Best guide available for A+, 30 Aug 2008
A+ Certification All-in-One Exam Guide, Sixth Edition (All-In-One) This is by far the best and most comprehensive guide for the A+ certification. I did the course with a college and their text books were often heavy on jargon and light on explanation. After i read this book i felt 100% ready to take the test, and i passed, and passed well. Thanks to this book. Now i'm studying the N+ and using the Meyers guide for that too.

Worth the money, 28 Aug 2008
I like the book, information is well presented and easy to follow, my only complaint would be I didn't think there were enough questions on the cd practice tests (on the essentials there are 2 practice and 2 'real' tests, but only 50 questions each)

With the sections being split into Essentials/IT technician, you can't follow them to the letter. I know there are things in the technician paragraphs that are in the essentials exam. Sometimes the author comments on this, sometimes not. Just make sure you read the whole thing.

Got to love all the chapters being on E-book format though, so you can just copy them to a portable device and not have to lug the book everywhere. A few shareware files are also included, so you don't have to search the programs out to follow along with the step by step guides.

And yes I did use this to pass, along with a transcender test pack

The best book money can bye , 02 Jun 2008
All I can say is with out this book I wound not of passed 10 out of 10.

Helped me pass, 04 May 2008
This book is probably the only book you will need to pass the A+ exams

Well written with good 'real world' advice. I tried loads of A+ books out while studying and I think this book was the best all round.

Does the job, 24 Mar 2008
I bought two books whilst studying for the A+ exams; this one, and Jean Andrews book. In the end I ended up using the Jean Andrews book more since I found it to be slightly more reader-friendly and I preferred the layout.

Having said that, this book includes more or less the same information along with practise tests. Personally I'd recommend the Jean Andrews book more highly, but this one (or even a combination of both) will also get you through the exams.

Best guide available for A+, 30 Aug 2008
A+ Certification All-in-One Exam Guide, Sixth Edition (All-In-One) This is by far the best and most comprehensive guide for the A+ certification. I did the course with a college and their text books were often heavy on jargon and light on explanation. After i read this book i felt 100% ready to take the test, and i passed, and passed well. Thanks to this book. Now i'm studying the N+ and using the Meyers guide for that too.

Worth the money, 28 Aug 2008
I like the book, information is well presented and easy to follow, my only complaint would be I didn't think there were enough questions on the cd practice tests (on the essentials there are 2 practice and 2 'real' tests, but only 50 questions each)

With the sections being split into Essentials/IT technician, you can't follow them to the letter. I know there are things in the technician paragraphs that are in the essentials exam. Sometimes the author comments on this, sometimes not. Just make sure you read the whole thing.

Got to love all the chapters being on E-book format though, so you can just copy them to a portable device and not have to lug the book everywhere. A few shareware files are also included, so you don't have to search the programs out to follow along with the step by step guides.

And yes I did use this to pass, along with a transcender test pack

The best book money can bye , 02 Jun 2008
All I can say is with out this book I wound not of passed 10 out of 10.

Helped me pass, 04 May 2008
This book is probably the only book you will need to pass the A+ exams

Well written with good 'real world' advice. I tried loads of A+ books out while studying and I think this book was the best all round.

Does the job, 24 Mar 2008
I bought two books whilst studying for the A+ exams; this one, and Jean Andrews book. In the end I ended up using the Jean Andrews book more since I found it to be slightly more reader-friendly and I preferred the layout.

Having said that, this book includes more or less the same information along with practise tests. Personally I'd recommend the Jean Andrews book more highly, but this one (or even a combination of both) will also get you through the exams.

Essential Reading, 05 Oct 2008
This book is a vital tool for your CCNA, it is explain well and is a good companion for the online material that you will get with your CCNA learning.

Very Helpfull, 13 Mar 2008
This book is very similar to the online tutorials, but if like me you find it easier to read from a book than look at a computer screen all day this is a must have! I am looking to purchase the second book in this series to help me through the second part of the course.I do feel that they are a little expensive but I think these books will be very usefull for future reference should you wish to use them in relation to a job.You can purchase a book for the lab tests to acompany this book but if you are doing the cisco ccna exploration course then you can save these from the online labs and print them yourself. Hope this is of some help to you guys out there who like me wondered if this book would deliver. In my opinion it does and i would personaly recommend it.

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

Best guide available for A+, 30 Aug 2008
A+ Certification All-in-One Exam Guide, Sixth Edition (All-In-One) This is by far the best and most comprehensive guide for the A+ certification. I did the course with a college and their text books were often heavy on jargon and light on explanation. After i read this book i felt 100% ready to take the test, and i passed, and passed well. Thanks to this book. Now i'm studying the N+ and using the Meyers guide for that too.

Worth the money, 28 Aug 2008
I like the book, information is well presented and easy to follow, my only complaint would be I didn't think there were enough questions on the cd practice tests (on the essentials there are 2 practice and 2 'real' tests, but only 50 questions each)

With the sections being split into Essentials/IT technician, you can't follow them to the letter. I know there are things in the technician paragraphs that are in the essentials exam. Sometimes the author comments on this, sometimes not. Just make sure you read the whole thing.

Got to love all the chapters being on E-book format though, so you can just copy them to a portable device and not have to lug the book everywhere. A few shareware files are also included, so you don't have to search the programs out to follow along with the step by step guides.

And yes I did use this to pass, along with a transcender test pack

The best book money can bye , 02 Jun 2008
All I can say is with out this book I wound not of passed 10 out of 10.

Helped me pass, 04 May 2008
This book is probably the only book you will need to pass the A+ exams

Well written with good 'real world' advice. I tried loads of A+ books out while studying and I think this book was the best all round.

Does the job, 24 Mar 2008
I bought two books whilst studying for the A+ exams; this one, and Jean Andrews book. In the end I ended up using the Jean Andrews book more since I found it to be slightly more reader-friendly and I preferred the layout.

Having said that, this book includes more or less the same information along with practise tests. Personally I'd recommend the Jean Andrews book more highly, but this one (or even a combination of both) will also get you through the exams.

