Week 15: Routing Between Networks

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Construct a fully connected LAN and demonstrate how routing and router tables enable communication between devices within and beyond the network.
  • Differentiate between TCP and UDP transport layer functions by analyzing how each protocol uses port numbers to manage data transmission.
  • Explain how clients access internet services and evaluate the role of routing in ensuring reliable connectivity.

Week 16: Application Layer Services

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Demonstrate how FTP can be used to transfer files between hosts on a network.
  • Compare and contrast the purpose of common layer seven services such as FTP, Telnet, SSH, POP3, and IMAP.

Week 17: Network Design

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Explain the components and functions of a hierarchical network design, including the role of each layer in the 3-layer model.
  • Describe the four basic requirements of a reliable network and analyze how these requirements are addressed in hierarchical designs.
  • Compare and contrast the characteristics of virtualization and cloud services, and evaluate their purposes in modern networking environments.

Week 18: Ethernet Switching

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Explain how Ethernet functions in a switched network by describing OSI Layer 1 and Layer 2 operations, Ethernet sublayers, and MAC addressing.
  • Analyze how switches build MAC address tables and demonstrate how frame forwarding supports reliable local communication.
  • Compare the roles of IPv4 and IPv6 header fields and evaluate how routers use network layer protocols and services to ensure end-to-end connectivity.

Week 19: Dynamic Host Control Protocol

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Explain the purpose of IPv4 addressing and subnetting, and describe why these skills remain essential for modern network administrators despite the transition to IPv6.
  • Apply subnetting techniques, including Variable Length Subnet Masking (VLSM), to divide a given IPv4 network into efficient subnets based on specific host and network requirements.
  • Analyze a proposed IPv4 addressing scheme to determine its efficiency and identify potential improvements using subnetting and VLSM.

Week 20: Dynamic Host Control Protocol

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Explain and differentiate the functions and characteristics of TCP and UDP in managing end-to-end data communication, including the use of port numbers, session establishment, and acknowledgment processes that ensure reliable delivery.
  • Demonstrate proficiency in using and navigating the Cisco IOS by applying appropriate commands and modes to configure network devices and monitor their operations using show commands.
  • Evaluate and troubleshoot transport layer operations and device configurations by analyzing TCP segments and UDP datagrams.

Unit 4: Advanced Networking and Security (Weeks 21-24)

Unit Level Essential Questions

  • How do network devices ensure data gets from one host to another accurately and efficiently, and how do protocols like TCP, UDP, and ICMP play different roles in that process?
  • How do routers and switches use configurations, routing tables, and diagnostic tools (such as ping, traceroute, and show commands) to make forwarding decisions and maintain reliable network communication?
  • How can analyzing protocol behavior, device configurations, and command-line output help us identify, explain, and troubleshoot network connectivity problems?

Week 21: Build a Small Network

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Configure initial settings on Cisco switches and routers, including device naming, IP addressing, default gateway configuration, and secure remote management features.
  • Analyze network connectivity issues by interpreting ICMP messages and the results of ping and traceroute tests to identify where communication failures occur.
  • Explain how ICMP functions in network diagnostics and demonstrate the use of ping and traceroute tools to verify and troubleshoot network connectivity.

Week 22: Internet Control Message Protocol

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Explain how ICMP, routing tables, and network layer protocols enable end-to-end connectivity, including how hosts and routers determine packet paths across a network.
  • Use ping and traceroute utilities to test network connectivity and verify correct routing behavior in a variety of network scenarios.
  • Describe and analyze the architecture, forwarding methods, port settings, and boot processes of Cisco LAN switches and routers, including how routing table fields influence packet forwarding decisions.

Week 23: Troubleshooting Networks

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Analyze the benefits and risks of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), including their impact on security, privacy, and network performance.
  • Apply systematic troubleshooting processes to identify, diagnose, and resolve common issues in local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), and wireless (WLAN) environments.
  • Create network documentation and solutions by mapping unknown networks and using network discovery techniques to investigate and repair complex network issues.

