Advance your Career with Networking Routers Certification

Much of how we communicate today is made possible by computer networks. Whether it is sending emails to friends and relatives in another continent, visiting websites and downloading software and music, or video-conferencing with colleagues in a global virtual office, computer networks enable it all. Many of us think that the Internet is one big network of computers and servers. Technically, however, it is a network of networks.

Networking routers are a critical component in making computer networks work, ranging from internal office networks such as Local Area Networks (LAN) or the global network of networks, the Internet.

The Demand for Networking and Networking Routers Professionals

In a recent research survey done by Robert Half Technology, "IT Hiring Index" for the fourth quarter of 2010, it was found that for a majority of Chief Information Officers (CIOs), network administration skills are the most sought-after skills in an Information Technology (IT) professional. IT networking professionals remain highly in demand, with the CIOs interviewed in the survey indicating that it was relatively harder to find professionals with computer network administration skills.

Skills in administration of networking routers, which are necessary for transmitting digital data across networks, can be a valuable asset.

Whether you are aspiring to a career in the IT networking, or an IT professional seeking to change or enhance skills, gaining expertise in networking routers and getting certified in network administration can be greatly beneficial for your career.

A Bird's Eye View Of Networking Routers

Digital data is transmitted over computer networks in a data packet. Just as a letter would contain the recipient's address, and sender's address, along with the letter content, a data packet contains the receiver's Internet Protocol (IP) address, the sender's IP address, along with the data. The digital data may be an email, a file being uploaded or even streaming video.

Networking routers are involved in the transmission of data packets from one node to another within a network or from one network to another. A network router uses routing algorithms and routing tables to select paths along which to forward the data packet. Let us take the simple example of sending emails from an office computer. Networking routers would receive the data packets and look at the information contained in the IP header of the packet including the destination IP address. The router would then consult its routing table or Routing Information Base (RIB) and select the network path through which the packets are forwarded. In the case of home networking routers, an email sent to a friend across the Internet would prompt the router to forward the data packets to the default gateway in the Internet Service Provider's (ISP) network. The ISP's routers would further transmit the data to their destination.

A networking router also checks the packet's Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU). If the size of the packet is larger than the MTU, then the router splits the packet up into smaller packets.

Routing may be static and manually configured, or may be adaptive or dynamic, in which the routing tables are constructed automatically.

Ethernet Network Router and Wireless Networking Routers

There are different types of routers. A wired router is also called an Ethernet network router, in which devices are connected via an Ethernet cable. An Ethernet network router can be combined with Ethernet cables and an Ethernet hub to create a small network at office or home. Home networking routers, which are used to create a simple Ethernet network, are essential if using one internet connection for many computers.

Wireless networking routers are used in Wireless LAN (WLAN) configurations as well as with physical cable connections in a wired LAN. A Wireless networking router also doubles up as a Wireless Access Point (WAP). A wireless network is said to be less secure than a wired network. Companies such as Cisco Linksys, Belkin, and 3Com are some manufacturers of wireless routers.

Get Certified in Networking and Networking Routers Administration

Professionals with network administration skills are indispensable to IT companies and those businesses with their own IT division, running global offices. In this age of telecommuting and Virtual Private Networks (VPN), network administrators ensure smooth configuration and running of office computer networks. The above sections of this article just give a cursory view of networking and networking routers concepts. Much more complexity is involved in network administration such as configuring routers, debugging routing tables, networking 2 routers, setting up Ethernet network routers and a wireless networking router.

In this context, IT professionals would find it beneficial for their careers to undergo training courses and get certified in networking. Certification tracks offered by Cisco are well recognised in the IT industry.

The Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician (CCENT) certification is an entry-level certification track. The CCENT checks the skills of the networking student or professional in basic networking support, including networking concepts, basic network security, installing and running small enterprise networks and routing and switching concepts. More advanced certifications are the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) and Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) all of which cover networking routers. The Cisco Advanced Wireless LAN Design Specialist certification track covers fundamentals of wireless networking wireless routers, including configuration and administration.