Essential Reading, 05 Oct 2008
This book is a vital tool for your CCNA, it is explain well and is a good companion for the online material that you will get with your CCNA learning.

Very Helpfull, 13 Mar 2008
This book is very similar to the online tutorials, but if like me you find it easier to read from a book than look at a computer screen all day this is a must have! I am looking to purchase the second book in this series to help me through the second part of the course.I do feel that they are a little expensive but I think these books will be very usefull for future reference should you wish to use them in relation to a job.You can purchase a book for the lab tests to acompany this book but if you are doing the cisco ccna exploration course then you can save these from the online labs and print them yourself. Hope this is of some help to you guys out there who like me wondered if this book would deliver. In my opinion it does and i would personaly recommend it.

not bad, but not good enough to warrant the high price, 23 Jan 2007
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, 16 Dec 2005
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, 01 Nov 2005
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.

the best of the market, 12 Aug 2004
I am a engineer who needed an intro into computer networks for my new job. Among the ones I looked into (Freeman, Held, the SAMS series etc ) I found this one the best by far.
First, the writing style is extremely friendly and casual, you feel like the man is speaking to you directly.
Second, I found the contents quite up-to-date for my purposes, which was to learn the basics and be ready to go further. This book helps you understand data coms based on the OSI model.
It prepared me to tackle more advanced books - at the moment I am in R. Perlman's " Interconnections".
Excellent.

Disappointing, 29 Jul 2004
Bought this for a second year computer science module in data communications and networks.

Despite its jolly cover this book is geared for academic use which probably explains why it's so tiresome.

I can't remember one thing that I looked up in this book that was useful. Encryption and routing algorithms couldn't be made less clear if you smeared the pages with manure.

And if you want to read about IP addresses and subnets in this book, well, you can't. They get a half-cocked coverage at best.

Maybe the fourth edition is better.

Best guide available for A+, 30 Aug 2008
A+ Certification All-in-One Exam Guide, Sixth Edition (All-In-One) This is by far the best and most comprehensive guide for the A+ certification. I did the course with a college and their text books were often heavy on jargon and light on explanation. After i read this book i felt 100% ready to take the test, and i passed, and passed well. Thanks to this book. Now i'm studying the N+ and using the Meyers guide for that too.

Worth the money, 28 Aug 2008
I like the book, information is well presented and easy to follow, my only complaint would be I didn't think there were enough questions on the cd practice tests (on the essentials there are 2 practice and 2 'real' tests, but only 50 questions each)

With the sections being split into Essentials/IT technician, you can't follow them to the letter. I know there are things in the technician paragraphs that are in the essentials exam. Sometimes the author comments on this, sometimes not. Just make sure you read the whole thing.

Got to love all the chapters being on E-book format though, so you can just copy them to a portable device and not have to lug the book everywhere. A few shareware files are also included, so you don't have to search the programs out to follow along with the step by step guides.

And yes I did use this to pass, along with a transcender test pack

The best book money can bye , 02 Jun 2008
All I can say is with out this book I wound not of passed 10 out of 10.

Helped me pass, 04 May 2008
This book is probably the only book you will need to pass the A+ exams

Well written with good 'real world' advice. I tried loads of A+ books out while studying and I think this book was the best all round.

Does the job, 24 Mar 2008
I bought two books whilst studying for the A+ exams; this one, and Jean Andrews book. In the end I ended up using the Jean Andrews book more since I found it to be slightly more reader-friendly and I preferred the layout.

Having said that, this book includes more or less the same information along with practise tests. Personally I'd recommend the Jean Andrews book more highly, but this one (or even a combination of both) will also get you through the exams.

Essential Reading, 05 Oct 2008
This book is a vital tool for your CCNA, it is explain well and is a good companion for the online material that you will get with your CCNA learning.

Very Helpfull, 13 Mar 2008
This book is very similar to the online tutorials, but if like me you find it easier to read from a book than look at a computer screen all day this is a must have! I am looking to purchase the second book in this series to help me through the second part of the course.I do feel that they are a little expensive but I think these books will be very usefull for future reference should you wish to use them in relation to a job.You can purchase a book for the lab tests to acompany this book but if you are doing the cisco ccna exploration course then you can save these from the online labs and print them yourself. Hope this is of some help to you guys out there who like me wondered if this book would deliver. In my opinion it does and i would personaly recommend it.

not bad, but not good enough to warrant the high price, 23 Jan 2007
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, 16 Dec 2005
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, 01 Nov 2005
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.

the best of the market, 12 Aug 2004
I am a engineer who needed an intro into computer networks for my new job. Among the ones I looked into (Freeman, Held, the SAMS series etc ) I found this one the best by far.
First, the writing style is extremely friendly and casual, you feel like the man is speaking to you directly.
Second, I found the contents quite up-to-date for my purposes, which was to learn the basics and be ready to go further. This book helps you understand data coms based on the OSI model.
It prepared me to tackle more advanced books - at the moment I am in R. Perlman's " Interconnections".
Excellent.

Disappointing, 29 Jul 2004
Bought this for a second year computer science module in data communications and networks.

Despite its jolly cover this book is geared for academic use which probably explains why it's so tiresome.

I can't remember one thing that I looked up in this book that was useful. Encryption and routing algorithms couldn't be made less clear if you smeared the pages with manure.

And if you want to read about IP addresses and subnets in this book, well, you can't. They get a half-cocked coverage at best.

Maybe the fourth edition is better.

Highly recommended!!!, 12 Jan 2008
Using just this book along with exam braindumps found online I passed the 640-802 exam. The practice exams offer hundreds of practise questions along with simulations. Very good investment

Does what it says on the tin - but don't overlook real hands-on, 11 Nov 2007
This two-book set is the new course text for the Cisco 640-802 CCNA exam, which supersedes the previous CCNA exam from November 2007.

To compare, having had a look at the two-book set for the previous exam (640-801), Wendell Odom and his team have done a pretty good job in updating this in light of new topics.

What's in the box? Similar to the old exam library, you get two books and two CDs but this time around you also get a DVD. The DVD gives content you can probably get from YouTube, but is worth a look. The two CDs provide an exam tool and 200 sample exam-tool questions, plus an electronic version of the book text. The exam tool is fine, but won't replace using the real thing when troubleshooting. But it is nice that it is included to get you going. Note that this is not the complete set of questions and the full BOSON exam question set is available to download from BOSON and is an extra cost.

