
Develop hands-on networking skills with Cisco equipment by configuring devices and building a complete network from scratch, guided step by step through practical commands.
Navigate the CCNA 1 course, managing Cisco devices and networks, with a top-to-bottom structure, interactive demos and activities, and an adjustable playback rate to maximize retention.
Explore hardware and software basics, console connections, startup steps, and Cisco iOS navigation; configure ports, save configs, recover passwords, and practice hands-on CCNA 1 labs.
Explore Cisco equipment, including switches and routers, learn how to connect, boot up, and configure devices using the iOS command structure, and examine software and hardware interfaces and config files.
Explore 48-port switches, gbics and fiber options, including stackwise 3750s with hot-swappable power and fans, then review a modular 1800-series router with t1 cards and console port.
Getting to know your switch explains how switches differ, from port counts and backplane speed to power over Ethernet, management options, and end-of-life considerations.
Learn how Cisco switch LED indicators communicate port status, duplex and speed, Po status, and power status on 3750 and 2960 models, using the mode button to cycle options.
Connect to Cisco equipment via console and vty lines; use terminal emulation software and rollover cables, and configure signaling settings such as baud rate, data bits, parity, and stop bits.
Connect to Cisco equipment with a rollover console cable, locate Com3 in device manager, and open a 9600 baud PuTTY session to start configuring.
Understand the Cisco device boot up process from post to loading the iOS, including the bootstrap program, configuration register values, rommon mode, and loading startup-config from the configuration file.
Observe the switch boot up from privilege exec mode, reload, and power-on self-test through bootstrap, flash initialization, iOS loading to RAM, then show version to verify configuration register details.
Explore the iOS command structure, practice ping, and interpret syntax cues—bold commands, required values, optional brackets, braces, and pipes, with examples like mac address table and fa0 one config.
Learn how devices store configuration data in RAM, NVRAM, and flash, and how running-config saves to startup-config, with practical commands like show and copy.
Learn how physical and virtual interfaces map to switch ports, explore copper and fiber Ethernet connections, and address switch virtual interfaces, subinterfaces, port channels, and tunnels on Cisco switches.
Demo shows connecting a computer to a Cisco 2960 switch and verifying layer 2 connectivity before configuring IPv4 manually in the 10.0.0.0/8 network with gateway 10.0.0.1 and dns 8.8.8.8.
Navigate the Cisco IOS, enter and exit modes, and find help with shortcuts. Master show commands, filter results, and manage command history for efficient device administration.
Navigate the Cisco iOS by mastering user exec and privileged exec modes, and use global configuration and interface sub-modes to configure lines and interfaces.
Explore how Cisco IOS help works by using the question mark to reveal mode-specific commands, navigate show interfaces, and interpret caret errors to refine interface status checks.
Master the show command and privilege exec mode. Use show interfaces, show ip interface brief, show running-config, show startup-config, and show arp to inspect status and configurations.
Learn to filter show commands using begin, include, exclude, and section to extract targeted lines from running config, such as Fast Ethernet interfaces on Cisco switches.
Learn to use Cisco iOS command history, show history, recall and edit commands, adjust history size with terminal history size, and turn history on or off with terminal no history.
Master Cisco iOS shortcuts to navigate faster: use ctrl-c/ctrl-z, tab auto-fill, and do for privileged commands; use command history and control-shift-6 to break sequences; manage logging to console.
Master essential Cisco device configuration, including setting hostnames and synchronized clocks for enterprise networks. Secure remote management with SSH, and configure passwords, users, and banners for routers and switches.
Configure a device hostname in global config mode to name switches. Follow rules: letters, digits, and dashes; first character a letter; no spaces; end with a letter or digit.
Demonstrates setting and synchronizing device clocks with an NTP server to ensure accurate timestamps for logs, security, and incident investigations across a network.
Learn to secure Cisco devices by configuring enable passwords and enable secret, securing console access with line console zero and login, and encrypting passwords with service password-encryption, using unique passwords.
Configure the management interface on Vlan 1 with an IP address to enable remote management. Establish vty lines and passwords, including enable secret, for telnet access to the switch.
