Are you nurturing the idea of becoming a network engineer or administrator? Then, this blog post on free online networking courses with certificates was put together to give you extreme guidance.
This article has been curated to help you become the “the man at the back scene” of all the computers in your organization. It contains topics like IP address, Network topology, IoT, devices, etc.
Upon successful completion of these online courses, certificates are awarded to merited students. There are other free computer courses you can take too to enhance your knowledge as a network engineer.
The increase in the use of computers virtually in all industries gave rise to the high demand for skilled computer network engineers and administrators. Subsequently, engineering schools receive a high rate of application to admit students that want to become professional computer network engineers. In the same vein, gaining the skills of a cyber security expert will equip you with the skill to protect system securities.
Being a computer network engineer means you can work in many specialties like network design and planning, network security, network administration, network virtualization, etc.
We still have good recommendations on where computer science can be taught abroad as a full course, just in case you don’t want to use the free online courses.
In this post, we will be looking at free online networking courses with certificates and all it takes to become a computer network engineer. Let’s get started!
What Is Computer Networking?
Computer networking according to Wikipedia refers to a set of computers sharing resources located on or provided by network nodes. It is the branch of the computer that deals with the interlinking of one or more computing devices to share access and data.
These computers make use of common communication protocols over digital interconnections to communicate with each other i.e., it establishes communication using cables or wireless media.
Benefits Of Free Online Networking Courses?
There are a thousand and one benefits of free online networking courses. Below are some of them highlighted.
- It helps in continuing education. Given the rise in computer usage across all industries, the need for computer network engineers is on the increase. In a case where you are not yet trained as a computer network engineer, you can opt-in for free online networking courses with certificates to acquire the necessary skills.
- It helps in keeping you updated both in the development of new methods of doing things related to the networking industry and also to advance further in some experiences.
- It creates a room where you can obtain free certifications in networking courses with just your smart devices like laptops and phones, good internet connection, and zeal for learning.
- It places you on a higher pedestal when looking for a job especially when you have enrolled and finished quite a number of free online networking courses with certificates.
- It helps in the affordability of the courses as the cost of taking a professional networking course is not a child’s play.
- It provides room for flexibility- when and where you want to take the course. It could be from your home, workplace, etc.
- The training materials can be re-used at any time.
Requirements To Take Computer Networking Courses Online?
There are no special requirements for studying networking courses with certificates online except having a zeal/ interest for computer networks. Possessing a smart device like a phone, tablet, or laptop which can connect to the internet is also very important. Finally, get started by signing up for the courses.
Free Online Networking Courses With Certificates
We have taken a ride on what a computer network is, including its specializations and requirements to take them. Now let’s look at the list of free online networking courses with certificates. Follow closely as I list and explain them.
- Introduction To Networking
- Computer Networking
- Cyber-Physical System Design And Analysis
- Managing Microsoft Windows Server Active Directory Domain Services
- Introduction To ONAP: Complete Network Automation
- Networked Control Systems With Arduino: An Introduction To Technology, Programming, And Robotics.
- IoT Networks And Protocols
- Introduction To Software-Defined Networking
- IoT Networking And Fog Layer Devices
- Network Performance And Optimization
- Understanding CIDR Notation
1. Introduction To Networking
Introduction To Networking is one of the free online networking courses with certificates designed to give you a head start in networking.
It covers an overview of computer networking, application layer, transport layer, network layer, link layer, and overview of network security.
Tutors: Rafail Portnoy and Aspen Olmsted
Language: English
Duration: 7 weeks long, 3 -5 hours a week
Start Date: Self-Paced
Platform: New York University Via edX
Interested applicants can enroll through the link below
2. Computer Networking
Computer networking is also one of the free online networking courses with certificates that teach advanced topics in computer networking such as software-defined networking (SDN), data center networking, and content distribution.
The course also explores the implementation, design principles, and goals of a computer network, resource control, congestion control and traffic shaping, operations, and management of computer networks encompassing SDN (Software Defined Networks), traffic engineering, and network security, etc.
Tutor: Nick Feamster
Language: English
Duration: 12 weeks long
Start Date: Self-Paced
Platform: Georgia Institute Of Technology Via Udacity
Interested applicants can enroll through the link below
3. Cyber-Physical System Design And Analysis
Cyber-Physical system design and analysis is among the free online networking courses with certificates designed to introduce you to the principles, tools, models, and processes essential to cyber-physical system development, such as model-based development methods.
It also explores the basis of feedback for task scheduling, modern verification and validation techniques, and their integration into today’s industrial development processes.
The syllabus covers CPS design, CPS environment, and CPS engineering.
Tutors: Pablo Afman, Jerome Hughes, Bruce Lewis, and Eric Feron
Language: English
Duration: 16 weeks long
Start Date: Self-Paced
Platform: Georgia Institute Of Technology Via Udacity
Interested applicants can enroll through the link below
4. Managing Microsoft Windows Server Active Directory Domain Services
Managing Microsoft windows server active directory domain services is also one of the free online networking courses with certificates that equips you with in-depth knowledge on how windows server administration must be able to implement active directory domain services (AD DS).
The course through videos, discussions, hands-on labs, and assessment, explores a secure and scalable AD DS infrastructure for windows server users and resources.