As ICDN1 and ICDN2 have been re-worked, the text of volume one now refers to CCENT as the "replacement" to the ICND1 exam and has been revised accordingly. Initial review of the two books is that they are easier to read and digest. As before, they include the usual "foundation topics" and test questions at the start and end of each chapter. Don't be fooled that these test questions will enable a pass if you just know these - you will need to use the text and the real thing if you've not done this before. The previous "open ended" questions are included but have not been revised from the earlier 640-801 library set.

The stated aim is that the new exam is to focus more on design and troubleshooting rather than just facts. This is probably a good thing in that today's networks are more complex. The previous exam probably didn't prepare for the real world where wireless, VPNs and ADSL are in use.

Will these get you through the exam? Given the small industry of self-test and self-help books for CCNA, it suggests that this is but one of the tools needed to pass the exam. The honest view is that as the exam has got harder over the years, the only way to really know is to use the real thing. The two books and additional material are good, but unless it can be learnt verbatim, then you will need to use the texts with real hardware/software.

That said, this is the standard to which other CCNA books are measured.

Five stars for the revised content, but dropping one star on the basis that hands-on experience to back this up will help newcomers.

Best guide available for A+, 30 Aug 2008
A+ Certification All-in-One Exam Guide, Sixth Edition (All-In-One) This is by far the best and most comprehensive guide for the A+ certification. I did the course with a college and their text books were often heavy on jargon and light on explanation. After i read this book i felt 100% ready to take the test, and i passed, and passed well. Thanks to this book. Now i'm studying the N+ and using the Meyers guide for that too.

Worth the money, 28 Aug 2008
I like the book, information is well presented and easy to follow, my only complaint would be I didn't think there were enough questions on the cd practice tests (on the essentials there are 2 practice and 2 'real' tests, but only 50 questions each)

With the sections being split into Essentials/IT technician, you can't follow them to the letter. I know there are things in the technician paragraphs that are in the essentials exam. Sometimes the author comments on this, sometimes not. Just make sure you read the whole thing.

Got to love all the chapters being on E-book format though, so you can just copy them to a portable device and not have to lug the book everywhere. A few shareware files are also included, so you don't have to search the programs out to follow along with the step by step guides.

And yes I did use this to pass, along with a transcender test pack

The best book money can bye , 02 Jun 2008
All I can say is with out this book I wound not of passed 10 out of 10.

Helped me pass, 04 May 2008
This book is probably the only book you will need to pass the A+ exams

Well written with good 'real world' advice. I tried loads of A+ books out while studying and I think this book was the best all round.

Does the job, 24 Mar 2008
I bought two books whilst studying for the A+ exams; this one, and Jean Andrews book. In the end I ended up using the Jean Andrews book more since I found it to be slightly more reader-friendly and I preferred the layout.

Having said that, this book includes more or less the same information along with practise tests. Personally I'd recommend the Jean Andrews book more highly, but this one (or even a combination of both) will also get you through the exams.

Essential Reading, 05 Oct 2008
This book is a vital tool for your CCNA, it is explain well and is a good companion for the online material that you will get with your CCNA learning.

Very Helpfull, 13 Mar 2008
This book is very similar to the online tutorials, but if like me you find it easier to read from a book than look at a computer screen all day this is a must have! I am looking to purchase the second book in this series to help me through the second part of the course.I do feel that they are a little expensive but I think these books will be very usefull for future reference should you wish to use them in relation to a job.You can purchase a book for the lab tests to acompany this book but if you are doing the cisco ccna exploration course then you can save these from the online labs and print them yourself. Hope this is of some help to you guys out there who like me wondered if this book would deliver. In my opinion it does and i would personaly recommend it.

not bad, but not good enough to warrant the high price, 23 Jan 2007
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, 16 Dec 2005
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, 01 Nov 2005
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.

the best of the market, 12 Aug 2004
I am a engineer who needed an intro into computer networks for my new job. Among the ones I looked into (Freeman, Held, the SAMS series etc ) I found this one the best by far.
First, the writing style is extremely friendly and casual, you feel like the man is speaking to you directly.
Second, I found the contents quite up-to-date for my purposes, which was to learn the basics and be ready to go further. This book helps you understand data coms based on the OSI model.
It prepared me to tackle more advanced books - at the moment I am in R. Perlman's " Interconnections".
Excellent.

Disappointing, 29 Jul 2004
Bought this for a second year computer science module in data communications and networks.

Despite its jolly cover this book is geared for academic use which probably explains why it's so tiresome.

I can't remember one thing that I looked up in this book that was useful. Encryption and routing algorithms couldn't be made less clear if you smeared the pages with manure.

And if you want to read about IP addresses and subnets in this book, well, you can't. They get a half-cocked coverage at best.

Maybe the fourth edition is better.

Highly recommended!!!, 12 Jan 2008
Using just this book along with exam braindumps found online I passed the 640-802 exam. The practice exams offer hundreds of practise questions along with simulations. Very good investment

Does what it says on the tin - but don't overlook real hands-on, 11 Nov 2007
This two-book set is the new course text for the Cisco 640-802 CCNA exam, which supersedes the previous CCNA exam from November 2007.

To compare, having had a look at the two-book set for the previous exam (640-801), Wendell Odom and his team have done a pretty good job in updating this in light of new topics.

What's in the box? Similar to the old exam library, you get two books and two CDs but this time around you also get a DVD. The DVD gives content you can probably get from YouTube, but is worth a look. The two CDs provide an exam tool and 200 sample exam-tool questions, plus an electronic version of the book text. The exam tool is fine, but won't replace using the real thing when troubleshooting. But it is nice that it is included to get you going. Note that this is not the complete set of questions and the full BOSON exam question set is available to download from BOSON and is an extra cost.

