General Networking - wireless, routers, firewalls, Cisco NAS (Udemy.com)
Port forwarding? Dynamic DNS? Home NAS Server? Slow Wireless? Learn how to fix your home nework. Includes 802.11ac!
Created by: Marious Kuriata
Last updated January 2025
Our take
Based on the ratings of 961 students, a sample of their written reviews and the syllabus, as the course stood in January 2025. No course pays to be reviewed.
This is a basic, practical networking course aimed at home and small-office setups. Marious Kuriata, who lists 20 years in IT and Cisco and Microsoft certifications, walks through routers, port forwarding, Wi-Fi troubleshooting, a Synology NAS setup, an Asus 802.11ac router lab and extras like Windows Server and WordPress hosting. It runs 8.4 hours over 81 lectures. Despite the Cisco mention in the title, it is not a CCNA course. One reviewer says it skips heavy theory beyond addressing and subnets.
Students like how clearly the material is explained. One reviewer says the instructor knows the subject, and another praises the video and audio quality and says it helped them choose a router while studying for CompTIA A+. The most common complaint is the legacy material. The syllabus shows roughly five of the 8.4 hours sit in sections labeled legacy. Reviewers say they were unsure why it was there, or annoyed it is needed to finish the course, and some of it is outdated. Others found the first half or more very basic.
Last updated in January 2025, it still does what it sets out to do. Treat the legacy sections as optional extras, though the completion tracker may push you to watch them. It suits beginners and curious home users well. Anyone chasing a certification should see it as a light warm-up, since there are only three quizzes and no practice tests.
Pros
- Practical home topics: port forwarding, dynamic DNS, Wi-Fi tuning, NAS and IP camera setup
- Light on theory, so a complete novice can follow along
- Reviewers praise clear explanations and good audio and video quality
- Includes a hands-on 802.11ac Asus router lab and a Synology NAS setup
Cons
- About five of the 8.4 hours are legacy sections, and some of it is outdated
- Reviewers call the first half or more very basic, with little for those who know networking
- Only three quizzes and no practice tests, so weak for exam prep
Simple, practical, and easy to grasp. This is a good start as a complete novice, or a good refresher for those who might have been around in the IT world for some time.
Beginner is accurate. It assumes basic Windows and internet knowledge, and a test router helps.
What you will learn
- To provide insight into Networking and learn how to configure a router
- Develop working knowledge of how networks operate
- Learn about security, wireless, troubleshooting
- Find out how to configure an IP Camera and NAS Servers
- Learn how to fix your network
- Sort out wireless issues
- Hands-on labs and real world examples, including hosting your website (WordPress)
- The course emphasizes the practical application of skills
- Designed to help you develop the career skills in networking
Course content
14 sections · 81 lectures · 8.4 hours of video 3 quizzes
- 1Computer Networks 1 free preview7 lectures · 1 quiz · 22 min
- 2Network devices and terms10 lectures · 1 quiz · 23 min
- 3Setting up and troubleshooting a Home Network 1 free preview7 lectures · 1 quiz · 24 min
- 4Setting up and troubleshooting a Home Network – Part 24 lectures · 15 min
- 5Gadgets7 lectures · 23 min
- 6Windows Server5 lectures · 16 min
- 7A real lab - 802.11ac Asus Router 1 free preview4 lectures · 18 min
- 8!NEW! Configuring a brand new Synology NAS device2 lectures · 9 min
- 9Bonus Videos3 lectures · 26 min
- 10LEGACY - Computer networks and network devices7 lectures · 1.1 hours
- 11LEGACY - Setting up and troubleshooting a home network9 lectures · 1.7 hours
- 12LEGACY - Wireless3 lectures · 34 min
- 13LEGACY - Introduction to Microsoft Servers7 lectures · 43 min
- 14LEGACY - Bonus Videos6 lectures · 1.1 hours
Who it is for
The instructor says it suits
- Students who want to gain fundamental computer hardware, software, and troubleshooting skills in networking
- Students preparing for Comptia, Microsoft and Cisco exams
- Everybody who is interested in home and small office networks
What you need before you start
- Interest in learning the basics of this technology
- General knowledge of computers, Internet and MS Windows
- Would be great if you had access to a test router
How it compares
Against the other 165 rated Udemy courses in Networking on CourseDuck:
- Rating4.6 out of 5higher than 59% of them
- Reviews961#51 of 166 by number of reviews
- Length8.4 hoursshorter than 56% of them
- Last updatedJanuary 2025more recently than 61% of them
Course Description
The course offers a hands-on learning experience with an emphasis on practical activities.
Do you want to buy an IP Camera (home surveillance system) or a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device? Maybe you want to learn how to configure your home router and enable port forwarding? Do you want to improve your Wi-Fi connection or test your Internet link? You've come to the right place!
In addition, General Networking Training provides a learning pathway to the Cisco, Microsoft, and Comptia certificates.
Re-recorded in March 2017, more lectures, more gadgets and devices! Now includes:
- How and where you can host a website (WordPress)
- GPS trackers and spying applications
- Antivirus applications
- Windows Server 2016
- 802.11ac - a real lab with an Asus router!
