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Pickitech Lab · Networking course

Learn networking by doing it

Free, hands-on lessons that teach home networking the way you learn a game: drag the cables, plug in the drives, break things on purpose and fix them. Every lesson runs in your browser.

  • 5 lessons live
  • 6 levels, beginner to advanced
  • Real 3D, no install
Start the first lesson See the full course

How it works

You learn with your hands, not by reading a manual

  1. Do it in 3D

    Drag real-looking cables, drives and devices into place on a desk like yours.

  2. Break it on purpose

    Plug into the wrong port or pick the wrong setting and see exactly what goes wrong.

  3. Earn your stars

    Every step explains why it works, with sources, tips and a quick check at the end.

The course

From your first cable to designing a whole network

6 levels, 31 lessons planned. New lessons are added here as soon as they are ready.

  1. Level 1

    Getting started

    How the internet reaches your home, and the gear that moves it.

    3D Live now · Network Cabling Crimp an Ethernet cable T568B½ in untwistCrimping 6 min · 3 steps · FreeStart 3D Live now · Home Network Gear Modem, router, switch and access point Modem / ONTRouterSwitch 6 min · 3 steps · FreeStart 3D Live now · IP, DHCP and DNS IP addresses, DHCP and DNS DHCP (DORA)Gateway and mask169.254 7 min · 3 steps · FreeStart
    Cables and speeds: Cat5e, Cat6, fiberComing soon
    Set up a router for the first timeComing soon
    Fix "connected, no internet"Coming soon

  2. Level 2

    A solid home network

    Wi-Fi that reaches every room, a wired backbone, storage and backups.

    3D Live now · Wi-Fi in Every Room Wi-Fi bands, channels and dead zones dBm and dead zones2.4 / 5 / 6 GHzAccess point + PoE 12 min · 5 steps · FreeStart 3D Live now · Home NAS 101 Set up your first NAS WAN vs LANDHCPRAID 1 5 min · 3 steps · FreeStart
    Mesh vs wired access pointsComing soon
    Switches, PoE and a small network closetComing soon
    Guest and smart-home networksComing soon

  3. Level 3

    How networks really work

    Follow a packet through the layers and use the tools the pros use.

    A packet's journey: OSI and TCP/IPComing soon
    Subnetting as a puzzleComing soon
    MAC, ARP and how switches learnComing soon
    TCP, UDP, ports and NATComing soon
    IPv6 basicsComing soon
    Ping, traceroute and WiresharkComing soon

  4. Level 4

    Design and security

    Segment, route and filter traffic, and reach home safely from anywhere.

    VLANs for IoT, cameras and guestsComing soon
    Static routes and OSPFComing soon
    Firewall rules and the DMZComing soon
    Remote access with WireGuardComing soon
    WPA3 and 802.1XComing soon
    The mystery house: mixed faultsComing soon

  5. Level 5

    Advanced

    The ideas behind business and internet-scale networks.

    Spanning Tree and link aggregationComing soon
    BGP basicsComing soon
    QoS for games and video callsComing soon
    Dual-WAN failoverComing soon
    Monitoring with SNMP and syslogComing soon
    Network automationComing soon

  6. Level 6

    Capstone

    Design a full network for a home and a small office, scored on coverage, security and budget.

    Design a three-floor home networkComing soon
    Design a 20-person office networkComing soon
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