Product Description

Appropriate for courses titled Computer Networking or Introduction to Networking at both the undergraduate and graduate level in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, CIS, MIS, and Business Departments.

In this highly anticipated revision, Tanenbaum takes a structured approach to explaining how networks work from the inside out. He starts with an explanation of the physical layer of networking, computer hardware and transmission systems; then works his way up to network applications. Tanenbaum's in-depth application coverage includes email; the domain name system; the World Wide Web (both client- and server-side); and multimedia (including voice over IP, Internet radio video on demand, video conferencing, and streaming media. Each chapter follows a consistent approach: Tanenbaum presents key principles, then illustrates them utilizing real-world example networks that run through the entire book—the Internet, and wireless networks, including Wireless LANs, broadband wireless and Bluetooth. This new Fourth Edition contains a new chapter devoted exclusively to network security. The textbook is supplemented by a Solutions Manual, as well as a Website containing PowerPoint slides, art in various forms, and other tools for instruction, including a protocol simulator whereby students can develop and test their own network protocols.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #25421 in Books
• Published on: 2002-08-27
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 912 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
Now in its third edition, Professor Andrew Tanenbaum's 800-page book is the classic treatise on computer networking. Since its inception, Computer Networks has been the all-time best-selling overview of computer networks by one of the key computer science authors. It's a complete guide to computer networking, covering everything from LANs to satellite networks. The seven-layer OSI model underpins all modern networking technologies and this standard work from the award-winning Professor Tanenbaum devotes most of its chapters to in-depth descriptions of each layer. Protocols, network architecture and software are examined in detail, from the physical layer, through the data link, network, transport, session and presentation layers to the application layer. This book dissects very difficult material with ease.

But Computer Networks isn't without its faults--an eternity in Internet time has elapsed since publication and the book is a little stale as a result. It's also very much a textbook and its layout looks very dated and scholarly--for example, each chapter concludes with a mass of sample questions.

Oft found in countless bibliographies and on the recommended reading list for IT and networking students, Computer Networks is nevertheless an excellent textbook and a good reference book. It's also one of the best-written and easy to read technical books around. For the IT student and networking professionals alike, it's probably essential reading. If you can afford only one networking book, this is the one you should get. --Roger Gann

From the Back Cover

The world's leading introduction to networking—fully updated for tomorrow's key technologies.

Computer Networks, Fourth Edition is the ideal introduction to today's networks—and tomorrow's. This classic best seller has been thoroughly updated to reflect the newest and most important networking technologies with a special emphasis on wireless networking, including 802.11, Bluetooth, broadband wireless, ad hoc networks, i-mode, and WAP. But fixed networks have not been ignored either with coverage of ADSL, gigabit Ethernet, peer-to-peer networks, NAT, and MPLS. And there is lots of new material on applications, including over 60 pages on the Web, plus Internet radio, voice over IP, and video on demand.Finally, the coverage of network security has been revised and expanded to fill an entire chapter.

Author, educator, and researcher Andrew S. Tanenbaum, winner of the ACM Karl V. Karlstrom Outstanding Educator Award, carefully explains how networks work on the inside, from underlying hardware at the physical layer up through the top-level application layer. Tanenbaum covers all this and more:

• Physical layer (e.g., copper, fiber, wireless, satellites, and Internet over cable)
• Data link layer (e.g., protocol principles, protocol verification, HDLC, and PPP)
• MAC Sublayer (e.g., gigabit Ethernet, 802.11, broadband wireless, and switching)
• Network layer (e.g., routing algorithms, congestion control, QoS, IPv4, and IPv6)
• Transport layer (e.g., socket programming, UDP, TCP, RTP, and network performance)
• Application layer (e.g., e-mail, the Web, PHP, wireless Web, MP3, and streaming audio)
• Network security (e.g., AES, RSA, quantum cryptography, IPsec, and Web security)

The book gives detailed descriptions of the principles associated with each layer and presents many examples drawn from the Internet and wireless networks.

About the Author

ANDREW S. TANENBAUM is Professor of Computer Science at Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and Scientific Director of ASCI, a Dutch graduate school established by leading universities throughout the Netherlands. He is also a Fellow of the IEEE and a Fellow of the ACM. Other books Tanenbaum has authored or co-authored include Structured Computer Organization, Fourth Edition; Operating Systems: Design and Implementation, Second Edition; Modern Operating Systems, Second Edition; and Distributed Systems: Principles and Paradigms (all from Prentice Hall).

Customer Reviews

not bad, but not good enough to warrant the high price
i bought this book from my uni book shop (popular chain store begining with W and end with "stones") - which cost me five pounds more. i could have saved the extra cost buying it from amazon, but would have had to pay p&p.

the content in short is: you would find this book interesting if you are the type who enjoys reading specifications and protocol documentations. if you dont, then this book doesnt attempt to make it any less painless.

however, i will comment on the cheapo low grade paper that this book is printed on... i mean COME ON! i paid near £50 for 891 page book, that's TWICE the amount i paid for my bruce schneier - cryptography applied; which incidentally is printed on PROPER paper. if the book was packed with colour diagrams - like my hall mate's book on VHDL or what nots then this would be acceptable (as colour printers require different paper), but as it stands, there is no excuse for this semi transparent rubbish. i've only had this book for 2 weeks, and already the contents page are worn out (trust me, it doesnt get that much use). the pages are so thin that it is rather difficult to turn at times, and if you are not careful in doing so, you'll end up ripping and creasing the page.

so the quality of the book ideally depends on the content and nothing else, however the presentation/content of this book is unremarkable - certainly unworthy of £45 and the quality of the book is definatly not worth that.

...as a student, what can you do? this is (unfortunately) a core text for most courses. my advice for fellow students is:

a) buy this book from online auction*
b) try very hard to stay awake in lectures and or pray that you get a decent lecturer, so that you will not need to suffer the daylight robbery of £45 when exam time comes round.

* if you are an overseas student, you'd do better to pick it up from china/india etc... for £10 or so. ironically, the local edition copies might actually be printed on better paper than the one you'll get in the uk.

Very detailed
This book is a really comprehensive book about networking. it focuses mainly on the theoretical aspects of networks (not how to make one in your home) and is greatly useful for a university degree in this area. It has a very in depth look at the topic, inclusing algorihms for packet switching, physical specifications for all manner of network standards and a very comprehensive section about TCP/IP.

Excellent Overview of Networks
Tanenbaum is an expert at putting the subject into perspective. I would recommend this book to anyone who needs to learn more about networks. Good background reading on networks for anyone considering doing a degree in Computer Science or Software Engineering.