Configure ssh on the switch to replace telnet, generate a 2048-bit rsa key, enforce ssh version 2, create a local user, and restrict vty to ssh only.
Explore privilege levels on Cisco devices by configuring user accounts, assigning levels from 0 to 15, and mapping commands like show running config to specific roles for least-privilege access.
Configure Cisco banners for motd, login, and exec messages by choosing a delimiter, entering multi-line text, and viewing these banners at login or via ssh.
Create host records with ip host to map R1 to 10.240.0.2, then ping by name; remove with a no in front of the command and test IPv6.
Learn to manage Cisco device configuration files by saving the running config, capturing copies, resetting devices, and handling initial configuration dialog, password recovery, changes, and bootloading file management.
Learn to save switch configurations by copying the running config to the startup config, ensuring changes persist after reload, and using the write memory command as an alternative.
Learn to capture and save a router's running configuration by using a console session, logging with Putty, and storing a clean copy in a dated configs folder for future use.
Learn how to start a Cisco switch from a clean slate by erasing the startup configuration, confirming the deletion, and removing the vlan.dat file to ensure no configurations persist.
Demonstrates the initial configuration dialog to set up switch management: name, enable secret, vty password, vlan 1 management interface, ip address, and saving to nvram; with a quick copy-paste alternative.
Recover a lost switch password by entering password recovery mode, bypassing the startup config, rebooting, and restoring a saved configuration before setting a new enable secret.
Learn to recover a lost router password by bypassing the startup configuration in ROMmon, reload with the old configuration, set a new enable secret, and save for the next reboot.
Follow a safe, step-by-step method for making Cisco device changes: save configurations, capture changes with show run, prepare backouts, and apply targeted interface updates while keeping backups.
Update the Cisco iOS on a router to address security concerns by transferring a new image from a TFTP server, deleting the old file, and setting boot system before reload.
Turn the router into a tftp server to efficiently distribute the iOS image over slow wan links, using flash image and copy commands to update multiple devices.
Configure switch ports and routed ports, implement IPv6 and dual stack configurations, reset and troubleshoot ports, learn neighbor discovery with CDP and LLDP, and set up loopback interfaces.
Configure switch ports on a Cisco switch and set descriptions for port ranges. Verify status with show commands and adjust duplex, speed, mdx, and no shut for layer two connectivity.
Explore how switches learn and forward frames using the mac address table, including dynamic learning by source mac addresses, destination-based forwarding, and aging out entries after 300 seconds.
Turn a switch port into a routed port on a layer three switch, assign an ip address, and later revert the port back to a switch port.
Configure a routed interface on a router, assign an IP address to fa0/0, enable it with no shutdown, and verify with show ip interface brief and show run.
Explore dual stack routing by enabling ipv6 unicast routing on a router, configuring an interface with ipv6 addresses including eui-64 local-link, and testing connectivity with ping.
Configure the switch for dual stack and enable ipv6 on the device. Set the vlan 1 management interface with an ipv6 address in fc00::/64 and verify with a ping.
learn how to reset a switch port to its default state with the default interface command in global configuration mode, demonstrated on fa108, and verify with show run interface fa108.
Explore practical troubleshooting by verifying connectivity with ping, inspecting interface configurations with show run and show interfaces, and diagnosing issues using show ip interface brief and show buffers.
Explore how the Cisco discovery protocol enables layer 2 device discovery and troubleshooting, using show cdp and related commands, with default 60-second updates and interface-level security controls.
Enable LLDP on Cisco devices to discover non-Cisco neighbors, verify with show LLDP neighbors and show LLDP, and manage transmit and receive settings for faster, comparable discovery to CDP.
Master PoE concepts for Cisco networks. Learn how switches and power injectors provide power to access points and VoIP phones, and how CDP or LLDP negotiates PoE.
Learn to create and configure a loopback interface for troubleshooting and protocol testing by enabling loopback1, assigning IPv4 and IPv6 addresses, and verifying with show run.
Design a company network with an IP addressing scheme and plan the layout. Configure a computer, switches, and a router, test the setup, and discuss upgrades.
Design a big-picture network plan before configuring devices, then implement IPv4 and IPv6 schemes. Apply private IPv4 ranges like 10.1.0.0/16 and 10.2.0.0/16, set up loopbacks, gateways, and site connections.
