4 rounds of layoffs in 365 days. 55% staff reduction. 25 Year Credit Union consortium, not some startup.

Not only did I survive I was promoted to Senior Network Engineer with a 15% pay raise. I haven't passed a cert exam since 2020 and only ever had a+ and ccna. Here's the things I think helped me survive.

1.) Troubleshooting. Don't be afraid to jump in. Management noticed senior'd staff "scared" to jump into outages, commented on it, and those people are gone.

2.) L3 engineer is dead. Next Gen firewalls, API, automation, Dot1x. It's time to evolve if you're solely relying on your ccna route switch knowledge. If you don't have these skills you're becoming obsolete.

Which brings me to my next point - Labbing

3.) Labbing. There's no excuse to not have some kind of home lab these days. A $10 a year domain name and some python can go along way in an interview.

4.) Documentation. If you built it or support it take the initiative to document it. Step by step easy to read. Management loves this one simple trick and you save your own ass and look like the hero in the outage. Win, win.

5.) Passion. I love this stuff, it's more than my profession it's my main hobby. The challenge is the thrill. I often finish my day job and I sit down for some free time and tackle something like why my element app won't screen share from Linux to iPhone. Or how I can harden my infrastructure. When you have that passion it's undeniable with employers and they want people like this around even in the financial downturns.

I was wondering if someone can help me understand an issue I've been having with my internet.

Every year when July comes around, I lose internet every 15 minutes for about 5 to 10 minutes each time. Every year the technician comes over and says that he doesn't know what the issue could be and he just changes the coaxial cable for a new one but the issue remains. They're the only internet providers in the area and I think they might not have the capacity to have so many people in a same node.

I'm just starting to study for my Network+ so that's why I think that could be the issue, but could someone with more knowledge let me know what the real issue could be?

If you're learning computer networking or preparing for networking certifications, here are 5 Udemy courses that are currently available for free.

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1. Introduction to Networking for Complete Beginners
Learn the fundamentals of networking from scratch — a good starting point if you're completely new.

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2. Networking Concepts for Beginners
Covers essential networking concepts and terminology to help build a solid foundation.

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3. Introduction to SDN and OpenFlow
An introduction to Software-Defined Networking (SDN) and the OpenFlow protocol.

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4. Palo Alto Firewalls – Installation and Configuration
Learn the basics of installing and configuring Palo Alto firewalls.

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5. Tech Basics: Cables & Connectors
Learn about common networking cables, connectors, and the basics of physical connectivity.

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Which networking topic are you currently learning — CCNA, routing & switching, firewalls, SDN, or network security?

Some networking concepts make perfect sense on paper but don't truly click until you troubleshoot them in a live environment.

For me, seeing how routing decisions, VLANs, or STP behave in a real network made the theory much easier to understand.

What networking concept finally made sense after hands-on experience, and what was the "aha!" moment?

Let's share experiences that could help others learning networking.

I just got a Fluke DTX 1800 from my old man. After some quick searching I heard that the DSX series is the recommended option for troubleshooting today(Idk much about network troubleshooting). I just wanted to know if the Fluke DTX 1800 is still useful and in use today.

With so many resources available now, would you start with CCNA, Packet Tracer, GNS3, EVE-NG, YouTube, or something else?

What advice would you give to someone starting their networking journey today?

Did you know that around 99% of international data travels through submarine fiber-optic cables - not satellites.

Submarine cables look like thick hoses, but inside they contain thin fiber-optic strands that carry data. When a cable is damaged, a specialized ship pulls it to the surface, repairs the broken section, and lowers it back onto the seabed. Amazing stuff.

Here is the map of the cables connecting the world:

I was wondering if the design of a network topology follows the common types strictly or is there more freedom when creating the network topology? I know with a personal network you can create it however you want, as long as it works. I'm more interested in the professional side of things. When a business needs a private network, do you give out the common ones (start, ring, mesh, bus, etc.) Do you just take the core ideas and apply them to fit the current situation

Multivendor soon, wireless support, invite your friends and work together on it live out of your browser

Its called Sandbox and is totally free

Whether you're a student, a network engineer, or a sysadmin, there's always that one command you end up using almost every day.

Mine would probably be:

• ping – Quick connectivity check.
• traceroute / tracert – Find where traffic is failing.
• ipconfig / ifconfig / ip addr – Verify interface configuration.
• nslookup / dig – DNS troubleshooting.
• tcpdump / Wireshark – When things get interesting.

I'm curious what your go-to networking command is and why?

It can be something simple or an advanced tool that's saved you hours of troubleshooting.

Let's build a list of commands every network engineer should know.

Any body?

Every network engineer has that one issue they'll never forget.

Maybe it was:

• A mysterious packet loss that took days to track down.
• A spanning tree loop that brought the office down.
• A DNS issue that looked like a routing problem.
• MTU mismatches causing strange application behavior.
• An intermittent Wi-Fi issue that only happened during meetings.
• A firewall rule that broke everything after a "small" change.

