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Head First Series
Head First Networking: A Brain-Friendly Guide
Frustrated with networking books so chock-full of acronyms that your brain goes into sleep mode? Head First Networking's unique, visually rich format provides a task-based approach to computer networking that makes it easy to get your brain engaged. You'll learn the concepts by tying them to on-the-job tasks, blending practice and theory in a way that only Head First can.
With this book, you'll learn skills through a variety of genuine scenarios, from fixing a malfunctioning office network to planning a network for a high-technology haunted house. You'll learn exactly what you need to know, rather than a laundry list of acronyms and diagrams. This book will help Head First's popular format is proven to stimulate learning and retention by engaging you with images, puzzles, stories, and more. Whether you're a network professional with a CCNA/CCNP or a student taking your first college networking course, Head First Networking will help you become a network guru.
With this book, you'll learn skills through a variety of genuine scenarios, from fixing a malfunctioning office network to planning a network for a high-technology haunted house. You'll learn exactly what you need to know, rather than a laundry list of acronyms and diagrams. This book will help Head First's popular format is proven to stimulate learning and retention by engaging you with images, puzzles, stories, and more. Whether you're a network professional with a CCNA/CCNP or a student taking your first college networking course, Head First Networking will help you become a network guru.
535 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
29 people are currently reading
217 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
October 21, 2014
Goldilocks! As in, just right, not too hard, not too easy. Of course that's going to be different for different people, but this one hit the sweet spot for me. Plenty of the very basics to build a solid foundation on, never condescending, always lively; humor used to good effect, not overdone. Enough of the next steps up that you feel you can actually apply what you've learned.
The thing to bear in mind is that the book is ... well, sparse: you'll find yourself turning pages quickly - which is fine with me because there's a solid pedagogical approach here - so while it weighs in at 544 pages, another book might present the same amount of information in have that count, albeit less successfully.
The thing to bear in mind is that the book is ... well, sparse: you'll find yourself turning pages quickly - which is fine with me because there's a solid pedagogical approach here - so while it weighs in at 544 pages, another book might present the same amount of information in have that count, albeit less successfully.
June 23, 2019
Ну такое.
Интересно было читать несколько глав в середине книги про пакеты и маршрутизацию, хотя и их можно было лучше написать. В начале книги идут главы про провода и диагностику проблем с ними, а в конце есть по одной главе на темы "как проектировать сеть в строящемся здании", "как настраивать беспроводной маршрутизатор" и "про сетевую безопасность".
Все примеры того, что нужно вводить в консоль, для Cisco. Это неудобно. Лучше было бы что-то более-менее общедоступное. Нужного железа, скорее всего, почти ни у кого из потенциальных читателей нет, а покупать или воровать симулятор для нескольких команд из книги тоже кажется так себе затеей.
Местами есть ошибки в примерах, есть ошибки в заголовках, есть ошибки в заданиях.
Многие вещи, которые мне были интересны (например, VPN), в итоге оказались в секции "10 вещей, которые не попали в нашу книгу".
Подход в рамках серии Head First тоже не очень нравится:
- картинки и типы секций повторяются из книги в книгу
- очень много места уходит на некоторые задания – в конце книги практически один и тот же разворот идёт три раза подряд
- временами кажется, что авторам нужно было добить книгу до какого-то нужного объёма, потому что на страницах пусто и бессмысленно
В итоге, те достоинства, которые рекламируют в серии (типа "мозг лучше реагирует на картинки") после прочтения нескольких книг перестают быть достоинствами. Потому что картинки, нестандартные задания и необычные секции тебе напоминают только то, что ты читал какую-то книгу из серии. Такое ощущение, что изначально удачная идея "не таких сухих книг" была поставлена на поток и скатилась в тлен и уныние.
В общем, почитайте по сетям что-нибудь другое.
Интересно было читать несколько глав в середине книги про пакеты и маршрутизацию, хотя и их можно было лучше написать. В начале книги идут главы про провода и диагностику проблем с ними, а в конце есть по одной главе на темы "как проектировать сеть в строящемся здании", "как настраивать беспроводной маршрутизатор" и "про сетевую безопасность".
Все примеры того, что нужно вводить в консоль, для Cisco. Это неудобно. Лучше было бы что-то более-менее общедоступное. Нужного железа, скорее всего, почти ни у кого из потенциальных читателей нет, а покупать или воровать симулятор для нескольких команд из книги тоже кажется так себе затеей.
Местами есть ошибки в примерах, есть ошибки в заголовках, есть ошибки в заданиях.
Многие вещи, которые мне были интересны (например, VPN), в итоге оказались в секции "10 вещей, которые не попали в нашу книгу".