Week 24: Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Attacks

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Explain foundational cybersecurity concepts, including common threats, vulnerabilities, and attacks across endpoints, networks, wireless, mobile, and application domains, as well as the deception methods used by attackers.
  • Analyze and describe different types of cyber attacks (network, wireless, mobile, and application-based) and evaluate how these attacks exploit system vulnerabilities.
  • Configure basic security controls such as secure user access, access control policies, firewall filtering, antimalware protections, and WPA-based wireless security to protect systems and networks.

Unit 5: Cybersecurity Essentials (Weeks 25-30)

Unit Level Essential Questions

  • How can networks be designed and protected to ensure data remains secure, accurate, and accessible?
  • What strategies and tools are most effective in preventing, detecting, and responding to cybersecurity threats?
  • How do organizations make decisions about risk and choose the right security measures to protect their systems?

Week 25: Network Security Infrastructure

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Explain how security devices and services enhance network security by supporting confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
  • Demonstrate how hashing is used to verify file integrity and classify data according to its three states (at rest, in transit, in use).
  • Compare and evaluate different cybersecurity countermeasures and determine which are most effective for protecting a network in a given scenario.

Week 26: Cybersecurity Practices and Defense

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Explain how defense-in-depth, cybersecurity operations, and security policies work together to protect organizational networks from threats.
  • Apply system and network defense techniques, including physical security, application security, service hardening, segmentation, and wireless security configuration.
  • Analyze security risks in networks, mobile devices, and IoT systems in order to determine appropriate hardening and resilience strategies.

Week 27: Switch Security and Access Control

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Explain how access control mechanisms, account management strategies, AAA (Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting), and switch port security protect network data and defend against threats such as MAC spoofing and MAC flooding attacks.
  • Configure local and server-based access control, secure host access, switch port security, and server-based authentication using TACACS+ and RADIUS to implement role-based network security.
  • Analyze network security requirements to determine appropriate access control models, account management policies, and mitigation techniques to defend against unauthorized access and Layer 2 attacks.

Week 28: Firewall Technologies

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Analyze the differences between standard and extended IPv4 access control lists (ACLs), including how wildcard masks are used to match and filter network traffic.
  • Configure and implement named standard IPv4 ACLs using proper syntax and sequence numbers to filter traffic and mitigate common network attacks.
  • Evaluate firewall technologies and design considerations to determine how firewalls and ACLs can be implemented together to enhance overall network security.

Week 29: Zone-Based Firewalls and Protocol Exploits

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Explain the purpose and operational concepts of Zone-Based Policy Firewalls (ZPF) and how they enhance network security by controlling traffic between defined security zones.
  • Analyze the behavior of common network protocols and security technologies to determine how they influence the effectiveness of security monitoring and traffic visibility.
  • Implement a Zone-Based Policy Firewall using the CLI by configuring zones, zone pairs, class maps, and policy maps to enforce network security policies.

Week 30: Risk Management and Security Controls

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Explain the purpose and operational concepts of Zone-Based Policy Firewalls (ZPF) and how they enhance network security by controlling traffic between defined security zones.
  • Analyze the behavior of common network protocols and security technologies to determine how they influence the effectiveness of security monitoring and traffic visibility.
  • Implement a Zone-Based Policy Firewall using the CLI by configuring zones, zone pairs, class maps, and policy maps to enforce network security policies.

Unit 6: AP Exam Practice and Review (Weeks 31-33)

Unit Level Essential Questions

  • How can we prepare for the AP Exam?
  • What have we learned?

Week 31: AP Review and AP Practice Exam

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Identify any gaps in knowledge that need to be reviewed before the AP Exam.
  • Gain familiarity with the types of questions that will appear on the AP Exam.
  • Function within the time constraints imposed by the AP Exam.

Week 32: AP Practice Exam Analysis

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Identify any gaps in knowledge that need to be reviewed before the AP Exam.
  • Gain familiarity with the types of questions that will appear on the AP Exam.
  • Analyze and reflect on the results of the AP Practice Exam.

Week 32: AP Practice Exam Analysis

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Identify any gaps in knowledge that need to be reviewed before the AP Exam.
  • Gain familiarity with the types of questions that will appear on the AP Exam.
  • Analyze and reflect on the results of the AP Practice Exam.

Week 33: Evaluations and Goodbyes

Weekly Learning Objectives

  • Reflect on your course experience.
  • Complete end of course activities.