"Extending Your Network"

 "Extending Your Network" 

**Key Technologies:**

• Port Forwarding:** Allows internal services to be accessed from the internet.
• Firewalls:** Filter network traffic to protect from unauthorized access or attacks.
• VPNs (Virtual Private Networks):** Create secure encrypted tunnels for remote access and data transfer.
• Routers:** Direct data packets between different networks.
• Switches:** Forward data within a local network based on MAC addresses.

**Learning Objectives:**

• * Understand how networks are extended beyond a single computer.
• * Learn about technologies like port forwarding, firewalls, VPNs, routers, and switches.
• * Practice configuring and using these technologies in a simulated environment.

**Examples:**

1. * **Port Forwarding:** To make a local web server accessible online, you would configure port forwarding on your router to forward incoming requests on port 80 (the standard web port) to the internal server's IP address and port.
2. * **Firewalls:** You could set up a firewall to block traffic from specific IP addresses or ports, or to allow only certain types of traffic (e.g., web browsing but not file sharing).
3. * **VPNs:** If you work remotely, you might use a VPN to connect to your company's network securely, giving you access to internal resources as if you were in the office.
4. * **Routers:** In a home network, a router might be used to connect multiple devices (computers, laptops, smartphones, etc.) to the internet and to each other.
5. * **Switches:** Larger networks often use switches to improve performance and scalability by breaking up the network into smaller segments.