IT Study & Home Lab Hub

Clear, practical networking explanations and CompTIA A+ study guides designed for real-world troubleshooting and exam success.

Recommended Resources

If you’re studying for CompTIA exams, these are two helpful starting points that pair well with the articles on this site.


Networking Fundamentals

Networking Mastery Roadmap (A+ → Network+)

Follow a structured learning path covering OSI, TCP/UDP, IP addressing, DHCP, DNS, and advanced networking topics.

Preparing for A+? See the Best Study Resources

If you're preparing for the CompTIA A+ exam, choosing the right study material can save you weeks of frustration — and hundreds of dollars in retake fees.

TCP vs UDP Explained Simply

Understand reliability vs speed and when to use each protocol for the CompTIA A+ exam.

OSI Model Explained (All 7 Layers)

Learn all 7 OSI layers with memory tricks and troubleshooting examples for the CompTIA A+ exam.

Networking Master Guide

A structured study hub that organizes DHCP, DNS, APIPA, subnet masks, and common ports into the best learning order.

Common Port Numbers for the CompTIA A+ Exam

Memorize the most important ports like 80, 443, 53, 22, and 3389 with simple memory tricks.

What Is a Subnet Mask?

Understand common masks like 255.255.255.0 and how they affect local vs internet traffic.

What Is APIPA?

Learn why 169.254 addresses appear and how to troubleshoot DHCP failures.

What Is DHCP?

See how devices automatically receive IP addresses and how leases work.

What Is DNS? (Domain Name System Explained Simply)

Learn how DNS translates domain names into IP addresses and how to troubleshoot DNS issues for the CompTIA A+ exam.

What Is a Default Gateway?

Learn how the default gateway allows devices to reach the internet and how it appears on the CompTIA A+ exam.

What Is NAT? (Network Address Translation)

Understand how routers translate private IP addresses to public ones and how NAT appears on the CompTIA A+ exam.