Tutors: Cynthia Staley and Brian Svidergol
Language: English
Duration: 10 weeks long
Start Date: Self-Paced
Platform: Microsoft Via edX
Interested applicants can enroll through the link below
5. Introduction To ONAP: Complete Network Automation
Introduction to ONAP: Complete Network Automation is among the free online networking courses with certificates designed to provide the basics of network function virtualization (NFV), and also introduce the Linux foundation ONAP project.
The course also explores the challenges ONAP solves and an overview of the PNAP project’s architecture, subprojects, and demos.
The course is for those who need a high-level understanding and business perspective of the ONAP project and also for vendors who wish to determine how to position or sell their products into the ONAP ecosystem.
Tutor: Amar Kapadia
Language: English
Duration: 14 weeks long, 1- 2 hours a week
Start Date: Self-Paced
Platform: Linux Foundation Via edX
Interested applicants can enroll through the link below
6. Networked Control Systems With Arduino: An Introduction To Technology, Programming, And Robotics.
Networked Control Systems With Arduino: An Introduction To Technology, Programming, And Robotics is one of the free online networking courses with certificates that equips you with the knowledge of designing and implementing control systems using Arduino devices.
It also explores the technique to connect to the global internet, the constructed control systems, and global data sharing.
The syllabus covers; the presentation, limited-resource devices: Arduino, sensors, actuators and initial control systems, communication ports and protocols, networked control systems, location and storage, data representation and new technologies, and the final project.
Tutors: Alvaro Sanchez picot, Diego Martin De Andres, and Borja Bordel Sanchez
Language: English
Duration: 6 weeks long, 6 hours a week
Start Date: Self-Paced
Platform: Universidad Politecnica De Madrid Via Miriadax
Interested applicants can enroll through the link below
7. IoT Networks And Protocols
IoT networks and protocols is also one of the free online networking courses with certificates designed to teach you how the internet of things (IoT) works including whether the connection and processing are local (fog) or remote (cloud)
The course explores data networks, connection types, layer models, and analyzes IoT protocols and standards. It also contains how to evaluate different infrastructure components and network systems, and how to go about designing a basic network for your own IoT ideas.
Tutors: Lain Murray AM and Nazanin Mohammadi
Language: English
Duration: 5 weeks long, 4 – 6 hours a week
Start Date: Self-Paced
Platform: Curtin University Via edX
Interested applicants can enroll through the link below
8. Introduction To Software-Defined Networking
Introduction to software-defined networking is one of the free online networking courses with certificates that equip you with the know-how on software-defined networking for IoT applications. It contains a practical approach for a better understanding of virtualization, programmability in SDN, and REST API.
The course also explores the core issues relevant to traditional networking and discovers how SDN can address issues such as network management, resource utilization, security, and privacy.
Tutors: Lain Murray AM, Himanshu Agrawal, and Nazanin Mohammadi
Language: English
Duration: 6 weeks long, 4 – 5 hours a week
Start Date: Self-Paced
Platform: Curtin University Via edX
Interested applicants can enroll through the link below
9. IoT Networking And Fog Layer Devices
IoT networking and fog layer devices is among the free online networking courses designed to give an in-depth understanding of the advanced part of networking. It contains networking layer protocols and selected application-level protocols including an in-depth presentation of the MQTT and CoAP protocols.
The course also explores important facts on other popular networking protocols like Bluetooth, BLE, TCP/IP, UDP, HTTP, and their relation and usability in the IoT world. It explains the Raspberry Pi platform as an example of the fog computing device, including a short course on python programming for Raspberry Pi under Raspbian OS and C programming for Raspberry Pi under windows 10 core IoT OS.
Tutors: Krzysztof Tokarz and Piotr Czekalski
Language: English
Duration: 4 weeks long, 4 – 5 hours a week
Start Date: Self-Paced
Platform: ITMO University Via edX
Interested applicants can enroll through the link below
10. Network Performance And Optimization
Network performance and optimization is one of the free online networking courses which aims at equipping you with mastery of GCP networking skills. It is composed of labs that cover real-life use cases and it will teach you best practices for overcoming common networking bottlenecks.
The course explores hands-on practices with testing and improving network performances, integrating high-throughput VPNs and networking tiers, network performance, and optimization.
The course syllabus covers network performance testing, improving network performance I, improving network performance II, building a high throughput PN, cloud CDN, network tiers- optimizing network spend, VPC flow logs- analyzing network traffic, etc.
Language: English
Duration: 7 hours worth of materials
Start Date: Self-Paced
Platform: Google via Qwiklabs
Interested applicants can enroll through the link below
11. Understanding CIDR Notation
Understanding CIDR Notation is one of the free online networking courses with certificates that aims at giving you an in-depth understanding of how to declare a range of IP addresses as your CIDR block, and how to divide that range to provide IP address access to your subnets.
Language: English
Duration: 2 – 3 hours worth of material
Start Date: Self-Paced
Platform: Amazon Web Services and Amazon Via AWS Skill Builder
Interested applicants can enroll through the link below
Free Online Networking Courses With Certificates-FAQs
This section talks about the frequently asked questions about Free online networking courses with certificates. Below are some of them that have been highlighted and answered.
Where Can I Learn Computer Networks For Free?
You can learn computer networks freely from various sites offering free online computer networking courses just as we have listed for you above.
Which Networking Course Is Best For The Future?
Well, all the network courses have something to add to the computer network engineer who took the course, however, a selection can be made from the ones we listed above as they are among the best courses.
How Much Do Computer Engineers Earn?
Computer engineers earn an average salary of $52, 123 annually and a $6,500 cash bonus in the United States.