What is the difference between a network hub and a switch?

A hub sends incoming data to every connected device, while a switch forwards data only to the intended device using MAC addresses.

What does a load balancer do in a computer network?

A load balancer distributes incoming traffic across multiple servers to improve availability, performance, and reliability.

What is the difference between static and dynamic IP addressing?

A static IP address is manually assigned and remains fixed, while a dynamic IP address is automatically assigned by DHCP and may change over time.

Free online course Computer networking

Duration of the online course: 9 hours and 24 minutes

4.7

(10)

Build real networking skills for cloud and web servers in a free online course, with exercises and a shareable certificate to boost your IT profile.

In this free course, learn about

Core networking concepts for CompTIA Network+: OSI/TCP-IP models, topologies, and media
Hub function in networks and how it repeats frames to all ports
Key differences between hubs and switches (collision domains, MAC learning, bandwidth use)
What load balancers do and common algorithms/purposes (availability, scaling, health checks)
Protocols used for secure encrypted sessions/SSL VPNs, especially TLS/SSL over HTTPS
Differences between static and dynamic IP addressing (manual vs DHCP, pros/cons, use cases)

About the free online course

Networking is the backbone of every cloud service and web application. When a site is slow, a connection drops, or traffic spikes unexpectedly, the solution often depends on understanding how data moves through networks and how infrastructure devices handle that flow. This free online course helps you build practical computer networking knowledge that translates directly to real-world IT support, systems administration, and cloud operations work.

You will learn how common network devices behave in everyday scenarios and why their differences matter when you are troubleshooting. From understanding what a hub actually does on a network to recognizing how switches handle traffic more intelligently, you will gain the mental models needed to diagnose performance issues, reduce collisions, and design more reliable local networks. You will also explore how load balancers distribute requests to keep web services responsive and resilient, a must-have concept for modern applications running across multiple servers or instances.

Security and addressing are equally essential for working in cloud computing and web servers. The course clarifies how secure, encrypted sessions are established on the internet and which widely used protocols enable protected remote access. You will also understand how IP addressing works in practice, including the impact of choosing static versus dynamic assignments, and how those choices affect manageability, scalability, and troubleshooting in both small environments and larger deployments.

With short exercises designed to reinforce the key concepts, this course is ideal if you want to strengthen your fundamentals, prepare for networking-related certifications, or simply become more confident reading network diagrams and investigating connectivity issues. By the end, you will be better equipped to communicate with technical teams, make smarter infrastructure decisions, and support cloud-based systems with clarity.

Course content

Video class: Computer Networking Course - Network Engineering [CompTIA Network Exam Prep] 9h24m
Exercise: What is the function of a hub in a computer network?
Exercise: What is the main difference between a switch and a hub?
Exercise: What is a load balancer and what is its purpose?
Exercise: Which protocol is commonly used to create a secure encrypted internet session or SSL VPN?
Exercise: What is the difference between static and dynamic IP addressing?