#networking
Articles tagged "networking".
28 articles
Advanced SSH: jump hosts, tunnels, and power-user tricks
Once you know basic SSH, a whole toolbox opens up: jump hosts to reach private servers, port forwarding, SOCKS proxies, agent forwarding, and a config file that makes it all effortless. The power-user guide.
FTP vs FTPS vs SFTP: file transfer protocols explained
FTP, FTPS, and SFTP all move files — but only two are safe, and they work in completely different ways. Here's how each protocol works, active vs passive mode, the best clients per OS, and which to use.
SSH explained: secure remote access, keys, and sessions
SSH is how you securely log into and control machines anywhere in the world. Here's what it is, how password vs public-key auth really works, how to run remote commands, and the best clients for every OS.
How DNS Works (and What 'Propagation' Really Means)
DNS is the internet's phonebook — and one of the most common causes of outages nobody understands. Here's how a domain name becomes an IP address, in plain English, plus what 'propagation' actually is.
DNS Record Types Explained: A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT and more
Setting up a domain means meeting a zoo of record types — A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT, NS. Here's what each one does, when to use it, and the gotchas that trip people up.
How HTTPS Works: the TLS handshake, explained simply
That little padlock does a lot of work. Here's what actually happens when you connect over HTTPS — the TLS handshake, certificates and encryption — without the cryptography headache.
Ping, Traceroute & MTR: network troubleshooting basics
When something's slow or unreachable, three classic tools tell you whether it's you, the network, or them. Here's how ping, traceroute and MTR work — and when to reach for each.
What is a CDN? (And do you actually need one?)
A CDN makes your site faster by serving it from locations close to your users. Here's how that works, what you actually gain, and whether your site needs one.
TCP vs UDP: the difference, explained simply
Two protocols carry almost everything on the internet. TCP is the careful courier; UDP is the fast one that doesn't look back. Here's how they differ and when each is the right choice.
IPv4 vs IPv6: what's the difference (and why IPv6 exists)?
Every device online needs an address — and we ran out of the old kind. Here's the difference between IPv4 and IPv6, why the switch is happening, and whether you need to care.
ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED: what it means and how to fix it
Connection refused means you reached the server's door — and it slammed shut. Nothing is listening (or something is blocking). Here's how to track down which.
What is a Network Port? (and how to monitor one)
An IP address gets you to the right machine; a port gets you to the right service on it. Here's what ports are, the common ones, and why monitoring them catches outages a website check misses.
Why Monitor From Multiple Locations?
Checking your site from one place gives you one opinion — and it's often wrong. Here's why monitoring from multiple global locations kills false alarms and reveals problems a single check can't see.
HTTP/2 vs HTTP/3: what actually changed
HTTP keeps getting faster. HTTP/2 fixed how requests share a connection; HTTP/3 changed the connection itself. Here's what's different, in plain terms, and whether you should care.
What is Latency? (and how to reduce it)
Latency is the delay between asking for something and getting it — and it shapes how fast everything online feels. Here's what it is, what causes it, and the practical ways to cut it.
Bandwidth vs Latency: what's the difference?
“I have fast internet, so why is this slow?” Because speed has two dimensions — bandwidth and latency — and they're not the same thing. Here's the difference, with a simple analogy.
What is Packet Loss? (causes, effects and fixes)
When data packets vanish in transit, calls stutter, games rubber-band and pages crawl — even on a 'fast' connection. Here's what packet loss is, what causes it, and how to track it down.
Anycast Explained: one IP, served from everywhere
Anycast is the clever routing trick behind fast CDNs and resilient DNS: one IP address answered by the nearest of many servers. Here's how it works and why it matters.
What is BGP? (and why it can break the whole internet)
BGP is the protocol that decides how traffic travels between the world's networks — the internet's routing map. When it goes wrong, large chunks of the internet go dark. Here's how it works.
What is a Reverse Proxy?
A reverse proxy is the front door to your servers — handling traffic before it ever reaches your app. Here's what it does, why nearly every serious site uses one, and how it differs from a forward proxy.
Load Balancing Explained
A load balancer spreads traffic across many servers so no single one gets overwhelmed — and quietly routes around the ones that fail. Here's how it works and why it's the backbone of scalable, reliable sites.
What is a Firewall?
A firewall is the gatekeeper that decides which network traffic gets through and which gets blocked. Here's what firewalls do, the main types, and the gotcha they create for monitoring.
What is an IP Address?
An IP address is how one machine on the internet finds another — the postal address of the digital world. Here's what it is, the difference between public and private, and the two versions in use.
What is NAT? (Network Address Translation, explained)
NAT is the quiet trick that lets all your home and office devices share a single public IP address. Here's how it works, why it exists, and the headaches it sometimes causes.
TLS 1.2 vs 1.3: what changed (and why it matters)
TLS 1.3 made HTTPS both faster and more secure than 1.2 — by doing less, not more. Here's what changed in the handshake, why it matters, and what to make sure your servers support.
What is a DDoS Attack? (and how to defend against one)
A DDoS attack drowns your service in traffic from thousands of sources until it buckles. Here's how these attacks work, the main types, and the practical layers of defence.
What is mTLS (Mutual TLS)?
Normal HTTPS proves the server's identity to you. mTLS goes both ways — the client proves itself too. Here's what mutual TLS is, where it's used, and why it's a Zero Trust building block.
DNSSEC Explained: signing DNS so it can't be faked
DNS was built without security — answers can be forged, sending users to fake servers. DNSSEC adds cryptographic signatures so resolvers can verify DNS answers are genuine. Here's how.