Подход в рамках серии Head First тоже не очень нравится:
- картинки и типы секций повторяются из книги в книгу
- очень много места уходит на некоторые задания – в конце книги практически один и тот же разворот идёт три раза подряд
- временами кажется, что авторам нужно было добить книгу до какого-то нужного объёма, потому что на страницах пусто и бессмысленно
В итоге, те достоинства, которые рекламируют в серии (типа "мозг лучше реагирует на картинки") после прочтения нескольких книг перестают быть достоинствами. Потому что картинки, нестандартные задания и необычные секции тебе напоминают только то, что ты читал какую-то книгу из серии. Такое ощущение, что изначально удачная идея "не таких сухих книг" была поставлена на поток и скатилась в тлен и уныние.
В общем, почитайте по сетям что-нибудь другое.
September 25, 2018
I wanted to find out more about networking (at beginners level) and this book was pretty good at that.
Still, I feel like I would have wanted to learn more about certain subjects that were barely mentioned, and instead I've read more about topics that I am sure would never become relevant in my life. But how can anyone write an educational book - especially in as vast a topic as networking - that would satisfy everyone's needs?
Impossible.
This was my second Head First book, and the style still makes even the more complicated topics easy to understand. I would recommend any part of this series to anyone with a basic knowledge of computers (but really, everything is explained here).
Still, I feel like I would have wanted to learn more about certain subjects that were barely mentioned, and instead I've read more about topics that I am sure would never become relevant in my life. But how can anyone write an educational book - especially in as vast a topic as networking - that would satisfy everyone's needs?
Impossible.
This was my second Head First book, and the style still makes even the more complicated topics easy to understand. I would recommend any part of this series to anyone with a basic knowledge of computers (but really, everything is explained here).
June 21, 2020
I'm a programmer who makes websites. Websites run on servers and getting a better idea and understand how the physical side of IT works will only make me better at my job. I have read head-first design patterns years ago and liked it from its simplicity. I was expecting the same again.
I found this book a little too junior for my needs. I managed to run through the book in a few hours. I didn't really learn much that I didn't already know. If you are new to IT and wanting to learn about networks this book might be a good choice for you. If you have some basic knowledge around networking then this is not the book for you and I would advise you pick a more recent and more advanced book
I found this book a little too junior for my needs. I managed to run through the book in a few hours. I didn't really learn much that I didn't already know. If you are new to IT and wanting to learn about networks this book might be a good choice for you. If you have some basic knowledge around networking then this is not the book for you and I would advise you pick a more recent and more advanced book
March 23, 2025
I really love this book and the whole HEADFIRST series!
I’d give it a 4 out of 5, though, because there are quite a few mistakes that I didn’t expect.
I also had to grab another book to really dive deep into DNS since it’s such a fascinating and important system.
But overall, it’s a great way to get a solid understanding of networking basics!
I’d give it a 4 out of 5, though, because there are quite a few mistakes that I didn’t expect.
I also had to grab another book to really dive deep into DNS since it’s such a fascinating and important system.
But overall, it’s a great way to get a solid understanding of networking basics!
July 18, 2020
Book is incomplete on many fronts like application layer, routing, security
April 23, 2013
Gave me an overall picture of world of networking, all (well, nearly all) pieces finally came together! Very good feeling. Also it's easy and fun to read just like other books in the series!
Good choice for those who want understand how all this networking stuff works.
Good choice for those who want understand how all this networking stuff works.
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May 11, 2010Creating Web Pages for Dummies
July 14, 2011
A good and easy introduction to networking which will not make you bored.
October 6, 2013
Really perfect for newbies. Not so much detail, illustrations are perfect.
October 9, 2014
الكتاب جيد فى مستواه وما يدرسه , فهو للمبتدئين فى الشبكات ويعلم الاساسيات بلغة سلسة , طبعا على غرار سلسلة Head First الكتاب ملىء بالصور
طبعا يعيبه وجود صور بنات لكن عموما المحتوى العلمى جيد
طبعا يعيبه وجود صور بنات لكن عموما المحتوى العلمى جيد
Read
March 13, 2015Location: ND6 IRC, PTI IRC
Accession no: DL026850, DL026951
Accession no: DL026850, DL026951
July 14, 2015
Not really helpful for me but it would be great for networking engineer
June 17, 2016
Good technical book should have shorter errata.
June 28, 2016
Book only for beginners. For better understanding of much complex aspects of networking I suggest Coursera's course.
October 6, 2012
Good book for beginners, offers a big overview on networks and how they work.
March 14, 2013
loved it! a great guide and a good reference to problems i might have in the future!
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews