This undergraduate textbook covers the breadth, depth and detail necessary to cater to the various entry points to the subject, the emphasis required by teachers, and the technical background of the student or practitioner coming to this subject. The book adopts a consistent approach to covering both the theory of basic networking technologies as well as practical solutions to networking problems. The structure of the book helps the reader to form a picture of the network as a whole. Essential and supplemental material to help both instructors and students will be made available from the book site which includes visualisations of networking problems and solutions.

Contents
Preface

Part I Networking Basics

· Evolution of Computer Networks

· General Principles of Network Design

· Packet and Circuit Switching

· Network Architecture and Standardization

· Examples of Networks

· Network Characteristics

· Methods of Ensuring Quality of Service



Part II Physical Layer Technologies

· Transmission Links

· Data Encoding and Multiplexing

· Wireless Transmission

· Transmission Networks



Part III Local Area Networks

· Ethernet

· High-Speed Ethernet

· Shared Media LANs

· Switched LAN Basics

· Advanced Features of Switched LANs



Part IV TCP/IP Internet-working

· Addressing in TCP/IP Networks

· Internet Protocol

· Core Protocols of the TCP/IP Stack

· Advanced Features of IP Routers



Part V Wide-Area Networks

· Virtual Circuit WAN

· IP WANs

· Remote Access

· Secure Transport Services



Summary

Review questions

Problems

Conclusion

References and recommended reading

Index