The Network Layer (Subnetting and IP Routing)
In this part of the course, you will be introduced to Subnetting! It can be a complicated subject to learn, especially if it's your first time seeing it. Please know, that you will not be working with subnets until you are a SysAdmin, Network Engineer, or any network specialized job! For now, it is important to understand the concept and basics of subnetting, as it is used in everyday networking or communication between systems.
What is subnetting? Subnetting is the process of dividing a network into another network (subnet). Think of it as different departments (subnet) in a store (network). If you are shopping for shoes, you would go directly to the shoe department (subnet) in the store (network), instead of shopping in each aisle. Through subnetting network traffic can travel a shorter distance without passing through unnecessary routers to reach its destination.
The following links provide in-depth coverage of Subnetting. Please review them until you understand the basics, as it will help you with the quiz on Routing Paths and Subnets.
Routing Paths and Subnets (graded plugin)
After grasping the basics of subnetting you are ready to finish this graded activity!
In this activity, you are given a bunch of source and destination IP address pairs. Your task is to route each of these packets from the correct source network to the correct destination network. A couple of things to remember when doing this activity:
Choose the shortest route possible
Don't be afraid to click on "Source or Destination Not Present", as some of the given IPs do not have a route!
Click on reset if you make a mistake and take advantage of the "Check" button!
Do not click on "Submit" until you have all 8 questions answered correctly.
Additional Help
Hopefully, this guide helped clear some of the confusion surrounding subnetting and routing paths. If you need additional help please attend the Tech Sessions (Thursdays 10 am EST and 6 pm EST) or collaborate with your fellow learners in the tech chat via Slack!
You can also reach our Techops team via Calendly for a 1:1 session.