Configure a computer on the network by assigning a static IPv4 address and matching IPv6, with gateway and subnet, using change adapter options to access properties.
Learn to configure a Cisco switch from a template, set hostname HQ S1, enable ip version 6, secure passwords, enable ssh, and manage vty access for secure remote administration.
Configure HQ switches S2 and S3 by mirroring S1 settings, syncing clocks with NTP, configuring host names and management interfaces, and validating end-to-end connectivity with backup running configurations.
Configure a router by setting the hostname, clock, and ipv6 unicast routing. Validate connectivity with ping and ssh, remove unused vlan, configure the interface, and save the running config.
Configure the pi's network interface by editing /etc/dhcpcd.conf to assign a static ip address 10.1.0.21/24 with gateway 10.1.0.1, reboot, and verify connectivity with ping.
Develop scalable and manageable networks by configuring ssh timeouts, loopback addresses, and saving configurations, while documenting changes with an assembly line approach.
Upgrade inter-switch links to gigabit ethernet across 2960 and 3750 switches, using gbic options and careful change control. Validate with backups, phased rollout, and backout plans to minimize downtime.
Demonstrates how organized documentation and careful configuration management keep network equipment safe and traceable, with organized backups and clear naming to prevent outages as you expand the lab.
Develop troubleshooting skills by following a structured process to identify and correct network issues, including misconfigurations. Explore automated testing with scripts to ping networks and locate issues efficiently.
Learn hands-on network troubleshooting using ping to test connectivity, verify default gateway and ipconfig details, inspect switch interfaces and mac address tables, and correct a misconfigured IP to restore reachability.
Diagnose connectivity by pinging gateway and switches, discover an administratively down port on switch one, enable it with no shut, and restore reachability, noting spanning tree may delay the port.
Troubleshoot a demo pi connectivity issue by pinging devices, checking switch ports with show ip interface brief, and using ifconfig to diagnose ethernet status; reseat the cable to restore connectivity.
Fix a misconfigured subnet mask on demo pi two by updating dhcpcd.conf and rebooting to restore bidirectional connectivity; one-way traffic occurred without a proper default gateway.
Learn to troubleshoot network reachability by pinging devices and loopback addresses, checking ipconfig, and correcting the default gateway to ensure external access across the network.
After confirming IPv4 reachability, the instructor pings IPv6 addresses across the router, switches, and devices, fixes a loopback misconfiguration, and saves the running configuration.
Create a batch file to ping all network devices at once to quickly verify connectivity and ensure the network is stable before filming.
Review the Cisco IOS basics from equipment and console access to boot processes, command line navigation, and initial configurations, culminating in designing and troubleshooting a complete business network.
This course provides a comprehensive introduction to Cisco networking, focusing on foundational concepts and hands-on skills needed to manage and troubleshoot Cisco routers and switches effectively. Students will gain a deep understanding of the relationship between physical and logical ports, the various memory types within Cisco devices, and the significance of LED indicators and their modes.
Participants will learn how to connect to and configure Cisco devices through the console port, explore the Cisco IOS operating system, and navigate its various modes. The course covers essential commands for device management, including the use of show commands and filtering techniques to retrieve critical information efficiently.
Key components of the course include:
Explain the relationship between physical ports and the ports you see within the OS
Explain memory types of Cisco routers and switches
Explain the LED indicators and the different modes
Describe how to connect to the console port of a switch or router
Explain the boot up process and the role of setting the configuration registry
Describe the process of connecting a computer
Describe the modes of the Cisco IOS and how to enter and exit the modes
Explain methods of getting help on a Cisco IOS
Explain the role of show commands and how to use filtering to find information
Explain how to use shortcuts to efficiently manage devices
Explain basic configurations such as hostnames, setting the clock, and creating a Message Of The Day (MOTD)
Explain how to create remote and secure connections
Explain the different config files and how to capture and save those files
Describe the steps to recovering from a lost password
Describe methods of updating the boot file
Explain how to manage switchport and routed ports
Explain how to set up dual stack on routed interfaces
Describe the purpose of CDP and LLDP and how to change the configuration on the ports in regard to these protocols
Describe how to set up a loopback interface on a router
Build and configure a fully functioning network
Explain the troubleshooting process
Determine and correct specific network issues
Explore the Cisco IOS and basic networks
Get familiar with Cisco devices and the Cisco IOS
Understand how to efficiently configure and manage Cisco routers and switches
Configure and troubleshoot a working network
Learn it Right, Learn it Well, and Reap the Rewards
Spending the time now to fully understand the Cisco IOS and how to configure it’s settings will help you for studying for the CCNA.
Who Should Take this Course:
Those who are studying for the CCNA exam
Those who who want the skills to build a network using Cisco routers and switches
Why take the course from me?
Experience: I’ve been in the IT world since 2000, have a masters in computers, and over 20 industry standard certifications
Know how to Teach: I was trained as an instructor by the USAF, have a bachelors in education, teaching since 1997, and well over 6,000 hours of classroom instruction time.
I’ve been a hiring manager since 2010, I know what skill sets employers are looking for.
TechKnowSurge’s Unique Approach
Your instructor has training and years of experience as an educator, as a technician, and as a leader. The course implements the following features:
Microstep lectures and segmented videos that meters learning into bite size chunks. It also makes it easy to go back and review concepts when needed.
Staged-Based Educational Model where information is covered multiple times in increasing amounts of complexity. The approach helps reinforce learning and creates a knowledge and skill set less likely to fade with time.
Extensive coverage of topics to make sure topics are explained fully
Well-organized content. A tremendous amount of effort has been placed on what order content should be delivered to maximize learning and minimizing confusion.
A focus on pedagogy. A funny name, but your instructor has a deep understanding of educational theory and what drives learning.
Module overviews explaining what to expect for each module and sets a mindset for why the information is important to learn.
Video intros, overviews, and summaries to explain the intention of each video, reinforce learning, and prepare you for success.
High quality and engaging videos that use graphics, great explanations, and analogies to explain complex topics in an easy to understand way.
Real world application. Step beyond just the theory. Your instructor has real world experience and will share that with you throughout the course.
Employer insight, know what employers are looking for. Your instructor runs IT Departments and hires individuals just like you.
This well organized course will has the following modules:
Welcome and Getting Started: Prepare yourself for efficiently and successfully completing the course. You’ll get an overview of what the course is all about and what you should expect out of it.
Equipment Meet and Greet: Let’s get to know our equipment. This module introduces the foundational concepts of Cisco routers and switches, focusing on the critical components that make up these devices. Students will explore the relationship between physical ports and the ports recognized within the operating system, understand the various memory types used in Cisco devices, and learn to interpret LED indicators and their modes. The module also covers practical skills, including how to connect to a device's console port, the steps involved in the boot-up process, and the importance of setting the configuration registry. Additionally, students will gain hands-on experience in connecting computers to Cisco devices, laying the groundwork for more advanced networking tasks.
Navigating Cisco Devices: Getting a base understanding of how to efficiently navigate the Cisco IOS can make studying for the CCNA and working in this career go much more smoothly. This module focuses on mastering the Cisco Internetwork Operating System (IOS), covering the various modes of the IOS, how to enter and exit them, and the tools available for getting help within the system. Students will learn to use essential show commands, applying filtering techniques to quickly locate specific information, and discover shortcuts that enhance efficiency in device management.
Configuring Cisco Devices: No matter what device you're setting up, there are some general configurations that are best practices to have. This module covers the fundamental configurations required to set up Cisco devices, including assigning hostnames, setting the system clock, and creating a Message Of The Day (MOTD). Students will also learn how to establish remote and secure connections, ensuring that devices are accessible and protected in a network environment.
Working with Config Files: It’s important to understand how your configs are stored and saved on these devices. This module teaches students how to manage Cisco device configuration files, including capturing, saving, and restoring these files. It also covers the critical steps for recovering from a lost password and provides methods for updating the boot file and ensuring devices are properly configured.
