Cisco Networking Academy Program Fundamentals of Wireless LANs Companion Guide

Rating:
Summary: A Logical and Clear Wireless Guide
Review: The Cisco Network Academy Program book on Wireless Networking entitled "Fundamentals of Wireless LANs" published by Cisco Press is developed for a specific audience. Normally, any Cisco Press book is geared towards individuals in the network arenas; and while many of these books are even more specific in nature, and geared to a defined set of individuals, with this book they do not forget that there are generalists that are also involved in the particular network environment that this book covers. Most of the time, possessing sufficient general knowledge of networking and how items interoperate, you can understand the text's intentions and learn from it. A key ingredient in understanding this book is to realize that wireless networking is in of itself not specific to a platform or concept, but a globally desired resource.

An initial glance of the book was used to determine what the book had to offer and whether it was worth reading. This basic scan revealed that wireless technology and the deployment of this technology is not as simple as plugging in an access point and configuring your client card. The figures and tables provide excellent examples of the importance of the process and understanding needed to deploy a wireless environment. If you look at the back cover for an overview, you are only led to believe this book is designed to assist an individual in preparing for a certification from Cisco Systems as a wireless specialist, but this book contains so much more.

I believe that this book is a must have for any individual researching the wireless networking environment, how it interoperates, and is developed; or for anyone responsible for an already established network. Having personal knowledge of deploying a large scale WLAN environment in the past and supporting it on a global basis, I wish this book had been available two years ago when I had to plan, execute and train individual network engineers on the fundamentals of a wireless network. The concepts and skills needed by any individual to develop and support any wireless environment are different from those needed for a basic network; and thus, this book helps not only educate the individual but also explains the do's and don'ts, the why's and why not's, that matter in an Radio Frequency (RF) environment.

The book is divided into five (5) clear sections (Background, Equipment, Site Security and Preparation, Managing, and finally an Appendix), each dealing with specifics. While at times this book is clearly a Cisco product and designed towards the Cisco Aironet product line as best demonstrated in Part II where the book mentions specific parts and components of the Aironet products, it still provides the general principles for designing and establishing a WLAN network regardless of vendor. With each section new information clearly builds on prior information, but also is general enough to allow an individual to only use that section. For example, in Chapter 4 Wireless Topologies, the chapter builds on prior items like wireless radio technology of Chapter 3 and the background of Part I, yet it is still independent enough to provide an understanding of how to deploy a wireless environment.

This book does come with a supplemental CD that offers several components like demos and interactive labs, in addition to a practice exam to help you prepare for the actual Cisco exam. While the practice exam questions gave me a feel for the actual exam I found the rest of the CD of no additional benefit in supplementing what was covered within the book itself. What this book makes up for in specifics of itself, its' CD lacks several features that could make it better. Among these features are audio explanations of the examples and demos. Since Cisco Press used Macromedia™ for the interactive demos and labs, it would seem only logical to include audio in the demos. I found this item a bit disconcerting and it made my exploration of the demos a bit more difficult. Otherwise, the CD is well structured and an excellent help, especially in preparing for the certification itself.

Overall, even with the problems of the CD itself, I would highly recommend this book to any individual consider adding an understanding of the wireless environment or just looking for an excellent reference book on the subject. If they are only adding to their library for the understanding of wireless networking and the need to support it; even if they are not pursuing a Cisco certification in wireless this book is a clear must have.

Rating:
Summary: A Logical and Clear Wireless Guide
Review: The Cisco Network Academy Program book on Wireless Networking entitled "Fundamentals of Wireless LANs" published by Cisco Press is developed for a specific audience. Normally, any Cisco Press book is geared towards individuals in the network arenas; and while many of these books are even more specific in nature, and geared to a defined set of individuals, with this book they do not forget that there are generalists that are also involved in the particular network environment that this book covers. Most of the time, possessing sufficient general knowledge of networking and how items interoperate, you can understand the text's intentions and learn from it. A key ingredient in understanding this book is to realize that wireless networking is in of itself not specific to a platform or concept, but a globally desired resource.

An initial glance of the book was used to determine what the book had to offer and whether it was worth reading. This basic scan revealed that wireless technology and the deployment of this technology is not as simple as plugging in an access point and configuring your client card. The figures and tables provide excellent examples of the importance of the process and understanding needed to deploy a wireless environment. If you look at the back cover for an overview, you are only led to believe this book is designed to assist an individual in preparing for a certification from Cisco Systems as a wireless specialist, but this book contains so much more.

