Computer & office
Computer Fundamentals Study Book
The complete study notes, practice questions and glossary for Computer Fundamentals
Learning path
Hardware and networking technician
From the parts of a PC to a working office network.
- Who it is for
- Learners who want hands-on technical work
- Where it ends
- Assemble and repair computers, install Windows, set up and troubleshoot a small office network, and keep it secure.
- Stages
- 5 courses, in this order
About this path
A technician is trusted with other people’s machines and data, so this path builds from the inside out: the computer as a user sees it, the electronics inside it, keeping a PC running, then connecting many of them in a network and keeping that network safe.
The multimeter, soldering and cabling ebooks and the electronics calculators on this site go with the middle stages. Your centre gives the schedule for each course.
Your centre gives the schedule for each stage. This page does not quote durations or fees.
The stages, in order
Stage 1: Basic computer and the internet
A technician must know the machine as its user does: Windows, files, the browser and email.
After this stage you can
- Use the Windows desktop and File Explorer with confidence
- Save and share files with cloud storage
- Recognise phishing and online fraud
Course pageStudy book and practice test (student login)
Free ebooks for this stage
Computer & office
Windows, Internet and Email Study Book
The complete study notes, practice questions and glossary for Windows, Internet and Email
Stage 2: Basic electronics
What is inside the box, and how to measure it: circuits, components, the multimeter and safe soldering.
After this stage you can
- Read circuit symbols and diagrams and calculate with Ohm’s law
- Identify resistors, capacitors, diodes, LEDs and transistors
- Measure voltage, current and resistance with a multimeter, and solder safely
Course pageStudy book and practice test (student login)Ohm’s law calculatorResistor colour code
Free ebooks for this stage
Hardware & repair
Using a Digital Multimeter
Measure voltage, current, resistance and continuity safely
Hardware & repair
Soldering for Beginners
Make strong, clean solder joints on wires and circuit boards
Robotics
Electronic Components Handbook
Resistors, capacitors, LEDs, diodes, transistors and more, with how to use each
Stage 3: PC maintenance
Keeping computers running: assembly, BIOS, Windows and drivers, fault finding and prevention.
After this stage you can
- Assemble a PC safely and set up BIOS/UEFI and the boot order
- Install Windows and drivers and troubleshoot step by step
- Prevent faults with cleaning, airflow, a UPS, updates, antivirus and backups
Course pageStudy book and practice test (student login)
Free ebooks for this stage
Hardware & repair
Installing Windows and Fixing Common Problems
Install, update and repair Windows 10 and 11
Hardware & repair
Printers and Scanners
Install, share, maintain and troubleshoot printers and scanners
Stage 4: Hardware and networking
Connecting computers: devices, cables, IP addresses, DNS and DHCP, and troubleshooting a connection.
After this stage you can
- Choose network devices, cables and connectors for a small office
- Work out IPv4 addresses and subnet masks
- Troubleshoot a connection with ping and ipconfig
Course pageStudy book and practice test (student login)Career guide: hardware and networking technician
Free ebooks for this stage
Hardware & repair
Computer Networking Study Book
The complete study notes, practice questions and glossary for Computer Networking
Hardware & repair
Computer Hardware and Maintenance Study Book
The complete study notes, practice questions and glossary for Computer Hardware and Maintenance
Stage 5: Web development, networking, databases and IT security (class 10 pass)
The wider picture: the OSI and TCP/IP models, databases, web pages and IT security.
After this stage you can
- Know network devices, Wi-Fi and the OSI and TCP/IP models
- Protect accounts with strong passwords and two-factor authentication
- Create MySQL tables and write basic queries
Course pageStudy book and practice test (student login)Career guide: cyber security
Free ebooks for this stage
Programming
Cyber Security Basics Study Book
The complete study notes, practice questions and glossary for Cyber Security Basics
Programming
Databases and SQL Study Book
The complete study notes, practice questions and glossary for Databases and SQL
Programming
HTML and CSS Study Book
The complete study notes, practice questions and glossary for HTML and CSS
Ready to start?
Tell the head office where you are now and they will suggest the first stage and the nearest centre.