New to networking? This practical working session is designed for higher-education AV teams with little to no IP background. In plain language–and with live demos–you’ll learn the essentials needed to deploy and support AV on campus networks. We’ll unpack the basics (IP addressing, switching vs. routing, VLANs, QoS, multicast), get familiar with common hardware (managed switches, SFP/fiber vs. copper, PoE/PoE++), and walk through a step-by-step configuration of an AV-ready switch profile. You’ll practice verifying links, powering endpoints, segmenting traffic, enabling IGMP snooping/querier, and validating streams. Attendees leave with a pocket glossary, setup checklist, and a simple escalation script for working with central IT. 

Learning Objectives: 
Explain fundamental networking concepts (IP/subnet, gateway, DNS, VLAN, QoS, multicast) in AV terms. 
Identify the right hardware and interfaces for AV use cases (managed switches, PoE/PoE++, SFP/fiber types, link speeds). 
Configure a basic AV-ready switch profile (management access, VLANs, trunk/access ports, PoE budgets) using an admin GUI. 
Enable and verify multicast controls (IGMP snooping/querier) and apply QoS to prioritize media, control, and management traffic. 
Validate an end-to-end AV flow using simple tools (link lights, port status, ping, IGMP reports) and a commissioning checklist. 
Document standards for labeling, port maps, and change notes; outline when and how to escalate issues to campus IT. 

Learning Objectives: 

Explain fundamental networking concepts (IP/subnet, gateway, DNS, VLAN, QoS, multicast) in AV terms. 

Identify the right hardware and interfaces for AV use cases (managed switches, PoE/PoE++, SFP/fiber types, link speeds). 

Configure a basic AV-ready switch profile (management access, VLANs, trunk/access ports, PoE budgets) using an admin GUI. 

Enable and verify multicast controls (IGMP snooping/querier) and apply QoS to prioritize media, control, and management traffic. 

Validate an end-to-end AV flow using simple tools (link lights, port status, ping, IGMP reports) and a commissioning checklist. 

Document standards for labeling, port maps, and change notes; outline when and how to escalate issues to campus IT.