Did you ever wanted to learn how computers actually communicated? How it can be possible for millions and millions of people around the globe to utilize one of the biggest network which we now call the Internet to do almost everything from e-commerce, communication, video gaming to streaming movies? With the TCP/IP Guide by Charles Kozierok, you'll get your answer and then some. Make no mistake about it. If you needed to learn about how computers communicate with one another on a network, The TCP/IP Guide is your one-stop-shop. Be prepared though because at over 1600 pages and weighing in at almost 5lbs, this book is for the most dedicated of readers. It might be a little pricey for some but the information and knowledge you'll get from this book however is truly priceless.
This book is so big, I don't even know where to begin my take on it as a whole. At the heart of modern networks you'll find a protocol suite that stands out from the rest and that is TCP/IP. You've no doubt heard that term at one point or another. This book will show you how it is computers use this TCP/IP protocol suite to communicate with other computers and devices on a network. Think of TCP/IP as a language used by computers. In order for computers to successfully talk to one another, these computers must be able to communicate in the same language otherwise just as in real life where one person speaking French is trying to communicate with another person who only speaks Chinese, the end results would be horrific to say the least. As with a human language, there consists of many rules and procedures that needs to be universally understood by all communicators in order for it to have any meaning or structure. This is no different with the TCP/IP computer language. Also, just as with learning to speak let alone master another human language is difficult, fully understanding TCP/IP and how it operates is not something you hear a computer geek boost about everyday. It's really challenging. The TCP/IP Guide however will attempt to be your teacher through this special journey should you make an attempt.
The author did a good job writing this book because for a topic as complex as TCP/IP and networking in general, the book is still pretty easy to read and follow along. Of course, there will be times when you read about something you have absolutely no clue on what it is but the point I'm trying to make is that the book doesn't frustrate you. The author gives a lot of examples or comparisons to make things a little easier on you. Even times when you really can't understand something, you can't blame the author too much since like I've said earlier, TCP/IP is just really complicated to begin with.
The book covers many, many topics ranging from the OSI model, networking standards, data representation, ARP, NAT, routers and routing protocols, network encryption, ICMPv4, ICMPv6, message formats, Mobile IP, IP security, TCP/IP and the list goes on and on. Trying to go over everything this book covers is plain suicidal because of its sheer size and volume. I'll put it like this so everyone understands: if something, anything, has to do with network and computer communications, this book will most likely cover it in detail. That's how special this book is. You might be thinking this book is outdated when looking at the year it was first published but that's not generally true. TCP/IP has been around for a long time and will continue to do so. You thought you knew everything there was to know about network communication but I can almost guarantee you right now that you couldn't have been any more wrong. You thought you mastered TCP/IP just because you figured out how to configure your IP address settings or that you've successfully configured your wireless router. But once again, you have no idea how deep that rabbit hole actually goes. Pick up this book and find out for yourself!
The author of The TCP/IP Guide actually set up its own dedicated website for this book and can be found here. You can do everything from purchasing the book, read testimonials, sample the book and to even contact the author himself.
Purchase here:
The TCP/IP Guide: A Comprehensive, Illustrated Internet Protocols Reference
