Audience: These lessons are targeted to individuals with some large system or PC/LAN experience that wish to learn more about telecommunications. Professional telecommunications personnel may notice that some liberties have been taken in early lessons in the interest of simplicity.

Use: These lessons are provided free of charge, but are not public domain. Each lesson represents an investment of time and effort upon my part. All items are covered by the copyright laws of the United States of America.

History: This project originally started in an effort to provide new employees with worthwhile training, as corporate managers are often reluctant to send people for organized training. Most people are familiar with the excuse that if the company pays to train someone, they would take the knowledge, and get a better job. This shifts the burden of training new hires to co-workers, thus dropping productivity. Either way, the company suffers.
As the person entrusted with many 'on the job' training efforts, it occurred to me that rather than having to teach everyone from the ground-up, that there might be some good training material on the Internet. I was disappointed to find that most of the hits the search engines dumped were commercial in nature, so I decided to create these documents. I hope you find them helpful.
Admittedly, you may find an advertisement at the bottom of the page. Such is the cost of providing meaningful, free, content on the Internet.

Lesson 102: This lesson introduces the devices that connect computer equipment to communications lines. It covers the evolution of equipment (modem, CSU, DSU) and the terms used to refer to communications services and providers (leased-line, switched, teleco).

Lesson 103: This lesson discusses the interconnection of equipment common a mainframe based data networks. It covers the evolution and utilization of front-end processors and terminal controllers.

Lesson 104: Coming Soon!
This lesson discusses the interconnection of equipment common to LAN-WAN data networks. It covers local interconnect hardware (hubs, MAUs) and equipment for integrating and extending LANs (bridges, routers).

Lesson 105: Coming Soon!
This lesson introduces the basics of a private voice network. It covers use of the PBX (stations, DNs, DID/non-DID), connection to the public network (COT, FX, Megacom), and the lines that network PBXs (trunks, OPX, tie).

Lesson 202: Coming Soon!
This lesson covers the evolution of the multiplexer.

• Scan Technologies: Originally offered on US Datacomm's Homepage, these entertaining tutorials cover subjects such as ISDN, Frame Relay, ATM, and TCP/IP. I highly recommend these: they are the second best on the Web.
• South Hills Datacom: Dozens of well illustrated and to the point telecom lessons. Recommended reading includes Token Ring, Ethernet, ADSL Technology, and T1 Basics.
• CTC Communications: A bit drab for the net, this paper offers some insight into voice communications.
• PC Tune and Lube: For the someone serious about data-telecom, I recommend the Introduction to SNA tutorial.