Customer Reviews

How Networks Work

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Bleary eyed geeks cramming for their MCSE or CNE exams needn't bother with this text. However, people who are new to networks and in need of a context in which to place the many parts of networks will find that this book fills the bill. I especially appreciate the history of communications which allows the reader to see that contemporary networks didn't spring to life with the WWW but are part of a long, sophisticated, evolutionary process. Any professor of education will tell you that learning is facilitated by cultural literacy (see E.D. Hirsch) which is just what Derfler and Freed have created.

I borrowed this book from a friend and decided it's so clear and essential, I had to buy my own copy. I agree that it's for a total beginner (like me), so I teamed it with a $40 book called Understanding the Network: A Practical Guide to Internetworking (Networking) by Michael J. Martin. Now I have both the overview and as much depth as I can handle.

I have read this book and recommended it to many people that are interested in an overview of networking. Reading some of the other reviews, I agree that this book is an effort to take something complex and make it understandable. This book accomplishes that and is not condescending about it. Other reviews that complain about missing a few details, well that is ok in an entry level book ( my first algebra book didn't cover any calculus). Buy this book to get started and when you decide to get more into networking, dive in deeper.

For those seeking to expand their basic knowledge of networks, I was impressed with the graphics, illustrations, and technical descriptions. For what "holes" you may have in understanding network basics, this is a good one to gain an overview. Other Que books published have also been winners: "How PC's Work" and "How the Internet Works".

Buying this book was the smarted business investment I have ever made. If you are a business person needing to understand your technical team's conversation about your computer network, then this book is for you!

It allowed me to be able to understand networking problems and opportunities that affect my business. Before I read this book, I was not able to intelligently make purchase decisions about technical equipment or services that my IT department would recommend.

Since reading this book, I can now hide the fact that I am not the sharpest tool in the shed when it comes to technology. ;-)

This book uses lots of graphics which makes it easy and fun to tackle such an important subject. Learning about the history of the industry is also another positive aspects of the book. At the end of the book you find yourself familiar with lots of materials which is quite useful to get into advanced phase of learning about networks.

I have read 2 other beginner-networking books and the advantage this book has over others are its language-simplicity plain-English, and attractive colorful illustrations.

I really hooked-up with this book that I finished reading it cover to cover, 2 times, in 3 days.

Even so, this book provide only basic and rough idea. But is sufficient for anybody who just want to get to know what networking is all about.

I'm looking forward to the collections of Frank J Derfler, Jr's articles in PC Magazine. (Is it already available?)

Lots of good basic information and concepts. Excellent colored pictures and diagrams to supplement the information. We are using this book and "How Wireless Works" in our classroom and getting good feedback from the students.

The Internet is a special kind of computer network, though by now the most important. But have you ever puzzled at the innards of it or any other network? The problem is that most explanatory texts are aimed at the computer professional. And indeed, often for someone planning to specialise in writing applications to run on that network.

Derfler and Freed write for a different and far broader audience. They do not assume that you are a professional programmer, or plan to become one. So the jargon is not as impenetratable as in other texts. Plus, a distinguishing feature of this book is the skillful and generous use of diagrams, to illustrate ideas in the text. Takes a lot of the abstraction out of the problem of learning the material.

Furthermore, this edition contains explanations of 2 very hot topics. Voice over IP, which gives the potential of cheap (free?) phone calls. And peer-to-peer networks. For the latter, two cases are covered - with a central server, and without. Refreshingly, the example usages are not of copying music or video. To show that, yes, there are good usages of p2p networks.

This book, "How Networks Work" is a basic overview of how a typical computer networking apparatus functions. As everything goes online these days, computer networking has truly become a way of life. And, there are fewer better ways to get initiated than acquiring and dissecting (the contents of) this well-written book.
Beginners are its primary audience. Hence, it is understandable that advanced learners are often pissed-off by its rather elementary lacklustre approach to relatively complex issues. Still, this seventh edition did a good job in explaining how high-speed networks are revolutionizing businesses and entertainments.
Using easy-to-follow presentations and narrations, the author of "How Networks Work" unmasked the mysteries shrouding both client and server hardwares. The same treatment applies to network operating systems, LANs and WANs, as well as DSL and ISDN connections. It also dealt with all the basics of business/enterprise network requirements and maintainance: including broadband, routers, integration, encryption, and security concerns.
In a nutshell, this book parades all the essential ingredients, which any newbie would need in order to gain solid foundation in computer networking and security.