I believe that this book is a must have for any individual researching the wireless networking environment, how it interoperates, and is developed; or for anyone responsible for an already established network. Having personal knowledge of deploying a large scale WLAN environment in the past and supporting it on a global basis, I wish this book had been available two years ago when I had to plan, execute and train individual network engineers on the fundamentals of a wireless network. The concepts and skills needed by any individual to develop and support any wireless environment are different from those needed for a basic network; and thus, this book helps not only educate the individual but also explains the do's and don'ts, the why's and why not's, that matter in an Radio Frequency (RF) environment.

The book is divided into five (5) clear sections (Background, Equipment, Site Security and Preparation, Managing, and finally an Appendix), each dealing with specifics. While at times this book is clearly a Cisco product and designed towards the Cisco Aironet product line as best demonstrated in Part II where the book mentions specific parts and components of the Aironet products, it still provides the general principles for designing and establishing a WLAN network regardless of vendor. With each section new information clearly builds on prior information, but also is general enough to allow an individual to only use that section. For example, in Chapter 4 Wireless Topologies, the chapter builds on prior items like wireless radio technology of Chapter 3 and the background of Part I, yet it is still independent enough to provide an understanding of how to deploy a wireless environment.

This book does come with a supplemental CD that offers several components like demos and interactive labs, in addition to a practice exam to help you prepare for the actual Cisco exam. While the practice exam questions gave me a feel for the actual exam I found the rest of the CD of no additional benefit in supplementing what was covered within the book itself. What this book makes up for in specifics of itself, its' CD lacks several features that could make it better. Among these features are audio explanations of the examples and demos. Since Cisco Press used Macromedia™ for the interactive demos and labs, it would seem only logical to include audio in the demos. I found this item a bit disconcerting and it made my exploration of the demos a bit more difficult. Otherwise, the CD is well structured and an excellent help, especially in preparing for the certification itself.

Overall, even with the problems of the CD itself, I would highly recommend this book to any individual consider adding an understanding of the wireless environment or just looking for an excellent reference book on the subject. If they are only adding to their library for the understanding of wireless networking and the need to support it; even if they are not pursuing a Cisco certification in wireless this book is a clear must have.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent source for Wireless LANs config, troubleshooting
Review: This is a very comprehensive book meant for beginners, as well as experts in need of a practical guide for designing deploying and troubleshooting wireless LANs. The book has a very comprehensive explanation of various aspects of the wireless technologies. The first few chapters are very good source of information for those who are novices in this field. They emphasize the need for wireless LAN's, different components used in the deployment of a wireless LAN, and the various challenges in such a deployment. The next few chapters go into detail explanation of the wireless technology, the various components like access points, bridges, antenna etc, and also explain the various wireless topologies, the security challenges and the available options.

The book has a very practical approach towards teaching the topics. It explains the concepts with practical examples and references to real world situations. The last 2 chapters are a very good source of reference for those who are in process of deployment of a wireless LAN for their company or their SOHO.

Apart from this, the book also aids in preparing for the Cisco wireless LAN support specialist exam. The book is meant for all types of readers, from students to professionals and has a very organized structure, with each chapters focusing on the important concepts, components and functions of wireless LANs.

The companion CD-ROM with the book has some very useful articles and graphical demos, which supplement the book. The CD-ROM also has a good collection of questions meant to help in preparing for the Cisco Wireless LAN support specialist exam.

I would highly recommend the book for anyone who is either studying or working in the field of networking, and for people who are into wireless networking this is book is a must have....

The book has a very practical approach towards teaching the topics. It explains the concepts with practical examples and references to real world situations. The last 2 chapters are a very good source of reference for those who are in process of deployment of a wireless LAN for their company or their SOHO.

Apart from this, the book also aids in preparing for the Cisco wireless LAN support specialist exam. The book is meant for all types of readers, from students to professionals and has a very organized structure, with each chapters focusing on the important concepts, components and finctions of wireless LANs.

I would highly recommend the book for anyone who is either studying or working in the field of networking, and for people who are into wireless networking this is book is a must have....