Need some advice on learning networking

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: Need some advice on learning networking

Thus might help.

I appreciate the help, bro, but that's helleva complicated.


I watched a video on it just now and I think that may be a little over my head. I may give it a shot if I can work up the courage.

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: Need some advice on learning networking

Welp, it appears that slim's solution is gonna be my best option. I know this has to be a common occurrence. That's why I'm gonna learn how to do it but there needs to be a simpler way.

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: Need some advice on learning networking

I may have found an easier solution: Laplink Software PCmover Ultimate with High Speed Cable | Dell USA

[rthonpm]

Re: Need some advice on learning networking

Even easier: from another domain computer logged in with an account with admin permissions on both computers, navigate to the machine's admin share, then go to the Users directory and copy the files you need from one user folder to the other.

The account you use doesn't need domain admin rights (in fact, domain admin accounts shouldn't be able to log into anything other than domain controllers), just administrator permissions for the computers.



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[BillyCarpenter]

Re: Need some advice on learning networking

Even easier: from another domain computer logged in with an account with admin permissions on both computers, navigate to the machine's admin share, then go to the Users directory and copy the files you need from one user folder to the other.

The account you use doesn't need domain admin rights (in fact, domain admin accounts shouldn't be able to log into anything other than domain controllers), just administrator permissions for the computers.



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I really appreciate your help. This is all new to me so you'll have to overlook my ignorance.


Here's my problem when I try to recreate the scenario on my virtual server and PC's.


1. My client doesn't have active directory installed. Whomever set this up just joined the PC's to the domain. I uninstalled active directory from my 2019 server to recreate what I'm walking into. So, when I reinstalled active directory, it got promoted as my "Domain Controller" and all the previous domain users can't log onto the server.

There are other issues but I need to get this figured out first or it's all naught.


PS - I appreciate any help but don't put yourself out too much.

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: Need some advice on learning networking

I really appreciate your help. This is all new to me so you'll have to overlook my ignorance.


Here's my problem when I try to recreate the scenario on my virtual server and PC's.


1. My client doesn't have active directory installed. Whomever set this up just joined the PC's to the domain. I uninstalled active directory from my 2019 server to recreate what I'm walking into. So, when I reinstalled active directory, it got promoted as my "Domain Controller" and all the previous domain users can't log onto the server.

There are other issues but I need to get this figured out first or it's all naught.


PS - I appreciate any help but don't put yourself out too much.

I think I have that part figured out. I just unjointed the PC from the previous domain and added it to the new domain.

The thought of don't this is making me nervous. But this is a good friend & client and I told him I wasn't gonna touch his server unless I knew I could do it.

[rthonpm]

Re: Need some advice on learning networking

You need to create your users. Everything in AD has to be created in it: users, computers, policies, etc.

To login as a local user, use .\username as the username. The .\ tells a domain PC to use local authentication instead of domain.

If you have access to the domain controller, create the users corresponding to the local users, but try to use a different username convention as you can run into issues with identical usernames between local and domain accounts.

To have an admin account, you'll need to add a dedicated admin account in AD and then use group policy to add it as an administrator on all computers.

You've got a complicated issue: a half-finished domain migration, that needs someone with a good handle on Active Directory to fully clean up and complete. I've walked into that kind of situation before, and often the cleanest solution is to blow up what's there and start over clean to avoid any surprises. It's not fun (well, in a way it is) but it's often the only way to ensure everything is configured properly.





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[BillyCarpenter]

Re: Need some advice on learning networking

You need to create your users. Everything in AD has to be created in it: users, computers, policies, etc.

To login as a local user, use .\username as the username. The .\ tells a domain PC to use local authentication instead of domain.

If you have access to the domain controller, create the users corresponding to the local users, but try to use a different username convention as you can run into issues with identical usernames between local and domain accounts.

To have an admin account, you'll need to add a dedicated admin account in AD and then use group policy to add it as an administrator on all computers.

You've got a complicated issue: a half-finished domain migration, that needs someone with a good handle on Active Directory to fully clean up and complete. I've walked into that kind of situation before, and often the cleanest solution is to blow up what's there and start over clean to avoid any surprises. It's not fun (well, in a way it is) but it's often the only way to ensure everything is configured properly.





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You know your stuff, man. You've said enough for me to know that I'm not gonna do this job.

I only became aware of this issue because I was there installing a couple of copiers and there were 3 or 4 PC's that no one knew the admin password for them. They said the previous employees quit and changed the password and said that they forgot what it was. I asked why they weren't using active directory. It's a big mess over there. Some PC's are on the server, some aren't.

I'm VERy interested in learning windows server. I'll get to it in due time.

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: Need some advice on learning networking

I just wanted to thank rthonpm for his help yesterday. There are so many on here that are valuable resources and he's one of 'em. The man is good at what he does. Thanks again.

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: Need some advice on learning networking

Thought I'd give an update. Maybe this will help the next person that goes for their CCNA.


I'm progressing nicely with the online course that I'm taking. I'm now able to troubleshoot the networks that we've covered so far and explain the concepts behind them. It's been no easy road. But it's been worth it. Still a long ways to go before I can even think of taking the CCNA test.

Speaking of the test....


The online course has taught me a LOT. However, the online course alone isn't gonna get me all the knowledge required to pass the test. One reason I haven't given an update lately is that I've had my head buried in a book. It's the "official certification guide" for CCNA 200-301. It's almost 800-pages of technical information that covers a lot of ground.

