The Linux TCP/IP Stack: Networking for Embedded Systems (Networking Series) [Paperback]

Thomas Herbert (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1584502843 | ISBN-13: 978-1584502845 | Publication Date: May 2004 | Edition: 1

The Linux TCP/IP Stack: Networking for Embedded Systems provides an in-depth guide to implementing and using the Linux TCP/IP stack in embedded systems projects. It begins with a general overview of TCP/IP networking, with background information on applicable networking standards. From there, it details the TCP/IP implementation in Linux 2.6 by following a packet of data as it flows through the stack from the sending system, out the wire, and back through the input side of the stack in the receiving machine. This unique approach gives programmers an "inside" look at the entire process. Throughout the text, topics of particular interest to engineers implementing embedded systems are discussed, such as sockets, network interfaces, application layer protocols, and practical considerations. This is a great resource for embedded systems programmers and engineers, as well as networking professionals interested in learning more about the implementation of Linux TCP/IP in the 2.6 kernel.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Thomas F. Herbert (Richmond, VA) is Vice President of Technology and Managing Partner of Infosecure Systems and Solutions, LLC. Infosecure Systems and Solutions is a company specializing in open source solutions for IT and embedded technology throughout the Americas. He has over 15 years of experience as an embedded engineer and has worked on many aspects of both open and embedded systems. He has written for Embedded Systems Programming and given numerous presentations at the Embedded Systems Conference.

Product Details

• Paperback: 600 pages
• Publisher: Charles River Media; 1 edition (May 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1584502843
• ISBN-13: 978-1584502845
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.3 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,138,999 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars very detailed under the hood type of book, July 26, 2004

By 

Dave Mclain (Fairfax, VA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Linux TCP/IP Stack: Networking for Embedded Systems (Networking Series) (Paperback)

Mr. Herbert has disected the LINUX TCP/IP stack using the source code. In this book he presents what he has discovered. The book goes through a lot of the source code and has good explanations of what it does. It is better than a lot of LINUX books where only the source code is listed with few explanations. The book also discusses the RFC's and how they are implemented in the stack. The source code for the LINUX TCP/IP stack is fairly large. The book does not cover all of it, but it does cover the main paths packets take through the stack. Having read the book, I found it easier to read the LINUX TCP/IP source code myself.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars detailed but not easy to read and follow, October 11, 2004

By 

H. Wang (Santa Clara, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Linux TCP/IP Stack: Networking for Embedded Systems (Networking Series) (Paperback)

I have not finished reading the whole book yet so the review is based on the first a hundred pages I read.

The author apparently has plenty of knowledge about networking and Linux and his description about networking code in Linux (like device drivers in first part of the book) is generally very detailed. It covers almost all Linux tcp/ip related design and implementation so the book is good enough to give you an overall picture of what the book claims to do: tcp/ip stack and how it is implemented in Linux.

But the main issue with the book is that it is not easy to read and follow. When the author throw out some new concept/variable/function/usage/etc., he not necessary gives enough explanation on them. Sometimes there is no explanation at all. This makes you have more questions when you read on. Eventually these more questions overwhelm you and make you stop and start thinking how/why all these things work. I really like the writing style of two other books in Linux: Robert Love's Linux Kernel Development and Rubini/Corbet's Linux Device Drivers. Any new topic/concept/variable is accompanied with notes/explanations/usage on how/why such is such. This difference makes this one a 4-star, instead of 5-star.

By all means, read the above two books (and maybe other books on Linux kernels) before reading this one. Read this one when you feel you are comfortable with device driver, kernel development
and tcp/ip protocol. Otherwise you make feel disappointed or confused.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent book and covers the 2.6 kernel, June 13, 2005

By 

Shadi T. Khasawneh - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Linux TCP/IP Stack: Networking for Embedded Systems (Networking Series) (Paperback)

This is an excellent book which explains everything related to the TCP/IP Linux implementation in the 2.6 kernel. There are other excellent Linux networking books, but this is the best one in terms of the details for the TCP/IP implementation.

It explains in detail Network devices, drivers, UDP, TCP, IP and IPv6. And it shows in detail all the steps a packet goes through when moving from the application layer to the socket layer, then through the transport layer (TCP or UDP), Network Layer (IP) and Data Link Layer and finally to the physical layer. Then it shows the details of the flow of the packet at the receiving side.