As ICDN1 and ICDN2 have been re-worked, the text of volume one now refers to CCENT as the "replacement" to the ICND1 exam and has been revised accordingly. Initial review of the two books is that they are easier to read and digest. As before, they include the usual "foundation topics" and test questions at the start and end of each chapter. Don't be fooled that these test questions will enable a pass if you just know these - you will need to use the text and the real thing if you've not done this before. The previous "open ended" questions are included but have not been revised from the earlier 640-801 library set.

The stated aim is that the new exam is to focus more on design and troubleshooting rather than just facts. This is probably a good thing in that today's networks are more complex. The previous exam probably didn't prepare for the real world where wireless, VPNs and ADSL are in use.

Will these get you through the exam? Given the small industry of self-test and self-help books for CCNA, it suggests that this is but one of the tools needed to pass the exam. The honest view is that as the exam has got harder over the years, the only way to really know is to use the real thing. The two books and additional material are good, but unless it can be learnt verbatim, then you will need to use the texts with real hardware/software.

That said, this is the standard to which other CCNA books are measured.

Five stars for the revised content, but dropping one star on the basis that hands-on experience to back this up will help newcomers.


Great book for the IT Pro, 03 Sep 2008
This is a great book that introduces all the new characteristics of the Windows Server 2008, but also great for those who want to prepare for the MCITP 70-647 Exam. You can find topics such as the new DNS System, Terminal Services, networking, virtualization (very hot topic!) and a lot of other hot topics as well.
I liked the "real world" examples given by the authors, and also the test and review questions at the end of each chapter.
Covers all you need to know about the new Windows Server 2008. Highly recommended title.

Chris Spanougakis MCT

Best guide available for A+, 30 Aug 2008
A+ Certification All-in-One Exam Guide, Sixth Edition (All-In-One) This is by far the best and most comprehensive guide for the A+ certification. I did the course with a college and their text books were often heavy on jargon and light on explanation. After i read this book i felt 100% ready to take the test, and i passed, and passed well. Thanks to this book. Now i'm studying the N+ and using the Meyers guide for that too.

Worth the money, 28 Aug 2008
I like the book, information is well presented and easy to follow, my only complaint would be I didn't think there were enough questions on the cd practice tests (on the essentials there are 2 practice and 2 'real' tests, but only 50 questions each)

With the sections being split into Essentials/IT technician, you can't follow them to the letter. I know there are things in the technician paragraphs that are in the essentials exam. Sometimes the author comments on this, sometimes not. Just make sure you read the whole thing.

Got to love all the chapters being on E-book format though, so you can just copy them to a portable device and not have to lug the book everywhere. A few shareware files are also included, so you don't have to search the programs out to follow along with the step by step guides.

And yes I did use this to pass, along with a transcender test pack

The best book money can bye , 02 Jun 2008
All I can say is with out this book I wound not of passed 10 out of 10.

Helped me pass, 04 May 2008
This book is probably the only book you will need to pass the A+ exams

Well written with good 'real world' advice. I tried loads of A+ books out while studying and I think this book was the best all round.

Does the job, 24 Mar 2008
I bought two books whilst studying for the A+ exams; this one, and Jean Andrews book. In the end I ended up using the Jean Andrews book more since I found it to be slightly more reader-friendly and I preferred the layout.

Having said that, this book includes more or less the same information along with practise tests. Personally I'd recommend the Jean Andrews book more highly, but this one (or even a combination of both) will also get you through the exams.

Essential Reading, 05 Oct 2008
This book is a vital tool for your CCNA, it is explain well and is a good companion for the online material that you will get with your CCNA learning.

Very Helpfull, 13 Mar 2008
This book is very similar to the online tutorials, but if like me you find it easier to read from a book than look at a computer screen all day this is a must have! I am looking to purchase the second book in this series to help me through the second part of the course.I do feel that they are a little expensive but I think these books will be very usefull for future reference should you wish to use them in relation to a job.You can purchase a book for the lab tests to acompany this book but if you are doing the cisco ccna exploration course then you can save these from the online labs and print them yourself. Hope this is of some help to you guys out there who like me wondered if this book would deliver. In my opinion it does and i would personaly recommend it.

not bad, but not good enough to warrant the high price, 23 Jan 2007
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, 16 Dec 2005
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, 01 Nov 2005
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.

the best of the market, 12 Aug 2004
I am a engineer who needed an intro into computer networks for my new job. Among the ones I looked into (Freeman, Held, the SAMS series etc ) I found this one the best by far.
First, the writing style is extremely friendly and casual, you feel like the man is speaking to you directly.
Second, I found the contents quite up-to-date for my purposes, which was to learn the basics and be ready to go further. This book helps you understand data coms based on the OSI model.
It prepared me to tackle more advanced books - at the moment I am in R. Perlman's " Interconnections".
Excellent.

Disappointing, 29 Jul 2004
Bought this for a second year computer science module in data communications and networks.

Despite its jolly cover this book is geared for academic use which probably explains why it's so tiresome.

I can't remember one thing that I looked up in this book that was useful. Encryption and routing algorithms couldn't be made less clear if you smeared the pages with manure.

And if you want to read about IP addresses and subnets in this book, well, you can't. They get a half-cocked coverage at best.

Maybe the fourth edition is better.

Highly recommended!!!, 12 Jan 2008
Using just this book along with exam braindumps found online I passed the 640-802 exam. The practice exams offer hundreds of practise questions along with simulations. Very good investment

Does what it says on the tin - but don't overlook real hands-on, 11 Nov 2007
This two-book set is the new course text for the Cisco 640-802 CCNA exam, which supersedes the previous CCNA exam from November 2007.

To compare, having had a look at the two-book set for the previous exam (640-801), Wendell Odom and his team have done a pretty good job in updating this in light of new topics.

What's in the box? Similar to the old exam library, you get two books and two CDs but this time around you also get a DVD. The DVD gives content you can probably get from YouTube, but is worth a look. The two CDs provide an exam tool and 200 sample exam-tool questions, plus an electronic version of the book text. The exam tool is fine, but won't replace using the real thing when troubleshooting. But it is nice that it is included to get you going. Note that this is not the complete set of questions and the full BOSON exam question set is available to download from BOSON and is an extra cost.