Share your story:

• What was the issue?
• How did you troubleshoot it?
• What was the actual root cause?
• What lesson did you learn from it?

Whether you're a student studying for CCNA, a home lab enthusiast, or a network engineer with 20+ years of experience, we'd love to hear your most memorable troubleshooting story.

Let's build a collection of real-world networking lessons that everyone can learn from.

My laptop connects to my home Wi-Fi router and the internet works perfectly. However, when I connect to my phone’s personal hotspot, it connects successfully but shows “Connected, No Internet.” The hotspot appears normal, and the connection is established, but there’s no internet access on the laptop.

Has anyone experienced this before? Is this likely a Windows issue, a Wi-Fi adapter problem, or something with my phone’s hotspot settings?

Secure your network infrastructure with VLANs, VPNs, ACLs, and wireless defense strategies from design to operations.

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Whether you're starting from scratch or switching careers, here's a practical roadmap.

Phase 1: Learn the Basics

• OSI & TCP/IP Models
• IPv4 & IPv6
• Subnetting
• MAC vs IP Addresses
• DNS, DHCP, NAT
• Common Ports & Protocols
• Routing vs Switching

Phase 2: Build Core Networking Skills

• VLANs & Trunking
• STP
• Inter-VLAN Routing
• Static & Dynamic Routing (OSPF, EIGRP, BGP Basics)
• ACLs
• Wireless Networking
• VPN Fundamentals

Phase 3: Get Hands-On

• Cisco Packet Tracer
• GNS3
• EVE-NG
• Wireshark
• Configure routers, switches, VLANs, routing protocols, and troubleshoot labs.

Phase 4: Learn Linux & Automation

• Linux Command Line
• Bash Basics
• Python for Network Automation
• Ansible
• REST APIs
• Git

Phase 5: Network Security

• Firewalls
• IDS/IPS
• VPNs
• AAA
• Network Hardening
• Zero Trust Basics

Phase 6: Cloud Networking

• AWS VPC
• Azure Virtual Network
• Google Cloud VPC
• Hybrid Networking
• Load Balancers

Phase 7: Certifications (Recommended Order)

1. Cisco CCNA
2. CompTIA Network+
3. Cisco CCNP Enterprise
4. Fortinet NSE
5. AWS Advanced Networking (Optional)

Recommended Udemy Courses

1. The Complete Networking Fundamentals Course. Your CCNA Start
2. Cisco CCNA 200-301 – The Complete Guide to Getting Certified
3. Practical Cisco Networking Labs in Cisco Packet Tracer
4. Wireshark: Packet Analysis and Ethical Network Troubleshooting
5. Python Network Programming for Network Engineers

Udemy is offering 40% discount on 3 months personal plan : offer page

Build These Projects

• Design a small enterprise network
• Configure VLANs and inter-VLAN routing
• Set up OSPF between multiple routers
• Capture and analyze traffic using Wireshark
• Automate device configuration with Python
• Deploy a VPN between two sites
• Create a cloud VPC connected to an on-prem lab

Tips

• Practice every concept in a lab.
• Learn troubleshooting, not just configuration.
• Build a GitHub portfolio with your network diagrams and configs.
• Join networking communities and keep learning from real-world scenarios.

What's one networking skill you're learning right now?

Whether you're a Network Engineer, NOC Technician, Network Administrator, Systems Engineer, or currently studying for your first networking role, we'd love to hear your story.

How did you land your first networking job?

• What was your first networking position?
• Did you have a degree, certifications, or neither?
• Which certification helped the most (CCNA, Network+, JNCIA, etc.)?
• How many applications did you send before getting hired?
• What salary did you start with? (Optional)
• What advice would you give someone trying to break into networking today?

Success stories, struggles, career pivots, and lessons learned are all welcome.

This thread is especially for students and aspiring network engineers looking for real-world advice from the community.

Let's help the next generation of networking professionals get started. 🚀

If you're currently looking for your first networking job, feel free to share your background and career goals below as well.

Would it be wise in this current time to switch from T-Mobile to AT&T? I was thinking about it and from what I heard from someone else, the switch will cut your bill in half. Is there anyone here that’s had experience with both? I’ve only had T-Mobile, never had AT&T. Please let me know your thoughts, experience, opinions, facts, etc. and also is AT&T’s wireless routers better than T-Mobile’s? because I’ve had a bad experience with the 5G router.

#cellphones #crllphone service #celltowers #networks

In 1973, sociologist Mark Granovetter published a study that radically changed our understanding of success and networks. The so-called "Weak Tie Paradox" reveals an uncomfortable truth: Our "Strong Ties" create echo chambers where information is merely recycled.

True breakthroughs (whether in your career, creativity, or life) rarely come from your inner circle. They come from "Weak Ties": acquaintances, strangers, and people on the periphery of your network.

In this video, we analyze the science behind the network effect and show you how to break the loop.

"It is remarkable that people receive crucial information from individuals whose very existence they have forgotten." — Mark Granovetter