Baseline Log

🌐 Networking in Windows (10/11)

  • TCP/IP stack → solid, IPv6 everywhere (though often unused in home labs).
  • Firewall → Windows Defender Firewall is on by default, with profiles (Domain, Private, Public). It can block tools until you allow them.
  • Discovery → SMB file sharing & network discovery are more locked down. You often need to enable “Turn on network discovery” in advanced sharing settings if you want old-school browsing.
  • Command line → classic tools (ping, tracert, netstat, arp) are still there, plus modern PowerShell cmdlets (Get-NetAdapter, Get-NetTCPConnection, Test-NetConnection).
  • Virtualization → Hyper-V lets you create virtual switches (internal, external, NAT) and build little lab topologies right on one laptop.
  • Security → Windows insists on password-protected sharing; guest/anonymous SMB is gone by default.

⚔️ For our Quest

Windows :

  • Map the network → ipconfig, arp -a, nmap.
  • Sniff traffic → Wireshark works perfectly here.
  • Spin up VMs → test NAT vs bridged networking.
  • Play with PowerShell → e.g. Test-NetConnection fred-pc -Port 3389 (port test).

  • Frodo

    • Wi-Fi: wlp3s0 → 192.168.11.185/24, default gateway 192.168.11.1

    • Ethernet: enp0s20u2u1 → 10.20.30.2/24, local only (no default route)

    • Actively on Camelot via Wi-Fi.

  • Fred

    • Ethernet: 192.168.11.248/24, same gateway 192.168.11.1

    • Same subnet as Frodo’s Wi-Fi → they can talk directly (ping success ✅).

  • Camelot

    • Gateway: 192.168.11.1 (bridging Wi-Fi + Ethernet).

networking