As ICDN1 and ICDN2 have been re-worked, the text of volume one now refers to CCENT as the "replacement" to the ICND1 exam and has been revised accordingly. Initial review of the two books is that they are easier to read and digest. As before, they include the usual "foundation topics" and test questions at the start and end of each chapter. Don't be fooled that these test questions will enable a pass if you just know these - you will need to use the text and the real thing if you've not done this before. The previous "open ended" questions are included but have not been revised from the earlier 640-801 library set.

The stated aim is that the new exam is to focus more on design and troubleshooting rather than just facts. This is probably a good thing in that today's networks are more complex. The previous exam probably didn't prepare for the real world where wireless, VPNs and ADSL are in use.

Will these get you through the exam? Given the small industry of self-test and self-help books for CCNA, it suggests that this is but one of the tools needed to pass the exam. The honest view is that as the exam has got harder over the years, the only way to really know is to use the real thing. The two books and additional material are good, but unless it can be learnt verbatim, then you will need to use the texts with real hardware/software.

That said, this is the standard to which other CCNA books are measured.

Five stars for the revised content, but dropping one star on the basis that hands-on experience to back this up will help newcomers.


Great book for the IT Pro, 03 Sep 2008
This is a great book that introduces all the new characteristics of the Windows Server 2008, but also great for those who want to prepare for the MCITP 70-647 Exam. You can find topics such as the new DNS System, Terminal Services, networking, virtualization (very hot topic!) and a lot of other hot topics as well.
I liked the "real world" examples given by the authors, and also the test and review questions at the end of each chapter.
Covers all you need to know about the new Windows Server 2008. Highly recommended title.

Chris Spanougakis MCT

Excellent guide to making that connection , 12 Sep 2008
The book successfully manages to demystify the sometimes intimidating world of networking, offering simple and practical advice to plug into your many different worlds - great for career development as well as for creating personal networks. It's an easy read with very helpful tips for all levels of networkers - beginners, intermediates and experts!

Brilliant Networking - Brilliant Book!!!, 07 Aug 2008
A great read. I couldn't put it down. I think the layout is captivating which made it easy to read. The content is well laid out and it's worth the value. I'll definitely recommend anyone to read this book even if you think you are an expert in Networking. This book is more than good it's brilliant!!!

Brilliant Networking- Steven D'Souza, 27 Jun 2008
loved it!!!!!!!!! I recommended it to all my friends and family's members. The writing is flawless and it is writing in a way that any kind of readers can appreciate it. Your book was for me a revelation as it enables me for the first time to go to conferences without knowing anyone and feel comfortable to talk to people. In the past, I only went to conferences or registered to societies with friends. So many thanks for the book!!!!!!!!!!!!!


All you need to know about networking, 19 Jun 2008
The ability to network is a very important business skill. To some people networking comes naturally, for others it is a skill they somehow have to acquire and it can take a lot of effort and perseverance. This book is excellent in that it not only aids the natural networkers but also those who require an extra boost to get them going.

Another brilliant book in the 'brilliant' series., 29 Feb 2008
Excellent book in this solid series. Covers all the networking basics plus extras you wouldn't think of. Very handy in job hunting/career development. In terms of careers books I'd rate it as one of the best along with "What Colour is Your Parachute?" "Brilliant CV" "Brilliant Interview" and "How to Handle Your Recruitment Consultant".

MCSA/MCSE SELF PACED

Best guide available for A+, 30 Aug 2008
A+ Certification All-in-One Exam Guide, Sixth Edition (All-In-One) This is by far the best and most comprehensive guide for the A+ certification. I did the course with a college and their text books were often heavy on jargon and light on explanation. After i read this book i felt 100% ready to take the test, and i passed, and passed well. Thanks to this book. Now i'm studying the N+ and using the Meyers guide for that too.

Worth the money, 28 Aug 2008
I like the book, information is well presented and easy to follow, my only complaint would be I didn't think there were enough questions on the cd practice tests (on the essentials there are 2 practice and 2 'real' tests, but only 50 questions each)

With the sections being split into Essentials/IT technician, you can't follow them to the letter. I know there are things in the technician paragraphs that are in the essentials exam. Sometimes the author comments on this, sometimes not. Just make sure you read the whole thing.

Got to love all the chapters being on E-book format though, so you can just copy them to a portable device and not have to lug the book everywhere. A few shareware files are also included, so you don't have to search the programs out to follow along with the step by step guides.

And yes I did use this to pass, along with a transcender test pack

The best book money can bye , 02 Jun 2008
All I can say is with out this book I wound not of passed 10 out of 10.

Helped me pass, 04 May 2008
This book is probably the only book you will need to pass the A+ exams

Well written with good 'real world' advice. I tried loads of A+ books out while studying and I think this book was the best all round.

Does the job, 24 Mar 2008
I bought two books whilst studying for the A+ exams; this one, and Jean Andrews book. In the end I ended up using the Jean Andrews book more since I found it to be slightly more reader-friendly and I preferred the layout.

Having said that, this book includes more or less the same information along with practise tests. Personally I'd recommend the Jean Andrews book more highly, but this one (or even a combination of both) will also get you through the exams.

Essential Reading, 05 Oct 2008
This book is a vital tool for your CCNA, it is explain well and is a good companion for the online material that you will get with your CCNA learning.

Very Helpfull, 13 Mar 2008
This book is very similar to the online tutorials, but if like me you find it easier to read from a book than look at a computer screen all day this is a must have! I am looking to purchase the second book in this series to help me through the second part of the course.I do feel that they are a little expensive but I think these books will be very usefull for future reference should you wish to use them in relation to a job.You can purchase a book for the lab tests to acompany this book but if you are doing the cisco ccna exploration course then you can save these from the online labs and print them yourself. Hope this is of some help to you guys out there who like me wondered if this book would deliver. In my opinion it does and i would personaly recommend it.

not bad, but not good enough to warrant the high price, 23 Jan 2007
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, 16 Dec 2005
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, 01 Nov 2005
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.

the best of the market, 12 Aug 2004
I am a engineer who needed an intro into computer networks for my new job. Among the ones I looked into (Freeman, Held, the SAMS series etc ) I found this one the best by far.
First, the writing style is extremely friendly and casual, you feel like the man is speaking to you directly.
Second, I found the contents quite up-to-date for my purposes, which was to learn the basics and be ready to go further. This book helps you understand data coms based on the OSI model.
It prepared me to tackle more advanced books - at the moment I am in R. Perlman's " Interconnections".
Excellent.