Configuring Ports: Ports play a big role in a network, it’s what interconnects your devices. This module explores techniques for managing Cisco switchports and routed ports, including configuring dual stack on routed interfaces for IPv4 and IPv6. Students will learn about the Cisco Discovery Protocol (CDP) and Link Layer Discovery Protocol (LLDP), focusing on how to configure these protocols on network ports. Additionally, the module covers the setup of loopback interfaces on routers, providing essential skills for optimizing and managing network interfaces.
Configuring a Network: Now let’s apply these skills to creating an actual network. In this module, students will apply their knowledge to build and configure a fully functioning network using Cisco devices. The module covers the end-to-end process of designing, implementing, and configuring network components, ensuring seamless communication and connectivity across the network. Students will gain hands-on experience in creating a robust and efficient network environment.
Basic Network Troubleshooting: Troubleshooting is a huge part of an IT career, and being efficient in how you troubleshoot will be important for this course and your career. This module focuses on the essential skills required for effective network troubleshooting. Students will learn a systematic approach to diagnosing and resolving network issues, identifying common problems, and applying targeted solutions to restore optimal network performance. Through practical exercises, students will develop the ability to quickly determine and correct specific network issues, ensuring minimal downtime and efficient network operations.
Wrap Up: Time to wrap up the course and provide any final thoughts.
Instructor Bio
TechKnowSurge (Andrew Grimes) has been in the tech industry since 2000 and even longer as an Instructor. He started out as a Survival Instructor for the United States Air Force (USAF) in 1997. When he got out of the military, he started teaching computer classes. Wanting to advance his technical skills, he became a contractor working on a wide range of technologies while teaching technology college courses in the evening. Overtime, he became a hiring manager, director, and leader
His background includes:
Building a security program within 2 years to include becoming SOC 2 Type 2 compliant
Leading and maximizing efficiency of IT, Security, and DevOps teams
Managing SaaS company infrastructure with millions of active users
Managing small, medium, and large IT Infrastructures
Migrating technologies to the cloud
Managing multi-million dollar budgets and reducing overall budget spend year over year
Utilizing various project management techniques such as waterfall, scrum and Kanban to maximize efficiency and success
Bachelors in Workforce Education
Masters in Computer Resource and Information Management
Over 6,000 hours of teaching experience
Over 20 industry standard certifications.
Past student reviews:
“Andrew is absolutely the best instructor I've had throughout the course of my education. He is extremely knowledgeable when it comes to all things network and IT-related. Because of the education he provided, I am now working in the network engineering field, and I could not have done it without his expert guidance.” ~Michael B.
“Andrew was hands down my favorite instructor since enrolling” “He has great skills as an instructor, and I've learned a lot from his classes.” ~Jeff S.
“As an instructor, he is thorough, articulate, patient and positive. He genuinely cares that his students fully comprehend the curriculum. I have a great deal of respect for Andrew. I can't recommend him highly enough.” ~Dan H.
“I found Andrew to be one of the best Instructors” “He presents the information with real world applications, which helped to reinforce the concepts presented in the Cisco Certification track.” “I am truely thankful to have had him as my teacher.” ~Dan M.
“Andrew is very knowledgeable and brings his practical business experience with him. He expresses himself very well and treats everyone with respect. He explains very complicated concepts in a manner that is easy to understand.” “It is without reservation that I would recommend Andrew as a business professional and/or teacher.” ~Adam C.
“Andrew is an excellent instructor and more.” “Andrew is the kind of teacher that you never forget.” ~ William C.
“Andrew Grimes is a first rate instructor who genuinely cares about the success of his students. I was fortunate to have Andrew as my instructor.” “I highly recommend Andrew as an instructor and IT professional.” ~Paul C.
“Andrew is a great instructor who really cares whether his students grasp the concepts he teaches. He has a passion for teaching that many couldn't muster.” ~Patrick R.
“He was a great teacher and I would gladly take a class under him again.” ~Joshua R.
“...his style of teaching is accommodating for any level, that a student is starting off at, either beginning or advance in IT world.” ~Paul W.
“He fosters a multidimensional environment of learning in which students of diverse abilities excel.” ~Mark B
“Andrew Grimes was a great Data Networks and Telecommunications Instructor.” “I would highly recommend him to any who desires to further their education.” ~ Tommy S