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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
It's a Start..., December 21, 2004
This review is from: Wireless Networks First-Step (Paperback)
I was recently tasked with creating a wireless network in our test lab. I managed to stumble through and ended up creating a very secure wireless network. However, throughout the process, I kept finding myself wishing I had more information on the technology. Not knowing the vocabulary made the process harder than necessary and I ended up with a lot of "what" and "why" questions that needed to be answered. Wireless networking is a growing market, and Cisco even recently added Enterprise Wireless Mobility to their new CCIE blueprint, so I figured I had better get it into my repertoire pronto. To begin filling in those gaps, I picked up Wireless Networks First-Step (ISBN 1-58720-111-9) from Cisco Press.
The book itself is a bit light, at only 200 pages, and is divided into 8 short chapters. The author, Jim Geier, attempts to introduce the material without getting overly technical. He doesn't make this a riveting read, by any stretch, and will probably lose most CIO types by the middle of the second chapter. The book claims to be for everyone interested in wireless networking, but I don't see it working for anyone above the "manager of engineers" level. This is primarily due to the presence of the unavoidable chapter on radio frequencies and modulation. I found it very interesting, but I know that the average non-technical manager is going to glaze right over and shut down. The chapters on the individual technologies (PAN, LAN, MAN, WAN) are interesting. I'd like to have seen a lot more material on Wireless LANs, since that is the area most engineers are going to actually deal with in their own networks. The final chapter, covering wireless security, is probably the best in the entire book. It answered many of the questions I had about the various security protocols I was implementing. For instance, I knew WEP was weak, but didn't know why precisely. The security chapter really brought the reasoning home.
My overall feeling on this book is that it is a little light to be list priced at $29.95. The sister books in the series are all around 400 pages for this price. Maybe the newness of the technology makes this book so light, or perhaps the mission can be accomplished in 200 pages, but you shouldn't charge the same for half the material. I felt that the author offered all the necessary information about wireless technologies, but virtually none about the actual implementation of those technologies. Perhaps that is where the other 200 pages went. I also would have like to have seen more references to other sources of information on these wireless technologies. The aim of these first-step books should be to whet your appetite for more, and this book doesn't really do that.
I give this book a score of 3 pings on my 5 ping rating scale. I'd give it 4 if it was $19.95.
!.!.!
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Good First Step to Wireless Networks, December 20, 2004
This review is from: Wireless Networks First-Step (Paperback)
Wireless Networks First-Step
(Your first step into the world of wireless networks)
Reviewer Name: Steve Owen Scheiderer, Network Administrator
Reviewer Certification: MCSE NT 4.0, CCNA
ISBN: 1-58720-111-9
Even though this book is smaller than other First-Step books I've reviewed, it is "big" in the insights it provides the reader. As the saying goes: "Dynamite comes in small packages." This book by Jim Geier will assist the reader in understanding the underlying technology, compatibility and security issues associated with wireless networks.
While it may be tempting to view wireless networks as a simple solution to pulling cable, Geier takes the reader through the somewhat complex considerations for a successful wireless implementation. Whether wireless PANs, LANs, MANs or WANs (Chapters Four through Seven) are needed for a productive business each category has unique variables to consider and this book treats each in turn. An overarching theme in most chapters is security and the book ends with a strong chapter (Eight) on this crucial subject. (Couple this with Network Security First-Step by Tom Thomas and one has an even bigger charge of dynamite.)
The intermediate or advanced reader may find the "Wireless Network Applications" and "Benefits" sections of Chapter One to be too long, detailed and somewhat redundant. What would have been helpful to the beginning reader is more emphasis on network security up front. Chapter Two not only explains "How Wireless Works" but also gives good practical advice on various levels - especially compatibility issues. (See ISA, p. 35, Mini-PCI, p. 36, 10Base-T, p. 47, and Optical Fiber, p. 48 to mention a few examples.)
After the quick-read of Chapter One, the reader will have to slow down the pace to absorb technical details of Chapters Two and Three. I found myself sketching out some of the discussion to better visualize how everything fits together. As with most technical books the "alphabet soup" of terms can get a bit overwhelming. A couple of terms I could not find definitions for in the text, glossary or index. (It would have been nice to know where a strange term like "bluetooth" comes from as this information would make one seem really smart at parties.)
Because Geier's years of experience and practical suggestions shine throught the book, I would definitely read other titles by this author and his team of technical editors. I give Wireless Networks First-Step a 4.5 rating on a scale of 1 to 5. An on-line errata page would greatly assist the reader in filling in some of gaps, typos, etc. missed by the author and editors.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An overview of wireless networking, along with details of applicable standards and technologies, July 5, 2005
This review is from: Wireless Networks First-Step (Paperback)
As a basic introduction to wireless networking, Wireless Networks First-Step assumes that readers have no previous wireless experience. Wireless network expert Jim Geier provides an overview of wireless networking, along with details of applicable standards and technologies. Newcomers to wireless technologies will find practical information along with an abundance of examples. Case studies throughout the chapters provide *real world* implementation examples, presented in a nontechnical fashion. Implementation details are discussed only to the extent that readers can identify what type of wireless network may be appropriate for their needs. An *especially* *recommended* instructional "how to" manual for the novice, Wireless Networks First-Step would make a welcome and appreciated addition to *high school* computer class reference collections and community library resources for non-specialist general readers wanting to understand the new wireless technologies.
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