Home Lab Guide for Learning Network Security in Canada

A good home lab does not need to be expensive or complicated. A single computer with virtualization and two VMs (Linux + Windows) is enough to learn packet capture, logging, DNS/TLS behavior, service troubleshooting, and basic segmentation concepts.

The goal of a beginner lab is repeatability, not scale. You should be able to reproduce a scenario, capture evidence, and explain what changed when you adjust a service, firewall rule, or network path.

Keep the lab isolated and clearly in scope. The lab exists to help you learn defensive skills safely and legally.

Start with protocol literacy and host logging: DNS lookups, HTTP/HTTPS requests, TLS handshake basics, Linux auth logs, and Windows event logs. These skills transfer directly into school, certifications, and entry-level cyber work in Canada.

Then add packet tools and network monitoring workflows: Wireshark/TShark, tcpdump, and later Zeek/Suricata if your hardware can support it. Learn the evidence sources before chasing advanced detections.

Use the site curriculum as your lab agenda. Treat each learning module as a mini lab plan and write notes in your own words after each exercise.

For every lab exercise, document the question, setup, commands, expected output, actual output, and what changed. This turns a home lab into a portfolio of evidence-based learning rather than random experimentation.

Save sanitized screenshots, short packet summaries, and log snippets from your own systems. These become strong interview artifacts because they show how you think and validate findings.

Focus on defensive outcomes: troubleshooting, monitoring, exposure validation, and incident-style triage notes.