Networking Devices: From Hubs and Switches to Routers and Modems
What hubs, switches, routers, modems, access points, repeaters and firewalls do, which layer each works at, and how they fit together at home.
What hubs, switches, routers, modems, access points, repeaters and firewalls do, which layer each works at, and how they fit together at home.
What a core router does, how it differs from edge and distribution routers, and the design ideas that keep a large network fast and available.
How BIOS and UEFI boot differently, what MBR, GPT and the EFI System Partition are, and how to check and convert your own PC.
The six stages of a UEFI Windows boot, what each one does, the errors it produces and the repair commands to use, from POST to logon.
What NTFS alternate data streams are, how to create, list and delete them with cmd and PowerShell, and why attackers and defenders care.
NTFS, FAT32, exFAT and ReFS compared with limits, use cases, and the difference between converting and formatting a drive.
What user mode and kernel mode are, how system calls cross the boundary, and how to read user versus system CPU time on Windows and Linux.
Five practical habits that stop most Windows infections: patching, unique passwords with MFA, phishing awareness, Defender and the firewall, and tested backups.
Where MS-DOS came from, how it worked, which of its commands survive in Windows, and how to run DOS safely with DOSBox or FreeDOS.
Which tools really belong in a beginner PC repair kit, what to look for if you buy one, and the safety habits that matter more than any tool.