🎯 Learning Intention

I will practice configuring router settings for IP addressing, DHCP, and gateway to build a functional wired home lab network.

✅ Success Criteria

• [ ] I can configure a router with a private IP range and default gateway
• [ ] I can set up a DHCP scope to automatically assign IPs
• [ ] I can test connectivity to confirm the network works

🌍 Why this matters

Certifications (CCNA, Net+, CCST) and real-world IT jobs require you to configure routers confidently. By setting up your own home lab, you’ll understand how networks assign and manage IP addresses, and how traffic flows through the gateway.

🔓 Warm-Up (Tech Journal • 5 min)

Prompt: When would you want to assign a device a static IP address instead of letting DHCP handle it?

📚 Vocabulary

• Static IP — a fixed IP address manually assigned to a device
• Dynamic IP — an IP assigned automatically by DHCP
• DHCP Scope — the range of IPs the router can hand out
• Default Gateway — the router’s IP where traffic leaves the local network
• Ping Test — a command that checks network connectivity

🧭 Agenda (45–50 min)