Networking Fundamentals
How data moves across networks — the layered model, IP addressing, TCP vs UDP, the three-way handshake, HTTP/HTTPS, TLS, and DNS.
Networking Fundamentals2 min read
The internet is not a single technology — it is a stack of agreements. Each layer solves one problem and presents a clean interface to the layer above it. Understanding the layers lets you debug network problems systematically: when something fails, each layer is a distinct hypothesis to test.
This track covers three lessons:
- The network stack — the five-layer model, what each layer is responsible for, IP addressing, and how routing works
- TCP and UDP — reliability vs low overhead, the three-way handshake, and when to reach for each protocol
- HTTP, TLS, and DNS — the request-response cycle, how TLS authenticates and encrypts, and how domain names resolve to IP addresses
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