TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP and VLANs: how to demonstrate your knowledge with a practical project

Technical acronyms on a CV become meaningful when you can explain something you built. A small isolated lab can demonstrate TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP and VLAN concepts without claiming business network administration experience.

1. Give the project a purpose

Imagine a fictional organisation with administration and training groups. Draw its devices, subnets and services. Use a suitable simulator or a virtual lab you control. Keep lab DHCP services separate from the real network.

2. Link concepts to evidence

Concept	Role	Evidence
TCP/IP	IP addressing and communication; TCP provides reliable stream transport between applications.	Address plan and explained tests.
DNS	Resolve a name to an address for a test service.	Explained query and response.
DHCP	Automatically supply client IP configuration.	Acquired lease and received settings.
VLAN	Logically separate broadcast domains.	Group diagram and expected communication tests.

3. Define expected results

Fictional example: VLAN 10 uses 192.168.10.0/24 and VLAN 20 uses 192.168.20.0/24. State which devices should communicate and which should remain separated. Inter-VLAN communication needs routing; restrictions depend on configured rules. A VLAN alone is not a complete security policy.

4. Document an error too

Introduce an incorrect DNS setting in the lab, then show the diagnosis and correction. Use an “expected / observed / explanation” table. If the simulator does not support a function, state the limitation rather than inventing a successful test.

5. Describe the work accurately

“Personal project: designed a simulated two-VLAN network, prepared an IP plan, tested DHCP and DNS, and documented results and limits. No production deployment.”

Only claim functions you actually implemented: a diagram alone does not prove configuration experience. Resources: Microsoft DHCP, Microsoft DNS and Cisco VLAN documentation.

Stock photograph used for illustration; it does not show a Kamerjob employer.

Cover and illustration: Pexels / Pexels.

Explore vacancies on Kamerjob and adapt your application to the duties and requirements of each employer.

The Kamerjob team