Networking, 2nd Edition

Nov. 19, 2008

By Jeffrey S. Beasley

I usually do not review textbooks but this one grabbed my attention. It is a generic college textbook on all aspects of networking. Many of you are like me in that you didn’t actually learn networking basics in college. Yet, everything today is networked in some way. If you do not know the essence and fundamentals of networking at this point, you’re doomed to be in the dark.

My networking knowledge is essentially self-acquired through books and some actual experience. Some of the books I have used over the years were difficult to read and obfuscated the material rather than clearly elucidating it. Others were incomplete or just outdated. The book I am recommending here stands out because it is very clear and complete. If you are trying to understand some aspect of networking as part of the job, this book makes a good starting point. I just got it and have used it several times to look up a particular topic. It’s a great “back to basics” source.

Like most textbooks, it’s a behemoth at 700 pages. And I certainly cannot do justice to it in this short review, but I can list the chapters for you so you can get an idea of the content. There are 16 chapters overall.

Chapter 1: Introduction to Computer Networks
Chapter 2: Physical Layer Cabling: Twisted Pair
Chapter 3: Computer Fundamentals
Chapter 4: Interconnection the LANs
Chapter 5: TCP/IP
Chapter 6: Introduction to Router Configuration
Chapter 7: Routing Protocols
Chapter 8: Wide Area Networking
Chapter 9: Configuring and Managing the Campus Network
Chapter 10: Network Security
Chapter 11: Wireless Networking
Chapter 12: Optical Networking
Chapter 13: Voice over IP (VoIP)
Chapter 14: Network Server
Chapter 15: Linux Networking
Chatper 16: Industrial Networks

Networking, 2^nd Edition has a great glossary which as most of you working in networking know is essential to survival in this acronym hell of networking. The book is right up to date, which is no easy task. The author is a professor at New Mexico State University. If you need a good general networking text on your shelf, this is a good one.