How Networks Work

This is a beginning level book on networks. If you're a CCNA or something like that it will be trivial to you, and a waste of time. If, on the other hand, you have a local CCNA and he seems to spend a lot of time trying to snow you then this will give you the knowledge you need to know when he is full of it. Likewise it will be good for the beginner who is, perhaps setting up a home network to give multiple computers access to the Internet. This book is not hardware specific, so you will still have to make decisions as to what brands of equipment to buy and things like that, but you will have an understanding of the concepts and the functions of the equipment you will be needing. Intended for beginners, the book is printed in full color and is extensively illustrated with drawings that are clear and drawn specifically for this book.

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. ;-)

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.

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.

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".