Some may say that a person doesn't need to know all of that information but I believe it's the foundation to understanding more complex networking concepts.


See book below:


Book CCNA.jpg

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: Need some advice on learning networking

Every time I turn around I'm having to spend more money on preparing for the CCNA exam. I'm a pretty cheap person by nature but the one thing I don't mind spending on is education. Generally getting educated pays off in the future.

With that being said, I singed up for a program on Cisco's official site that allows me to take 5 pre-tests before I take the real exam.

Anyone who is considering getting their CCNA needs to keep the following in mind: (information from Cisco Press)

Most people who take the CCNA exam consider it to be incredibly difficult, and as many as 95% of test-takers fail it on their first attempt. Make no mistake that it's hard: Even people with relevant degrees and many who have taken CCNA certification classes still have to retake the test several times.

I'm glad that I paid Cisco for the pre-text exams. Now I know what I'm up against. I also know why 95% of folks fail on the first attempt.


Is it hard? Damn right.

I'll give one example. Remember the OSI Model? Well, it must be learned. And not only in theory but in practice. What am I talking about? You better know the difference in the following:

a.) Segments
b.) Packets
c.)Frames


And you better be able to trace the segments, packets and frames up and down the OSI stack in order and explain it like you were looking at it on WireShark. And you have to do this by looking at a diagram of a network on a test question. In other words, they show you a diagram on the test and give you the website that you're trying to go to and ask you something like: "explain what data you'd expect to see at the router. Or switch."

Here's the moral of the story. They are not fucking around. And neither am I.

I plan on taking the test and passing it the first time. Not on 2 or 3 but the first time.


PS - And I didn't even touch on the actual command lines for the switches and routers. There's about 100 of them that you must know. Not to mention many other things that you must know like static and dynamic routes. Then there's DHCP Helper, Subnetting, ect. The list is mind blowing.

[tsbservice]

Re: Need some advice on learning networking

Every time I turn around I'm having to spend more money on preparing for the CCNA exam. I'm a pretty cheap person by nature but the one thing I don't mind spending on is education. Generally getting educated pays off in the future.

With that being said, I singed up for a program on Cisco's official site that allows me to take 5 pre-tests before I take the real exam.

Anyone who is considering getting their CCNA needs to keep the following in mind: (information from Cisco Press)






I'm glad that I paid Cisco for the pre-text exams. Now I know what I'm up against. I also know why 95% of folks fail on the first attempt.


Is it hard? Damn right.

I'll give one example. Remember the OSI Model? Well, it must be learned. And not only in theory but in practice. What am I talking about? You better know the difference in the following:

a.) Segments
b.) Packets
c.)Frames


And you better be able to trace the segments, packets and frames up and down the OSI stack in order and explain it like you were looking at it on WireShark. And you have to do this by looking at a diagram of a network on a test question. In other words, they show you a diagram on the test and give you the website that you're trying to go to and ask you something like: "explain what data you'd expect to see at the router. Or switch."

Here's the moral of the story. They are not fucking around. And neither am I.

I plan on taking the test and passing it the first time. Not on 2 or 3 but the first time.

1 out of 20...you're really ambitious Billy but I admire

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: Need some advice on learning networking

1 out of 20...you're really ambitious Billy but I admire

At it's core, networking is very simple. Take DNS for example. Or DHCP. Most folks understand those 2 protocols. Right? So, each new concept that I learn is fairly simple. Some are harder than others. The problem is that there are so many protocols and you must be able to put them all together and have a detailed picture of how data is able travel through a network from point A to B. Putting all of that together is easier said than done.

It's like building a house...one brick at a time.


Anyway, I enjoy learning about networking so that helps.

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: Need some advice on learning networking

As I sit here and go over the information in the CCNA course, I can now say this with certainty.

Unless you have mastered the OSI Model, subnetting, and protocols, you don't know networking. You may think you understand networking but you have no idea. You see, networking isn't so much about computers or servers. No, those are simply the source and destination devices. It is mainly switches and routers that deliver the information to the correct device.

Switches and routers sound simple, right? Wrong. Try building a network with 20 routers and switches and see how far you get. Or what about 100?

With that being said, I can't build and network with 20 routers and switches, either. But I'm working on it.

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: Need some advice on learning networking

After getting a look at the practice exam for the CCNA exam, it was clear that I needed to redouble my efforts on learning the OSI model. In fact, I knew I had to master the OSI model and there could be no gray area.


I read more. I watched more videos. I consumed any information that I could find.

I ran across an interesting case study of a real world problem and how using the OSI model helped find the solution.

A company had recently purchased some new software but it wasn't working across the entire network. The problem stumped the IT department and as a last resort, they decided to use a data analyzer (WireShark) to help identify the problem. We need to keep this in mind about "software." Software resides on Layer 7 of the OSI model. But that's only part of the story. Ultimately this software is what determines what ports are to be used. It's gonna determine what protocol is used at layer 4 - UPD or TCP? So, if there's a bug in the software, the data could end up being sent to the wrong port. There's only one way that I know of to troubleshoot this problem and that is to capture the data using a program like WireShark. But you're not gonna understand Wireshark unless you thoroughly have mastered the OSI Model.

Personally, I didn't pay enough attention to the application layer and that was a mistake.