The main objective of this course is to provide you with a basic understanding of computer network technologies and concepts. You will learn how to apply all these skills in real world situations.
High quality materials: videos and documents that will help you understand all topics. All designed by an experienced Network Security Engineer. The course emphasizes the practical application of skills needed to understand and troubleshoot a Small Office / Home Office network. Learn about Dynamic DNS, Remote Support Tools (VNC, Teamviewer, Radmin), wireless security, switches, firewalls, cables and Internet connections.
Join now!
Instructor Details
- 4.6 Rating
961 Reviews
Marious Kuriata
Hi, my name is Marious. I have been working in IT for 20 years (web design, networking, security, tutoring, management).
My courses/certifications: MCSE, MCSA, MCTS, MCP, Cisco CCNA, CCNP, CCNA Security, CCSP, Zyxel Security Professional,
Postgraduate studies in networking & security. A Master's Degree in Human Resources.
20 years of experience in IT. This has included designing, troubleshooting and installing networks, Cisco routers, switches, access points and firewalls (ASA Firewalls, Aironet, VLANs, routing protocols RIP, OSPF, EIGRP, BGP, spanning tree, VPNs, Cyberoam, IPS/IDS, Riverbed), Previous experience includes Microsoft systems, IT Manager, Technical Trainer (Cisco, Comptia, Microsoft) and Private Tutor.
CCNA Cisco Certified Network Associate (2009)
CCNP Cisco Certified Network Professional (2010)
CCNA_SEC Cisco Certified Network Associate Security (2012)
CCNA_ASA Cisco ASA Firewalls Specialist: Security and VPNs (2013)
CCSP (CCNP Sec) – Cisco Certified Security Specialist (2013)
ZCNP ZyXEL Certified Network Professional (2012)
MCSE Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (2011)
MCP Microsoft Certified Professional (Windows Server) (2009)
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Reviews
By Jodi Schechter on 1/16/2026
overall, content was great. Well-presented and made easy to understand. It was annoying that after the current materials were completed, I was forced to go through all the bonus materials, much of which is outdated, in order to get full "credit" for completing the course. Bonus material should be optional.
By Andrew Fawcett on 4/2/2020
This is a very comprehensive course that introduces a lot of networking topics without getting bogged with a lot of network theory. There's a little bit of theory to explain network addressing and subnets, then the rest of the course covers different networking technologies and how they are used. The tutor knows the subject and explains things clearly. I learnt a lot and found the information interesting.
By Eugene Stevens on 9/10/2018
Yes, great very informative. Excellent video's and audio quality! Looking forward to higher learning with same instructor. Excellent presentation. Thank you very much. Currently preparing for CompTia A+ exam. Now, have a much better understanding of functions and features of a router. More importantly, choosing the best one for my needs.
By Brian LaVerghetta on 3/27/2018
Excellent tutorial on home networking with in depth descriptions and tools to expand your knowledge. This course covers a large amount of information. From the basics like the differences between switches and routers to more complex practices such as server maintenance, Port Forwarding, and Firewalls.
By Widmietredath Ishwardat on 12/30/2017
Dit heb ik altijd willen leren,maar wist niet waar te beginnen. Thank you Udemy Team! Ik ben heel blij met de cursus,ik beschik over al deze apparaten wat ik nu in praktijk kan toepassen. Ik zal contact met deze instruteur bilijven behouden, ik heb veel geleerd en ben hem heel erg dankbaar.
By Russ Carpenter on 8/24/2017
Through the first half of the course, it's really intended for someone who knows almost nothing about a network, and how to set it up at home. There are some good tips/tricks along the way, but still pretty basic overall through the first two-thirds of the course. The latter third does get more involved, and more interesting. I would have also liked this to give a comparison of Windows/PC networking relative to UNIX.
By Charles Hall on 7/17/2016
Instructor is very knowledgeable and at times humorous. I actually enjoy his accent. He clearly knows his stuff. The course was relatively short, but I purchased it at a discount, so it was worth the money. I would not hesitate to buy other courses by this author.
By Quinten J. Bailey on 3/15/2016
As I have learned from other courses from Marious Kuriata, he presents a technical subject in short videos very clearly until the whole subject is completed. For an introductory subject this style of teaching has helped me learn enough to pursue more advanced courses with confidence.
By Bo Washington on 11/29/2015
I already had some basic knowledge of wired networking fundamentals but needed to get a better understanding of wireless networking and firewalls and this course gave me the information to make changes to my home network setup to strengthen the security of the router and firewall.
By Peter Stampede on 7/20/2015
I enjoyed this course, and found it to be a great overview of the world of IT and Network Engineering. Currently my job involves a lot of network related duties for testing IP products, but I have not previously had much exposure on these topics. I purchased this course to help bring me up to speed on everything I should basically know. I found a lot of good tips, good review of networking terminology and concepts and I appreciated the experiences and anecdotes shared by Marious. The discussions are great and I got great constructive responses. I'm going to miss staying up late watching these videos on my iPad. Thanks!
Quality Score
No CourseDuck member has rated this course yet. Taken it? Give each part a thumbs up or down.
Overall Score : 92 / 100












