Lesson 1: Network Architecture and Topologies
Week of Tue, Sep 15 · lesson closes Mon, Sep 21
Take Meerk's quiz for Lesson 1
This lesson's items
Exact due times are in Canvas.
Watch — Professor Messer
Watch — Professor Messer: Network Architecture (N10-009)
Free, independent educational resource. Not affiliated with or endorsed by CompTIA. Watch, then read the notes below.
Know these cold
- OSI model (7 layers) vs. TCP/IP model (4 layers). PDU per layer: bit, frame, packet, segment, data.
- Network topologies: bus (legacy), ring (token passing), star (hub/switch center), mesh (full=n*(n-1)/2 links, partial), hybrid.
- Three-tier architecture: Core (high-speed backbone), Distribution (routing/policy), Access (edge ports for end devices).
Meerk's quiz — open the Lesson 1 gate
10 questions, no time limit. 85% on your first attempt in a 24-hour window opens the gate. Retakes inside the window are practice — they help you learn, they don't count. Work alone; the point is to know it, not to have seen it.
Dinner Table Question
Ask at home: Why do we still teach the 7-layer OSI model when TCP/IP only has 4 layers?
En español: ¿Por qué seguimos enseñando el modelo OSI de 7 capas cuando TCP/IP solo tiene 4?