Several lessons ahead reference checking network settings, running processes, and files from the command line rather than clicking through menus — it's faster, more precise, and is how real troubleshooting and security work actually gets done. This lesson is a first, practical introduction for anyone who has never opened one before.
Press Win, type powershell, and press Enter. This course uses PowerShell (the modern default on Windows 10/11) rather than the older Command Prompt — the commands below work in both, with PowerShell adding a few extra security-relevant ones.
# Show the current folder
Get-Location
# List files and folders here
Get-ChildItem
# Move into a folder
Cd Downloads
# Go back up one level
Cd ..Get-ChildItem is commonly shortened to its alias dir or ls — both work identically in PowerShell.
# Show this computer's IP address, gateway, and DNS servers
ipconfig /all
# Test whether a host is reachable
ping google.com
# List active network connections — useful for spotting
# a connection to somewhere unexpected
Get-NetTCPConnection -State Establishedipconfig /all is worth knowing on its own — it's the fastest way to confirm which Wi-Fi network a device is actually connected to, which matters directly in the Wi-Fi and VPN lesson ahead.
# List every running process
Get-Process
# Find one specific process by name
Get-Process -Name chrome
# End a process that's stuck or shouldn't be running
Stop-Process -Name notepadKnow before you stop
Ending an unfamiliar process with Stop-Process without knowing what it is can crash other programs or the system. Look up an unrecognized process name before killing it — this command is for processes already identified as safe to close.
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
| Get-Location / cd | Show or change the current folder |
| Get-ChildItem / dir | List files and folders |
| ipconfig /all | Show network configuration — IP, gateway, DNS |
| ping | Test whether a host responds |
| Get-Process | List running processes |
| Stop-Process -Name | End a running process |
| Get-NetTCPConnection | List active network connections |
| Clear-History | Clear this session's command history |