In this module, you’ll learn how to build secure network architectures from the ground up—starting with the foundational principles of network security and progressing to practical configuration of VLANs for segmentation and protection. You’ll explore key concepts such as the CIA triad, common cyberattack methods, and architectural design principles like defense in depth and least privilege. Through interactive lessons, hands-on VLAN labs, and demonstrations, you’ll gain the skills to design, implement, and secure segmented network environments that minimize attack surfaces and enhance organizational resilience.

In this module, you’ll learn how to control who and what can access your network, secure data as it travels across untrusted environments, and harden network devices against unauthorized use. You’ll explore access control mechanisms like ACLs for filtering traffic, VPNs for encrypting communication, and secure authentication methods for device protection. Through real-world demonstrations, guided configurations, and hands-on labs, you’ll gain the skills to build, deploy, and manage secure access solutions that safeguard both internal and external network communications.

In this module, you’ll learn how to centralize network authentication and gain full visibility into network activity through monitoring and analysis tools. You’ll configure AAA services using TACACS+ for secure and auditable user management, compare it with RADIUS, and implement centralized authorization policies. The module then guides you through traffic analysis and performance monitoring using Wireshark, NetFlow, and SNMP to detect anomalies and performance bottlenecks. Finally, you’ll integrate these insights into a layered defense strategy combining firewalls, IDS/IPS, and incident response to create a robust, proactive security posture.

In this module, you’ll learn how to secure wireless networks and bring together all your skills in a comprehensive network security project. You’ll explore wireless-specific vulnerabilities and defenses, including rogue access point detection, WPA2/WPA3 encryption, and secure segmentation using VLANs and ACLs. The module also introduces wireless intrusion prevention and enterprise-level monitoring practices. It concludes with a capstone project where you’ll design, configure, and audit a fully secured network—integrating wired, wireless, and remote access components into one cohesive, defense-in-depth architecture.

In this final section, you’ll synthesize your learning across access control, VPNs, centralized authentication, and wireless defense to build a complete enterprise security framework. You’ll complete a capstone project that challenges you to design, configure, and defend a fully secured network integrating VLANs, ACLs, VPNs, TACACS+, and monitoring tools. By applying your knowledge in a practical environment, you’ll demonstrate your ability to implement layered security, mitigate threats, and maintain resilient network operations across wired and wireless infrastructures.