The Network Routing and Switching Essentials (NRSE) training is a one day intensive training designed to give the student an understanding and insight into the foundations of routing and switching in the UniFi Ecosystem, for Small to Mid-Sized deployments.

Course Outline

The course is a live instructor-led course with labs and instruction covering the following topics:

1. Introduction

• Course Objectives
• Pre-requisites (Laptop requirements, familiarity with networking concepts)
• Overview of networking components (Routers, Switches, Cables)

2. OSI Model & Its Importance

• Layer 1: Physical Layer
– Ethernet Cables (Cat5, Cat6, Fiber Optics)
– Connectors (RJ45, SFP Modules)
– Wiring Standards (T568A/B, Crossover Cables)

o Lab 1: Terminate an Ethernet Cable & Test Connectivity

• Layer 2: Data Link Layer
– Ethernet & WiFi Standards (802.3, 802.11)
– MAC Addresses (Structure, Role, Limitations)
– VLANs (Segmentation, Inter-VLAN Routing, Trunking)

o Lab 2: Configure VLANs & Assign Static IPs in UniFi Network App

• Layer 3: Network Layer
  – IPv4 vs. IPv6 Addressing & Subnetting
– Static vs. Dynamic Routing (OSPF, BGP)
– Network Address Translation (NAT, SNAT, DNAT)

o Lab 3: Configure Firewall Rules & NAT in UniFi Network App

Advanced Networking & Labs

3. Transport, Session, and Presentation Layers

• Layer 4: Transport Layer
– TCP vs. UDP (Reliability, Flow Control)
– Common Ports & Services (HTTP, FTP, SMTP, DNS)

o Lab 4: Capture TCP & UDP Traffic using Wireshark & Netcat

• Layer 5: Session Layer
 – Session Establishment & Management (NetBIOS, RPC, NFS)
– Connection Control (Checkpoints, Flow Control)

o Lab 5: Simulate Network Sessions using SSIDs & NFS Transfers

• Layer 6: Presentation Layer
– Data Formatting & Encryption (TLS/SSL, File Encoding)

Discussion on Encryption & Network Security Best Practices

4. Application Layer & Practical Applications

• Layer 7: Application Layer
– Common Protocols (HTTP, DNS, FTP, SNMP)
– VPNs & Remote Access (WireGuard, Teleport VPN)

o Lab 6: Configure Teleport VPN & Secure Remote Access

• Advanced Networking Topics
– SD-WAN & Site-to-Site Connectivity (OSPF/BGP)
– Site Magic for Automated Network Linking

o Lab 7 (Optional): Configure Site Magic for Multi-Site Routing

5. Final Review & Troubleshooting

• Layer-by-Layer Troubleshooting Techniques
• Wireshark & Command-Line Tools for Network Analysis
• Review Questions & Q&A Session