Rating: 
Summary: Essential knowledge for networking safety
Review: Networked computers are now what makes the world go round. Whether they represent money, programs, or notes to your mother, the bits that pass from machine to machine now manage a large percentage of the world economy. In industrial societies, the majority of the populations are able to connect to networks from their home and a small but significant percentage have networks inside their homes.
When operating an automobile, there are some basic principles that you should know about the vehicle. Knowing things like how to check the oil and coolant, put air in a tire, change a tire, and how to recognize problems such as a weak battery are critical to your safety on the road. Working with computers that are connected is very similar. In the world of viruses, worms, and concern for personal privacy, knowledge is the only way to be safe.
This book is the networking equivalent to a book I read many years ago, "Auto Mechanics for Everyone." It contains all of the basics of networking presented at a level that anyone can understand, although experienced computer people will find nothing of value in it. High quality color pictures are used to explain the concepts with captions of text sequentially numbered in the order they should be read.
The material is separated into seven parts:
*) Communicating by wire
*) Mixing computers and telephones
*) Local area networks (LANs)
*) Links between LANs
*) The Internet
*) Networks for online business
*) Intertainment
so the coverage is fairly thorough in breadth.
The world of cyberspace is growing more dangerous every day, with malicious code and the creeps behind it lurking everywhere. One of the most effective ways of fighting back is to learn the basics of networking, and you can learn all of the fundamentals from this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing
Review: After reading the reviews on Amazon, i went ahead and bought this book. This book's simplicity is misleading- the author' explanations are neither well thought out or well-written, concepts & basics remain unclear. The illustrations are a fright! Dark colors & unneccesary complexity amplifies the illegibility. I wouldve given it no stars at all, but, that' not an option.
It's sad that certain Certifications prescribe this as an essential textbook. I hope there are better, basic books out there which explain network fundamentals. Note for beginners, if you have had no experience with networking, this is not a book for you. Internet searches/sources will explain the basics much better than this publication.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: After reading the reviews on Amazon, i went ahead and bought this book. This book's simplicity is misleading- the author' explanations are neither well thought out or well-written, concepts & basics remain unclear. The illustrations are a fright! Dark colors & unneccesary complexity amplifies the illegibility. I wouldve given it no stars at all, but, that' not an option.
It's sad that certain Certifications prescribe this as an essential textbook. I hope there are better, basic books out there which explain network fundamentals. Note for beginners, if you have had no experience with networking, this is not a book for you. Internet searches/sources will explain the basics much better than this publication.
Rating: 
Summary: Too simle
Review: 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.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Overview for Novices
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: A good book for starters
Review: 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".
Rating:
Summary: A disappointing mish-mash
Review: Having been a fan of other books in this series (How Intranets Work, How PCs work)and recommended them as good clear simple introductions to the subject, this volume was a big disappointment. The pictures were simplistic (for example, "The Teletypewriter" consists of a map of the USA with a zig-zag red line on it), and some of the information plain misleading or wrong. The statement "The biggest disadvantage of the punched-card system was that it allowed only one program to run on the computer at one time" (page 29) is rubbish. The constraint was caused by the operating system, which had nothing to with punched cards per se. There IS a need for a text which explains this complex subject simply. Sadly, this isn't it. Not recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Great Ongoing Reference Book for the Beginner
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: Elementary school returns
Review: I bought this book because it was required (a textbook for a class I was taking). Because it was a college-level class, I was expecting a college-level textbook. That's not what it is at all. The book is filled with color illustrations that aren't even very helpful. I was hoping for more reading and explanation of terms. Illustrations are great if they are used right -- to compliment the text instead of replace it. I wouldn't recommend this book for someone who is serious about learning the ins and outs of networking.
Rating:
Summary: Elementary school returns
Review: I bought this book because it was required (a textbook for a class I was taking). Because it was a college-level class, I was expecting a college-level textbook. That's not what it is at all. The book is filled with color illustrations that aren't even very helpful. I was hoping for more reading and explanation of terms. Illustrations are great if they are used right -- to compliment the text instead of replace it. I wouldn't recommend this book for someone who is serious about learning the ins and outs of networking.
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