Are you interested in computer networking and looking for some self-study materials? There are plenty of good resources. I recommend the following to students looking to develop a basic understanding of the subject.
(1) Computer Networking first-step by Wendell Odom (published by Cisco Press) is a good introductory book on networking. If you have little or no networking experience, then this book can advance your knowledge rapidly and it’s easy to read.
(2) TCP/IP Illustrated, Volume 1 by W. Richard Stevens is an excellent reference for understanding the various protocols and the data formats they use. It’s moderately technical, yet even a beginner will find it useful. This is a good place to start adding depth to your understanding. Combined with a network protocol analyzer (for example, see Wireshark at www.wireshark.org), you can learn plenty about what’s going on behind the curtain.
(3) Computer Networks by Andrew S. Tanenbaum offers an in-depth treatment of the layers of the OSI reference model (giving you a good understanding of the concept of a layered architecture) and also provides a broad treatment of virtually every area of computer networking – possibly more than you would want if you’re at the introductory level. But it’s an interesting tour through the subject matter. It’s a good book for adding breadth and depth.
You can find quite a bit of good information on the Internet, as you would expect. Take a look at these excellent CISCO links:
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/internetworking/technology/handbook/Intro-to-Internet.html
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/internetworking/technology/handbook/Intro-to-LAN.html
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/internetworking/technology/handbook/LAN-Switching.html
I hope these links and references are helpful to you.
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