Networking Commands Every IT Beginner Should Know

Why I Started Learning Networking

I was curious to learn more about IT in general. Graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Software Development gave me an idea of what programming on a business level is like, but I’ve never considered the entire scope of what computers had to offer until recently.

Naturally, I peered around Window’s PowerShell terminal, task manager andevent viewer. How networks flow is what caught my eye . Learning how all our devices are connected at home or across the nation is very interesting to me. The best part is that you don’t need to read overly complex tutorials just to get started.

Here are four basic commands (PowerShell on Windows) to know:

1. Ipconfig

It tells you how your network is configured. IP address, subnet mask and default gateway are most useful here.

ipconfig in use.

2. Ping

Tests connectivity to another device or website. It displays response times, packet loss and whether a host is reachable.

It tests your device’s connectivity to another device or website. Displaying response times, packet loss and host reachability.

ping in use.

3. Tracert

Shows the path traffic takes to reach a destination. It can tell you where delays may occur.

tracert in use.

4. Nslookup

It queries DNS servers. Say you want to know the DNS server of google, use this. DNS translates regular names to IP addresses.

nslookup in use.

When you want to learn something entirely new, it’s best to start with the very basics and work your way up. Frequently practicing a few basic commands will help more than solely reading extensive tutorials with no practice. I hope this helps you, dear reader!