Disappointing, 29 Jul 2004
Bought this for a second year computer science module in data communications and networks.

Despite its jolly cover this book is geared for academic use which probably explains why it's so tiresome.

I can't remember one thing that I looked up in this book that was useful. Encryption and routing algorithms couldn't be made less clear if you smeared the pages with manure.

And if you want to read about IP addresses and subnets in this book, well, you can't. They get a half-cocked coverage at best.

Maybe the fourth edition is better.

Highly recommended!!!, 12 Jan 2008
Using just this book along with exam braindumps found online I passed the 640-802 exam. The practice exams offer hundreds of practise questions along with simulations. Very good investment

Does what it says on the tin - but don't overlook real hands-on, 11 Nov 2007
This two-book set is the new course text for the Cisco 640-802 CCNA exam, which supersedes the previous CCNA exam from November 2007.

To compare, having had a look at the two-book set for the previous exam (640-801), Wendell Odom and his team have done a pretty good job in updating this in light of new topics.

What's in the box? Similar to the old exam library, you get two books and two CDs but this time around you also get a DVD. The DVD gives content you can probably get from YouTube, but is worth a look. The two CDs provide an exam tool and 200 sample exam-tool questions, plus an electronic version of the book text. The exam tool is fine, but won't replace using the real thing when troubleshooting. But it is nice that it is included to get you going. Note that this is not the complete set of questions and the full BOSON exam question set is available to download from BOSON and is an extra cost.

As ICDN1 and ICDN2 have been re-worked, the text of volume one now refers to CCENT as the "replacement" to the ICND1 exam and has been revised accordingly. Initial review of the two books is that they are easier to read and digest. As before, they include the usual "foundation topics" and test questions at the start and end of each chapter. Don't be fooled that these test questions will enable a pass if you just know these - you will need to use the text and the real thing if you've not done this before. The previous "open ended" questions are included but have not been revised from the earlier 640-801 library set.

The stated aim is that the new exam is to focus more on design and troubleshooting rather than just facts. This is probably a good thing in that today's networks are more complex. The previous exam probably didn't prepare for the real world where wireless, VPNs and ADSL are in use.

Will these get you through the exam? Given the small industry of self-test and self-help books for CCNA, it suggests that this is but one of the tools needed to pass the exam. The honest view is that as the exam has got harder over the years, the only way to really know is to use the real thing. The two books and additional material are good, but unless it can be learnt verbatim, then you will need to use the texts with real hardware/software.

That said, this is the standard to which other CCNA books are measured.

Five stars for the revised content, but dropping one star on the basis that hands-on experience to back this up will help newcomers.


Great book for the IT Pro, 03 Sep 2008
This is a great book that introduces all the new characteristics of the Windows Server 2008, but also great for those who want to prepare for the MCITP 70-647 Exam. You can find topics such as the new DNS System, Terminal Services, networking, virtualization (very hot topic!) and a lot of other hot topics as well.
I liked the "real world" examples given by the authors, and also the test and review questions at the end of each chapter.
Covers all you need to know about the new Windows Server 2008. Highly recommended title.

Chris Spanougakis MCT

Excellent guide to making that connection , 12 Sep 2008
The book successfully manages to demystify the sometimes intimidating world of networking, offering simple and practical advice to plug into your many different worlds - great for career development as well as for creating personal networks. It's an easy read with very helpful tips for all levels of networkers - beginners, intermediates and experts!

Brilliant Networking - Brilliant Book!!!, 07 Aug 2008
A great read. I couldn't put it down. I think the layout is captivating which made it easy to read. The content is well laid out and it's worth the value. I'll definitely recommend anyone to read this book even if you think you are an expert in Networking. This book is more than good it's brilliant!!!

Brilliant Networking- Steven D'Souza, 27 Jun 2008
loved it!!!!!!!!! I recommended it to all my friends and family's members. The writing is flawless and it is writing in a way that any kind of readers can appreciate it. Your book was for me a revelation as it enables me for the first time to go to conferences without knowing anyone and feel comfortable to talk to people. In the past, I only went to conferences or registered to societies with friends. So many thanks for the book!!!!!!!!!!!!!


All you need to know about networking, 19 Jun 2008
The ability to network is a very important business skill. To some people networking comes naturally, for others it is a skill they somehow have to acquire and it can take a lot of effort and perseverance. This book is excellent in that it not only aids the natural networkers but also those who require an extra boost to get them going.

Another brilliant book in the 'brilliant' series., 29 Feb 2008
Excellent book in this solid series. Covers all the networking basics plus extras you wouldn't think of. Very handy in job hunting/career development. In terms of careers books I'd rate it as one of the best along with "What Colour is Your Parachute?" "Brilliant CV" "Brilliant Interview" and "How to Handle Your Recruitment Consultant".

Lifeless & very badly written, 08 Sep 2008
In contrast to the other reviewers, I found this the most dull and badly written computer book I have ever read. It can never have been proof-read. It is full of careless errors - there are even some in the answers to the questions. The book leaves gaps in your understanding all over the place, and doesn't flow. The aim seems to be learning by committing disjointed facts to memory, rather than imparting understanding. This is not a dull subject if it is taught by enthusiasts, but the authors of this book do not seem to have the spark of life within them. I give it one star for the included CDs, and for giving an idea of what's expected in the exam.

Very useful, but not the whole story, 30 May 2008
This book is a well presented, well organised guide to the 70-270 exam syllabus. It isn't too basic, it assumes that you have some working experience already, which is the correct line to take in my opinion.

My main gripe with the book is that when you go from 'Part 1 - Learn at your own pace' to 'Part 2 - Prepare for the exam', it has questions on things that aren't covered in the first part. So don't go thinking that this book is fully comprehensive, it's not. Given the size of it, maybe there just wasn't enough room for the fine detail!

