Learning network security can be a daunting task, but many Redditors have shared their experiences and recommended resources to help you along the way. Here's a succinct guide based on their advice:

Foundations and General Networking

• TCP/IP Model: Focus on the TCP/IP model rather than the OSI model for practical understanding. "The TCP/IP model is the model for the TCP/IP protocol suite... It has four layers."

• Subnetting and DNS: These are often cited as challenging but crucial concepts. "Subnetting and DNS Records. Understood via GPT"

Recommended Books

• TCP/IP Illustrated: "Get TCP/IP Illustrated, primarily volumes 2 and 3, but volume 1 is useful too."

• CCIE Official Exam Guide for Enterprise Architecture: "Optional reading: CCIE Official Exam Guide for Enterprise Architecture, basically anything by Russ White, Wendell Odom, Narbik Kocharians."

Online Courses and YouTube Channels

• Professor Messer: Highly recommended for Network+ certification and general networking. "Professor Messer's Network+ courses on YouTube."

• NetworkChuck: Great for practical networking and homelabbing. "Watched a lot of videos from NetworkChuck."

• Jeremy's IT Lab: Useful for CCNA preparation. "Do you have any youtube recommendations? I'm currently watching Jeremy's IT Labs CCNA playlist."

• Pluralsight: A comprehensive learning platform. "Pluralsight is a great learning tool."

Certifications

• CompTIA Network+: A good starting point for networking fundamentals. "Passed Network+. My experience, advice, resources used."

• Cisco CCNA: Essential for understanding routing and switching. "Do the infrastructure course part of ccna."

Practical Learning and Labs

• Homelabbing: Start with small projects using devices like a Raspberry Pi. "I learned networking in practical usage by starting homelabbing with a small pi."

• Old Network Equipment: Practice with real hardware if possible. "You may want to pick up some old Cisco switches and routers to learn on."

• GNS3: For virtual network simulations. "There is also an emulation software called GNS that will allow you to play with devices in software."

Cybersecurity Specific Networking

• Firewalls, Proxies, Load Balancers: Understand their role in security. "It helps a lot to understand what a firewall does and what a decent Firewall rule looks like."

• Packet Flow: Learn how packets traverse a network. "You'll need to know how packets traverse a network, what TCP/UDP and ports are, VLANs etc."

Additional Resources

• AI as a Tutor: Use AI chats to explain and cover topics. "I created a system prompt for AI chats to work as a tutor."

• Security News Aggregators: Stay updated on major attacks and vulnerabilities. "I use threatable.io it's news aggregator of Cyber Security."

Subreddits for Further Questions

• r/computerscience

• r/Network

• r/cybersecurity

• r/CompTIA

• r/ccna

These resources and tips should provide a solid starting point for your journey into network security. Good luck!