MCSA 70-270: Implementing WinXP, 11 Jan 2008
I received this book as part of my course, and i have found it a great help, especially the practise test CD and the Service Pack 2 installation CD which came with mine (That may not come with other copies, im not sure as mine as i say was sent to me via my education facility). This book is definately worth buying if you are studying the MCSA/MCSE or even just brushing up on parts of your knowledge if already in the field of network engineering/administration. In short I find this book much better than then MCSA for dummies i bought before receiving my course package

A great book!!, 09 Mar 2006
I have to say that this book is just great. I have passed the XP exam and I used this book as my main reference (I have used other books but they weren't as good). The chapters are well organized, clear and useful. It contains lots of practical lab work that are useful both for the exam and the real world. This book also comes with a 15% discount voucher (time limited), a CD which contains exam style questions and videos (plus more useful stuff), and a trial version of Windows XP operating system.
I felt the authors actually knew what they were talking about and provided useful exam tips throughout.

The book is huge with lots of useful information. I will use it as a great reference guide now that the exams have finished.

I strongly recommend this book and I believe it is money well spent.

Passed my exam thanks to this book, 17 Jan 2006
I would thorougly recommend this book, It is a bit bulky but that is the only downside. The book is well structured, has questions to test you in between the chapters and also includes a 15% discount voucher. If you want to pass your exam I would recommend this book. Forgot to add, in my opinion this book can also be used a an XP guide thanks to its well presented instructions.

MCSE WIN SVR 2003 CORE REQ

Best guide available for A+, 30 Aug 2008
A+ Certification All-in-One Exam Guide, Sixth Edition (All-In-One) This is by far the best and most comprehensive guide for the A+ certification. I did the course with a college and their text books were often heavy on jargon and light on explanation. After i read this book i felt 100% ready to take the test, and i passed, and passed well. Thanks to this book. Now i'm studying the N+ and using the Meyers guide for that too.

Worth the money, 28 Aug 2008
I like the book, information is well presented and easy to follow, my only complaint would be I didn't think there were enough questions on the cd practice tests (on the essentials there are 2 practice and 2 'real' tests, but only 50 questions each)

With the sections being split into Essentials/IT technician, you can't follow them to the letter. I know there are things in the technician paragraphs that are in the essentials exam. Sometimes the author comments on this, sometimes not. Just make sure you read the whole thing.

Got to love all the chapters being on E-book format though, so you can just copy them to a portable device and not have to lug the book everywhere. A few shareware files are also included, so you don't have to search the programs out to follow along with the step by step guides.

And yes I did use this to pass, along with a transcender test pack

The best book money can bye , 02 Jun 2008
All I can say is with out this book I wound not of passed 10 out of 10.

Helped me pass, 04 May 2008
This book is probably the only book you will need to pass the A+ exams

Well written with good 'real world' advice. I tried loads of A+ books out while studying and I think this book was the best all round.

Does the job, 24 Mar 2008
I bought two books whilst studying for the A+ exams; this one, and Jean Andrews book. In the end I ended up using the Jean Andrews book more since I found it to be slightly more reader-friendly and I preferred the layout.

Having said that, this book includes more or less the same information along with practise tests. Personally I'd recommend the Jean Andrews book more highly, but this one (or even a combination of both) will also get you through the exams.

Essential Reading, 05 Oct 2008
This book is a vital tool for your CCNA, it is explain well and is a good companion for the online material that you will get with your CCNA learning.

Very Helpfull, 13 Mar 2008
This book is very similar to the online tutorials, but if like me you find it easier to read from a book than look at a computer screen all day this is a must have! I am looking to purchase the second book in this series to help me through the second part of the course.I do feel that they are a little expensive but I think these books will be very usefull for future reference should you wish to use them in relation to a job.You can purchase a book for the lab tests to acompany this book but if you are doing the cisco ccna exploration course then you can save these from the online labs and print them yourself. Hope this is of some help to you guys out there who like me wondered if this book would deliver. In my opinion it does and i would personaly recommend it.

not bad, but not good enough to warrant the high price, 23 Jan 2007
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, 16 Dec 2005
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, 01 Nov 2005
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.

the best of the market, 12 Aug 2004
I am a engineer who needed an intro into computer networks for my new job. Among the ones I looked into (Freeman, Held, the SAMS series etc ) I found this one the best by far.
First, the writing style is extremely friendly and casual, you feel like the man is speaking to you directly.
Second, I found the contents quite up-to-date for my purposes, which was to learn the basics and be ready to go further. This book helps you understand data coms based on the OSI model.
It prepared me to tackle more advanced books - at the moment I am in R. Perlman's " Interconnections".
Excellent.

Disappointing, 29 Jul 2004
Bought this for a second year computer science module in data communications and networks.

Despite its jolly cover this book is geared for academic use which probably explains why it's so tiresome.

I can't remember one thing that I looked up in this book that was useful. Encryption and routing algorithms couldn't be made less clear if you smeared the pages with manure.

And if you want to read about IP addresses and subnets in this book, well, you can't. They get a half-cocked coverage at best.

Maybe the fourth edition is better.

Highly recommended!!!, 12 Jan 2008
Using just this book along with exam braindumps found online I passed the 640-802 exam. The practice exams offer hundreds of practise questions along with simulations. Very good investment

Does what it says on the tin - but don't overlook real hands-on, 11 Nov 2007
This two-book set is the new course text for the Cisco 640-802 CCNA exam, which supersedes the previous CCNA exam from November 2007.

To compare, having had a look at the two-book set for the previous exam (640-801), Wendell Odom and his team have done a pretty good job in updating this in light of new topics.

What's in the box? Similar to the old exam library, you get two books and two CDs but this time around you also get a DVD. The DVD gives content you can probably get from YouTube, but is worth a look. The two CDs provide an exam tool and 200 sample exam-tool questions, plus an electronic version of the book text. The exam tool is fine, but won't replace using the real thing when troubleshooting. But it is nice that it is included to get you going. Note that this is not the complete set of questions and the full BOSON exam question set is available to download from BOSON and is an extra cost.

As ICDN1 and ICDN2 have been re-worked, the text of volume one now refers to CCENT as the "replacement" to the ICND1 exam and has been revised accordingly. Initial review of the two books is that they are easier to read and digest. As before, they include the usual "foundation topics" and test questions at the start and end of each chapter. Don't be fooled that these test questions will enable a pass if you just know these - you will need to use the text and the real thing if you've not done this before. The previous "open ended" questions are included but have not been revised from the earlier 640-801 library set.

The stated aim is that the new exam is to focus more on design and troubleshooting rather than just facts. This is probably a good thing in that today's networks are more complex. The previous exam probably didn't prepare for the real world where wireless, VPNs and ADSL are in use.

Will these get you through the exam? Given the small industry of self-test and self-help books for CCNA, it suggests that this is but one of the tools needed to pass the exam. The honest view is that as the exam has got harder over the years, the only way to really know is to use the real thing. The two books and additional material are good, but unless it can be learnt verbatim, then you will need to use the texts with real hardware/software.

That said, this is the standard to which other CCNA books are measured.

Five stars for the revised content, but dropping one star on the basis that hands-on experience to back this up will help newcomers.


Great book for the IT Pro, 03 Sep 2008
This is a great book that introduces all the new characteristics of the Windows Server 2008, but also great for those who want to prepare for the MCITP 70-647 Exam. You can find topics such as the new DNS System, Terminal Services, networking, virtualization (very hot topic!) and a lot of other hot topics as well.
I liked the "real world" examples given by the authors, and also the test and review questions at the end of each chapter.
Covers all you need to know about the new Windows Server 2008. Highly recommended title.

Chris Spanougakis MCT

Excellent guide to making that connection , 12 Sep 2008
The book successfully manages to demystify the sometimes intimidating world of networking, offering simple and practical advice to plug into your many different worlds - great for career development as well as for creating personal networks. It's an easy read with very helpful tips for all levels of networkers - beginners, intermediates and experts!

Brilliant Networking - Brilliant Book!!!, 07 Aug 2008
A great read. I couldn't put it down. I think the layout is captivating which made it easy to read. The content is well laid out and it's worth the value. I'll definitely recommend anyone to read this book even if you think you are an expert in Networking. This book is more than good it's brilliant!!!

Brilliant Networking- Steven D'Souza, 27 Jun 2008
loved it!!!!!!!!! I recommended it to all my friends and family's members. The writing is flawless and it is writing in a way that any kind of readers can appreciate it. Your book was for me a revelation as it enables me for the first time to go to conferences without knowing anyone and feel comfortable to talk to people. In the past, I only went to conferences or registered to societies with friends. So many thanks for the book!!!!!!!!!!!!!


All you need to know about networking, 19 Jun 2008
The ability to network is a very important business skill. To some people networking comes naturally, for others it is a skill they somehow have to acquire and it can take a lot of effort and perseverance. This book is excellent in that it not only aids the natural networkers but also those who require an extra boost to get them going.

Another brilliant book in the 'brilliant' series., 29 Feb 2008
Excellent book in this solid series. Covers all the networking basics plus extras you wouldn't think of. Very handy in job hunting/career development. In terms of careers books I'd rate it as one of the best along with "What Colour is Your Parachute?" "Brilliant CV" "Brilliant Interview" and "How to Handle Your Recruitment Consultant".

Lifeless & very badly written, 08 Sep 2008
In contrast to the other reviewers, I found this the most dull and badly written computer book I have ever read. It can never have been proof-read. It is full of careless errors - there are even some in the answers to the questions. The book leaves gaps in your understanding all over the place, and doesn't flow. The aim seems to be learning by committing disjointed facts to memory, rather than imparting understanding. This is not a dull subject if it is taught by enthusiasts, but the authors of this book do not seem to have the spark of life within them. I give it one star for the included CDs, and for giving an idea of what's expected in the exam.

Very useful, but not the whole story, 30 May 2008
This book is a well presented, well organised guide to the 70-270 exam syllabus. It isn't too basic, it assumes that you have some working experience already, which is the correct line to take in my opinion.

My main gripe with the book is that when you go from 'Part 1 - Learn at your own pace' to 'Part 2 - Prepare for the exam', it has questions on things that aren't covered in the first part. So don't go thinking that this book is fully comprehensive, it's not. Given the size of it, maybe there just wasn't enough room for the fine detail!

MCSA 70-270: Implementing WinXP, 11 Jan 2008
I received this book as part of my course, and i have found it a great help, especially the practise test CD and the Service Pack 2 installation CD which came with mine (That may not come with other copies, im not sure as mine as i say was sent to me via my education facility). This book is definately worth buying if you are studying the MCSA/MCSE or even just brushing up on parts of your knowledge if already in the field of network engineering/administration. In short I find this book much better than then MCSA for dummies i bought before receiving my course package

A great book!!, 09 Mar 2006
I have to say that this book is just great. I have passed the XP exam and I used this book as my main reference (I have used other books but they weren't as good). The chapters are well organized, clear and useful. It contains lots of practical lab work that are useful both for the exam and the real world. This book also comes with a 15% discount voucher (time limited), a CD which contains exam style questions and videos (plus more useful stuff), and a trial version of Windows XP operating system.
I felt the authors actually knew what they were talking about and provided useful exam tips throughout.

The book is huge with lots of useful information. I will use it as a great reference guide now that the exams have finished.

I strongly recommend this book and I believe it is money well spent.

Passed my exam thanks to this book, 17 Jan 2006
I would thorougly recommend this book, It is a bit bulky but that is the only downside. The book is well structured, has questions to test you in between the chapters and also includes a 15% discount voucher. If you want to pass your exam I would recommend this book. Forgot to add, in my opinion this book can also be used a an XP guide thanks to its well presented instructions.

#1 DIYmcse.com {{RECOMMENDED}}, 10 Aug 2007
This set of books covers the four Microsoft MCSA/E core exams.

Having purchased and read these books, there really is no other set which is as comprehensive or well written.

Youl will find these books accurate and concise and note a vast amount of "real world" experience referenced inside them.

Hope this helps!

Mike Firth
www.DIYmcse.com